Rich Strike, the 80-1 upset winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs, has been retired, owner Rick Dawson said Nov. 9.

In a portion of a social media post to “to all family, friends and fans of Rich Strike” and in a text to BloodHorse, Dawson wrote: “As you are aware for the last several months ‘Richie’ has been performing light exercise while being treated for front leg issues that has kept him from traditional training and obviously from racing. Unfortunately, these nagging issues remain. Therefore, after conversations with [veterinarians] and a number of great horsemen, I have decided to retire Richie from racing and move toward a stallion career.

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“This has been an extremely difficult decision for me. However, as always, it came down to ‘what’s best for Richie is what’s best.’

“Thank you to all who have supported and prayed for Richie.”

Later on Thursday morning, Keeneland announced that Rich Strike will be offered as a stallion prospect at its November Horses of Racing Age Sale Nov. 17.

Rich Strike, a 4-year-old Keen Ice colt, retires with a 2-1-3 record in 14 starts with more than $2.5 million in earnings. He initially raced for breeder Calumet Farm and trainer Joe Sharp before being claimed for $30,000 by Dawson’s RED TR-Racing and trainer Eric Reed from his second race, a 17 1/4-length maiden-claiming win at Ellis Park in September 2021.

Sonny Leon was his regular rider for Reed, including in the Kentucky Derby, when Rich Strike closed to upset Epicenter and Zandon. Rich Strike posted the second-largest upset in the race’s 149-year history in the 2022 race, returning $163.60 for a $2 win wager, a payoff surpassed only by Donerail, who returned $184.90 in 1913.

Sonny Leon, Eric Reed, and Rick Dawson celebrate 2022 Derby win. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Bettors were not the only ones shocked. Winning trainer Eric Reed said his knees buckled in excitement soon after the race, and he fell to the ground as he watched his colt cross the finish line in front.

“Can you believe this, man?” Reed later exclaimed to friends as people rushed to congratulate him.

According to NBC Sports, the telecast of the Derby reached 16 million viewers, peaking at 19 million viewers in the aftermath of Rich Strike’s astounding closing charge.

For many in attendance, this was a result that wasn’t supposed to happen — and it nearly didn’t. Rich Strike was not even in the original field of 20, lacking the Kentucky Derby qualifying points of other competitors, leaving him as an also-eligible in need of a scratch to start.

From the time of entries May 2 until the early morning hours of May 6, it did not look like he would get the chance. But opportunity knocked in the waning minutes before closing scratch time at 9 a.m. the day before the Derby, when Ethereal Road was pulled from the race, clearing the way for him to start.

As an also-eligible, he secured a spot in the race on the far outside in post 20, a position from which only one horse, Big Brown (2008), had won in 17 previous attempts.

But Leon — who rode not at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day but at his base at the time at Belterra Park — never rode like a jockey daunted by the wide draw. Quickly easing his mount back off the pace, he rallied Rich Strike to score, darting in and out through traffic.

He provided Calumet Farm with their 10th Kentucky Derby win as breeder, extending their record, with eight coming from horses that raced for the farm when the Wright family operated Calumet in the mid-to-late-20th century. Brad Kelley currently owns Calumet, where Keen Ice stands at stud. Keen Ice’s fee is $7,500 in 2024.

Rich Strike was winless in six starts following the Kentucky Derby, though he came close to victory when second to Hot Rod Charlie in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs in September 2022. Also that year, he finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, fourth in the Runhappy Travers Stakes, fourth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classicc, and sixth in the Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare.

He made one start at age 4, finishing fifth in the May 5 Alysheba Stakes Presented by Sentient Jet at Churchill Downs. That race would prove to be his final race. Dawson and Reed parted ways shortly after the Alysheba over a dispute over film rights.

The previous fall, just before the Lukas Classic, the two and six others associated with the colt went under the needle to receive Rich Strike tattoos, asking for the number 21. That was his program number in the Kentucky Derby and where he ranked on qualifying points before the scratch of Ethereal Road.

Rich Strike schooling before the 2022 Belmont Stakes. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Rich Strike was given time off for what Dawson said were some physical issues, and he resumed light training at Margaux Farm this fall. He had been scheduled to join Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in South Florida this month before Dawson’s announcement on Thursday.

Consigned to the upcoming Keeneland sale by Candy Meadows Farm, Rich Strike is available for inspection in Lexington by appointment.

He is out of Canadian champion Gold Strike (Smart Strike) and is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Llanarmon. In addition to his aforementioned Derby win and his runner-up finish in the Lukas Classic, his other stakes placing came when he showed in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park in 2022.

“Keeneland is excited to showcase Rich Strike, a rare offering who will appeal to international buyers as a stallion prospect and to fans of racing worldwide,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said.

It is not uncommon for some stallion prospects to be withdrawn from public auctions and private transactions made between parties.