Little-known jockey Sonny Leon recounts how he pulled off a stunning Kentucky Derby triumph on Eric Reed-trained longshot Rich Strike
Venez
uelan native Sonny Leon had never won a graded stakes in North America until he landed the 148th edition of the Kentucky Derby on the 80-1 outsider Rich Strike, trained by Eric Reed.
The day before making his Triple Crown debut, 32-year-old Leon was riding in the more familiar surroundings of his regular base at Belterra Park, Ohio, where he was ridden many of his 770 wins. At late notice, he switched to Churchill Downs on Saturday when Rich Strike got into the field from the also-eligible list.
Leon broke last on Rich Strike from their outside gate but then threaded his way through traffic to move from 15th at the mile pole to get to the rail in the stretch and beat favorite Epicenter by three-quarters of a length. After the race, he explained how he landed one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky Derby history.
I am really happy – you don’t know how excited I feel. Especially as I brought my family with me. My wife and daughter are here for the first time at the Kentucky Derby. It’s the first time for me and we did it!
First time in the Kentucky Derby – a lot of people said to me, ‘Are you nervous?’ I’m not nervous – I’m excited! I got a horse.
You know we had a difficult post, post 20, but nobody knows my horse like I know my horse, and I knew that I had a horse for this race. I didn’t know if he could win the race, but I had a good feeling with him.
We broke a little slow but that was good for me because I could go to the rail and save a lot of ground. I got a good position. I can hang back a little bit – and he answered so quick. I started to push just a little bit, because he's a little bit lazy but I could feel he was tough. I said, ‘Hey, I got horse!’
And at the rail, I was so close, like seven lengths behind the leader. I said, ‘I got a shot’. I found a lot of traffic but I never got frustrated. I waited for my moment. That's what I did; I waited for the stretch. I know my horse likes the rail, and then when I turn for home, the road opened for me – I waited and the rail opened up.
Then 15 gallops before the wire, I say to myself, ‘I think I got the race’. I had to push him harder than ever. That's what I did and in the last 100 yards I say, ‘I think I got this Kentucky Derby’.
Man, that’s real. He didn’t want to stop. It was amazing, a dream come true.
• Sonny Leon was speaking at the post-race media conference
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