9 pictures of Mystik Dan's historic photo finish at the 2024 Kentucky Derby
Mystik Dan won the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, but it took a few anxiety-inducing minutes before anyone knew it.
In a furious final stretch, Mystik Dan (18-1) found himself quite literally neck-and-neck with Sierra Leone (9-2) and Forever Young (7-1) nearing the finish line. All three seemingly crossed at the same time and there was no question this was going to a photo finish.
Mystik Dan defeated Sierra Leone by a nose, who placed ahead of Forever Young by a nose. It was that close.
Everything about the 12th race at Churchill Downs on Saturday was epic on and the wait to see who would officially be named the winner was no different. Mystik Dan trainer Kenny McPeek was mid-interview with NBC when the track announced the results and you could see the relief wash over him.
The race’s intensity was only matched by the call on the broadcast from Larry Collmus, but if you want a closer look at how the finish played out, these pictures certainly illustrate how close it actually was.