A controversial disqualification, a long shot being awarded the win and $9 million lost for bettors who thought they had a winning ticket highlighted the 145th Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
Country House was given the win, but only after Maximum Security had been disqualified, despite crossing the line first. The latter was judged to have blocked the paths of several horses by changing lanes without clearance.
Reversing the decision proved costly for those who had backed Maximum Security. TwinSpires.com (h/t ESPN.com's David Purdum) detailed how $9 million would have been paid out to those bettors who lumped on "to win, place or show."
Naturally, the altered finish led to some intense reactions from those in attendance:
Finishing Order
Horse, Jockey, Trainer and Payouts
1 (DQ) Maximum Security: Luis Saez, Jason Servis
2. Country House: Flavien Prat, William I. Mott ($1.86 million)
3. Code of Honor: John R. Velazquez, Claude R. McGaughey III ($600,000)
4. Tacitus: Julian Pimentel, Michael J. Trombetta
11. Cutting Humor: Mike E. Smith; Todd A. Pletcher
12. By My Standards: Gabriel Saez, W. Bret Calhoun
13. Vekoma: Javier Castellano, George Weaver
14. Bodexpress: Chris Landeros, Gustavo Delgado
15. Tax: Junior Alvarado, Danny Gargan
16. Roadster: Florent Geroux, Bob Baffert
17. Long Range Toddy: Jon Kenton Court, Steven M. Asmussen
18. Spinoff: Manuel Franco, Todd A. Pletcher
19. Gray Magician: Drayden Van Dyke, Peter Miller
Kentucky Derby Betting Payouts (Win, Place, Show)
It's hardly a surprise the reaction of Country House's team has been tinted with as much contrition as euphoria. Trainer Bill Mott told Chuck Culpepper of the Washington Post how he's uncomfortable with describing his feelings about the events at Churchill Downs:
"I feel terrible that I have to apologize for winning. I really feel terrible for the connections, for the owners. I hate to sit there and apologize and, you know, saying something as foolish as, 'I'm sorry I won,' because I don't want to give (the owners) the impression that I'm unhappy with winning."
The sentiment was echoed by jockey Flavien Prat. He referenced the controversial finish and admitted he "did actually claim foul," per Mark Story of the Lexington Herald Leader. Prat noted how the horses between the two leaders had their races disrupted by Maximum Security's actions.
It makes sense for Mott and Prat to show defiance about the result, since the stewards taking action earned a first Derby win for both. Almost as rare was the win for a Bay Colt on the fringes of the odds prior to the race.
In fact, it's been over a century since outsider this big was deemed victorious:
Naturally, not everybody felt making history was worthy of overshadowing the ample controversy:
Predictably, chief among the naysayers was Maximum Security trainer Jason Servis. He and owner Gary West were quickly planning a response aimed at changing the amended outcome:
Servis was denied what looked like his maiden win at the second attempt in the Run for the Roses. Even so, the 60-year-old was calm after the dramatic events had unfolded, telling reporters: "It hasn't hit me yet, but it will," per AFP (h/t Yahoo Sports).
None of it should have surprised Bob Baffert, who has seen it all at Churchill Downs after five previous wins. The Hall of Fame trainer had three horses entered, but none of Roadster, Game Winner nor Improbable came close to giving him a sixth victory.
Bafftert was philosophical, even though he told Jon Hale of the Louisville Courier-Journal "I knew the first quarter of a mile, I was toast."
Baffert's colts and jockeys may have let him down, but it will be difficult to rue their misfortune after this race took some turns few could have predicted.