Saturday, November 14, 2026

Mystik Dan Takes 150th Kentucky Derby in Epically Close Stunner

  • Trainer Kenny McPeek’s horse went off at 18 to 1 odds.
  • The finish, with Sierra Leone coming a close second, took several minutes to make official.
Matt Stone//Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Mystik Dan captured the first leg of racing’s Triple Crown on Saturday, winning the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby in an epic photo finish that required several minutes’ inspection before the victory was made official. Ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez and going off at 18 to 1 odds, trainer Kenny McPeek’s horse, owned by Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, and Daniel Hamby, survived a tight squeeze around the final turn and held off the favored Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win in the end.

Saturday’s race marked the first major showcase of Churchill Downs’ new $200 million paddock, following renovations, and notably it again went off without a horse trained by Bob Baffert, who’s serving a ban tied to a failed drug test.

Mystik Dan’s ownership group will collect $3.1 million for the race and now draw the bulk of the attention heading into the Preakness, on May 18. Sierra Leone’s owners (John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Brook Smith, and Peter Brant) collect $1 million for second place, and Forever Young’s owner, Susumu Fujita, takes $500,000 for finishing third.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

College Football Teams Caught Up in Nationwide Flight Stoppage

Three Big Ten teams are still trying to travel to game sites.

A’s Owner John Fisher Exits MLS With $625M Earthquakes Deal

The A’s owner put the Earthquakes up for sale in June 2025.
Jessica Pegula returns to Linda Noskova during their last round-robin group match at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, Calif., on Thurs., Nov. 12, 2026.

WTA Chair Believes She Has Road Map Out of Financial Hole

The WTA’s fragile finances have prompted concerns from players.
Exclusive

Dianna Russini Will Seek Credential for Super Bowl Radio Row

Some NFL teams cite her association with BetUS as an issue.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

11/13/26 – NFL Ratings Records, Softball Players Unionize, Skubal Deal Looms

0:00

Featured Today

Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Brentford - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - October 10, 2026 Aston Villa's Boubacar Kamara applauds fans after the match

English Soccer Still Inundated by Gambling Ads Despite Jersey Ban

The ban on front-of-shirt gambling ads looks strict, but it’s largely cosmetic.
West Wind Mahjong
November 11, 2026

Mahjong Mania Has Come for College Sports

Bespoke retailers are cashing in with officially licensed mahjong sets.
November 6, 2026

Can MLS Capitalize on Son-Mania?

Korea and Tottenham fans alike have flocked to LAFC’s away matches.
Pickering High School North
November 4, 2026

High School Athletic Directors Say They’re Running ‘Mini Colleges’

ADs are managing a growing list of demands from athletes and parents.
October 30, 2026

How Injuries Hit Pro Marathoners in the Wallet

Staying healthy can get expensive—quickly.
Tracy McGrady Fornt Office Sports
First at FOS

Tracy McGrady Says Magic Reached Out About Retiring His Jersey

McGrady played 4 of his 16 NBA seasons in Orlando.
November 12, 2026

Softball Players Reach Deal With Athletes Unlimited to Form Union

The league recognized the union a month after the group launched.
November 12, 2026

Boras Sees Skubal Deal Coming Before Expected MLB Lockout

A potentially historic free agent deal runs up against economic uncertainty.
Sponsored

How Jeremy Bloom Is Reinventing the X Games

Jeremy Bloom discusses transforming the X Games into a global brand.
November 11, 2026

Mike Tomlin Knows Coaching Talk Is ‘Going to Come Up’ Soon

The ex-Steelers coach is “enjoying” his NBC Sports role.
Nov 10, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown (7) controls the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
November 11, 2026

NBC Plays Up Tatum-Brown Rivalry With Netflix-Style Open

Tatum’s Celtics and Brown’s Sixers will meet three more times this season.
Nov 8, 2026; Madrid, ESP; A general overall view of the 2026 NFL Madrid Game at an empty Bernabeu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
November 11, 2026

NFL Network’s Europe Games Average a Record 6.9M in First ESPN Season

NFL Network games this season also stream on the ESPN app.
November 11, 2026

WTGL Debut Averages 97,000 Viewers on ESPN

The league has eight more regular season matches in the next month.