“We found out about 30 seconds before the deadline on Friday. It put us in the race and really we always felt if we just got in we’ve got a shot.”
Rick Dawson, owner of the Kentucky Derby's winning colt, Rich Strike — whose win was one of the biggest upsets in the race's history.
may 9, 2022
- The colt wasn't scheduled to run in Saturday's race, but received a spot Friday when a Hall of Fame trainer pulled his horse from the race.
- The winning technique: “I had to wait until the stretch and that’s what I did. I waited, and then the rail opened up. I wasn’t nervous, I was excited. Nobody knows my horse like I know my horse," said the jockey, Sonny Leon.
- It was Leon's first Kentucky Derby.
Why It Matters: Rich Strike's win was the second-biggest upset in the Kentucky Derby's 148-year history; the colt went in with a 80-1 shot.
For Fun: The tradition of wearing a hat to the Derby has been around since the beginning of the race in 1875, and was modeled after the strict dress code of British horse racing. It wasn't until the 1960's, when the event began to be televised, that typical fashions were challenged — and people took their hat game to the next level in order to stand out more. Click here for a peek into this year's hats (USA Today).
80-1 shot Rich Strike races to huge upset in Kentucky Derby (Associated Press)
Jockey, trainer help long-shot Rich Strike in Derby upset (Associated Press)
The history of hats (Derby Museum)
