Despite Unfortunate Circumstances, Race Horse Sprung One of the Biggest Surprises at the Kentucky Derby in 1982

With the 2023 Kentucky Derby less than a week away, several instances from its glorious 148-year history have taken the limelight from time to time. Upsets in this event, just like in any other sport, always take the icing when it comes to fan-favorite moments. Gato Del Sol’s unlikely victory at the 1982 Kentucky Derby might just be one of the biggest upsets ever in the history of the tournament. Despite doubts over his form, based on his then-previous performances, Gato Del Sol came out victorious.

After Gato Del Sol had won the Del Mar Futurity on September 9, 1981, his trainer and equestrian Eddie Gregson grew really fond of him. Although his chances looked slim, Gregson fulfilled his dream of winning the Kentucky Derby in 1982.

Gregson’s strategy combined with his faith in Del Sol proved vital for their win

Despite winning the Del Mar Futurity in 1981, Gato Del Sol’s juvenile career wasn’t an awe-inspiring one till then. Gato Del Sol was born in 1979 and by the time he was 3 years old, he raced in his first-ever Kentucky Derby. Little did the world know then, that this extremely less-favored horse would go on to win America’s most prestigious horse race.

Del Sol wasn’t favored by the Churchill Down bettors. They instead favored Air Forbes Won, who was fresh from winning the Wood Memorial Stakes that year. However, Del Sol’s trainer had a trick up his sleeve. He decided to skip the Preakness, one event out of the Triple Crown Series in America. The remaining two are The Kentucky Derby and The Belmont Stakes.

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In 1982, Gregson said to The New York Times, “The Derby asks a lot of a horse”. Believing that until and unless a horse is a “freak” like the Secretariat, it isn’t going to get any better. Therefore, he continued, “The Preakness doesn’t make much sense”. Skipping the Preakness turned fruitful for Gregson, as it meant that Del Sol was well-rested and fully prepared for the Kentucky Derby.

Against all odds, Gato Del Sol won the Kentucky Derby in 1948

In the two years of his life till then Gato Del Sol hadn’t created any wave. He had lost four races as a sophomore and failed to win the Santa Anita Derby in the final preparation. Naturally, there were questions as to if Gato Del Sol had peaked as a two-year-old till then. Every bettor tried to shy away from him and the odds were as low as 21-1 before the Kentucky Derby. But it was his trainer Gregson, who was determined to win the Derby with Del Sol.

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After he won it, Gregson told Steven Crist of the New York Times, “I never stopped believing in this horse. Sometimes I doubted myself and the jockey, but never the horse”. The Kentucky Derby first became popular among the masses after the release of the 1922 silent film of the same name, after it showed rare footage from the race at the start of the film. In a few days, it returns to its destined stadium with much fanfare.