Despite His Favored Horse Not Crossing the Finish Line First, Man Won $147,000 at Kentucky Derby Once

The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race in the United States. However, that is not the only thing it is popular for. It is also a betting mecca, especially given the fact that betting on the Derby is not illegal, as people are not betting on fixed odds. People bet on horses with only one goal, of course, to get lucky and win some cash. Some might argue that it’s not all luck.

However, in this particular case, only luck could have induced this string of events that actually transpired. Rick Broth had, like thousands of others, bet on his favorite horse in the 145th Derby. Never in a million years would he have expected what happened to him in the aftermath of that race.

The infamous Kentucky Derby astonished everyone

The 2019 race was one of the strangest races to ever be conducted. Rick Broth, defeated after losing all his Derby bets, was on his way home when he got an unexpected call from his friend. Despite not betting on the horse who crossed the finish line first, Broth won a fortune at the race. How did that happen? It happened because the first time in Derby history, the horse that crossed the finish line ahead of everyone did not win the race.

It was a novel occurrence in the 145-year-old history of the Kentucky Derby when a horse was disqualified from the race after being declared a winner. Maximum Security, though ahead of the entire pack, was later disqualified due to interference. This led to the second, Country House, automatically becoming the winner of the race. This turned out to be a boon for Broth. Earlier, he was going home with empty pockets. Now, he stood to win more than $47,000 wagering on Country House as a 65-1 long shot.

Read more: First Thoroughbred Ever To Win $1,000,000 Scared His Rider With Crazy Speed at 1948 Kentucky Derby

In addition to that, he also collected another $100,000 in prize money as the winner of a high-stakes handicapping challenge called the Kentucky Derby Betting Championship. According to Yahoo! Sports, Broth said, “I went from being the biggest loser that ever lived to a great story. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I’ve been taken down 100 times at the track for big money, so to be put up is just unbelievable.” While it turned out to be a great day for Broth, not everyone had the same experience.

The incident changed many lives- some for better some for worse

Maximum Security was a clear winner at the 2019 Derby. However, as he ran across the finish line, other jockeys were not so convinced by the win. Hence, they escalated the situation for the reason that a foul had been committed. After a lengthy deliberation, it was decided that Maximum Security did, in fact, commit an in-race foul. The horse was disqualified for impeding and interfering with other horses. As Maximum Security was disqualified, Country House became the automatic winner.

Here is where the problem began, for the bettors who had placed millions of dollars in bets on Maximum Security. Within minutes, their celebration dimmed to an impending sense of doom as their money went down the drain. Just over $6.2 million in bets were placed on the 9-2 race favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Those who expected to win big were now having their victory brutally stripped away from them. The loss was shared by individuals as well as betting houses alike.

Watch This Story: Get Ready to Celebrate the Kentucky Derby in Style at OB Event Center on May 6

The 145th Kentucky Derby definitely brought with it a mixed bag of emotions. While Country House and people like Broth seemed to be blessed with some special kind of luck, it seemed they had snatched it from Maximum Security and the horse’s bettors.