LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Breaking from the 20 post, Rich Strike won the 148th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Rich Strike, trained by Eric R. Reed and ridden by jockey Sonny Leon, finished the mile and one-quarter race first, going off at 80-1 odds. Rich Strike had never run in a Grade I race, and he ran third and fifth in his last two starts, which were both on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park.

Accelerating in the middle turn through the pack, Rich Strike made a move from the inside in the final furlong for one of the biggest upsets in the Kentucky Derby, the second-longest odds of any Derby winner. Reed and Leon had never been a part of the Kentucky Derby until Saturday.

"I know my horse, I know I had a horse for this race," Leon said during an interview on NBC after the race. "He was tough."

In the Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, Epicenter finished second while Zandon was third.

Epicenter, trained by Steve Asmussen, went off as a 4-1 favorite. Tim Yakteen, who trained both of Bob Baffert's horses, Taiba (5-1) and Messier (6-1), both followed Epicenter's in odds.

After last year's crowd was limited to 51,838 attendees due to COVID-19 precautions, Churchill Downs had 147,294 attendees on Saturday. Although rain held out for most of the day after some spots of drizzle in the morning, the afternoon remained dry and breezy, but without sunshine.

Here are the payouts for the race:

Rich Strike:      $163.60      $74.20      $29.40

Epicenter:                            $7.40        $5.20

Zandon:                                                 $5.60

The race Saturday was the first leg of the American Triple Crown. The Preakness Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 21 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. 

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