By: Blood Horse

Photo Credit: Jeff Roberson

Rich Strike Exits Derby With Vigor, On to Preakness – BloodHorse

“I know we haven’t gotten to the bottom of him,” said trainer Eric Reed.

Trainer Eric Reed had to find his bearings in the grassy area behind Barn 17 on the Churchill Downs backside facing a couple dozen reporters and videographers, all there to get a glimpse of America’s newest classic winner.

“I don’t know how to do this,” he said.

In no time, he was reliving with ease the remarkable victory of his striking chestnut colt Rich Strike , who stormed to a decisive victory the day before in the 148th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at 80-1.

The colt by Keen Ice   came out of his stunning win with vigor, Reed said.

“He looks great right now. He was bright-eyed after the race when I got over here. He was in there eating. He seems really good this morning,” Reed said. “Every time we’ve run him, he’s gained weight after a race, so I know we haven’t gotten to the bottom of him. I don’t think we got to the bottom of him yesterday either.”

Reed said the logical plan is to send the colt to Pimlico Race Course for the May 21 Preakness Stakes (G1). He shipped him yesterday morning to his farm near Lexington, Mercury Equine Center, where he will be stabled until the week of the Preakness.

“We’ll send him toward the weekend. He is a good shipper, he takes everything in stride, and is very relaxed about his training,” he said. “We won’t do a whole lot of anything. We’ll give him a few days on the track and maybe let him have a strong gallop. I have never been hard on him; I space my workouts 10 to 12 days instead of seven. I don’t like to run him quick. This will be the first time we’ve had to do that, but this is where it goes. That way he’s been so fresh and getting better with each race.”

Reed said Saturday’s victory, his first grade 1 win, is only starting to sink in.

“I’m so proud of this horse and all my guys and the jockey. It was a team effort from a long time ago. We were just trying to get here and it went a step further than we could have ever dreamed. I don’t know what else to say other than it is just an absolute miracle. He trained good enough to win that race all week,” he said.

Rich Strike was a last-minute entrant into the Kentucky Derby, getting post 20, the far outside gate drawn for D. Wayne Lukas’ Ethereal Road , who was scratched within 30 minutes of the May 6 deadline.

“I am happy for my crew. They have gone to the smallest tracks and worked in conditions after our accident at the farm a few years ago that most people would never want to do again,” said Reed, referring to the aftermath of a barn fire in 2016 that claimed 23 horses. “They have put in the hard time. I was so proud when they got to make the walkover yesterday, to me it was that I filled a bucket-list item for my gang. They watch other people make the walk every year and I told one of them, ‘Look at that crowd. Usually, you’re watching them. This year, they’re watching you.’ ”

Reed said he and owner Rich Dawson with RED TR-Racing felt they belonged but certainly were not expecting to win.

“Everything went right for him to win. It was crazy,” he said. “He got to the quarter pole and the waters parted and he got through. Then he just needed to get by the one horse in the middle of the stretch, and Sonny (Leon) rode him like he rode him in every race. He was patient. He knew if he was going to get any piece of it, he had to save ground. I saw that move at the quarter pole, and I told my father, that might get us on the board. In deep stretch, I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ I fell down and didn’t even see the finish line.”

Reed has a family tie to the Kentucky Derby through his wife, Kay, whom he describes as his “secret weapon” in running a successful farm and training operation. Her father was a horse trainer and her great-uncle was Charles Kurtsinger, who was the regular rider for 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral.

Now Rich Strike is on his own march through the Triple Crown.

Reed said he and Dawson have discussed how they might approach the Preakness and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRABets (G1).

“Of course, we didn’t think we’d win the Derby, but we talked about whether we’d do all three,” Reed said. “We thought about just doing the one and then going to Belmont, which should be his best distance. We’ll make the call as we go, but doing all three is probably what we’ll do.”