Kentucky Derby: Rich Strike pulls off upset

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LONG-SHOT Rich Strike stormed to victory at the 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the race.

The chestnut colt, who went off at 80-1 odds, pulled into the lead down the stretch to edge favorite Epicenter, who was second, and Zandon, who was third.

Rich Strike only entered the 20-horse race when Ethereal Road was scratched on Friday morning (Saturday in Manila).

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The unlikely victory was the first Kentucky Derby win for trainer and Kentucky native Eric Reed.

“I fell down in the paddock when he hit the wire,” Reed said.

“I passed out. I’m so happy. This is the reason everybody does this. We’re not supposed to be here, but I knew this horse loved this track and he has been training so good all year.”

Reed had considered walking away from the sport after he lost 23 horses in a barn fire in 2016. Thirteen horses were saved.

Summer Is Tomorrow and Crown Pride taking the early lead in the blisteringly fast start of the race under cloudy skies and in front of more than 150,000 fans.

Epicenter looked poised to notch the victory until Rich Strike and jockey Sonny Leon made their move along the rail in the final seconds of the race.

“I knew the horse could do it if he could find his way through the traffic,” Reed said.

“That’s why I had Sonny on him. He got us here, he knows the horse and he gave him the greatest ride I’ve ever seen.”

Rich Strike is the second longest shot to win the Run for the Roses after Donerail won at 91-1 odds in 1913.

Owner Rick Dawson was one of the few people who did not seem surprised by the outcome.

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