LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rich Strike pulled off one of the biggest Kentucky Derby upsets in history, running down the favorites in the stretch to win Saturday at Churchill Downs as one of the race’s longest shots of all time.
Going off at 80-1 odds, Rich Strike came from the back of the 20-horse field under a ride from Derby rookie Sonny Leon to finish three-quarters of a length in front of 4-1 favorite Epicenter. Morning-line favorite Zandon was third, with Simplification fourth and Mo Donegal fifth.
Rich Strike wasn’t even in the Kentucky Derby field until Friday morning, when Ethereal Road scratched out of the race in the final hour, opening up a spot for the first “also-eligible.”