Louiville, kentucky — Mystik Dan won the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday in a three-horse photo finish.

Taking second place was Sierra Leone and Forever Young in third.

Earlier, gloomy skies and occasional raindrops gave way to blue skies and sunshine. The dirt surface was upgraded to fast a couple hours before the race after being muddy to start the day’s card.

Before the race, Fierceness was holding as the 7-2 favorite, followed by Sierra Leone at 5-1. Forever Young, from Japan, was at 6-1, followed by Catching Freedom at 8-1 and Just a Touch at 10-1.

The costliest colt in the 20-horse field was Sierra Leone at $2.3 million, which came in second.

“A lot of times you buy an expensive horse like that, and they can’t run,” said Peter Brandt before the race. He’s one of the six owners. “We’ve very, very lucky he’s made it this far. We’re looking forward to this race but also looking forward to the future of taking care of this horse.”

Conversely, Larry Demeritte shelled out just $11,000 to buy Saratoga West. The 74-year-old Bahamas native has won 180 races and nearly $5 million in purse money since he started training in 1984. Demeritte is just the second Black trainer since 1951 to saddle a horse for the derby.

“This is truly amazing how we got to this position with this horse,” he said.

The Kentucky Derby winner earns $3.1 million from the record purse of $5 million.

Forever Young is one of two entries from Japan. The other is T O Password. The country has never won the race.

This year’s race was one for the ages, too. D. Wayne Lukas, the 88-year-old trainer with four Kentucky Derby wins, saddled Just Steel. Frankie Dettori, the famed Italian jockey, was back to ride Society Man at age 53 after a 24-year absence.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled Fierceness, was in the Kentucky Derby for the 24th year and it never gets old. He has won it twice.

“If anything, it just becomes more nerve-wracking,” he said.
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