Kentucky Derby 2022 winner Rich Strike appeared to have plenty left in the tank after his stunning upset victory in the 148th Run for the Roses on Saturday.
Video from NBC Sports’ broadcast of the Derby shows Churchill Downs outrider Greg Blasi and jockey Sonny Leon struggling to get Rich Strike under control in the moments after the race. At 80-1 odds, Rich Strike surged past the favorite, Epicenter, and Zandon down the stretch to become the second-biggest longshot to win the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
After crossing the finish line, Rich Strike can be seen nipping at the lead pony’s neck and its reins, which prompts Blasi to begin punching the horse’s face.
“Still trying to get this horse under control here,” NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico says during the clip. “… still trying to bite the pony here as they try to get him under control.”
The post-race moment sparked plenty of reactions on social media, with some Twitter users cracking jokes about the chaotic moment. Others questioned and offered explanations justifying Blasi’s decision to punch Rich Strike.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said in a statement that it plans to file a complaint against Blasi.
On Monday morning, Rich Strike trainer Eric Reed offered his perspective on the incident during an interview with the “Today” show. Speaking from Lexington, Reed praised the outrider for his efforts in trying to get Rich Strike to calm down after an intense race.
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“The outrider’s job at the end of a race is to help get the leading horse and get him slowed down, take him around (and) let (the jockey) do the interview,” Reed said. “Richie, he was in killer mode. He was gonna outrun every horse on the track and he had not had a horse after the finish line come over to him, so when he saw that pony coming his way, he thought he had another horse to beat and he was trying to run by him.
“The man did his job. He reached out and grabbed ahold of the horse, and it made the horse mad. He didn’t know he was trying to help him. He thought he was supposed to outrun that horse, and he bit the guy’s leg terribly — bit his arm a couple, really bad bites,” Reed continued. “The horse is not a mean horse. He just was in race mode and he didn’t understand why they were grabbing him to slow him down.
“That man saved my horse from injury, because, had he got up in the air and lost my rider, he could have got loose. I’m sorry for the injuries (the outrider) sustained.”
Watch Reed’s interview with “Today” in full below. The discussion of the postrace incident starts around the 3:49 mark.
Eric Reed, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, joins TODAY to celebrate the win that shocked the world. Reed touches on the storybook underdog victory, and shares how the horse brought his family “out of a really dark time.” pic.twitter.com/YkmPjDiVqX
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 9, 2022
Twitter reacts to Rich Strike biting pony, getting punched after winning Kentucky Derby
1. How is a professional jockey in such poor control of his horse?
2. I have to wonder if a horse showing that kind of aggression is on something.— Jac (@JacUnderATree) May 8, 2022
I watched it live. Rich Strike was still very much on the muscle and was dead serious about biting the pony. The outrider didn’t hurt him trust me. He was trying to get a horse now worth millions under control and protect his own pony. I spent many years grooming these horses.
— Lea (@lxjh2021) May 7, 2022
People who have spent time around horses understand this. You aren’t going to injure a 1000 lb animal by punching it. I have punched our horses in the nose when they are pushy and I could possibly be hurt. They are fine. They bite asserting dominance
— Barn This Way (@docmo81) May 8, 2022
“I came to win a race and eat my competition. And I already won the race.”
— Marielle (@TheNolaChick) May 7, 2022
#KentuckyDerby2022
Nothing excuses the way the handler dealt with Rich Strike’s attitude.
Before anyone says he was biting the lead pony, the guy was being rough with him way before all that started. As someone in his position he should be able to SAFELY handle hot, pushy horses.— claire 🌺 (@clairezaidel) May 7, 2022
Here’s more Kentucky Derby 2022 news
Reed on Sunday said he expects Rich Strike to run in the second leg of the Triple Crown — the Preakness Stakes on May 21 in Baltimore.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Rich Strike biting pony: Kentucky Derby 2022 winner bites guide pony