The Kentucky Derby attracts a large audience and is among the most well-attended derbies worldwide. There are always a lot of people towards the conclusion of the two-week event on the first Saturday of May for the race. Some of the most influential individuals in the United States have made the trip to take part in this event. But in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, when the racehorse Rich Strike made headlines, everyone in the equestrian world was taken away. In spite of the victory, one of the racing officials and the horse were embroiled in an incident following the race.

A video of the 2022 race, which Rich Strike won, quickly went viral on Twitter. The footage clearly shows that a race official punched the racehorse in the face after the race in an effort to calm it down. However, many individuals did not approve of this action since they saw it as animal abuse.

The equestrian world wasn’t happy

When the 2022 Kentucky Derby winner was leaving the track, an official seemed to strike it in the face, sparking an uproar. One of the greatest surprises in Derby history occurred when 80-1 longshot Rich Strike, who had been behind Epicenter and Zandon, went on a scorching late push to win. A dramatic incident involving a race official after Eric Reed’s horse won against the odds overshadowed the triumph. When a riled-up Rich Strike looked to attempt to bite the lead pony, the marshal was riding on, Sonny Leon, the winning jockey, was escorted by an escort rider. Many horse racing fans were angered to witness the Derby winner being hit in the face by an escort rider as they tried to get control of the horse.

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In the video, the horse that Rich Strike rides beside is Philly. At close range, Rich Strike seems to bite the other horse’s string and pull it. Because of the same, the nearby horse’s neck is strained. The racing official used physical force to induce Rich Strike to release his grip on the string. The official’s mission, despite the racehorse’s desire to continue, was to bring it to a halt in accordance with the regulations.

Although the racing official’s actions were not justified, he was doing his duty to calm the animal down for the event.

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