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Recent trends in the Risen Star Stakes
Here are three things to know about the recent history of the Risen Star.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Blackadder
It’s easy to peg Blackadder as a synthetic specialist following his victory in the El Camino Real Derby over the Tapeta track at Golden Gate Fields. But such a conclusion might be premature.
Horse
Racing Roundtable: Sam F. Davis and the Eclipse Awards
TwinSpires.com editors James Scully, Kellie Reilly, and Vance Hanson are back with observations on the big races, storylines, and events of the past week.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Classic Causeway
Can the late, great racehorse and stallion Giant's Causeway sire a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner in his final year of opportunity?
Horse
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Charge It impresses at Gulfstream
The Kentucky Derby is drawing closer with every passing day, but impressive sophomore maiden winners continue to emerge on the scene.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Feb. 14, 2022
Impressive performances have been par for the course this year on both the Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
Kentucky Derby
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem Feb. 14, 2022
Jason looks back at his weekend calling the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.
Kentucky Derby
2022 KDFW Pool 3: 'All others' 2-1, Smile Happy holds at 8-1
The top two betting choices in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) had a familiar look - "All Others" and individual favorite Smile Happy - while Classic Causeway was the big market mover.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby prospect report: Louisiana
The three-year-old talent pool appears to be quite deep in Louisiana this year for Derby hopefuls.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby prospect report: Florida
With less than three months to go till Derby, let's took a look at the top prospects from Florida who will be aiming for the Twin Spires.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 El Camino Real Derby
A total of 11 three-year-olds will run in the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate on Saturday.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes
An overflow field of 13 three-year-olds will go postward in Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis S. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Kentucky Derby
Scully, Hanson examine Pool 3 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager
James Scully and Vance Hanson have reached a consensus on a joint selection for Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Early Voting
A favorable pedigree isn’t the only requirement to win the Kentucky Derby (G1). But it’s a good place to start.
Horse
Racing Roundtable: Takeaways from the Holy Bull and more
Following a noteworthy weekend of classic preps, James Scully, Kellie Reilly, and Vance Hanson are back with observations on events of the past week.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Feb. 7, 2022
Only three months remain until the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), which means the winter prep season is quickly heating up.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Eagle in Love, Nitrous Channel deliver winning debuts
The first week in February saw several promising three-year-olds post impressive maiden victories. A couple of debut winners at Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park were particularly eye-catching.
Kentucky Derby
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem for Feb. 7, 2022
Jason Beem discusses some of the weekend news from around racing including the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Robert B. Lewis Stakes
A compact, but talented, field of five three-year-olds will vie in Sunday’s $200,000 Robert B. Lewis S. (G3)
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Withers Stakes
A big field of 11 three-year-olds will go postward in Saturday’s $250,000 Withers S. (G3) at Aqueduct.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Holy Bull Stakes
An excellent field of nine sophomores will go 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park on Saturday in the $250,000 Holy Bull S.
Kentucky Derby
Racing Roundtable: Takeaways from the Pegasus World Cup
James Scully, Kellie Reilly, and Vance Hanson kick off a new series with observations on the big races, storylines, and events of the past week in racing.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Favorite Outlaw impresses at Oaklawn
The final weekend in January saw a bevy of talented three-year-olds score maiden victories and emerge as potential players on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Jan. 31, 2022
Last weekend was a relatively quiet one on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. We say relatively, because even a quiet week on the Derby trail is packed with news and developments.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Southwest Stakes
A strong field of 12 sophomores will go 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on Saturday in the $750,000 Southwest S.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Gunfighter, Happy Jack, Peaceful Waters break through
Barely more than 100 days remain until the Kentucky Derby, but recent history has shown that’s sufficient time for talented Thoroughbreds to transform from mere maiden winners into Derby champions.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Jan. 24, 2022
On Thursday, the Road to the Kentucky Derby will reach a milestone: 100 days until the Run for the Roses.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Call Me Midnight
Call Me Midnight burst onto the Kentucky Derby trail with a late-surging victory in the Lecomte S. (G3). Can he maintain his finishing speed over the Kentucky Derby’s testing 1 1/4-mile journey?
Horse
'All Others' 9-5, Smile Happy remains favored individual in 2022 KDFW Pool 2
Unbeaten Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner Smile Happy once again closed as the 8-1 individual favorite in Pool 2 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, reprising his odds from Pool 1. While the mutuel field of “All Others” remained the overall favorite, the price crept up, from 3-5 in Pool 1 to 9-5 by the time trading ended at 6 p.m. (ET) Sunday evening.
Kentucky Derby
Hanson, Scully find consensus, tab individual plays for Pool 2 of 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager
Pool 2 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens its three-day run on Friday, and Brisnet.com editors Vance Hanson and James Scully have reached a consensus on an individual entry. Both will also offer a contender they’re interested in backing this weekend.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: The Lecomte Stakes 2022
A strong field of nine sophomores will go 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Saturday in the $200,000 Lecomte S. (G3).
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 field announced
Pool 2 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) will be held this week beginning Friday at noon (ET). Wagering will be available throughout the country, including at TwinSpires.com, until 6 p.m. Sunday.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Fromanothamutha drops in class, nabs victory
Did you know three of the last five Kentucky Derby winners failed to break their maidens before the middle of January?
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Jan. 17, 2022
Did you know only 110 days remain until the 2022 Kentucky Derby? Let’s round up the latest Kentucky Derby (and Kentucky Oaks) news.
Kentucky Derby
American Icon, McLaren Vale hot prospects for Gun Runner
Crowning his record-setting season as a freshman sire, Gun Runner closed out 2021 strong with seven new winners between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. We’ll focus on the four most promising prospects who could join the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) trail.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Jan. 4
Catch up with the latest action from Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Courvoisier
Of all the contenders for the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), arguably none is as regally bred as Courvoisier. But will his extraordinarily productive pedigree translate to success in the Derby?
Horse
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Newgrange
Sometimes, bettors can examine a racehorse pedigree and immediately conclude, “Yes—this horse is bred to excel in the Triple Crown.” Such is the case with Sham S. (G3) winner Newgrange.
Horse
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Dash Attack
Can a son of a sprinter win the Kentucky Derby (G1) racing 1 1/4 miles? It’s happened before, and it could happen again when Smarty Jones S. winner Dash Attack tackles the 2022 “Run for the Roses.”
Horse
Tipsheet: 2022 Sham Stakes
A compact field of five sophomores will go postward in Saturday’s $100,000 Sham S. (G3) at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Jerome Stakes
A well-matched field of eight sophomores will travel one mile on the Aqueduct dirt in Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome S.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2022 Smarty Jones Stakes
A huge field of 14 sophomores will go one mile at Oaklawn Park on Saturday in the $250,000 Smarty Jones S.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 29
Several runners from the last two Derbies have raced this week, or will be racing next week.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: The Gun Runner Stakes
A total of seven juveniles will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt in Saturday’s $100,000 Gun Runner S.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 21
Kentucky Derby and Oaks alumni showed up in force this past weekend, including a winning return for one Oaks contender’s first race since her shot at the lilies. Several more are expected to return just after Christmas, as well, so let’s check in on how these stars are finishing up their 2021!
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Make It Big
Make It Big has a chance to make it big in the Kentucky Derby (G1). But does he have the pedigree to handle the Derby's testing 1 1/4-mile distance?
Horse
Brisnet Call-in Show with James Scully and Bobby Neuman for Dec. 16
James Scully picks up the reigns to answer your questions and discuss the Thorougbred racing industry, specifically on handicapping and betting angles! Listen to this past weekends' episode from Dec. 16, on demand now!
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 16
With the winter racing meets ramping up and top horses pointing for their winter campaigns, many Kentucky Derby and Oaks alumni are returning to the track. At Aqueduct, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream, and Oaklawn, they are in action, so let’s check in on their plans!
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: The 2021 Springboard Mile S.
Osbourne heads a solid field of nine two-year-old prospects traveling one mile at Remington Park on Friday in the Springboard Mile S.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Slow Down Andy
There’s nothing slow about Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Slow Down Andy. But does he have the pedigree to succeed in the Kentucky Derby?
Pedigree
Los Alamitos: How to bet the Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 11
A compact, yet talented field of five two-year-olds will vie in Saturday’s $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G1).
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 7
Though the week after Thanksgiving was quieter than last, several Derby alumni were still in action, including one making his final start and one beginning a new phase of his career in Dubai, in advance of the Carnival.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: The 2021 Remsen Stakes on Dec. 4
A field of eight juveniles will travel 1 1/8 miles on the main surface in Saturday’s $250,000 Remsen S. (G2) at Aqueduct.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby alumni update for Nov. 30
Many runners from the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, both this year and in past years, returned to action during the holiday week of racing. Find out right here how they did, as well as who to expect in major races over the next week!
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Smile Happy
Smile Happy put smiles on the faces of his supporters when he rallied to victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs, in the process joining the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Horse
'All others' favored in 2022 KDFW Pool 1, Sire Future Wager
While the “All Others” options were favored as expected – closing at 3-5 in the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Pool 1 and at 7-2 in the Sire Future Wager – Jim McIngvale’s plunge made a splash in the markets late Sunday afternoon.
Kentucky Derby
Scully, Hanson find price plays in Pool 1 of 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager
With Pool 1 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager now open, James Scully and Vance Hanson have reached a consensus on an individual entry they both like.
Kentucky Derby
How to play the Kentucky Derby Sires Future Wager
The Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager is perhaps the toughest task among the future wager puzzles.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby alumni update for Nov. 22
A few familiar faces from the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks ran over the last week, and many more are back in action over the next few days.
Kentucky Derby
2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1, Sire Future Wager on tap
Pool 1 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager runs over Thanksgiving weekend along with the only Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Nov. 15, 2021
Many Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni are catching a breath after the Breeders’ Cup. But others are planning fall and winter campaigns, so let’s check in!
Kentucky Derby
Mucciolo's Early Kentucky Derby Top 11 for 2022
It’s never too early to talk about the Kentucky Derby. With less than six months remaining until the 2022 Run for the Roses, I have tabbed some two-year-olds that I will be keeping a keen eye on leading up the the First Saturday in May.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update: Nov 9, 2021
Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni came out in force at the weekend, and not just at the Breeders' Cup.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update: Breeders' Cup week 2021
With Breeders' Cup on the horizon, there are plenty of Kentucky Derby and Oaks alumni to check in with this weekend. But, several also hit the track in the last week, making it the right time to look back and then look forward!
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni update for Oct. 25, 2021
Though we are less than two weeks from the Breeders' Cup, where several Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses are expected to appear, the calendar has still been busy for several other alumni within the last week.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby alumni update for Oct. 12, 2021
It's been a quiet week for most Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni. Most who are Breeders' Cup bound had already taken their final preps. However, one of the most durable Derby alumni returned in his final Breeders' Cup Sprint prep, and a Oaks alum was in action Monday afternoon at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Rattle N Roll
When Rattle N Roll joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), racing fans were left to ponder if he's bred to handle the Kentucky Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance.
Horse
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Oct. 5
Many of the horses who raced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) over the last few years have been in action over the last week.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Jack Christopher
Does Champagne S. (G1) winner Jack Christopher have the pedigree to handle the testing 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby?
Horse
Pedigree profile: Corniche
Based off Corniche's victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), it seems two of the speediest horses of the 2010s have combined to produce one of the speediest Kentucky Derby contenders of the 2020s.
Horse
Champagne Stakes: By the numbers
There is no juvenile race in the United States with a more storied past than the Champagne S. (G1). Here is a look at some of that history by the numbers.
Triple Crown
Tipsheet: Champagne Stakes 2021
A fantastic field of six two-year-olds will travel one-mile on the Belmont Park main strip in Saturday’s $500,000 Champagne S. (G1). The winner of the top event for the youngsters will earn a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on November 5 in the “Win and You’re In” contest. The top four finishers will also earn points on a 10-4-2-1 scale in the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby series endeavor.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: American Pharoah Stakes 2021
An exciting field of seven two-year-old prospects will vie in Friday’s $300,000 American Pharoah S. (G1) at Santa Anita. The competitive 1 1/16-mile contest attracted a precocious bunch of youngsters for the “Win and You’re In” challenge series event, with the first placer earning an automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on November 5. The top-four finishers will also collect points on a 10-4-2-1 basis in the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby series contest.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Sept. 29, 2021
Just over a month out from the Breeders' Cup, the time for final prep races has rolled around. Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) alumni are as busy as ever making their last preparations before Del Mar, so let's check in and see what they have been doing.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby alumni update: Sept. 20, 2021
Autumn racing is getting underway, and many Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners are heading into their final preps for the Breeders' Cup over the next few weeks. A few hit the track this past weekend.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Major General
The first horse to strike on the 2021-2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby was Major General, who displayed an affinity for Churchill Downs and battled to a tenacious victory in the Iroquois S. (G3).
Horse
What's your style personality: Derby or Met Gala?
Pick some eye-popping ensembles, and we'll tell you whether you belong on the red carpet of the Kentucky Derby or the Met Gala in our latest personality quiz!
Kentucky Derby
By The Numbers: Saratoga's Hopeful Stakes
The pinnacle of Saratoga’s juvenile races is the Hopeful S. (G1), run on Labor Day. It’s been an important prize for most of its existence and has a storied history.
Triple Crown
What the 2020 Kentucky Derby taught us about historical handicapping trends
Historical trends can be powerful tools for handicapping horse races. But it’s important to differentiate between trends with meaning and trends generated by circumstances.
Kentucky Derby
Hanson: Rediscovering historic Triple Crown TV coverage
Television footage of the Triple Crown from the 1960s and early 1970s is now publicly available, and its most interesting moments are well worth watching.
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby alumni take center stage at Saratoga
On Friday afternoon, Kentucky Derby alumnus Dynamic One rallied explosively to win Saratoga’s Curlin S., and he’s unlikely to be the only Derby veteran seen in the Saratoga winner’s circle this week.
Kentucky Derby
Who is the best three-year-old male entering the second half of 2021?
The 2021 Triple Crown season is over, but the three-year-old season is still in progress. With three different winners of the Triple Crown races and major summer three-year-old races like the Haskell, Travers, H. Allen Jerkens, and Belmont Derby to go, it is the right time to ask: who is the best three-year-old male in the country?
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby returnees loom large in Belmont Stakes
Freshening up a three-year-old for a 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes used to be considered foolish, but the five-week hiatus has become the norm for many prominent stables nowadays.
Kentucky Derby
Who was the most impressive undercard winner from Kentucky Derby weekend?
The 2021 Kentucky Derby was a thrill, with Medina Spirit digging in to hold off Mandaloun. Now, it's up to you: revisit these sparkling performances from Kentucky Derby week and let us know: in the stakes leading up to the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, who was the most impressive winner?
Kentucky Derby
Mucciolo: Three lessons I learned during Kentucky Derby weekend
Another fantastic Kentucky Derby weekend in the books, where exciting and memorable racing took place at Churchill Downs. We got to witness some of the top horses in the country perform, both males and females, on both the turf and dirt, with some pulsating finishes at the wire.
Kentucky Derby
Three things we learned from the 2021 Kentucky Derby
Media Spirit was spectacular on Saturday at the Kentucky Derby, but does Bob Baffert's "little horse" have what it takes to win the Triple Crown?
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit faces stiff Triple Crown challenge
Day-after reflections on the Kentucky Derby (G1) involve not only an analysis of how the race was won and lost, but also what it portends for the remaining jewels of the Triple Crown. While Medina Spirit’s victory was both brave and historic, his task only gets tougher from here.
Kentucky Derby
Medina Spirit gives Baffert record seventh Kentucky Derby win
With a determined, frontrunning score, Medina Spirit gave trainer Bob Baffert his record seventh Kentucky Derby (G1) win May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Derby
Top 10 Kentucky Derby racing trends
Before you place your bets on the 2021 Run for the Roses, take a look at the top 10 Kentucky Derby trends from the last decade of races.
Kentucky Derby
How to bet the 2021 Kentucky Derby on different budgets
Depending on the budget you’ve allocated for betting the Kentucky Derby, we’ve outlined three wagering strategies at costs of $30, $60, and $100.
Kentucky Derby
How to make money with Essential Quality in the Kentucky Derby
A total of 19 horses will challenge unbeaten champion #14 Essential Quality (2-1) for the top prize in Saturday’s $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. The sterling son of Tapit has done nothing wrong from five lifetime outings, and his last pair of efforts rank among his best ones to date. The Brad Cox pupil will be heavily backed in the win pool, and deservedly so, but there is certain value to be had in the vertical exotics in such a sizable field. I will tab a handful of runners that I feel are worth including in the gimmicks.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Irad Ortiz Jr.
There’s a reason why Irad Ortiz Jr. has won three consecutive Eclipse Awards for outstanding jockey.
Kentucky Derby
Who is the best Kentucky Derby winner of the 2000s?
The Kentucky Derby (G1) is coming up on Saturday, May 1. For this week's poll, let's look back into Derby history...but not too far back.
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Brian Hernandez
From standout apprentice to accomplished journeyman, Brian Hernandez has been as consistent a jockey as you’ll ever hope to find.
Kentucky Derby
Mucciolo: How I am playing the Kentucky Derby
Champion #14 Essential Quality (2-1) is a most deserving favorite in the cast but offers little value in the win pool.
Kentucky Derby
2021 Kentucky Derby tipsheet
The best three-year-old Thoroughbreds in North America have assembled for Saturday’s $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, and we're examining the field in horse-by-horse fashion.
Kentucky Derby
2021 Kentucky Derby one-liners
If you’re finding it challenging to sift through the Kentucky Derby contenders this year, you’re not alone.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby 148 Preview Show with Joe Kristufek and Scott Shaprio
Kentucky Derby 148 Preview Show with Joe Kristufek and Scott Shaprio
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby 2025
Kentucky Derby information
Learn about the 2025 Kentucky Derby
What is the Kentucky Derby?
- Location: Churchill Downs
- Inaugural Race: 1875
- Current Distance: 1 & 1/4 miles (10 furlongs)
- Track Type: Left-Handed Dirt
- Age Qualification: Three-year-olds
- 2025 Purse: $5 million
- 2025 Race Date: Saturday, May 3rd
Kentucky Derby Contenders: Updated Oct. 7, 2024 | Runner Information |
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Kentucky Derby Video
A Brief History of the Kentucky Derby
The most famous horse race in the world is the most thrilling two minutes in sport. It takes place on the first Saturday in May at the historic Churchill Downs racecourse in Louisville, Kentucky and regularly attended by more than 150,000 people. The record attendance was 165,307 in 2012, and in 2014 164,906 watched California Chrome win "the run for the roses".
The inaugural Kentucky Derby took place in 1875 after Col. Meriweather Lewis Clark, Jr had visited England three years earlier and witnessed the Epsom Derby, a famous race which had been run since 1780 on the outskirts of London. The Kentucky Derby was originally raced over the same distance of 1 & 1/2 miles as the Epsom Derby (it was changed to its current distance of 1 & 1/4 miles in 1896. An estimated crowd of 10,000 watched the colt Aristides crowned winner of the first running of the race at the newly constructed Churchill Downs racecourse.
The first live radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby was in 1925, and it wasn't until 1949 that the first television coverage of the race happened. In 2016 the race will be covered live by NBC with real-time payouts and results from horse racing's premier event available all day on BetAmerica.com.
The race is so popular that in the preceding two weeks leading up to the running, the city of Louisville holds the Kentucky Derby Festival, Kentucky’s largest single annual event. The Kentucky Derby Festival is comprised of several events, including Thunder Over Louisville (the biggest annual fireworks display in North America), the Great Balloon Race, the Pegasus Parade (one the countries largest), and The Great Steamboat Race.
Entries into the Kentucky Derby include some of the most famous racehorses to ever compete. Notable entries into the race include Regret, Sir Burton, Gallant Fox, Omaha, War Admiral, Citation, Northern Dancer, Seattle Slew, War Emblem, and California Chrome.
Visit our Kentucky Derby Trivia page for more insights into the most famous race in the world, including detailed facts about entries, records, and winners.
TwinSpires is a licensed supplier of online betting on the Kentucky Derby. You can bet on the Kentucky Derby legally online at TwinSpires.com with a regulated U.S. based website where your deposits are safe and your winnings are guaranteed. All bets are placed directly into the official Churchill Downs betting pools and all winnings are paid at full track odds.
Kentucky Derby Race Records
Fastest Time Recorded
- 1.59.40
Secretariat - 1973
Biggest Odds Winner
- 91-1
Donerail - 1913
Biggest Win Margin
- 8 lengths
Assault (1946) & Whirlaway (1941)
Most Wins by a Jockey
- 5
Eddie Arcaro (1938, 1941, 1945, 1948, 1952) & Bill Hartack (1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1969)
Most Wins by an Owner
- 8
Calumet Farm (1941, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1968)
Most Wins by a Trainer
- 6
Ben A Jones (1938, 1941, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1952)
Bob Baffert (1997, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021*)
Kentucky Derby prep-race listing:
View a complete list of prep-races that award points along the Road to the Kentucky Derby trail. Prep-races are valuable stepping stones for horses looking to compete on the First Saturday in May.
Kentucky Derby Party & Fun Facts
- KELLY: One Hundred Years Ago, Colonel Bradley Goes for the One-Two
- KELLY: More Than One Way to Wear Roses
- HANSON: D. Wayne Lukas the best asset for fillies in Kentucky Derby preps
- HANSON: Phenom to Journeyman: The Riding Life of Bill Boland
- KELLY: Some Things Stay the Same: One Hundred Days, One Hundred Years Ago
- HANSON: 1945 - When the Kentucky Derby moved from May to June