Awesome angles show how close Kentucky Derby finish was

Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Mystik Dan to victory in a photo finish at the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Down. Louisville Courier Journal-USA TODAY Sports

Awesome angles show how shockingly close Kentucky Derby finish was

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 5/4/24

Saturday’s Kentucky Derby was one of the closest finishes in recent memory — and perhaps of any Triple Crown race ever.

Mystik Dan, an 18-1 underdog, managed to hold off Sierra Leone by a literal nose, with Forever Young in third. Remarkably, the top three horses could barely be separated, and the official announcement of a winner was delayed by over 10 minutes as officials looked at every angle in a literal photo finish.

Most thrilling #KentuckyDerby in years. A nail-biting photo finish!

Congratulations to Mystik Dan and his team! Spectacular! pic.twitter.com/HFPC4bmsRR

— Gregory T. Angelo (@gregorytangelo) May 4, 2024

Well this is gonna be fun to determine pic.twitter.com/Rhr6PVTVnX

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 4, 2024

The actual teletimer finish showed just how close the race was. Mystik Dan eked it out by a literal nose, and Sierra Leone was just as close to Forever Young to seize second.

What a photo! #KentuckyDerby pic.twitter.com/c2bZUkMhdS

— Jason Beem (@BeemieAwards) May 4, 2024

The finish was unquestionably one of the closest in Kentucky Derby history. It is also the most memorable since 2019, which saw the initial winner disqualified after the race. That appears unlikely this time, thankfully, since the nose-to-nose finish was exhilarating to watch.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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