Which horse, jockey, and trainer won the 2022 Kentucky Derby?

The 2022 Kentucky Derby was one of for the record books with Rich Strike winning the race at 80-1 odds, beating out favorites Epicenter and Zandon. The 80-1 odds made Rich Strike the second biggest longshot to win the Run for the Roses.

It’s safe to say Rich Strike shouldn’t have been in the race. It was a Friday afternoon replacement entry after Ethereal Road was scratched. The three-year-old entered arguably the deepest field in Derby history without win in a graded event.

The 2022 Kentucky Derby was arguably the deepest field in the history of the race without a true favorite. Zandon (3-1) was the morning line favorite with Epicenter (7-2), Messier (8-1), Mo Donegal (10-1) and Taiba (12-1) all considered major contenders.

Rich Strike was slotted on the outside post and laid in at the back of the pack at the 1/2-mile mark over 15 lengths away from the leading pack. Jockey Sonny Leon got Rich Strike within about 10 lengths running wide before shifting to the rail, where the strong kick began to move closer to the leader Epicenter. The chestnut with the white blaze stayed on the inside and passed Epicenter, winning by ³⁄₄ of a length.

Rich Strike paid $163.60 on a $2 bet to win and Rich Strike-Epicenter exacta paid $4,101.20 and a Rich Strike-Epicenter-Zandon trifecta was a whopping $7,435.35.

Leon became the second jockey from Venezuela to win the Kentucky Derby, joining Gustavo Avila, who won the event in 1971. His trainer Eric Reed won his first Derby after 40 years in the business, and 36 after his first stakes win.

Rich Strike would go on to skip the Preakness Stakes and run in the Belmont, finishing the sixth to winner Mo Donegal.