Most surprising victories in Kentucky Derby history

In horse racing, you cannot always rely on the favourite contender. Many times, it is the underdogs who claim the day and shock everyone.

Therefore, backing an underdog here is not always a bad idea. You are less likely to win, but you will win big on the days when you get lucky.

1- Giacomo (2005)

Nobody could have predicted such a big victory for Giacomo who was relatively unknown before the 2005 Kentucky Derby. He was given the odds of 50-1 before the beginning of the big race at Kentucky. The John Shirreffs’ horse had no notable victories to boast and so there was very little market confidence in him.

However, Giacomo pulled off a feat that day that shocked everyone. He prevailed over many big names to leave all the bettors in perplexity. The much-hyped Bellamy Road and Afleet Alex, who went on to win both the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, failed to impress in front of a huge 156,435 crowd.

It did not prove to be an easy victory for Giacomo as Closing Argument gave a good fight, but he managed to secure victory by half a length in the end. His only notable achievement after Kentucky is his victory at the 2006 San Diego Handicap.

2- Mind That Bird (2009)

Though Mind That Bird and Giacomo started the famous race at the same odds (50-1), it was more shocking in the case of Mind That Bird. The way he started the race and the manner of his emphatic victory was sufficient to stun any punter that day.

He began the Kentucky Derby race very badly and was lagging eight lengths behind the other contenders. He

was so far behind the others that announcer Tom Durkin did not even see him at first.

However, soon he gained some speed and charged past many horses along the backstretch. And once he got going, there was no stopping him. To a complete and utter shock of a huge 153,563 crowd at Churchill Downs, the amazing racehorse claimed the race by an incredible 6​3⁄4 lengths. Thus, the American racehorse etched his name in the history of Kentucky. Though he competed in that season’s Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, he did not enjoy similar success in those races.

This shock victory became so famous that there is even a movie named 50 to 1 based on the story of Mine That Bird. Directed and produced by Jim Wilson, it stars Skeet Ulrich, William Devane and Christian Kane.