Though Flying Mohawk didn’t cross the finish line first in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, Owensboro native Jeff Berry said the experience of competing on horse racing’s biggest stage was “well worth it.”
Berry, a co-owner of the 3-year-old colt alongside former MLB All-Star Jayson Werth and real estate developer Shawn Kaleta, watched from the stands at Churchill Downs as Flying Mohawk finished 12th out of 19 horses in the 151st running of the Derby. Sovereignty, owned by Godolphin, captured the Garland of Roses on a rainy evening in Louisville.
“We gave it a shot in the biggest race in the world. It didn’t go our way, but we’ll bounce back,” Berry said after the race. “It’s an experience of a lifetime. For me, it was well worth it.”
Berry and his partners purchased Flying Mohawk for $72,000 as a turf horse — a calculated gamble that ultimately landed them a spot in the starting gate of America’s most iconic race.
It was a shot they were glad to take, even with long odds and difficult conditions. A fast-moving storm rolled through Friday evening, and steady rain continued into Saturday, leaving the Churchill Downs track sloppy and sticky.
The 1.25-mile race, won in 2:02.31 by Sovereignty, marked the first time Flying Mohawk had competed on anything other than turf. The colt showed promise early but faded down the stretch.
“He’d never been on dirt before, and I think he took a lot of kickback,” Berry said. “On the first turn, he was in a pretty good spot, but I think he was just eating a ton of mud. I was hoping he’d take to the dirt a little more than he did, but that doesn’t change his talent or what kind of horse he is.”
Despite the result, Berry remained upbeat about the journey. It was the highest level of horse ownership he’s experienced to date, and he said sharing the Derby moment with his family and co-owners made the effort worthwhile.
“My family’s had an unbelievable time. We’ve enjoyed all of it,” Berry said. “We’ve got a great team around the horse, and I couldn’t think of a better experience than to be here running in the Kentucky Derby.”
Flying Mohawk is part of Berry’s Flying Partners Racing, which he co-founded with the goal of making horse ownership more accessible and inclusive. (Read more on that mission here.)
He’s not done yet.
“We’re gonna try to bring a horse here next year,” he said. “We’re gonna try to bring a horse every year.”
Berry also acknowledged the nature of the sport and the unpredictability that comes with it.
“What I’ve learned is it’s an unbelievable family experience, but it’s like any other sport. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you’ve got to keep showing up,” he said.
Churchill Downs saw a crowd of more than 147,000 in attendance Saturday, with all-sources wagering on the Derby race setting a new record of $234.4 million. Wagering from all sources on the full Kentucky Derby Day program set a new record of $349.0 million.
Even as the spotlight faded from this year’s race, Berry and his team already had eyes on the next.
“Back to the drawing board,” he said. “We’ll figure something out.”
