By Marc Lawrence, PlaybookSports.com — Rich Strike entered Saturday’s Kentucky Derby with one win in seven career races and was claimed last year for just $30,000, making him the first claimed horse ever to win the Derby.
His 80-1 odds were the second-longest to ever capture the run for the roses.
He was entered into the race 30 seconds before Friday’s deadline when Ethereal Road was scratched.
He won $1.86M for the win while a record $179M was wagered on the race, an 8% increase over the previous record in 2019.
One thing we know for sure: The win helped redeem horse racing when it needed it most.
