Kentucky Derby 2019 Video: Replay Highlights, Race Results and Breakdown

Country House is the winner of the first jewel of the Triple Crown. However, it's not because he was first under the wire at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

The long shot (65-1) was second to Maximum Security, but for the first time in the 145-year history of the race, the horse that finished first was disqualified following an objection.

The decision to change the result of the Derby was made by a panel of three stewards who were put to the task when two jockeys lodged objections against the winner for abruptly changing his running route as he left the quarter pole and turned for home.

Until he got to that point, Maximum Security had been enjoying a brilliant run. The colt had gotten out of the gate sharply, moved swiftly to the lead and held that position throughout the race.

He rebuffed every challenge, but when he got to the fateful point on the track, jockey Luis Saez's horse angled out abruptly. Maximum Security nearly had War of Will clip his heels and also altered the course of Long Range Toddy.

Saez said that his horse, whom he called "a baby," was scared by the huge crowd at the race track, and that's what caused him to change running lanes. Saez would also say that he brought his horse back to his presumed lane shortly thereafter, but the damage was done.

Chief steward Barbara Borden led the review of what happened on the track, viewing the incident from five camera angles and interviewing several of the jockeys. The process went on for nearly 20 minutes before a decision was made. Maximum Security saw his number taken down from the tote board and Country House was awarded first place.

As Borden said, per ESPN News Services:

"The riders of the 18 [Long Range Toddy] and 20 [Country House] ... lodged objections against the 7 [Maximum Security], the winner, due to interference turning for home, leaving the quarter pole. We had a lengthy review of the race. We interviewed affected riders.

"We determined that the 7 horse drifted out and impacted the progress of 1 [War of Will] in turn, interfering with the 18 and 21 [Bodexpress]. Those horses were all affected, we thought, by the interference. Therefore, we unanimously determined to disqualify No. 7 and place him behind the 18 ... the lowest-placed horse that he bothered, which is our typical procedure."

While this is a fairly common occurrence at racetracks around the country, it is not at the Kentucky Derby.

It was a painful experience for Saez, trainer Jason Servis and co-owner Gary West. Saez had been overjoyed when he crossed the finish line, and he expressed his emotion to NBC outrider Donna Brothers, while Servis had called family members after the race was over.

Country House trainer William Mott defended Saez after the disqualification was made official. "I don't think Luis Saez did anything intentionally," the trainer said, per ESPN News Services. "My heart actually aches for them a little bit. That's the way it is. I've been on the other end of it, just not in the Kentucky Derby."

It was Mott's first Derby triumph, and while awaiting the decision, he told NBC's interviewers that what he saw was worthy of a disqualification, but he wasn't sure what the stewards would do because it was the Kentucky Derby.

"I know the stewards had a very, very difficult decision," Mott said. "I'm damn glad they put our number up."

Final Kentucky Derby Results and Payouts

Finish: Horse; Jockey; Trainer (Payout)

1. (DQ) Maximum Security; Luis Saez; Jason Servis*

2. Country House; Flavien Prat; William I. Mott ($1.86 million)

3. Code of Honor; John R. Velazquez; Claude R. McGaughey III ($600,000)

4. Tacitus; Jose L. Ortiz; William I. Mott ($300,000)

5. Improbable; Irad Ortiz, Jr.; Bob Baffert ($150,000)

6. Game Winner; Joel Rosario; Bob Baffert ($90,000)

7. Master Fencer; Julien R. Leparoux; Tsunoda K

8. War of Will; Tyler Gaffalione; Mark E. Casse

9. Plus Que Parfait; Ricardo Santana, Jr.; Brendan P. Walsh

10. Win Win Win; Julian Pimentel; Michael J. Trombetta

11. Cutting Humor; Mike E. Smith; Todd A. Pletcher

12. By My Standards; Gabriel Saez; W. Bret Calhoun

13. Vekoma; Javier Castellano; George Weaver

14. Bodexpress; Chris Landeros; Gustavo Delgado

15. Tax; Junior Alvarado; Danny Gargan

16. Roadster; Florent Geroux; Bob Baffert

17. Long Range Toddy; Jon Kenton Court; Steven M. Asmussen

18. Spinoff; Manuel Franco; Todd A. Pletcher

19. Gray Magician; Drayden Van Dyke; Peter Miller

*Demoted to 17th.

Kentucky Derby Betting Payouts

Win, Place, Show

Country House: $132.40, $56.60, $24.60

Code of Honor: N/A, $15.20, $9.80

Tacitus: N/A, N/A, $5.60

Exacta (20-13): $3,009.60

Trifecta (20-13-8): $5,737.65

Superfecta (20-13-8-5): $51,400.10

While the news was good for Mott, jockey Flavien Prat and those who backed Country House—the 65-1 winner paid $132.40 for a $2 bet—West did not take the decision well.

He said he would try to appeal the decision, which could mean involving the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission or the court system.

"We are exploring our options to appeal," West told the AP (h/t ESPN.com). "If we can't appeal to the stewards, our other options are the state racing commission. If those don't work, we might go to legal options."

West's reaction may be understandable, but it could turn the Kentucky Derby into a long and drawn-out legal affair, something race fans never expect from the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.