Rich Strike made his mutant supporters at the 7th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) exactly that — richer, causing the second biggest disappointment in its 148-year history. of the race.
Catch two of the race favorites, Epicenter and Zandon with a dramatic stretch under unannounced driver Sonny Leon, the 80-1 long shot stunned a crowd of 147,294 at Churchill Downs. The Keen Ice colt returned $163.60 on a $2 winning bet, a reward only surpassed by Donerail, who returned $184.90 in 1913.
Bettors weren’t the only ones shocked. Winning coach Eric Reed said his knees buckled with excitement shortly after the race, and he fell to the ground as he watched his pony cross the ropes ahead.
“Can you believe it, man?” Reed then exclaimed to his friends as people flocked to congratulate him.
Rich Strike connections celebrate with the Kentucky Derby trophy
He’s not alone in feeling this way. Winning owner Rick Dawson of RED TR-Racing was also stunned.
“What planet is this? I feel like I’ve been pushed somewhere. I’m not sure,” he said. “This is unbelievable. I asked my coach on stage, and I said, ‘Are you sure this isn’t a dream? Because it can’t be real.’ He assured me this was the truth.”
For many in attendance, this was an improbable outcome — and it was unlikely to happen. Rich Strike didn’t even make it to the original field of 20, missing the other competitors’ Kentucky Derby qualifying points, making him a qualifying man who needed a jolt to get started.
From the time of registration on May 2 until the early morning of May 6, it looked like he wouldn’t stand a chance. But the opportunity came in the weak minutes before the end of scratch time at 9 a.m. Friday, when The path of purity was eliminated from the race, clearing the way for him to start.
As a qualifying also, he won a spot in the outboard race in 20th place, a position from which there is only one horse, Big brown (2008), won in 17 previous attempts.
Rich Strike makes history underneath Twin Spiers
But Leon—who rode not at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day but at his regular base at Belterra Park—Never ride like a racehorse frustrated by a broad draw. Quickly reducing his riding speed, he placed Rich Strike to the rear of the herd, and the foal entered its first turn in 18, just two horses ahead and with only a few paths left inside.
With a hot tempo going on in the Derby—Summer is tomorrow threw down taxing openings as: 21.78 and: 45.36 while being chased by Japan Crown Pride — Rich Strike’s position to the back makes him a lot of subs.
By the six-game stage of the Derby, the pace of the start was moderate, with Messier creates a slight advantage over Crown Pride. But the unruly horses are coming.
Following the horses in front of him, especially Epicenter and Zandon, Rich Strike began picking opponents, with Leon moving a few paths outside when turning, then inside to run the ramp.
Still, few people paid attention to Rich Strike, as attention turned to Epicenter, the public pick of 4-1, who, racing at a far faster pace than usual, took command after a mile in the billions. ratio 1: 36.96. With Zandon in a hurry, the race looks set to head to a battle between race favorites and favorites the morning team in Zandon, who finished 6-1.
Rick Dawson enjoys moment in Kentucky Derby winner’s circle
But Rich Strike is just finding its stride. With Leon barely avoiding running in the heels of the weary Messier in the middle of the journey, Rich Strike reeled the leaders, capturing Epicenter in the final sixteenth game for a three-quarter long win. He stopped the clock with 1 1/4 mile on the fast track at 2:02.61.
The view from above pic.twitter.com/wo3rJE1LSO
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 8, 2022
“I don’t know if he can win, but I have a good feeling about him,” said Leon, the only man with a card at the Derby. “I had to wait until the ramp, and that’s what I did. I waited, and then the tracks opened up. I wasn’t nervous. I was excited. Nobody knows my horse like I know yours. I.”
Rich Strike’s victory denied Steve Asmussen, the winning coach in North American racing history, an elusive victory in the Derby. He’s 0 against 24, with three runners-up and two thirds.
“I said it earlier, they’ll tell me this happens tomorrow, and I’m not going to agree,” he said in the tunnel after the race. “I was like, I wouldn’t believe them.”
Rich Strike with a blanket of roses
He was pleased with his pony’s performance and Joel Rosario’s patient handling to rank his horse in eighth place early. He notes that Rosario has positioned Epicenter “where you want to be” with a lead for the time period, set against Zandon.
Then, “I saw the other horse, and I said, ‘No! It will not defeat us. “And he did,” Asmussen said.
He commended the winner and Rich Strike’s connections.
“Respect him. They won the Kentucky Derby. What a story,” he said.
Following Zandon across the line is Simplify , the fourth runner, two distances behind the finish line. An ending Mo Donegal came in at fifth place after a poor start.
Rich Strike gallops home a nasty winner of the Kentucky Derby
Completing this field is Haircut line , Port of Tawny , Happy smile , Tiz the Bomb , Zozos , Classic Road , Taiba Crown Pride, Jack is happy Messier, White Abarrio , Charge it , Cyberknife , Medina’s Pioneers and Summer Is Tomorrow.
In terms of extreme speed, no horse running in the top four in the first half-mile has finished better than 10th.
Saturday’s Derby featured one of the least experienced pitches in history, with seven dark horses having four or fewer starts. One entrant, Taiba, raced just twice, winning the first race and the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Both Taiba and Derby Santa Anita runner-up Messier are set for Saturday’s race by Tim Yakteen, who began overseeing their training this spring. Yakteen took over not long before their previous coach, six-time Derby winner Bob Baffert started his suspension from Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned drug during last year’s race and was ultimately disqualified.
While other Derby starters, such as Taiba, fetched exorbitant prices at auction, Rich Strike was acquired for $30,000, drawn from the first claim race in September of this year. last at Churchill Downs on the second start.
Reed has been encouraged by the foal’s previous exercises and is optimistic he may not have reached his full potential in Ellis . Park debuted while playing on the field for coach Joe Sharp and his owner/raider, Calumet Ranch.
Sonny Leon celebrates his Kentucky Derby win on Rich Strike
So Reed submitted a request and watched in excitement as Rich Strike took the 17 1/2 win, showing a fondness for the main track at Churchill Downs. The horse then joined his stable.
Rich Strike went into the Kentucky Derby without another win, with his best of four games being a pair of third-place finishes, the most recent of which was at Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). ) April 2 at Lawn Park when he lost to Tiz the Bomb on a synthetic surface 5 3/4 the length. Epicenter beat him by 14 lengths in the winter Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds & Slots.
“It’s a horse race, and anyone can win. And the tote board doesn’t mean anything,” Reed said.
Even without Rich Strike in their jersey, Calumet Ranch was represented in the Derby by 14th-place finisher Happy Jack. He needs to be loaded into the portal after being loaded, causing the Derby to start to slow down briefly.
The Derby winner was a Kentucky cross and was one of eight ponies among the classified winning Smart Strike mares. Gold Strike 3-year-old Canadian champion in 2005. She has had 4 winners, including Llanarmon (Sky Mesa ), who captured Natalma Stakes (G2T) at Honeysuckle on the field in 2013. Rich Strike is her most recent pony.
Rich Strike earned $1,860,000 for the $3 million Kentucky Derby, bringing his earnings to $1,971,289 with a 2-0-3 record in eight starts.
He gave Calumet Farms a 10th win at the Kentucky Derby as a breeder, extending their record, with eight horses coming from racehorses for the ranch as the Wright family ran Calumet mid to late 20th century. Brad Kelley now owns Calumet, where Keen Ice stands at stud.
Like Rich Strike, Keen Ice caused a memorable sadness, surprising Triple Crown winner American pharoah 16-1 odds in Trading Bets 2015 (G1) at Racecourse Saratoga.
Rich Strike gallops home in the Kentucky Derby
Video: Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1)
