▁to ▁pull ▁clear , ▁but ▁had ▁to ▁with stand ▁a ▁late ▁charge ▁from ▁Ch oc olate ▁C andy . ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁crossed ▁the ▁wire ▁a ▁length ▁in ▁front , ▁with ▁a ▁final ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 : 4 9 . 1 7 . ▁G ome z , ▁who ▁said ▁afterwards ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁hold ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁back ▁on ▁the ▁back st retch , ▁said : ▁" We ▁won , ▁but ▁it ▁wasn ' t ▁really ▁the ▁way ▁we ▁wanted ▁to ▁do ▁it ." ▁▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 6 , ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁arrived ▁at ▁Church ill ▁Down s ▁for ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Derby . ▁He ▁b ree zed ▁twice ▁over ▁the ▁track ▁before ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Derby , ▁with ▁B af fert ▁saying ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁pleased ▁with ▁his ▁works . ▁The ▁Kentucky ▁Derby ▁would ▁be ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ' s ▁first ▁start ▁on ▁d irt , ▁with ▁all ▁his ▁prior ▁races ▁having ▁been ▁on ▁tur f ▁or ▁synth etic ▁surfaces . ▁B af fert ▁didn ' t ▁think ▁it ▁would ▁bother ▁the ▁horse , ▁stating : ▁" He ' s ▁got ▁a ▁long ▁st ride ▁as ▁it ▁is , ▁but ▁he ▁really ▁moves ▁better ▁over ▁the ▁d irt ." ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 , ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁started ▁from ▁post ▁ 1 6 , ▁as ▁the ▁third ▁choice , ▁against ▁a ▁field ▁of ▁eigh teen ▁other ▁col ts . ▁The ▁track ▁was ▁se aled , ▁and ▁listed ▁as ▁slo ppy . ▁He ▁broke ▁very