“Edge of Your Seat Material!”: Sports World in Utter Disbelief as Kentucky Derby 2023 Sees One of the Best Finishes for the Ages

The 149th Kentucky Derby was an emotional roller coaster. Every day leading up to the event was jam-packed with activities. The biggest shocker came before the race had started when the pre-race favorite, Forte, who had been in the news for the last month, dropped out. Fifteen of the twenty horses in contention for the Churchill Downs race were recently declared eligible for entry. Forte’s disqualification boosted the odds of the new pre-race favorites, Tapit Trice and Angel of Empire. The underdogs found their chance to shine this time around.

When the announcement was made on the Kentucky Derby’s official Facebook page, it quickly went viral. Those who took a chance on this underdog stallion, Mage (17-1), will be quite pleased, as he won handsomely.

The underdog Pegasus of the Kentucky Derby

Forte, a former pre-race favorite, had dominated his competitors in preparation for the Derby and won a string of Grade 1 stakes races with ease. The other competing colts were mostly neglected. The morning of the race, though, the odds-on favorite was forced to withdraw after injuring its right front foot during morning practice. The equestrian world went crazy as a consequence, with many gamblers taking the 3-1 odds on Forte. The disqualification of the race’s pre-race favorite also altered the betting odds. The new pre-race favorites greatly benefited from this, as Tapit Trice and Angel of Empire’s odds were reduced from 5-1 to 9-2, a seemingly small change but enough to convince gamblers to back the horse.

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However, Mage, the eighth-place starter with 17-1 odds, won the race in a flash. This victory came as a complete surprise, considering Mage had previously only won his maiden special weight race. At Xalapa (Gr. 1), Mage’s sole near-miss was in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. This colt won the Run for the Roses despite having just one victory to his name and only one Grade 1 stakes appearance.

The internet blew up with excitement

Everyone was taken aback by the outcome of the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Even if history shows that underdogs may beat the pre-race favorites in the Derby, it’s still amazing to see it happen. While spectators were still processing the results, a tweet from the Kentucky Derby’s official account quickly went viral.

As the Derby ended with a surprise, this fan is now looking forward to the other two races of the Triple Crown series.

This user is just happy about the horse, as they address it in their comment.

It looks like this fan won the wager, as they bet on the right horse.

This fan looks upset that they didn’t pick Mage as a winner.

The results of the 2023 Kentucky Derby show that it is often the underdogs that provide the most excitement. Equestrian fans have been on a roller coaster of emotions with the transformation of pre-race favorite Forte into 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage.

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