05/14/2022
Last year, a 2yr old c**t finished dead last in his first race. Disappointed, his owners placed him in a “claiming” race where anyone could take the ownership for a fee. An older man purchased the c**t as his last attempt to find some success in the racing industry.
The c**t won 1 race, then in the races that followed, he finished 3rd twice, 4th once, and 5th once. His owner, however, STILL BELIEVED in him. 2022 was the c**t's only chance to race in major thoroughbred races, which are limited to 3 yr olds. The day before the Kentucky Derby, the field of horses was already full, but at the last moment, a famous trainer withdrew his horse & the c**t took that place in a field of twenty horses, just 30 seconds before the entry deadline. Suddenly, he was in the game. He had a chance.
All the metrics & predictors were against him. His owner, his trainer, & his jockey had never been associated with any horse in the Kentucky Derby. His jockey had never even won a major event. They were decidedly outsiders & newbies in an extremely elite arena. On the morning of the race, his odds of winning were set at 80 to 1, the second longest odds in Derby history.
Halfway around the track, the c**t was 16 horses back from the lead. He couldn’t even be seen in the field of view of the drone flying above the race. He was a nobody, a throw-away, inconsequential..
BUT THEN...
He began working his way through the crowded pack, finding a few narrow opportunities to improve his position. As they headed toward the finish line, he had miraculously moved up to fifth, then fourth, but still, no one REALLY noticed him. Everyone’s attention was firmly focused on the battle between the two famous front-runners.
Only seconds before the finish, in a burst of speed he passed the two front-runners. The announcer struggled to identify him & say his name in time, almost in a single breath, “Rich Strike is coming up on the inside ... Oh my goodness! The longest shot has WON the Kentucky Derby!”
Where there is life, there is hope.
Anything is possible.
Don’t let anyone count you out.
Persistence & determination beat the odds."
Need a life lesson? Replay the Kentucky Derby Race.
1. Not the best starting position
2. Not the biggest or best horse
3. Only made it into the race on account of another horse having to scratch
4. $30,000 horse against multi million dollar horses
It's not always about having the best of everything or being the biggest & favored. It’s about the size of heart & dedication to win & excel in everything you do!
Well done Rich Strike