Kentucky Derby
Template:About Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox horseraces
The Kentucky Derby (Template:IPAc-en) is an American Grade I stakes race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of Template:Convert. Colts and geldings carry Template:Convert and fillies Template:Convert.<ref>"Tenth Race Churchill May 1, 2004". May 1, 2004. Daily Racing Forum. Accessed on May 9, 2006.</ref>
Held annually on the first Saturday in May, the Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown. It is preceded by the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The race is known as "The Run for the Roses", as the winning horse is draped in a blanket of roses.<ref name="Kleber">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Rossingh">Template:Cite news</ref> Lasting approximately two minutes, the Derby has been alternately called "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports",<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> or "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports", coined by Churchill Downs president Matt Winn.<ref name="Sowers">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At least two of these descriptions are thought to be derived from the words of sportswriter Grantland Rice, when in 1935 he said "Those two minutes and a second or so of derby running carry more emotional thrills, per second, than anything sport can show."<ref name="Rossingh" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The race was first run in 1875. Unlike the other, older races of the Triple Crown—the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes—along with the Travers Stakes (the oldest comparable stakes race in the US), the Kentucky Derby and its sibling race, the Kentucky Oaks, have been run every year since inception. They were twice rescheduled within the same year, the first time due to World War II in 1945, and the second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Derby and the Oaks are the oldest major sporting events in the US held annually since their beginning.<ref name="Kleber" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Among thoroughbred stakes races, they are the oldest that have been held annually on the same track every year.<ref name="Kleber" />
The Derby is the most-watched and most-attended horse race in the United States. The 151st running took place on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
HistoryEdit
In 1872, Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, traveled to England, visiting Epsom in Surrey where The Derby had been running annually since 1780.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> From there, Clark went on to Paris, France, where a group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club in 1863. They had organized the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, which at the time was the greatest race in France. Returning home to Kentucky, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club to raise money for building quality racing facilities just outside the city. The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs, named for John and Henry Churchill, who provided the land for the racetrack.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref> The naming went official in 1937.<ref name="ch">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Kentucky Derby was first run at Template:Frac miles (12 furlongs; 2.4 km) the same distance as the Epsom Derby, before changing lengths in 1896 to its current Template:Frac miles (10 furlongs; 2 km). On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Derby. Under jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides, who was trained by future Hall of Famer Ansel Williamson, won the inaugural Derby. Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Initially a successful venue, the track ran into financial difficulties due to a protracted, gambling-related horseman boycott removing it from the upper echelons of racing that would last until just after the turn of the 20th century. In 1894 the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated with the new capitalization and improved facilities. Despite this, the business floundered until 1902, when a syndicate led by Col. Matt Winn of Louisville acquired the facility. Under Winn, Churchill Downs prospered, and the Kentucky Derby then became the preeminent stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses in North America.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Thoroughbred owners began sending their successful Derby horses to compete in two other races. These two are the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, and the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York. The three races offered large purses, and in 1919, Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three races. However, the term "Triple Crown" did not come into use for another eleven years. In 1930, when Gallant Fox became the second horse to win all three races, sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase into American usage. Fueled by the media, public interest in the possibility of a "superhorse" that could win the Triple Crown began in the weeks leading up to the Derby. Two years after the term went in use, the race (until that time ran in mid-May since inception) changed the date to the first Saturday in May. This change allows for a specific schedule for the Triple Crown races. Since 1931, the order of Triple Crown races has been the Kentucky Derby first, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes. Before 1931, eleven times the Preakness was run before the Derby. On May 12, 1917, and again on May 13, 1922, the Preakness and the Derby took place on the same day. On eleven occasions the Belmont Stakes was run before the Preakness Stakes, and in 2020, the Belmont was run first, then the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes last.
On May 16, 1925, the first live radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby aired on WHAS as well as on WGN in Chicago.<ref>"Derby To Go On The Air", The New York Times, May 16, 1925, p. 11</ref> On May 7, 1949, the first television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place, produced by WAVE-TV, the NBC affiliate in Louisville. This coverage was aired live in the Louisville market and sent to NBC as a kinescope newsreel recording for national broadcast. On May 3, 1952, the first national television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place, aired from then-CBS affiliate WHAS-TV.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1954, the purse exceeded US$100,000 for the first time. In 1968, Dancer's Image became the first horse to win the race and then face disqualification. A urine test revealed traces of phenylbutazone (an anti-inflammatory painkiller drug) inside Dancer's Image. Forward Pass won after a protracted legal battle by the owners of Dancer's Image (which they lost). Forward Pass thus became the eighth winner for Calumet Farm. Unexpectedly, the regulations at Kentucky thoroughbred race tracks were changed some years later, allowing horses to run on phenylbutazone. In 1970, Diane Crump became the first female jockey to ride in the Derby, finishing 15th aboard Fathom.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The fastest time ever run in the Derby was in 1973 at 1:59.4 minutes, when Secretariat broke the record set by Northern Dancer in 1964. Also during that race, Secretariat did something unique in Triple Crown races: for each successive quarter run, his times were faster. Although the races do not record times for non-winners, in 1973 Sham finished second, two and a half lengths behind Secretariat in the same race. Using the thoroughbred racing convention of one length equaling one-fifth of a second to calculate Sham's time, he also finished in under two minutes. Another sub-two-minute finish, only the third, was set in 2001 by Monarchos at 1:59.97, the first year the race used hundredths of seconds instead of fifths in timing.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 2005, the purse distribution for the Derby changed, so that horses finishing fifth would henceforth receive a share of the purse; previously only the first four finishers did so.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Kentucky Derby began offering $3 million in purse money in 2019. Churchill Downs officials have cited the success of historical race wagering terminals at their Derby City Gaming facility in Louisville as a factor behind the purse increase. The Derby first offered a $1 million purse in 1996; it was doubled to $2 million in 2005.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2020, the Derby was postponed from May 2 to September 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This was the second time in history the race had been postponed, the other being in 1945.<ref name="Kleber"/> Churchill Downs used a new singular 20-stall starting gate for the 2020 Kentucky Derby, replacing the previous arrangement that used a standard 14-stall gate and an auxiliary six-stall gate.<ref name=gate20/> The old setup contributed to congestion at the start of the race, especially in the gap between the two gates.<ref name=gate20>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Rich Strike, a reserve who only made it into the final field after a late scratching, won the race in 2022 at final odds of 80:1 and parimutuel betting payouts were even larger.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In January 2024, the purse for the Kentucky Derby was increased to $5 million.<ref name="Frakes-2024"/>
AttendanceEdit
Millions of people from around the world bet at various live tracks and online sportsbooks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2017, a crowd of 158,070 watched Always Dreaming win the Derby, making it the seventh biggest attendance in the history of the racetrack. The track reported a wagering total of $209.2 million from all the sources on all the races on the Kentucky Derby Day program. It was a 9% increase compared to the total of $192.6 million in 2016 and an increase of 8% over the previous record set in 2015 of $194.3 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> TwinSpires, a platform for betting online and a partner of the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup, recorded $32.8 million in handle on the Churchill Down races for the Kentucky Derby Day program. This record was a 22% increase over the preceding year. On the Kentucky Derby race alone, the handle of TwinSpires was $20.1 million, which is a 22% rise compared to the prior year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The race often draws celebrities. HM Queen Elizabeth II, on a visit to the United States, joined the racegoers at Churchill Downs in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
SponsorshipEdit
The 2004 Kentucky Derby marked the first time that jockeys—as a result of a court order—were allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their clothing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Norman Adams has been the designer of the Kentucky Derby Logo since 2002. On February 1, 2006, the Louisville-based fast-food company Yum! Brands, Inc. announced a corporate sponsorship deal to call the race "The Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2018, Woodford Reserve replaced Yum! Brands as the presenting sponsor.<ref name=Woodford>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Swiss watchmaker Longines is the official sponsor timekeeper of the Kentucky Derby.
TraditionsEdit
In addition to the race itself, several traditions play a significant role in the Derby atmosphere. The mint julep—an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint, and sugar syrup—is the traditional beverage of the race. The historic beverage comes served in an ice-frosted silver julep cup. However, most Churchill Downs patrons sip theirs from souvenir glasses (first offered in 1939 and available in revised form each year since) printed with all previous Derby winners.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Also, burgoo, a thick stew of beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables, is a popular Kentucky dish served at the Derby.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The infield—a spectator area inside the track—offers general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race, particularly before the jumbotron installation in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Instead, revelers show up in the infield to party with abandon. By contrast, "Millionaire's Row" refers to the expensive box seats that attract the rich, the famous and the well-connected. Women appear in elegant outfits lavishly accessorized with large, elaborate hats. Following the Call to the Post played on bugle by Steve Buttleman, as the horses start to parade before the grandstands, the University of Louisville Cardinal Marching Band plays Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" sung by the University of Louisville Cardinal Singers, except 2020 when the song is played on bugle by Steve Buttleman. This song is a tradition which began in 1921.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>The event attracts spectators from a large area, flying in hundreds of private aircraft to Louisville International Airport.<ref name="ain2015-05-05">Template:Cite news</ref>
The Derby is frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses", because a lush blanket of 554 red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year.<ref name="Tran">Template:Cite news</ref> New York sports columnist and future Churchill Downs president Bill Corum in 1925 began describing the race thusly,<ref name="Rossingh" /> but the tradition originated in 1883 when New York City socialite E. Berry Wall presented roses to ladies at a post-Derby party. The Churchill Downs founder and president, Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., attended that event. This gesture is believed to have led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to draping roses on the Derby winner.<ref name="Tran" /> The Governor of Kentucky and the Chairman of Churchill Downs Incorporated present the garland and the Kentucky Derby Trophy to the winner. Pop vocalist Dan Fogelberg composed the song "Run for the Roses", released in time for the 1980 running of the race.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Riders Up!Edit
"Riders Up!" is the traditional command from the Paddock Judge for jockeys to mount their horses in advance of the upcoming race. Since 2012, the grand marshal recites this phrase.
Grand marshals Template:Columns-list
National Anthem performersEdit
FestivalEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In the weeks preceding the race, numerous activities took place for the Kentucky Derby Festival. Thunder Over Louisville—an airshow and fireworks display—generally begins the festivities in earnest two weeks before the Derby.
RecordsEdit
Horse recordsEdit
Secretariat set the record for speed in 1973 with a time of 1:59.4. During its first two decades when the Derby was run at Template:Fraction miles, the record was 2:34.5, set by Spokane in 1889.
The largest margin of victory is 8 lengths, a feat tied by four different horses: Old Rosebud in 1914, Johnstown in 1939, Whirlaway in 1941, and Assault in 1946.
The highest odds of a winning horse were 91 to 1 for Donerail in 1913. The second-highest odds occurred in 2022, when Rich Strike went off at 80 to 1 and won the race.
Three horses have won the Kentucky Derby without competing as a two-year-old: Apollo (1882), Justify (2018), and Mage (2023).<ref name="NYT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Jockey recordsEdit
107 jockeys have won the Kentucky Derby, with 27 doing so multiple times. Isaac Murphy (1890–91), Jimmy Winkfield (1901–02), Ron Turcotte (1972–73), Eddie Delahoussaye (1982–83), Calvin Borel (2009–10), and Victor Espinoza (2014–15) are the only jockeys to win the Derby in back-to-back years. Borel is the only jockey with three wins in a four-year span (2007, '09, '10).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Jockey | Wins | Mounts | Years Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Arcaro | 5 | 21 | 1938, 1941, 1945, 1948, 1952 |
| Bill Hartack | 12 | 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1969 | |
| Bill Shoemaker | 4 | 26 | 1955, 1959, 1965, 1986 |
| Isaac Murphy | 3 | 11 | 1884, 1890, 1891 |
| Earl Sande | 8 | 1923, 1925, 1930 | |
| Ángel Cordero Jr. | 17 | 1974, 1976, 1985 | |
| Gary Stevens | 22 | 1988, 1995, 1997 | |
| Kent Desormeaux | 22 | 1998, 2000, 2008 | |
| Calvin Borel | 12 | 2007, 2009, 2010 | |
| Victor Espinoza | 10 | 2002, 2014, 2015 | |
| John Velazquez | 24 | 2011, 2017, 2020 | |
| Willie Simms | 2 | 2 | 1896, 1898 |
| Jimmy Winkfield | 4 | 1901, 1902 | |
| Johnny Loftus | 6 | 1916, 1919 | |
| Albert Johnson | 7 | 1922, 1926 | |
| Linus McAtee | 7 | 1927, 1929 | |
| Charley Kurtsinger | 4 | 1931, 1937 | |
| Conn McCreary | 10 | 1944, 1951 | |
| Ismael Valenzuela | 8 | 1958, 1968 | |
| Ron Turcotte | 5 | 1972, 1973 | |
| Jacinto Vásquez | 8 | 1975, 1980 | |
| Eddie Delahoussaye | 13 | 1982, 1983 | |
| Chris McCarron | 18 | 1987, 1994 | |
| Chris Antley | 17 | 1991, 1999 | |
| Jerry Bailey | 8 | 1993, 1996 | |
| Mike Smith | 28 | 2005, 2018 | |
| Mario Gutierrez | 3 | 2012, 2016 |
Trainer recordsEdit
116 trainers have won the Kentucky Derby, with 19 doing so multiple times. Six trainers have won the Derby in back-to-back years: Herbert J. Thompson (1932–33), Ben Jones (1948–49), Jimmy Jones (1957–58), Lucien Laurin (1972–73), D. Wayne Lukas (1995–96), and Bob Baffert (1997–98).
| Trainer | Wins | Starts | Years Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Jones | 6 | 11 | 1938, 1941, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1952 |
| Bob Baffert | 24 | 1997, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2018, 2020 | |
| Herbert J. Thompson | 4 | 26 | 1921, 1926, 1932, 1933 |
| D. Wayne Lukas | 49 | 1988, 1995, 1996, 1999 | |
| James Fitzsimmons | 3 | 11 | 1930, 1935, 1939 |
| Max Hirsch | 14 | 1936, 1946, 1950 | |
| James Rowe Sr. | 2 | 17 | 1881, 1915 |
| Jimmy Jones | 4 | 1957, 1958 | |
| Horatio Luro | 4 | 1962, 1964 | |
| Henry Forrest | 2 | 1966, 1968 | |
| Lucien Laurin | 5 | 1972, 1973 | |
| Laz Barrera | 5 | 1976, 1978 | |
| LeRoy Jolley | 13 | 1975, 1980 | |
| Woody Stephens | 14 | 1974, 1984 | |
| Charlie Whittingham | 7 | 1986, 1989 | |
| Nick Zito | 26 | 1991, 1994 | |
| Carl Nafzger | 3 | 1990, 2007 | |
| Doug O'Neill | 8 | 2012, 2016 | |
| Todd Pletcher | 62 | 2010, 2017 | |
| William I. Mott | 6 | 2019, 2025 |
Owner recordsEdit
Seventeen owners have won the Kentucky Derby multiple times with horses they fully or partially owned.
| Owner | Wins | Starts | Years Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calumet Farm | 8 | 28 | 1941, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1968 |
| Edward R. Bradley | 4 | 28 | 1921, 1926, 1932, 1933 |
| Belair Stud | 3 | 8 | 1930, 1935, 1939 |
| Bashford Manor Stable | 2 | 11 | 1892, 1906 |
| Harry Payne Whitney | 19 | 1915, 1927 | |
| Greentree Stable | 19 | 1931, 1942 | |
| Fannie Hertz | 3 | 1928, 1943 | |
| King Ranch | 5 | 1946, 1950 | |
| Darby Dan Farm | 7 | 1963, 1967 | |
| Meadow Stable | 4 | 1972, 1973 | |
| Arthur B. Hancock III* | 6 | 1982, 1989 | |
| William J. Condren* | 4 | 1991, 1994 | |
| Joseph M. Cornacchia* | 3 | 1991, 1994 | |
| Bob & Beverly Lewis | 9 | 1997, 1999 | |
| J. Paul Reddam | 7 | 2012, 2016 | |
| WinStar Farm* | 23 | 2010, 2018 | |
| Starlight Racing* | 13 | 2018, 2020 |
* Partnered with other entities in an ownership group for one or more winning horses.
"Oaks/Derby Double"Edit
Jockeys, trainers, and owners competing in the Kentucky Derby often will compete in the Kentucky Oaks, a race for fillies held the day before the Derby. Winning both these races in the same year is referred to as an "Oaks/Derby Double;" 8 jockeys, 3 trainers, and 5 owners have accomplished this feat:
| Year | Kentucky Oaks Winner | Kentucky Derby Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Good Cheer | Sovereignty | different | different | Godolphin |
| 2024 | Thorpedo Anna | Mystik Dan | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Kenneth G. McPeek | different |
| 2018 | Monomoy Girl | Justify | different | different | Head of Plains Partners/Monomoy Stables |
| 2009 | Rachel Alexandra | Mine That Bird | Calvin Borel | different | different |
| 1993 | Dispute | Sea Hero | Jerry Bailey | different | different |
| 1966 | Native Street | Kauai King | Don Brumfield | different | different |
| 1952 | Real Delight | Hill Gail | Eddie Arcaro | Ben Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1950 | Ari's Mona | Middleground | Bill Boland | different | different |
| 1949 | Wistful | Ponder | different | Ben Jones | different |
| 1933* | Barn Swallow | Brokers Tip | Don Meade | Herbert J. Thompson | Edward R. Bradley |
| 1884* | Modesty | Buchanan | Isaac Murphy | different | different |
*Until the 1950s, the Oaks was held several days or weeks after the Derby.
WinnersEdit
Template:See also Triple Crown winners are in bold and highlighted with gold.
- Notes
Template:Hash-tag Designates a filly.
Template:Dagger Designates a horse that won American Horse of the Year in the same year they won the Derby.
Template:Double-dagger Designates a horse that was inducted in subsequent years into the National Racing Hall of Fame.
Sire linesEdit
Winners of the Kentucky Derby can be connected to each other due to the practice of arranging horse breeding based on their previous success. All of the horses can be traced back to the three foundational sires, with Godolphin Arabian the ancestor of 7 winners, Byerley Turk the ancestor of 11 winners, and Darley Arabian the ancestor of 133 winners, including all winners since 1938.
The Into Mischief direct sire line has produced 4 of the last 6 Kentucky Derby winners.
Darley Arabian lineEdit
See Kentucky Derby winners descended from the Darley Arabian for an illustration.
The Darley Arabian (1700c) sire line (all branched through the Eclipse (1764) line)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> produced 133 Derby winners (125 colts, 5 geldings, 3 fillies), including all winners from 1938 to present.<ref name="KDSL">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The main branches of this sire line are:
- the King Fergus (1775) branch (all branched through the Voltigeur (1847) line), produced 14 winners. His sire line continued primarily through his son Vedette (1854) with 12 winners, due to his sons Speculum (1865) with 6 winners (nearly exclusively through Sundridge (1898) with 5 winners, most recently Count Turf in 1951) and Galopin (1872) with 6 winners (exclusively through St. Simon (1881), most recently Go For Gin in 1994).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Go For Gin">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Potoooooooo (1773) branch<ref name="Pot8">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> produced 119 winners (all branched through the Waxy (1790) line), including all winners from 1995 to present. The primary branch of this sire line is through Whalebone (1807), which has produced 114 winners. In turn, the primary branch continues through Sir Hercules (1826), which has produced 92 winners (including all winners since 2006), and then the Birdcatcher (1833) branch<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which produced 80 winners. From Birdcatcher, the branch of The Baron (1842) has produced 70 winners, of which 68 winners trace to Stockwell (1849).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Stockwell's son Doncaster (1870) sired Bend Or (1877), whose sire line accounts for 66 winners.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The main branch of the Bend Or sire line continued through his son Bona Vista (1889) with 57 winners, exclusively through the Phalaris (1913) line, which has dominated in the last several decades (including all winners from 2006 to present) through the following sons:<ref name="Phalaris">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Pharamond (1925) branch (4 winners all through the Tom Fool (1949) line, most recently Silver Charm in 1997).<ref name="Phalaris"/>
- the Sickle (1924) branch, (24 winners all branched through the Native Dancer (1950) line, nearly exclusively through Raise a Native (1961) with 23 winners, continued primarily through Mr Prospector (1970) with 16 winners through 8 different sons: Fusaichi Pegasus, winner of the 2000 Kentucky Derby, and 7 other sons through their progeny (most recently Mage in 2023, with his son Fappiano (1977) accounting for 6 winners, nearly exclusively through his son Unbridled with 5 winners, including his win in the 1990 Kentucky Derby and 4 other winners (most recently Always Dreaming in 2017)).
- the Pharos (1920) branch (29 winners all branched through the Nearco (1935) line, through his sons Royal Charger (1942), Nearctic (1954), and Nasrullah (1940)), which includes all winners from 2024 to present. The Royal Charger branch (exclusively through his son Turn-To (1951)) produced 5 winners (most recently Barbaro in 2006), the Nearctic branch produced 10 winners (including all winners from 2024 to present), exclusively through his son Northern Dancer (1961) with his win in the 1964 Kentucky Derby, and direct male progeny of 9 winners, including 6 winners through his son Storm Bird (nearly exclusively through his son Storm Cat with 5 winners (including all winners from 2024 to present), most recently Sovereignty in 2025), while the Nasrullah branch produced 14 winners (most recently Nyquist in 2016) primarily through his son Bold Ruler (1954) with 10 winners (most recently California Chrome in 2014).
- special notes:
- the Waxy (1790) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Whalebone (1807), and the secondary branch of Whisker (1812) which produced 5 winners (exclusively through the King Tom (1851) line), most recently 1909 Kentucky Derby winner Wintergreen.<ref name="Wintergreen">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Whalebone (1807) branch produced two main lines, the primary branch of Sir Hercules (1826), and the secondary branch of Camel (1822) (18 winners exclusively through the Touchstone (1831) line), including 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo through his grandson Orlando's (1841) branch.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since then, each winner of the Kentucky Derby has gone through Whalebone's more frequent sire line branch of Sir Herecules (1826). The Orlando branch (6 winners exclusively through the Himyar (1875) line) is the less common of the two branches derived through Camel. Orlando's brother Newminster (1848) produced 12 winners (primarily through the Hyperion (1930) line with 8 winners), most recently Chateaugay in 1963.<ref name="Chateaugay" />
- the Sir Hercules (1826) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Birdcatcher (1833), and the secondary branch of Faugh-a-Ballagh (1841) which produced 12 winners (exclusively through the Leamington (1853) line), most recently 1908 Kentucky Derby winner Stone Street.<ref name="Stone Street">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Birdcatcher (1833) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of The Baron (1842), and the secondary branch of Oxford (1857) which produced 10 winners (primarily through the Swynford (1907) line with 8 winners, with his son St. Germans producing 5 winners), most recently 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair.<ref name="Lucky Debonair">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Bend Or (1877) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Bona Vista (1889), and the secondary branch of Ormonde (1883) which produced 8 winners (exclusively through the Teddy (1913) line, with his son Sir Gallahad producing 5 winners, most recently Hoop Jr. in 1945), most recently 1957 Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege.<ref name="Iron Liege">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Byerley Turk lineEdit
The Byerley Turk (1680c) sire line<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Selim">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> produced 11 winners (8 colts, 3 geldings). The main branches of this sire (all branched through the Herod (1758) line) are:
- the Highflyer (1774) branch produced 1 winner, most recently Macbeth II in 1888.<ref name="Macbeth">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Florizel (1768) branch produced 3 winners (all branched through the Lexington (1850) line), most recently Manuel in 1899.<ref name="Lord Murphy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Apollo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Manuel">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Woodpecker (1773) branch produced 7 winners (all branched through the Buzzard (1787) line). The main branches of this sire line are:
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Selim (1802) branch produced 6 winners (all branched through the Glencoe (1831) line). The main branches of this sire line are:
- the Star Davis (1849) branch produced 1 winner, most recently Day Star in 1878.<ref name="Day Star">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
- the Selim (1802) branch produced 6 winners (all branched through the Glencoe (1831) line). The main branches of this sire line are:
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Vandal (1850) branch produced 5 winners (all branched through the Virgil (1864) line), most recently Alan-a-Dale in 1902.<ref name="Vagrant">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Hindoo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Ben Ali">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Halma">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Alan-a-Dale">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Godolphin Arabian lineEdit
See Kentucky Derby winners descended from the Godolphin Arabian for an illustration.
The Godolphin Arabian (1724c) sire line<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> produced 7 winners (6 colts, 1 gelding).<ref name="KDSL" /> The main branches of this sire (all branched through the West Australian (1850) line) are:
- the Solon (1861) branch produced 3 winners, including:
- the Barcaldine (1878) branch produced 1 winner, most recently Omar Khayyam in 1917<ref name="Omar Khayyam">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Arbitrator (1874) branch produced 2 winners (all branched through The Finn (1912) line), most recently Flying Ebony in 1925<ref name="Zev">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Flying Ebony">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Australian (1858) branch produced 4 winners, including:
- Baden-Baden (1874), winner of the 1877 Kentucky Derby<ref name="Baden-Baden">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- the Spendthrift (1876) branch produced 2 winners (all branched through the Man o' War (1917) line), most recently War Admiral in 1937<ref name="Clyde Van Dusen">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="War Admiral">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Kentucky Derby winners with male-line descendants including other Kentucky Derby winnersEdit
- Northern Dancer (1964 winner) – 8 colts; most recently Mystik Dan (2024)<ref name="Ferdinand">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Sea Hero">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Charismatic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Big Brown">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Justify">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Authentic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Medina Spirit">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Ben Brush (1896 winner) – 3 winners (2 colts, 1 filly); most recently Whiskery (1927)<ref name=Pot8/><ref name="Meridian">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Regret">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Whiskery">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Seattle Slew (1977 winner) – 3 colts; most recently California Chrome (2014)<ref name="Swale">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Orb">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="California Chrome">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Unbridled (1990 winner) – 3 winners (2 colts, 1 gelding); most recently American Pharoah (2015)<ref name="Grindstone">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Mine That Bird">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="American Pharoah">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Hindoo (1881 winner) – 2 colts; most recently Alan-a-Dale (1902)<ref name=Selim/>
- Bold Venture (1936 winner) – 2 colts; most recently Middleground (1950)<ref name="Assault">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Middleground">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Reigh Count (1928 winner) – 2 colts; most recently Count Turf (1951)<ref name="Count Fleet">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Count Turf">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Pensive (1944 winner) – 2 colts; most recently Needles (1956)<ref name="Ponder">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Needles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Majestic Prince (1969 winner) – 2 colts; most recently Super Saver (2010)<ref name="Monarchos">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Super Saver">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Halma (1895 winner) – 1 colt; Alan-a-Dale (1902)<ref name=Selim/>
- Leonatus (1883 winner) – 1 colt; Pink Star (1907)<ref name="Pink Star">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Bubbling Over (1926 winner) – 1 colt; Burgoo King (1932)<ref name="Burgoo King">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Gallant Fox (1930 winner) – 1 colt; Omaha (1935)<ref name="Omaha">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Count Fleet (1943 winner) – 1 colt; Count Turf (1951)<ref name="Count Turf"/>
- Ponder (1949 winner) – 1 colt; Needles (1956)<ref name="Needles"/>
- Determine (1954 winner) – 1 colt; Decidedly (1962)<ref name="Decidedly">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Swaps (1955 winner) – 1 colt; Chateaugay (1963)<ref name="Chateaugay">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Grindstone (1996 winner) – 1 gelding; Mine That Bird (2009)<ref name="Mine That Bird"/>
See alsoEdit
- Kentucky Oaks
- Kentucky Derby Festival
- American thoroughbred racing top attended events
- Kentucky Derby top four finishers
- List of graded stakes at Churchill Downs
- "The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved", a seminal example of New Journalism by Hunter S. Thompson
- Triple Crown Productions
- Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
- Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing
- List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area
- Derby pie
- List of Kentucky Derby broadcasters
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Sister project Template:Sister project
- Template:Official website
- Kentucky Derby Museum
- The Courier-JournalTemplate:'s Derby Site
- History of the Kentucky Derby
- Kentucky Derby News from DRF
Template:Kentucky Derby Template:Kentucky Derby Winners Template:Triple Crown of Horse Racing Template:Louisville Template:Authority control