Kentucky
Reed Still Relishing Rich Strike’s Sensational Kentucky Derby Upset; ‘Preakness Didn’t Line Up For Him’ – Horse Racing News | Paulick Report
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One week in the past, coach Eric Reed stood on hallowed grounds within the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner’s circle following Wealthy Strike’s stunning 80-1 victory within the “Run for the Roses.” Reed joined the solid of “Inside Churchill Downs” on ESPN Louisville Friday to relive his memorable Kentucky Derby expertise. Following is a part of that interview:
Query: Does it lastly really feel actual that you’re a Kentucky Derby winner?
Reed: “I feel it has. The primary couple of days I can not say it did. It has now. I shed a whole lot of tears watching the movies and studying the fan mail that is are available in. It is lastly sunk in.”
Query: Are you able to relive the occasions resulting in the late scratch of Ethereal Street and getting within the race?
Reed: “I do not actually need to undergo that sort of stress anymore. We had been No. 24 after the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), then we received to No. 22 in factors. They ran the Lexington and we received again to No. 24. Then, we arrive at Churchill and we hear a pair might defect. We received to No. 21 and the final three days (earlier than the scratch) it was like watching each tic of sand within the hour glass drop. About quarter-hour earlier than (scratch time) we had been informed we would not get in. They took our safety guard away and I made some texts. I gave (Each day Racing Type‘s) Marty McGee a condolence speech. Then, with a minute to go, they referred to as me and stated we had been in. You simply cannot go clarify going via these feelings so shortly. It is simply one thing I by no means skilled.”
Query: At what level within the race did you suppose you had an opportunity to win?
Reed: “When Sonny (Leon) made the transfer on the quarter pole to drop inside I hadn’t seen him. I knew going into the flip he had fallen into that group of horses simply off the tempo. Then, it was only a matter of if he might get a seam and what number of might he run by. Then, after they turned for dwelling, I could not see him. I requested my pal the place we had been and he stated: ‘That is you on the rail. I feel you are fifth or sixth.’ I nonetheless did not suppose I might win it however I used to be so joyful as a result of I knew he would run good. When he went round Messier (on the eighth pole) I keep in mind telling my dad ‘I feel we will hit the board.’ It wasn’t a lot after that he collared the leaders and received. Man, it was a rush.”
Query: In 2016 you had a barn fireplace brought on by a lightning strike at Mercury Equine Heart that killed 23 horses. What does it take to beat the ache of shedding these horses to rebuild your secure?
Reed: “It was an evening that no particular person on Earth ought to ever should dwell via. It wasn’t simply me that needed to dwell via it. All my staff lived via it. All my shoppers lived via it. All of my buddies who had been there the following day lived via it. My household lived via it. We thought the flames and the burning and the screaming of the horses that evening was as dangerous because it might get. However, when the solar got here up that subsequent morning, and also you really noticed what occurred, that was the worst half. It was an enormous storm system that went via the realm. We had lightning rods on all of the barns and buildings – we nonetheless do. It was simply a type of issues that wasn’t going to make a distinction. It was a horrible, horrible factor. You study rather a lot about your self and the individuals round you when these issues occur. I can inform you precisely what received me via it and that was love and kindness.”
Query: Did you come near dropping by the wayside?
Reed: “I had thrown the towel within the subsequent day once I needed to look via the barn and establish the horses. I had given up. I informed my daughter and my dad ‘I am completed.’ This can be a sport that you need to have it in your coronary heart and it was like somebody simply ripped it out. I simply was so bitter and indignant. After I noticed my 23 horses laying there it is somebody that nobody ought to should see. It did not’ final lengthy as a result of individuals introduced me out of that darkish spot. And I thank God as a result of we would not be right here at the moment.”
Query: What did you see in Wealthy Strike to assert him for $30,000?
Reed: “We really tried to assert one other horse in that race as nicely (Twitchy). We picked that horse instantly after we had been handicapping the race. I discovered that horse by no means ran once more. We misplaced that (three-way) shake. I had handicapped the race and I informed (proprietor) Rick (Dawson) I’m wondering if there was one other horse within the race that will save the situation for subsequent time. I saved trying and I saved coming again to Wealthy Strike. This horse had actually tremendous exercises. He had nice connections. He was wager on (first out). The one factor that did not make sense was operating on the turf first out. Then I received to pondering it was early within the 2-year-old marketing campaign. Most likely the one means you would get a distance race was operating him on the turf. And so they in all probability simply took a shot. The logical factor after he ran final could be to run him again for a tag. So, they did what I might have completed if I used to be coaching him. Most likely nobody realized he could be a Derby horse. I informed Rick we should always declare this horse as nicely. If the turf made him run poorly you are going to make a very good declare for the grime. Rick requested, ‘What if he did not just like the grime?’ I stated, ‘He would not have been working so quick on it earlier than his first begin they usually would not have wager on him.’”
Query: Wealthy Strike paid 80-1 within the Derby. Did you have got any buddies that made massive scores on the race?
Reed: “I had considered one of my buddies make six figures. I had another buddies that made $70,000-$80,000. After taxes, in fact. I heard rather a lot that made $12,000-$15,000 betting $50 throughout the board or one thing like that. I feel a lot of them did it simply because it was us and to root for the horse as a enjoyable wager. I had some guys that keyed him within the exotics and did some loopy issues. It was actually good for them. I can inform you I didn’t wager $2. I wished to wager a $2 ticket only for a memento however I used to be so caught up in what was taking place that I forgot to do it. I am in all probability the one one in the whole barn that did not have at the very least $2 on him.”
Query: How tough was the choice skip the Preakness and forego a chance on the Triple Crown?
Reed: “In a single facet, it is the toughest choice I ever needed to make as a coach and in one other it wasn’t arduous in any respect as a result of I knew it was the precise factor for the horse. Within the horse business there’s the Triple Crown and there is our egos to attempt to develop into a Triple Crown winner. We sat down and weighed out all of the choices. What saved coming throughout to me was all alongside I informed Rick I could not work him each seven days, I needed to work him each 10. That is how he likes it. I can not run him again shortly as a result of it takes him that lengthy to get mentally targeted once more. I saved coming again to the race at Truthful Grounds (the Gun Runner) and the way he wasn’t on schedule and he missed coaching. And he was not himself. I saved replaying that in my thoughts and regardless of how good he was doing that operating again in two weeks has by no means been tried with him. If he went to Pimlico and wasn’t mentally able to run it was all for nothing. Then it might kill my probability for the race I feel we’re probably to be aggressive in and that is the Belmont. So, in the very best curiosity of Richie and his profession, which I hope is a protracted profession with plenty of races concerned, the Preakness did not line up for him. He has the worst operating fashion on this planet for a race like that. If he was a stalker and had extra velocity, the choice to run him might not have been as arduous. He is simply the other.”
To hearken to extra of Reed’s interview on “Inside Churchill Downs”, click on right here.