With a thundering run, Rich Strike is the 148th winner of the Kentucky Derby. It’s an absolute stunner of an outcome, to be sure. Considering that the horse had 80-1 odds to win coming in — the second-longest in the Derby’s record — we have almost never seen a more unexpected result in the race’s illustrious history.
That got me thinking. As Rich Strike capped off the incredible upset, what other champion thoroughbreds pulled off the seemingly impossible at Churchill Downs?
From an early 20th-century enterprising underdog to a well-timed controversy rewarding a more modern champion, here are four of the other noteworthy longshots to win the Kentucky Derby.
Let’s just say Rich Strike has joined some exclusive, esteemed company.