Flashback: Silky Sullivan a Santa Anita Derby winner to remember

The Santa Anita Derby is held at Santa Monica Park. Sham clocked a stakes-record time of 1:47 flat in 1973. Affirmed won by eight lengths in 1978. Winning Colors dominated in 1988. I'll Have Another battled to victory by a nostril in 2012.

Silky Sullivan won the Santa Anita Derby by three lengths in 1:49.40. A record crowd of 61,123 turned out to see the race. Silky was the early favorite, but he was overtaken by his rivals. Jockey Bill Shoemaker changed the course to save ground around the bend and shifted outside for the run down the homestretch. The result chart in The Los Angeles Times of March 9, 1958 describes the margin as 28 1/2 lengths. The stakes record was 0.60 off the stakes. It is not known how far Sily Sullivan fell behind in the opening stages of the event.