Woman wins $1.2 million on $18 Kentucky Derby bet

May 7, 2018, 8:35 am (21 comments)

Insider Buzz

It's called the sport of millionaires — and horse racing just added a new one.

A Texas woman reaped $1.2 million on an $18 bet on a series of Kentucky Derby day races, officials said on Sunday.

The Austin woman, who did not want to be identified, made a Pick 5 wager at the Retama Park racetrack in Salem, Texas, on Saturday and watched as each of the ponies she picked ran on a rainy, muddy day at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, some 1,100 miles away.

Not only did she pick Justify to win the Kentucky Derby, she selected the winners of all four races leading up to the main event, Rachel Bagnetto, spokeswoman for Retama Park, said.

"It's extremely rare," Bagnetto said. "To bet that little amount of money and win $1.2 million is unheard of. In fact, it's the first time it's happened at Retama."

The woman's winnings nearly matched the $1.24 million prize Justify won in the famed thoroughbred Run for the Roses.

Her hot streak started with the eighth race on Saturday at Churchill Downs when 6-year-old gelding Limousine Liberal won the Churchill Downs Stakes.

She picked Maraud to win the American Turf Stakes in the ninth race, and Funny Duck to take the Pat Day Mile race despite 39-1 odds. Her selection in the 11th race was 9-1 longshot Yoshida, who beat out favorite Beach Patrol by a nose in the Old Forester Turf Classic.

The woman's easiest bet was Justify, who was the favorite at 3-1 odds and won the 144th Kentucky Derby by 2 1/2 lengths.

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ABC News

Comments

Raven62's avatarRaven62

A Lucky Day for sure!

lejardin's avatarlejardin

Congrats to the winner!  But I have another comment, the woman didnt want to be identified yet let a picture be taken? 

music*'s avatarmusic*

Congratulations to the lucky woman! She won at six different race tracks. WOW!! 

 I am sure that the IRS will be waiting for a check from her. 

Party

Mrs. Lotto-nc

Congratulations!!!!

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by music* on May 7, 2018

Congratulations to the lucky woman! She won at six different race tracks. WOW!! 

 I am sure that the IRS will be waiting for a check from her. 

Party

All the races were at Churchill Downs.

zephbe's avatarzephbe

Congrats to her Smile  That is amazing.

Bleudog101

As I understand it she did off track betting on the races @ Churchill Downs, so wasn't four different tracks.

Was going to send LP a message about this, glad Todd et al were on top of this and beat me to the punch.

For you outsiders we have Thurby on Thursday which is kind of a new day @ the Downs for Louisville residents unofficially.  Friday...run for the fillies is Kentucky residents KY Derby--unofficially too.  Then Saturday they race all day long too with Derby towards the end of the day. 

 

One day I anticipate slot machines @ Churchill Downs; the horse industry here is hurting, so across the river we go to the casino(s)!!  Getting politicians on board for this is like pulling teeth.  I'm surprised sometimes they even have a lottery here, and IMO a very progressive one where you can play on-line for most games!!

 

Lucky lady will probably win the lottery next!

sully16's avatarsully16

Awesome, congrats to the lucky lady.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Her story is amazing and rare. Thanks for the corrections and updates.

atoz

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on May 7, 2018

As I understand it she did off track betting on the races @ Churchill Downs, so wasn't four different tracks.

Was going to send LP a message about this, glad Todd et al were on top of this and beat me to the punch.

For you outsiders we have Thurby on Thursday which is kind of a new day @ the Downs for Louisville residents unofficially.  Friday...run for the fillies is Kentucky residents KY Derby--unofficially too.  Then Saturday they race all day long too with Derby towards the end of the day. 

 

One day I anticipate slot machines @ Churchill Downs; the horse industry here is hurting, so across the river we go to the casino(s)!!  Getting politicians on board for this is like pulling teeth.  I'm surprised sometimes they even have a lottery here, and IMO a very progressive one where you can play on-line for most games!!

 

Lucky lady will probably win the lottery next!

She bet the pick 5 while she was at the Retma race track on the races being run at Churchill Downs.  All these races were ran at one track and that was at Churchill.  I have played these pick 5 and pick 6 races before and gone in with a group as many people do.  But for 18 dollars is fantastic.  Its not uncommon to spend thousands to hit some long shots like she did in order to have a nice big payday.  But she did it with !8 bucks...  Good for Her thats fantastic.

Todd's avatarTodd

The comments here may be confusing.  No changes or corrections were made to the news story.  It is exactly the same as it was initially published this morning.  I am not aware of anything that needs to be changed in it.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by atoz on May 7, 2018

She bet the pick 5 while she was at the Retma race track on the races being run at Churchill Downs.  All these races were ran at one track and that was at Churchill.  I have played these pick 5 and pick 6 races before and gone in with a group as many people do.  But for 18 dollars is fantastic.  Its not uncommon to spend thousands to hit some long shots like she did in order to have a nice big payday.  But she did it with !8 bucks...  Good for Her thats fantastic.

Like I said 'off track betting'.  She did this in Texas.

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Way To Go!

Nice Win! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

marcie's avatarmarcie

I went to the Race at Jacks Racino I pick the right horses but didn't box them I play 567 and 765 came at Church Hills Downs The Track was muddy I looked at Justified and I said he's a favor so I put him last because most times when the track is Muddy you will get long shots. That is why I didn't put him first. But even so I could of boxed it. Tri. Only paid $70.70 but the more money you had on the Race the more money.

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