Mattress Mack thought he had it.

Houston furniture store owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale appeared to be moments away from winning $2.6 million in wagers Saturday on Kentucky Derby favorite Epicenter that would have paid an estimated $12 million.

Epicenter led and was dueling down the stretch with Zandon when Rich Strike – the longest shot in the 20-horse field at 80-1 – came charging up the rail for a stunning upset by three-quarters of a length. Epicenter settled for second.

“I thought I was home,” said Mack, who compared the crushing defeat to losing $9.5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. “It reminded me of the Bengals-Rams gut punch.”