LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The 150th Kentucky Derby had an extremely close ending, with three horses finishing very close to each other at the end.
Mystik Dan strongly fought off two competitors in the final moments. There was a delay of several minutes while officials determined the outcome of the closest three-horse photo finish since 1947.
In 1947, Jet Pilot won by a small margin ahead of Phalanx and a longer distance ahead of Faultless.
Mystik Dan, an 18-1 long shot, narrowly beat Sierra Leone, with Forever Young close behind in third on Saturday. Sierra Leone was the most expensive horse in the race at $2.3 million.
The horses Track Phantom and Just Steel took the lead early on, with 3-1 favorite Fierceness close behind.
At the top of the stretch, everything changed.
Track Phantom moved away from the rail, creating an opening that Hernandez guided Mystik Dan through, and the bay colt suddenly found more speed. He quickly gained a lead on the other horses.
“When he went through that spot, he was able to take the inside path, and I urged him to go for it,” Hernandez said. “He surged ahead, and I thought, 'Wow, I have a big chance to win the Kentucky Derby.'”
To the outside of Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone and Forever Young began to pursue in the middle of the track.
As Mystik Dan raced along the rail, Sierra Leone moved in and bumped into Forever Young three times in the stretch, but jockey Ryusei Sakai didn’t claim foul.
Mystik Dan approached the rail so closely that Hernandez's boot hit it.
“But I think we can purchase another pair of boots,” he said.
The winner’s portion of the record $5 million prize was $3.1 million, with the jockey and trainer typically receiving 10% each.
“An excellent, excellent, excellent jockey and ride,” McPeek said. “Brian is one of the most underappreciated jockeys, but not anymore, right?”
Sierra Leone, the second favorite with 9-2 odds, and Forever Young from Japan fell just short at the finish line in front of 156,710 spectators at Churchill Downs, the largest crowd since 2018.
It was only the 10th Kentucky Derby decided by a close margin — the closest in horse racing — and the first since Grindstone narrowly beat Cavonnier to win the race in 1996.
The audience waited several minutes in the heat and humidity as the outcome was reviewed by the officials and confirmed.
“The longest few minutes of my life,” Hernandez said, after he and Mystik Dan walked in circles while the surprising result was determined. “Seeing your number come up to win the Derby, I don't think it will sink in for a while.”
Fierceness finished 15th in the field of 20 3-year-olds. Owner Mike Repole has not won in the derby in 8 attempts. He had the favorite in 2011 with Uncle Mo, who was withdrawn the day before the race due to illness. Last year, Forte was withdrawn on the morning of the race as the favorite with a bruised foot.
Mystik Dan ran 1 1/4 miles on a fast track in 2:03.34 and paid $39.22, $16.32 and $10.
Hernandez and trainer Kenny McPeek had combined for a wire-to-wire victory in the Kentucky Oaks for fillies on Friday with Thorpedo Anna. McPeek is the first trainer to win both races since Ben Jones in 1952.
McPeek’s only other win in a Triple Crown race was also a surprise: 70-1 Sarava won the 2002 Belmont Stakes — the biggest upset in that race’s history. The colt ruined the Triple Crown attempt of War Emblem.
The victorious owners are cousins Lance and Brent Gasaway and Daniel Hamby III, all from Arkansas. They bred Mystik Dan.
“We’ve achieved it with what I call a hardworking horse,” McPeek said. ”His mother is a filly who raced hard, but wasn’t well known. His father wasn’t a big name, either.”
Sharilyn Gasaway, Brent’s wife, said, “It is surreal for sure. We feel like we’re just ordinary people and we’ve got an amazing horse.”
Sierra Leone paid $6.54 and $4.64. Forever Young was another nose back in third and paid $5.58 to show.
Catching Freedom finished fourth, followed by T O Password of Japan, Resilience, Stronghold, Honor Marie and Endlessly. Dornoch was 10th and then came Track Phantom, West Saratoga, Domestic Product, Epic Ride, Fierceness, Society Man, Just Steel, Grand Mo the First, Catalytic and Just a Touch.