Everyone has their theory, but Rich Strike ran the leaders down, pure and simple. I have watched the Derby since 1967 and this was the most thrilling I've seen. Love when a huge underdog conquers.
Seems to me that Sonny Leon knew that the pace was too fast. He kept him on the in the race and really made Rich Strike give it all at the end. Either way, it was a beautiful way to win!
RS was 15th at the 3/4 pole blocked in traffic. It was a brilliant horse and a great rider. It is rare where you see a horse with a faceful of mud looking around. RS cleared the blocker on his own. Leon didn't have time to move him. I have watched it at least 30 times. Best ever. .
@@jpowers667 no the owner collapsed before the finish. 😂 Let’s not pretend ANYONE saw this coming. The owners, trainers, jockey, groom have all expressed that this was a perfect storm. A miracle.
Rich Strike’s name never appeared in the leaderboard graphic shown onscreen during the race. Those names are the top six places. He burst forth that fast down the stretch.
I saw him coming because I put $ on the six horse that he went around in the stretch so I was watching lol. At that point he looked like he would catch the leaders.
This win was due to a very smart jockey. He handled the horse extremely well. I for one never knew how important jockeys were to the race as I figured they basically added weight and held on. Nope. This kind of riding requires experience, skill, and strategy and knowing when to give the horse free rein to move. And the rider is in charge not the horse. Rich Strike had the unenviable task of moving from dead last to first place. This jockey did a very skilled maneuvering job and kept his head in a very crowded and dangerous field. I never knew about the importance of jockeys and the incredible dangers they face when riding in races until I read the book “Seabiscuit” by Laura Hillenbrand which is a terrific and exciting book about horse racing. The races scenes are so compelling, harrowing and thrilling you forget that you know from history which horse is going to win because the race scenes are that exciting. You will never see the dangerous job that jockeys do in the same way ever again. I guarantee it.
Seabiscuit is a brilliant book. I agree about the jockeys. Plus, Sonny Leon did it all maneuvering Rich Strike from the back, through horses, into openings, all the while keeping him and the horse safe. All done at top speed, amid bunched up, barreling, very large animals. Dramatic race. I loved every second of it, and Rich and Sonny deserved the win!
For some reason, as yet to be explained, the Soviets benched their goalie in the third period. Hall of Famer Vladislav Tretiak is thought by some to be the greatest goaltender in ice hockey history. So there’s that.
rich strike is really smart. twice down the stretch you can see him look at the horse he had to catch and he did. i love stories like this. what a beautiful animal.
I, too, have watched the race(derby) over and over....it is by far one of the BEST races I've ever had the fortune to witness in a LONG TIME . ( I had not heard the name Rich Strike Until the announcer hollered, oh my, Rich Strike just won the Kentucky DERBY!! Not only did the Horse, trainer, Jockey, groom, and everyone involved make that moment happen, but it was just what horse racing needed in light of all the other CRAP that has been going on in the racing world. THE HORSE, OBVIOUSLY was at the top of his game and the jockey is a genius the way he rode Rich Strike to victory. I hope his career does not end here, but even if it does, THEY, HE WON THE DERBY AND NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM HIM..THEM. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GROUP. HOPE THE God's of racing stay with you all. GOOD LUCK!!!
The call from the announcer was epic. The way the jockey maneuvered through traffic and got to the rail was spectacular...followed by that pass around a slower horse that was also trying to hug the rail...amazing. All the better because it was an unheralded upset. Love it.
The Jockey did a magnificent jog guiding Rich Strike through the race traffic. He "threaded the needle" beautifully comes through those three horses. When I saw Rich Strike's head turn toward the opening between horses I knew he was going to give them a run and a run he did!
Though he was caught off guard like the rest of us, he could still capture the moment perfectly. Secretariat came to mind when he won the Belmont Stakes in 1973: "he is moving like a tremendous machine!" Words that are forever engraved in our memory.
Like Dan, I have watched the derby multiple times and for some reason it makes me tear up with happiness. I think we need to have an underdog to cheer for.
My dad passed last August I could here him screaming with joy from Heaven on this one folks my heart will be lifted up forever thank you Rich Strike !! and rider Sunny Leon his wife and baby there were so perfect and beautiful this moment is perfect in time
Two great horse racing calls stand our in my mind. The announcer screaming Rich Strike as he crossed the finish line - the winner. The other in 1973, as I had just returned from four years in the Air Force. Watching with my father I remember Chick Anderson’s call : “Secretariat is widening- he is moving like a tremendous machine”! To this day I get a chill watching RU-vid footage hearing that. I was using a stopwatch on the race that I had picked up in Okinawa. I was upset because the watch was off by two seconds. Years later I finally realized - the watch wasn’t off, the race was over two seconds shorter than normal🤔
I am not into horse racing, but like you, I watched and listened to the announcer over ten times! It was exciting, thrilling, goosebumps, so invigorating! Even brought me to tears by the tenth viewing, that’s how impactful the call was!
Larry Collumus's call was so great I cry just listening to it. Perfect call. Some say that he didn't pick him up until late, but that is exactly what makes the call perfect. He charged out of nowhere and somehow Collmus figured it out just in time, and not only that, called it perfectly once he saw him. Gives me chills.
Yes, he was late on seeing Rich Strike, but it was still exciting to listen to his call. When he said "Oh my goodness!" it was probably a cleaned up version of what he was really thinking. I was actually expecting to hear the words "HOLY ____ OUT OF NOWHERE!!"
The announcer was too focused on the two favorites to notice Rich Strike staging the most amazing burst to the finish I've ever seen. He mentioned Rich Strike only once before when the horse was around a third of the way around the track and in 15th place. Then all of a sudden with two seconds left he sees the horse surging to victory. You can't blame him since Epicenter and Sandon were battling neck and neck in what could have been a photo finish. So I guess you have to forgive the guy. A lot was going on. This was even better than the movie Sea Biscuit. And you can bet a movie about Rich Strike will be made some day.
I agree. I could see that horse gaining ground and didn't realize it was 21. (I keep track of the horses by their numbers.) I wondered why the announcer wasn't saying a word about him. I was totally confused about which horse the announcer was talking about because this other horse was obviously making fast strides and the announcer completely missed it. At the start of the race, I was watching 21 because he was the last horse out of the gate and I felt sorry for him. But then he disappeared and I couldn't believe the horse that won was the same horse that was last.
I watched it in Spanish by a Venezuelan announcer (Sonny Leon is Venezuelan) and he failed to notice Rich Strike until the end. But when he did notice...OMG!!
I played the call ten times as well. I also felt better every time I listened to (watched) it. I think the thrill comes from the internal realization that not all things are programed in advance, not all outcomes are so thoroughly managed as to seem predetermined. This call was the embodiment of the notion. It wasn't just a long shot winning, it was that no one saw it coming until the last moment. The upset didn't get to sink in until it was already over with. That was special.
When the announcer exclaimed “Oh my goodness!” That’s when my defenses broke down and electricity coursed through my body. The sound of that exclamation was the purest expression of witnessing an underdog achieve the impossible.
Greatest horse race ever? I watched over and over trying to understand how he did what he did, just unreal. I imagine you have to go back to little Seabiscuit for something like this.
The announcer was focused on the two leaders and had no comprehension that another horse could come up that fast. He caught on just in time to make it an historic call. Actually not seeing Rich Strike until it was almost to late made it better.
This is why racing has always been my favorite sport. It is the most exciting , thrilling thing to watch. And the sportscaster's enthusiastic call on the race is totally for real.
“Secretariat is moving like a TREMENDOUS MACHINE …” “but Secretariat is out there all alone…” also historic, incredible calls as Secretariat wins the Triple Crown. Another STUNNING race
I agree with you- Larry Colmus' call of that race was perfect- he was so into it- drew me in as well- he was watching it live- I saw it on the screen- but, his sincere shock of Rich Strike making his move on that last stretch was pure gold
this would be like a high school baseball team beating a major league baseball team in a one game tournament. never in my life of 67 years did i ever think this could happen.
I've grown up and have been raised around horses. The most stunning thing this entire race was that with about 1 furlong to go...Leon brings RS right up the rail and runs into the ass end of Messier who is tiring. That right there typically is the swan song for a thoroughbred on the prowl. But not this horse. Jerks his head to the right, goes around Messier and never breaks stride, then accelerates like hell on a straight path to the 2 leaders. No wasted moves or strides. Mind blowing.
And to put this stunning victory in context with the 1973 Derby...the pace thru turn 3 was absolutely blistering...and a sprint to the end. And when it was all said and done...Rich Strike won by almost 3 seconds SLOWER than Secretariat in 1973. Tells you how incredible Secretariat was, and remains almost 50 years later.
I’m another one who keeps watching this race - epic! About the announcer, could someone more familiar with this chime in? I’ve heard that he was using binoculars to see the leaders better. Obviously, binoculars in this application would give the announcer tunnel vision, so if that’s the case, he only picked up on Rich Strike when the horse entered the announcer’s binoculars. I’m also assuming that the announcer has one or more spotters and maybe an earpiece in one ear(?) to pick up on changes in positioning. I would be very interested in someone interviewing the announcer to ask about what he could and couldn’t see in the critical moment. I’m with Dan, it was a great recovery and call during a wild finish.
There is a video on RU-vid showing the guy making the call. He is using binoculars. He was amazingly far from the race. He would have been better off watching on TV. He did a great job considering. Watch the isolated video of the call.
The announcer was concentrating on the two horses who were in the lead and who were neck-in-neck. And then right before the finish line, here comes Rich Strike like a bullet pass those two horses....shocking everyone......including the announcer!
I didn't think it was very professional that he didn't even pick up on the fact that Rich Strike was a threat until he was almost shoulder to shoulder with the leader.
@@josefinenagy4136 armchair quarterbacking from the comfort of your home, watching it on playback. Nobody on the planet expected Rich Strike to make that move.
I don’t care about this stuff I used to think it was stupid. But went to school with someone who’s family was from Kentucky. They celebrated this and were so into it. Changed my mentality
my mother, RIP, had six children but the highlight of her life was seeing Seattle Slough win the triple crown - the love of horses and the excitement of the moment
The call was really incredible and it reminds me very much of the Billy Mills call from the 1964 Olympics. They are the 2 best calls of any race in the history of sports in my opinion!
Don't agree he mention Simplification coming from outside and at that time Rich Strike was coming flying from the inside and was ahead of Simplification and I was watching coming strong when he passes Messier, Larry Colmes is a good horse race track caller but he blew it he was supposed to mention RS when he was coming flying strong, blessings for all.
This race reminded me of an old abbot and costello episode where Lou bets on the favorite and they were neck and neck at the end , then the long shot comes out of nowhere and wins. Unreal.
Brilliant which means like the best of them only the COLORS he was able to identify immediately. Super Fantastic. Tom Durkin is the proudest of all Race fans ❤️.
