LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The jockey who gained the 2022 Kentucky Derby continues to be shocked.
Jockey Sonny Leon rode Rich Strike to a victory within the first leg of the American Triple Crown. Rich Strike went off at 80-1 odds, changing into the second-longest odds of any Derby winner.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at instructor Eric Reed’s Churchill Downs barn the morning after the race. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at instructor Eric Reed’s barn the morning after the race. (Eric Crawford picture)
Jerry Dixon Jr., a fourth-generation horseman and groom for Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, cleans round his stall in his Churchlll Downs barn the morning after the Derby.
Sid Scott, an established assistant instructor to Eric Reed, now retired, whispers one thing to Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike the morning after his large win at his Churchill Downs barn.
Rich Strike with assistant instructor Sid Scott the morning after successful the Kentucky Derby. (Eric Crawfored picture)
Groom Jerry Dixon Jr. Wraps the legs of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike the morning after his Derby victory. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Rich Strike, the morning after his Kentucky Derby win at his Churchill Downs barn, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and groom Jerry Dixon Jr. the morning after the race at instructor Eric Reed’s Churchill Downs barn. (Eric Crawford picture)
Trainer Eric Reed with Rich Strike the morning after he gained the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his barn the morning after the massive win, with longtime assistant instructor Sid Scott.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his barn the morning after the massive win, with instructor Eric Reed and longtime assistant Sid Scott.
Sid Scott, an established assistant instructor to Eric Reed, now retired, with Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike the morning after his large win.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his barn the morning after the massive win, with instructor Eric Reed.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Rich Strike, the morning after his Kentucky Derby win at his Churchill Downs barn, has his nostril rubbed by means of groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike on the barn the morning after his Kentucky Derby victory. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at instructor Eric Reed’s Churchill Downs barn the morning after the race. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at instructor Eric Reed’s barn the morning after the race. (Eric Crawford picture)
Jerry Dixon Jr., a fourth-generation horseman and groom for Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, cleans round his stall in his Churchlll Downs barn the morning after the Derby.
Sid Scott, an established assistant instructor to Eric Reed, now retired, whispers one thing to Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike the morning after his large win at his Churchill Downs barn.
Rich Strike with assistant instructor Sid Scott the morning after successful the Kentucky Derby. (Eric Crawfored picture)
Groom Jerry Dixon Jr. Wraps the legs of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike the morning after his Derby victory. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Rich Strike, the morning after his Kentucky Derby win at his Churchill Downs barn, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and groom Jerry Dixon Jr. the morning after the race at instructor Eric Reed’s Churchill Downs barn. (Eric Crawford picture)
Trainer Eric Reed with Rich Strike the morning after he gained the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. (Eric Crawford picture)
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his barn the morning after the massive win, with longtime assistant instructor Sid Scott.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his barn the morning after the massive win, with instructor Eric Reed and longtime assistant Sid Scott.
Sid Scott, an established assistant instructor to Eric Reed, now retired, with Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike the morning after his large win.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his barn the morning after the massive win, with instructor Eric Reed.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win, with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Rich Strike, the morning after his Kentucky Derby win at his Churchill Downs barn, has his nostril rubbed by means of groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike at his Churchill Downs barn the morning after his large win with groom Jerry Dixon Jr.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike on the barn the morning after his Kentucky Derby victory. (Eric Crawford picture)
“I had a very good view behind them because I know they were very fast,” Leon stated. “I say, ‘wow, I got it.’ I got to drive this horse to winning. But I never expected, that’s the plan but you never know what’s going on in the race.”
Leon had by no means ridden within the Kentucky Derby till Saturday. Rich Strike, a former claiming horse, was once no longer a part of the Derby box till every other horse scratched Friday.
Accelerating within the heart flip during the pack, Rich Strike made a transfer from the interior within the ultimate furlong for one of the crucial largest upsets within the Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike began from the 20 put up.
“The plan we did it last time when we rode, so keeping calm, relax,” Leon stated. “We had a very, very bad first 20. Wow, that was the worst in the Kentucky Derby. 20, wow. You have 19 horses inside to you. But they were fast out of the gate. That can work for me, I can go down so quickly, see and try to stay on the ground.”
After weaving in and round horses to win the Kentucky Derby, Leon stated his horse was once excited after the race.
Rich Strike was once noticed biting at a information pony after the race, and a racing professional seemed to punch the Kentucky Derby-winning horse within the face.
“My horse had tried to bite him a few times, tried to bite the horse, tried to bite his reins,” Leon stated. “My horse was so crazy, we had a lot of people around, a lot of screaming. I think the pony, he tried to do a little touch with the horse because we got to do sometimes because they are animals.”
