In an extraordinary photographic finish, Mystik Dan was victorious in the 150th in progress of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Mystik Dan entered the 20 horse race with odds of 18-1.
Mystik Dan will earn $3.1 million for a total purse of $5 million, the largest purse in the race's history. The purse will be split among the Derby's top five finishers, with $3.1 million for the winner, $1 million for the runner-up, $500,000 for third, $250,000 for fourth and $150,000 for fifth place
Kiichiro Sato / AP
Mystik Dan and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. they got on the rail down the stretch with a short lead. Japan and Sierra Leone's Forever Young chased down and pressured the leader at the wire in front of 156,710 at Churchill Downs.
The crowd waited a few minutes before the result was reviewed by the stewards and declared official.
Hernandez and trainer Kenny McPeek had teamed up to win the Kentucky Oaks for fillies on Friday with Thorpedo Anna.
Mystik Dan ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.34 and paid $39.22 to win. Sierra Leone returned $6.54 and $4.64. Forever Young was another nose in third and paid $5.58 to show. Sierra Leone got hooked and hit Forever Young three times in the stretch, but jockey Ryusei Sakai didn't call for a foul.
Alex Sundby contributed to the report.
