American Pharaoh storms home in Kentucky Derby

Favorite American Pharoah stormed to victory in the Kentucky Derby in the US as jockey Victor Espinoza clinched back-to-back wins in America's most prestigious horse race.

The two-year-old trained by Bob Baffert hit the front just past the final turn to finish ahead of Firing Line in second and Dortmund in third, in front of a record 170,513 crowd at Churchill Downs.

The 5-2 favorite made light of a tricky wide starting position to surge into the leading pack from the start in the 141st edition of the "Run for the Roses", the opening event of racing's Triple Crown.

Stablemate Dortmund and Firing Line set the early pace down the back straight but coming into the final turn, Espinoza swept wide and confidently hit the front.

Firing Line, under the guidance of the 52-year-old Gary Stevens, rallied furiously down the stretch, but American Pharoah held on to give Espinoza another Derby win following his triumph on California Chrome last year.

"I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth," a delighted Espinoza said moments after crossing the finish line.

"I was growing up and all I wanted to be was successful and I chose to be a jockey," said Espinoza, who as a teenager worked as a bus driver in Mexico City to pay for jockey school.

The 42-year-old veteran rider also paid tribute to American Pharoah after a deserved victory.

"He's been a special horse since the day I rode him. He's an unbelievable horse," he added, admitting he had been spooked by the persistence of Firing Line in the home straight.

"Turning for home I thought I had it, but the other horse was right there. I couldn't blow him away, but I got it done."

Trainer Baffert meanwhile dedicated the win -- his fourth Derby triumph -- to Egyptian-born owner Ahmed Zayat, who has seen three of his horses in previous editions of the race finish second.

"This is for the Zayat family," Baffert said. "It's a fantasy moment for me. To be standing here for the fourth time.

"But American Pharoah makes a trainer look good. So thank God for great horses."