One of the most prestigious, well-anticipated events took place on May 3: the Kentucky Derby. At 7-1 odds, Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby in an electric finish.
A former Philadelphia Phillies legend was especially invested in the race. Jayson Werth was a co-owner of Flying Mohawk. His horse was a long shot at 28-1 odds and unfortunately placed second to last in the rainy conditions.
Jayson Werth takes hilarious shot at Mets fans at Kentucky Derby
Werth enjoyed a 15-year career in Major League Baseball, spending time with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals and Phillies. He last appeared in a big league game in 2017 with the Nationals.
Now retired, the former All-Star and World Series champion is fully invested in horse racing. Werth enjoys the sport’s atmosphere and is thankful for how the fans act compared to baseball fans.
“There’s no real rivalries in this sport,” Werth said when asked if baseball fans or Derby fans are harder to deal with in an interview with Foul Territory. “You don’t have to worry about getting knifed in the parking lot by a Mets fan.”
The Phillies have a long-standing rivalry with the New York Mets, which has been revived over the last few years as both teams have been competitive. The Mets eliminated the Phillies in four games in the NLDS a season ago and swept them in a three-game series in April.
The Phillies signed Werth before the 2007 season, after he was released by the Dodgers. The Phillies were coming off an 85-win season that ended short of the playoffs, but Werth was a key contributor to the team’s dominance during his four-year tenure.
Werth’s career took off with the Phillies. The former outfielder hit .298 in 94 games during his first year with the organization and helped them reach the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Werth hit 24 home runs in a larger role in 2008 and was a World Series hero. He owned a .444 batting average with three doubles, one home run and three RBIs in the Phillies’ World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays and hit .309 during the championship run.