Rich Strike

Background

Rich Strike, also known as Richie, is a chestnut stallion with a white blaze and white socks on his hind legs. He was bred at Calumet Farm in Kentucky and was foaled on April 25, 2019. His dam, Gold Strike by Smart Strike, was the Canadian Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 2005; he was sired by Keen Ice, best known for defeating American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes. Rich Strike became Keen Ice's first Grade I winner and Calumet Farm's record tenth Kentucky Derby winner.

In September 2021, horse trainer Eric Reed, on behalf of Richard Dawson's RED-TR Racing, bought Rich Strike for $30,000 at a claiming race at Churchill Downs.

Jockey Sonny Leon rode Rich Strike to his victory in the 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7, 2022.

Jerry Dixon Jr., who had been groom to the horse almost since his arrival at Eric Reed's training centre, was Rich Strike's groom at the Kentucky Derby.

Racing career

2021: two-year-old season

Originally trained by Joe Sharp, Rich Strike made his first start on August 15, 2021, in a maiden special weight race at one mile over the turf at Ellis Park. He broke slowly and was never a factor, finishing last.

For his next start, Rich Strike was dropped into a maiden claiming race at Churchill Downs. He broke slowly and raced near the back of the pack down the backstretch, then made a strong move on the turn to take the lead. He drew off down the stretch to win by 17+1⁄4 lengths. He was claimed for $30,000 by Eric Reed.

On October 9, Rich Strike was entered in an allowance optional claiming race at Keeneland. He bobbled at the start and had to be steadied entering the first turn after being bumped. He was well back for most of the race but started to close ground in the final furlong to finish third, beaten by 3+1⁄2 lengths.

Rich Strike made his final start of the year on December 26 in the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. He trailed the field through the first three-quarters of a mile before making a mild rally to finish fifth behind Epicenter.

2022: three-year-old season

Rich Strike made his three-year-old debut on January 22, 2022, in the Leonatus Stakes over the all weather surface at Turfway Park in Kentucky. As had become his pattern, he was well back in the early running then made a late run to finish third. Reed later commented that Rich Strike had lost several days of training while in New Orleans for the previous race because of weather. "In the paddock he was a monster and he's never like that," Reed said. "He didn't run terrible but he just wasn't himself."

He turned in a similar performance on March 5 in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, also at Turfway Park, this time finishing fourth.

For his third start of the year, Rich Strike was entered in the Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway on April 2. He was near the back of the field for most of the race but found an inside path in the stretch and closed well to finish third behind Tiz the Bomb.

The third-place finish in the Jeff Ruby gave Rich Strike 20 points on the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby, which was originally short of the amount required to qualify for the race. At 8:45 a.m. on Friday, the day before the race, Reed was informed there were no scratches. However, the last-minute scratch of another horse, Ethereal Road, allowed him to draw into the Derby, and minutes later, Reed took another phone call from chief steward Barbara Borden, asking him if he wanted to run Rich Strike in the Derby. Reed joked that the last-minute notification left him needing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as he had just been about to enter Rich Strike in another race, the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. "He's never been better; he loves this track," said Reed. "All week long, I was like, 'He just gets better every day.' He's so happy right now. It's just a blessing to be able to run."

The field for the 2022 Kentucky Derby, held on May 6, 2022, was considered one of the deepest in recent memory as there were multiple highly regarded horses but no clear standout. The top horses included Epicenter (Louisiana Derby, Risen Star), Zandon (Blue Grass Stakes), and Taiba (Santa Anita Derby). Rich Strike was overlooked at odds of 80:1. He broke well from the outside post position and settled into the back of the pack where he was in eighteenth place after the first half-mile, 17 lengths behind the leaders. During this time Summer is Tomorrow and Crown Pride battled up front starting the race off with an extremely fast pace. He started his move on the final turn while weaving through traffic, first shifting out four horses wide of the rail then back towards the rail. In the stretch, he was checked briefly by a tiring horse but again found racing room and launched a sustained drive to the inside of Epicenter. He drew clear in the final strides to win by three-quarters of a length. A shocked Reed collapsed in the paddock.

2023: four-year-old season

Rich Strike returned to Eric Reed's Mercury Training Center in January, and began training for the 2023 season. He ran just once that year, finishing fifth in the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill.

On May 11, 2023, a few days after the Alysheba was run, Reed announced that he quit as the trainer for Rich Strike and all horses owned by RED-TR Racing in his care. His resignation came after it was announced that Reed had entered into an agreement with Omaha Productions, a production company headed by former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, for an Amazon Prime documentary about his training career. RED-TR Racing's Rick Dawson claimed the promotional materials released about the project included parts about Rich Strike's story, which he said he owned the trademark and rights to. The two ultimately disagreed on their views of the film project, with Dawson saying that he felt obligated to protect Rich Strike's legacy, and Reed saying that he wanted to do what was best for his family. On May 25 it was announced that Bill Mott would take over the training duties. It was also reported that Rich Strike was being turned out and rested for 30 days.

Retirement

In November 2023 Rick Dawson announced that Rich Strike would be retired from racing and entered into the November sales at Keeneland. Dawson later withdrew Rich Strike from the sale, however, saying that his colt would continue to undergo light training at Margaux Farm in Kentucky.

Rich Strike arrived at Bill Mott's barn at Saratoga Race Course in June 2024 for a potential five-year-old campaign. Owner Rick Dawson attributed his horse's absence from racing to leg issues. He added that Rich Strike was cleared by equine surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage, and that his chances of returning to racing were "50-50." Two months later, however, Rich Strike suffered a torn ligament in his left foreleg. According to Dawson, the injury was unrelated to Rich Strike's previous leg issues, but would require additional rehabilitation for two months. He added that the chances of the horse returning to race had dropped to "five or ten percent."

In December 2024, Daily Racing Form reported that Dawson was looking to secure a domestic stud deal for Rich Strike for the 2025 breeding season. Later that month, The Blood-Horse reported that a deal was pending to have Rich Strike enter stud at Mountain Springs Farm in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

In 2025 Rich Strike was standing stud at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions, Stillwater, New York for a $6,500 service fee.

Pedigree

* Rich Strike is inbred 3S x 2D to the stallion Smart Strike, meaning that he appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree and second generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

* Rich Strike is inbred 4S x 4S to the stallion Deputy Minister, meaning that he appears fourth generation twice on the sire side of his pedigree.

*^ Rich Strike is inbred 5S x 4D x 5D to the mare Gold Digger, meaning that she appears fifth generation (via Mr Prospector)^ on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth and fifth generation (via Search For Gold)^ on the dam side of his pedigree.