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Who is Eric Reed? Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike's trainer slammed for alleged SICK Kamala Harris tweet

An inappropriate tweet written from an account alleged to be Eric Reed's said of Kamala Harris, "Heard she’s good on her knees!!”

The trainer of Rich Strike, the horse that won the Kentucky Derby, was asked about an inappropriate comment he allegedly made on Twitter about Vice President Kamala Harris. Eric Reed appeared on ESPN's 'Outside The Lines' on Wednesday, May 11. 

Reed was asked about a tweet from an account many believe might belong to him. The controversy stems from a tweet by a user that read, "So what exactly are Kamala’s qualifications?” To this, the account believed to be Reed's replied, "Heard she’s good on her knees!!” The account's handle is @daddyrabbit1964 and goes by the name of Eric Reed.

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Asked about the tweet on Kamala Harris, Reed said, "I haven’t seen anything about it. Haven’t been told about it. I don’t know what’s going on out there. I’m more concerned with Richie and what’s going on with us, and this great horse, and how much he’s helping everybody. So, there’s haters out there, and that’s about how I’m gonna leave something like that.”

Reed's answer was seemingly neither a confirmation nor a denial. The account @daddyrabbit1964 is now private. The bio says, "Horse trainer and Reagan conservative. Fantasy Football fanatic, Owner of Mercury Equine Center."

Who is Eric Reed?

Kentucky Derby 2022 saw Rich Strike beat 80-1 odds to finally win. This was the second-longest in the Run for the Roses' history. Churchill Downs saw Rich Strike beat Epicenter and Zandon. This was Eric Reed's debut victory.

"We are entering and hoping and praying", Reed said, as per the Courier-Journal. After the victory, Reed spoke to NBC, saying, "I don't know how (to put the win into words). I fell down in the paddock when he hit the wire. I about passed out. I'm so happy." 

Explaining his strategy, he said, "We don’t go out and buy the big horses," adding, "We just try to have a good, quality stable. We always perform well, our percentages are always good. We take care of the horse first, and the rest falls into place." 

Speaking of Rich Strike, Reed said, "I never thought I would have a Derby horse", and added, "I never tried to go to the yearling sale and buy a Derby horse. I just wanted to buy my clients a horse that would keep them happy, have some fun and make a little money. If we got a good one, terrific. This was never in my thoughts." 

Reed, who is based out of Lexington, owns the Mercury Equine Center. He comes from a family of horse trainers. His father, Herbert, was an assistant trainer under Mack Miller, winner of the 1993 Kentucky Derby with Sea Hero. 

Reed's training career began in 1983. He won the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland in 2009 with Satan's Quick Chick. He is reportedly married and lives with his family in Versailles, Kentucky. 

In a tragedy that struck before his Derby win, 23 of Reed's horses died as a result of a fire caused by lightning. Speaking of his feelings after the incident, Reed later said, "I just thought of all the years and all the stuff we had done to get this beautiful farm and have this happen, that something might be telling me it’s the end of the line." However, he reportedly pulled himself out of the debris and now, after the Derby win, Rich Strike and the team will head to the Preakness Stakes, part of Triple Crown. May 21 will witness the horse race taking place at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

There is no confirmation that the tweet on Kamala Harris was indeed written by Reed. However, he is now being criticized on social media by those who believe he made the comment. "He's mighty smug when this issue was brought up. The Rich Strike victory isn't a totally feel good story. Politics aside, there are just certain crude things you don't say or tweet about any woman," one user wrote. "Take away his trophy!" wrote another. 

One user wrote, "Be a man and stand up for what you wrote. Coward." "What a chicken sh** response he gave when questioned. Sounded like Trump," said another.