Mystik Dan inspires a look at the closest finishes in Kentucky Derby history

Mystik Dan’s victory in a three-way finish in Saturday’s 150th Kentucky Derby (G1), with Sierra Leone and Forever Young noses apart, immediately posed the question: was this the closest finish in the history of America’s iconic horse race?

Nine times, in the previous 149 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, the winner prevailed by a nose. But those were primarily two-horse duels, with a clearer margin back to third.

Kentucky Derby wins by a nose

Thus as the table indicates, the 2024 Kentucky Derby delivered the closest finish among three combatants in the race's annals.

The finish of the 1902 Derby, with a nose to second and a half-length to third, wasn't an evenly-matched tussle. Rather, it was a case of Alan-a-Dale going lame while well in front, and legendary rider Jimmy Winkfield holding him together as the gallant colt persevered to the wire.

"He widened it to six after a half," the chart reports, "went lame in the stretch but carried on with flawless courage to win by a nose."

Alan-a-Dale recovered from the injury and went on to have a productive career as an older horse. Although he wasn't a notable sire, one of his daughters turns up deep in the maternal line of Sierra Leone and Forever Young.

Kentucky Derby wins by a head

But what about a three-way finish with the winning margin of a head?

Seven runnings of the Kentucky Derby were decided by a head. As with the winners by a nose, nearly all of these involved two rivals, clear of the third.

As the table indicates, the 1947 Kentucky Derby, with heads separating the victorious Jet Pilot from runner-up Phalanx and third Faultless, comes the nearest to approximating Saturday’s razor-thin margin.

The 5.40-1 Jet Pilot led throughout under jockey Eric Guerin, just reaching the wire ahead of 2-1 favorite Phalanx, who rallied from last. The 6-1 Faultless advanced from about midpack to take third, as the chart describes:

“Jet Pilot, alertly handled, assumed command at once, made the pace to the stretch under good rating and, responding readily when hard ridden in the drive, lasted to withstand Phalanx. The latter, away very sluggishly and outrun during the first half-mile, worked his way forward steadily thereafter and, taken out for the stretch run, finished fast and was getting to the winner at the end. Faultless, never far back and steadied along to the stretch, responded readily when set down in the drive, then closed strongly in a sharp effort.”

Faultless prevailed in their Preakness rematch, where Phalanx was third and Jet Pilot checked in fourth. But Phalanx ultimately ended up reigning as champion three-year-old. Romping in the Belmont, Phalanx added the Dwyer, Empire City, and most significantly, the Jockey Club Gold Cup over older horses.

Fans of Sierra Leone, the analog to Phalanx as the near-miss second in 2024, will hope that he too turns out to be the divisional champion.