The Kentucky Derby upset made understandable.

[TomSlick]

Overhead camera angle for the Kentucky Derby. Watch the jockey guiding the horse through impossible traffic.

Amazing performance by horse and jockey.

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[Docreed2003]

1. Absolutely incredible! What a great shot of that!

[hlthe2b]

2. That announcer was absolutely oblivious to Rich Strike until the very end.

A perfect example of confirmation bias at play, ... It was an amazing win and a memorable one, for sure.

Kudos, Rich Strike/jockey and your "out-of-nowhere" win

[LonePirate]

11. The announcer was definitely tunnel visioned on Epicenter. That won't happen next time.

[DemInBuckhead]

29. He did make a great call at the end

"The longest shot wins the Kentucky Derby"...I give him credit for remembering how Rich Strike was rated before the race. It was a nice comeback, although not as impressive as Rich Strike's.

[brush]

3. Rich Strike is quite a horse, what stamina an speed...

to be able to weave through such a crowded field. And of course the jockey did a splendid job seeing openings and guiding him through all of that.

[jaxexpat]

19. A 1,200 lb. ballet of horse and rider at 40 MPH in traffic over dirt.

Elegant!

[AllyCat]

20. Expert piloting by that jockey!

[FM123]

4. Wow!

Let me say that again - wow!

[LakeArenal]

10. Again. Wow. Just wow.

[Hoyt]

5. Wow, like he hit the turbocharger. Amazing. Thanks.

Watched it again, gives me chills. And I'm not much on horse racing.

[stopdiggin]

15. another gear entirely

like a cyclist threading through pedestrian traffic. That jockey had to have been - stunned/amazed - at the horse he had under him! Incredible!

[Historic NY]

6. Long shot...

amazing rider and horse.

[Phoenix61]

7. That's a hell of a jockey. I was watching when Big Brown won.

It always amazes me when I see a horse hit their stride. It looks like they are flying.

[Biophilic]

8. I love watching that. I have concerns about horse racing but watching a horse and

rider perform a close to perfect race is incredible. What a pair those are.

[KT2000]

9. What a horse!!!

Pure heart!

[NCjack]

12. Athletes of the decade: Rich Strike and Sonny Leon

[SYFROYH]

13. That'll do, horse.

[Fla Dem]

14. Whether either Horse or Jockey wins ever again, they will go down in racing history

This video will be played for years. What a Fantastic Finish!

[Marthe48]

48. Right up there with Secretariat winning Belmont Stakes

by 26 lengths. Rich Strike and Mr. Leon won by 3/4's of a length, but what mastery of the turf!

I'll never tire of watching either race!

[ananda]

16. Wow, that was amazing!

Made me cry it was so sublime.

[housecat]

17. Role models for horse racing and so many other things

[cab67]

18. I admire the horses and jockeys...

...but I don't understand the mystique around this one race. Big build-up, and it lasts a couple of minutes.

I don't watch auto racing, either, but it has two advantages - one, it lasts long enough to justify a gathering of friends; and two, if something goes wrong, only human beings die.

[bucolic_frolic]

26. The sport has a long history of betting, and horse breeding is the priciest of businesses

Horse farm is a large operation. So maybe the money explains the interest.

[brush]

42. The Derby is one race of several that day. It's a huge deal in the city/state...

region as people come from all around to enjoy the crowds, the day, the spectacle, the ambiance, food and drink and the races.

The Kentucky Derby, that particular race on the card, has been run for 148 years and is the first leg of the famous Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing...which is followed by the "Preakness" in Baltimore in two weeks, and the Belmont Stakes in New York three weeks after that. All are well over a hundred years old, and if a horse wins any of them it's tremensdous prestige for the trainer, the jockey and the owner...and stud fees for breeding.

If a horse wins all three, the sky's the limit in prestige and stud fees as there have been only 13 Triple Crown winning horses.

All three races are huge deals.

[cab67]

44. I'm aware of all this.

I just think the hype doesn't match the event.

[brush]

45. For people in all related industries it does. To fans tool

If it's not of interest, that's ok too. People have different interests.

[Marthe48]

49. I like the Triple Crown races

I know I have an idealistic view of horse racing, at least for these 3 races. All I've ever watched, all I ever follow. I'm happy to tune in close to post-time, watch the race and turn it off. I'm glad the races are short.

The last several years, I won't watch the race live. And if anything happened, I won't watch it afterward.

[Enoki33]

21. Those of us who foolishly ignored the data

showing Rich Strike improving with each race the longer the distance did so at our own peril. Does not make the beauty of the race any less satisfying.

[scipan]

40. I didn't know that. Good point!

[nevergiveup]

22. Greatest horse race I have ever seen!

Absolutely amazing!!

[pandr32]

23. That horse is us.

[bucolic_frolic]

25. Yeah, Baby!

Upset is in the air.

[yardwork]

32. May it be true!

[bucolic_frolic]

24. Weaved through traffic and found an open lane

and what speed down the stretch

[hay rick]

27. Luck was a lady for Rich Strike.

The overhead shot shows a perfect trip. Unsaid is that the leaders expended too much energy early in the race when they prompted the leader who ran the first half in a blazingly fast 45 and change while Rich Strike loitered in the back of the pack. This was an ideal scenario for a jockey breaking from the extreme outside post.

Rich Strike's win reminded me of Mine That Bird in 2009. He won with a similar trip courtesy Calvin Bo-rail.

[brush]

43. Yes. They said the jockey wisely guided the horse from his extreme...

outside post position to the rail which saved distance as running outside adds yards to the race.

A brilliant trip by the jockey.

[Emile]

30. Greatest horse race I ever seen. Love it

when the underdog at 80 to 1 odds kicks ass!

[yardwork]

31. It was truly amazing to watch.

I hardly ever watch horse racing. We happened to have it on, and I noticed the 80-1 odds horse in the line-up that was a late entry to the race. I thought "if he wins somebody's going to make a lot of money" and then promptly forgot him.

Was watching the struggle for victory at the end of the race and then suddenly there he was! I said hey there's that late entry horse! How cool is that.

Brilliant riding. Amazing horse.

[Rural_Progressive]

33. That race was one for the ages.

[INdemo]

34. How much would I have won

with $100 across the board ? I think the very talented Jockey had alot to do with this win. As the lead horses were fighting it out he guided his horse along the wide open rail for the win.

[underpants]

35. Stayed on the rail.

Shortest distance

My family loved watching the whole thing.

[fightforfreedom]

36. I am a long time handicapper.

There is a saying in horse racing. Pace makes the race and it is true. The horse that took the lead at the beginning of the race set a record for the fastest start of the derby. The speed horses went with him and they ran too fast. They all collapsed down the stretch .This is why a closer like Rick Strike won. I was expecting this, I played horses that come from behind, I never looked at Rich Strike because he got into the race at the last moment.

The final time of this race was slow. Rick Strike cannot win a race unless the pace is very, very fast. He may never win a big race again. He will most likely be a horse that comes in 2nd, 3rd or 4th. He reminds me of Mine that Bird who won the Derby at 50 to1 and never won again.

[edhopper]

38. Thanks for the explanation

I was wondering how he could be so much faster than the other horses at the end.

[Enoki33]

50. In general you are right. Known as the race

within the race. There are way too many variables for it to be a constant. Part of the challenge of the sport.

[Bayard]

37. Got over to the rail quickly, and put the pedal down

It was an amazing race, and one everybody will remember. The best always have another gear.

As for the Derby, its all about tradition, pageantry, and fun here. I was in the infield once as a teen--a mass of partying humanity. Some people never even see a horse. The whole week is about racing--hot air balloon races, waiters balancing full wine glasses on trays, steamboat races (Bell of Louisville won again this year), the Mini-Marathon (I ran it once when MUCH younger!), on and on.

I do wish they would wait until the horses are older. At 2-3 years, they are still growing, bones still sealing. They are babies.

[yonder]

39. I'd been looking for this clip since first seeing it right after the race. Thanks.

It is the definitive view with a skillful jockey guiding a powerful horse. Also, they had that much more ground to cover by starting on the outside.

Those with an interest in #21 must have been shitting bricks watching that advance. I still can't get over the announcers missing that effort till the last pass. They blew it and completely missed the race.

[Martin Eden]

41. Wow!

Passing so many so quickly!

[highplainsdem]

46. Amazing. Thanks for posting this!

[Faux pas]

47. Kickety Kickin'

[bucolic_frolic]

51. I'll keep hoping that horse is MERRICK GARLAND

if not democracy itself!!

[Emile]

52. Amazing horse, amazing jockey, amazing ride! So glad to see an underdog win

for a change!