A class drop and return to Churchill Downs, where he was a maiden winner and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall, proved a winning combination for Mr. Money in Saturday's Grade 3, $400,000 Pat Day Mile on the Derby Day undercard at Churchill Downs.

Mr. Money stalked the pace early in the Pat Day Mile before deciding he could wait no more. He dragged his rider, Gabe Saez, upon the heels of rivals nearing the turn, and once Saez gave him a path between rivals, the horse surged to go after the leaders. He took the lead before the six-furlong marker of the race, and lengthened his advantage to the wire, winning by 5 1/4 lengths.

Hog Creek Hustle closed to be second, followed by Dream Maker in third.

Running poorly was heavily favored Instagrand, the third-place finisher from the Gotham and Santa Anita Derby, who began a steady retreat down the backstretch before winding up eighth.

Mr. Money, a 3-year-old son of Goldencents trained by Bret Calhoun for Allied Racing Stable, raced a mile on a fast track in 1:35.21. Entering the Pat Day Mile after a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, he paid $17.

Calhoun and Saez will team up again in a couple of hours with By My Standards in the Kentucky Derby.

David Grening will have a full recap of the race up soon at www.Drf.com.