LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rich Strike, the improbable winner of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, headed home to Lexington on Sunday from Churchill Downs, and will spend a bit more than a week at trainer Eric Reed’s private training center, Mercury Equine, before embarking on the next step of his journey, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 21.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Although he just missed winning the Kentucky Derby with Epicenter, marking the third time he’s finished second in the Derby, trainer Steve Asmussen still had himself a terrific two days at Churchill Downs. He recorded two Grade 1 victories, with Pauline’s Pearl in the La Troienne on Friday and with male sprint champ Jackie’s Warrior in the Churchill Downs on Saturday.

As with Epicenter, both Jackie’s Warrior and Pauline’s Pearl were ridden by Joel Rosario.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If veteran trainer Eric Reed had not been saddling his first Kentucky Derby starter on Saturday, “I promise you I would have been on the lake fishing.” 

Instead, Reed landed the big one on Saturday at Churchill Downs, as Rich Strike went from the Derby also-eligible list to the winner’s circle draped in roses as the second-biggest upset winner in race history. 

The morning after the improbable victory that Reed called “an absolute miracle,” the trainer was affably adjusting to the intense attention now centering on his barn. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As the field turned into the stretch, trainer Chad Brown had every right to believe he was finally going to get his first Kentucky Derby victory late Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, as his Blue Grass winner Zandon loomed up in perfect striking position just behind the favored Epicenter. It was a scenario he had experienced twice before, with Normandy Invasion in 2013 and again with Good Magic five years later, both of whom also appeared poised to win the Derby a quarter-mile from the wire.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Steve Asmussen was too much in shock to be disappointed.

“When they tell me this happened tomorrow, I’m still going to go ‘Are you sure?’ ” Asmussen, the trainer of Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter, said. “Really? Like, that’s what happened?"

What happened was Epicenter, the Kentucky Derby favorite, was passed to his inside by Rich Strike, at 80.80-1 the longest shot on the board in Saturday’s 148th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, and was beaten three-quarters of a length. He finished that same margin in front of Zandon.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It’s hard to get about 150,000 people to go from a full-throated roar to library-like quiet. But for a smattering of those who perhaps play blackjack and like the number 21, or, especially, those connected with a heretofore unknown colt named Rich Strike, Churchill Downs, back with a full house after two years of racing under restrictions, fell into mostly stunned silence following the 148th Kentucky Derby on Saturday. A return to normal? Not on the racetrack.

21   Rich Strike – $163.60 / $74.20 / $29.40 

3   Epicenter – $7.40 / $5.20

10   Zandon – $5.60 

13   Simplification

1   Mo Donegal

$2 Exacta (21-3) – $4,101.20

50-cent Trifecta (21-3-10) – $7,435.35

$1 Superfecta (21-3-10-13-1) – $321,500.10

$2 Double (10/21) – $2,729.80

50-cent pick three (3/10/21) – $1,612.20

50-cent pick four (9/3,8/10/21) – $25,834.75

50-cent pick five (5/9/3,8/10/21) – $247,215.65

20-cent pick six (5,7/5/9/3,9/10/21) – $161,630.86

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – We’re eight races into this Kentucky Derby card and have just seen Obligatory blast last to first to win the Derby City Distaff, her first Grade 1.  

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fresh off his victory aboard Secret Oath in the Kentucky Oaks, jockey Luis Saez was set on Saturday at Churchill Downs to try and sweep both that race and the Kentucky Derby, a feat that has been accomplished twice in the past 12 years, but officially just once.

Try to name reliable classic lines in the United States, and a couple immediately come to mind: Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, who has founded a strong branch of the family tree for his grandsire, the prolific Mr. Prospector, and Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy, who represents Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew’s branch of the Bold Ruler line. Both are solidly represented in a Kentucky Derby field that is extremely hard to pick apart on pedigree.