Longshot Wins Historic 150th Kentucky Derby in Thrilling Photo Finish
The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby came down to the wire. Literally. In one of the most dramatic finishes in the race's history, Mystic Dan crossed the line just a nose in front of his competition.
In what will, no doubt, be a Derby to be remembered and talked about for years, the 16-1 longshot, Mystic Dan, emerged the victor in a field of very qualified thoroughbreds. In what seemed like a very long time to determine, officials had to go to the photo finish to announce the winner.
Churchill Downs held a record breaking crowd of over 156,000 spectators all holding their breath for the final determination of the winner.
Mystic Dan had to hold off Sierra Leone (5-1) and Forever Young (6-1) who were having a battle of their own coming down to the wire.
Trained by Kenneth McPeek, Mystik Dan's victory was particularly special as McPeek became the first trainer since 1952 to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks in the same weekend, with Thorpedo Anna winning the Oaks on Friday. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. piloted Mystik Dan to victory, delivering a masterful ride that showcased his horse's abilities.
Fierceness (7-2) who was the clear favorite and had shown the ability to win finished in a disappointing position 15 when the race was over. The beautiful bay colt came out strong and led the field in the turn for home but faded.
Mystic Dan did exaclty the opposite. When the crowd came around the final turn, Hernandez found an opening along the rail and took it. From that point on, the horse surged and found new gears.
Sierra Leone and Forever Young mounted a fierce challenge on the outside, but Mystik Dan held on gamely to win by a nose in one of the closest finishes in Kentucky Derby history.
The result was not without controversy, as the stewards reviewed the finish before declaring Mystik Dan the official winner. The delay only added to the drama, with Hernandez describing the wait as "the longest few minutes of my life." When the result was finally announced, Hernandez was overcome with emotion, saying, "To see your number flash up to win the Derby, I don't think it will sink in for a while."
Looking ahead, Mystik Dan will now aim to capture the second leg of the Triple Crown at the Preakness Stakes on May 18. If he can continue his winning ways, he will be well on his way to etching his name in the annals of horse racing history alongside legends like Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and American Pharoah.
LAURA MOTLEY LAMBERT
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. With her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, PGA and LPGA. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com