Rich Strike facts for kids

Rich Strike was born on April 25, 2019. He is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He became famous for winning the 2022 Kentucky Derby in 2022. What made his win so special? He won with very long odds of 80 to 1! This means most people didn't expect him to win at all.

Rich Strike was the second-biggest surprise winner in Kentucky Derby history. Only Donerail in 1913 had longer odds (91 to 1). Rich Strike almost didn't even race in the Derby. Another horse, Ethereal Road, was removed from the race the day before. This allowed Rich Strike to join the race at the very last minute. His owner, Richard Dawson, found out just 30 seconds before the deadline!

Who is Rich Strike?

Rich Strike is also called Richie. He is a chestnut horse, which means he has a reddish-brown coat. He has a white stripe on his face called a blaze. He also has two white "socks" on his back legs.

He was born at Calumet Farm in Kentucky. His mother, Gold Strike, was a champion racehorse in Canada. His father, Keen Ice, was famous for beating another great horse, American Pharoah. Rich Strike was the first horse sired by Keen Ice to win a top-level (Grade I) race. He was also the tenth Kentucky Derby winner for Calumet Farm.

In September 2021, a horse trainer named Eric Reed bought Rich Strike. He bought him for $30,000 at a special kind of race called a claiming race. Reed bought him for Richard Dawson's RED-TR Racing team.

Jockey Sonny Leon rode Rich Strike to his amazing victory in the 148th Kentucky Derby. This big race happened at Churchill Downs on May 7, 2022. Jerry Dixon Jr. was Rich Strike's groom, meaning he took care of the horse every day. He had been with Rich Strike almost since the horse arrived at Eric Reed's training center.

Rich Strike's Racing Journey

Rich Strike's racing career started when he was two years old. He had many races before his big win.

2021: Two-Year-Old Races

Rich Strike first raced on August 15, 2021. He was trained by Joe Sharp at the time. He raced on a grass track at Ellis Park. He started slowly and finished last.

For his next race, Rich Strike moved to a different type of race at Churchill Downs. He started slowly again but then made a strong move. He took the lead and won by a lot! After this win, Eric Reed bought him for $30,000.

On October 9, Rich Strike raced at Keeneland. He had a bumpy start and was far behind for most of the race. But he finished strong, coming in third place.

His last race of 2021 was on December 26. This was the Gun Runner Stakes in New Orleans. He stayed at the back of the group for most of the race. He finished fifth in this race.

2022: Three-Year-Old Races

Rich Strike started his three-year-old season on January 22, 2022. He raced in the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway Park. He started slowly, as usual, and then made a late run to finish third. His trainer, Eric Reed, said Rich Strike wasn't feeling his best before this race.

He had a similar race on March 5 in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes. He finished fourth this time.

His third race of the year was the Jeff Ruby Steaks on April 2. He was near the back of the group for most of the race. But he found a path on the inside and finished well, coming in third.

The Kentucky Derby Win

Rich Strike's third-place finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks earned him points. These points are needed to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. He didn't have enough points at first. But then, another horse was removed from the Derby. This allowed Rich Strike to join the race at the last minute! Trainer Eric Reed was very surprised and excited. He said Rich Strike was feeling great and loved the Churchill Downs track.

The 2022 Kentucky Derby was held on May 7, 2022. Many good horses were racing, but no one horse was a clear favorite. Rich Strike was a huge underdog with odds of 80 to 1. He started well from an outside position. He stayed at the back of the pack for the first part of the race. The horses in front were racing very fast.

As they turned for the final stretch, Rich Strike started to move. He weaved through other horses, finding a path. In the final moments, he found an opening on the inside. He made a powerful sprint to win by a small margin! Trainer Reed was so shocked he collapsed in the paddock.

This was the first big win for jockey Sonny Leon. Reed praised Leon for his excellent ride. Leon said he knew his horse well and waited for the right moment. "Nobody knows my horse like I know my horse," he said.

After the Derby, Rich Strike's owner decided not to race him in the Preakness Stakes. This meant Rich Strike would not try to win the Triple Crown. The team wanted to stick to their plan of resting him for the Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Stakes Race

On June 11, Rich Strike raced in the Belmont Stakes. He was the third favorite horse in the race. He started a bit rough, bumping another horse. He stayed wide on the track for much of the race. He tried to make a move but got tired. He finished sixth in this race. Trainer Eric Reed said Rich Strike "wasn't the same horse" that day.

Travers Stakes Race

The Travers Stakes on August 27 had many strong horses. Rich Strike raced against the top horses from the Kentucky Derby. He started on the inside and stayed there. He tried hard on the final turn and in the stretch. He just missed third place, finishing fourth. Trainer Reed was very proud. He said Rich Strike showed "tremendous courage."

Lukas Classic Race

On October 1, Rich Strike returned to Churchill Downs. This is where he had won his only races, including the Kentucky Derby. He raced against older horses for the first time. He stayed close to the leaders. As they turned for the finish, Rich Strike moved wide. He seemed to take the lead for a moment. But he might have gotten tired. He lost by a tiny bit to Hot Rod Charlie, finishing second. His jockey, Sonny Leon, was later suspended for trying to block another rider.

Breeders’ Cup Classic Race

On November 5, 2022, Rich Strike raced in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This big race was at Keeneland. Many experts thought Flightline would win, and he did. Rich Strike finished fourth. Another horse, Epicenter, got hurt during the race, which might have slowed Rich Strike down. After this race, Rich Strike's owner and trainer said he would rest for 2023.

Clark Stakes Race

Rich Strike raced in the Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 22, 2022. He was the favorite to win. But he didn't do well and finished last. After the race, they found out he was sick. He had an infection and needed to rest until January 2023.

End of 2022

While Rich Strike rested, his trainer Eric Reed planned for the next year. Rich Strike enjoyed "just being a horse" on a farm. Reed said his team for Rich Strike would stay the same for 2023.

2023: Four-Year-Old Races

Rich Strike started training again in January 2023. He only raced once that year. He finished fifth in the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs.

A few days later, his trainer Eric Reed announced he was leaving. This happened because Reed had made a deal for a documentary about his training career. Rich Strike's owner, Rick Dawson, felt the documentary used Rich Strike's story without permission. They disagreed, and Reed resigned. On May 25, it was announced that Bill Mott would become Rich Strike's new trainer. Rich Strike was then rested for 30 days.

Rich Strike's Retirement Plans

In November 2023, Rick Dawson said Rich Strike would stop racing. He planned to sell him. But Dawson later changed his mind. He said Rich Strike would keep training lightly at a farm in Kentucky.

In June 2024, Rich Strike moved to Bill Mott's barn at Saratoga Race Course. His owner said Rich Strike had some leg problems, but a vet cleared him to train. His chances of racing again were "50-50." However, two months later, Rich Strike hurt a ligament in his left front leg. This injury was new. His owner said his chances of racing again dropped to "five or ten percent."

In December 2024, news reports said Dawson was looking for a place for Rich Strike to become a breeding horse in 2025. Later that month, it was reported that Rich Strike might go to Mountain Springs Farm in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, to start his new career.

Rich Strike's Race Statistics

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