Kentucky Derby: A look back on the most controversial race

The Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious races in the US. Dubbed the “Fastest two minutes in sport”, the Kentucky Derby, which usually takes place in May, is a thunderous race. It has been awash with some fabulous moments, and there have been some truly memorable winners.

And if you fancy a flutter on some fantastic thoroughbreds, then you will be able to do so at numerous horse racing betting sites, where you will get a full lowdown on the runners and riders, as well as track conditions from expert tipsters.

However, the 2019 edition of the Kentucky Derby will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Let’s nowcast our minds back to what happened during the race, and of course the fall-out.

Maximum Security issues

At first glance, Maximum Security ran away with the race as he romped to victory. The horse and his connections appeared to have executed their tactics perfectly, as he broke loose from the pack before storming to victory.

Yet there was more to this story. Going into the final bend, Maximum Security was motoring along nicely, and he overtook some of his rivals. However, in doing so, he impeded the other horses and what happened next was astonishing.

First-ever disqualification

Although Maximum Security thought he won the race, there was an immediate stewards’ enquiry. The officials spent about 20 minutes running through and reviewing the footage, and they took a dim view of the events.

After determining that Maximum Security had hindered the other horses, he and his jockey Luis Saez were disqualified, and the race results were adjusted. Country House – who had only won once in six starts – entered the 145^th Kentucky Derby with long odds of 65/1, but was ultimately crowned the winner. Country House’s time was also rather slow compared to other recent winners – 2 minutes 3.98 seconds.

And that sparked scenes of jubilation in the Country House camp. Trainer William I. Mott was ecstatic, while the jockey Flavien Prat looked stunned and almost lost for words.

Once the results had been shifted about, Code of Honor was awarded second place, while Tacitus finished third. Improbable was fourth, with Game Winner completing the top five.

In its long and rich history, the Kentucky Derby had never disqualified the winner until now. It was thought that more than $6million was wagered on Maximum Security to win the race, and Kentucky Derby winners usually see their value soar, but this was a costly mistake on Maximum Security’s part.

The fall-out

There was certainly a big legal fall-out in the wake of the disqualification. Saez was suspended from action for 15 days, although his attorney, Ann Oldfather, provided a seven-minute rebuttal in a desperate attempt to overturn the ban.

Unsurprisingly, there was a protracted legal battle that played out in the courts. Maximum Security’s owner filed a lawsuit against the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) in a bid to appeal the decision. However, their attempt was in vain as the race results stood, and Maximum Security was disqualified.