The Kentucky Derby, arguably the most famous horse race of them all, will be run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, this Saturday, May 7th.
The annual Grade I stakes race caps off the two-week-long festival and features three-year-old thoroughbreds as they battle it out over the 10-furlong, 1.25-mile (2 kilometer) dirt track. Geldings and colts carry 126 lbs or 57 kilograms while fillies carry 121 lbs (55 kilograms).
The Kentucky Derby is generally regarded to be the most exciting two minutes in all of sports and is also known across the globe as ‘The Run for the Roses’ as the winner is traditionally draped in a blanked of roses.
The race, which originated in 1875, is the first leg of the famous American Triple Crown and it is followed up at later in the year by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Kentucky Derby facts and trivia:
The fastest the Kentucky Derby has been run at its current 1.25-mile length was in 1973 when Secretariat finished the race in 1:59.4.
The biggest margin of victory has been eight lengths and it was achieved in 1914 by Old Rosebud, in 1939 by Johnstown, in 1941 by Whirlaway and again in 1946 by Assault.
Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack currently hold the record for the most Kentucky Derby victories by a jockey with five each. Arcaro set the record with wins in 1938, 1941, 1945, 1948, and 1952 while Hartack equaled the feat with triumphs in 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964 and 1969. Bill Shoemaker came close to tying the mark as he won the race four times, in 1955, 1959, 1965 and 1986. John Velazquez has won it three times with victories in 2011, 2017 and 2020 while Calvin Borel also won three as he captured it in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
When it comes to the most victories by a trainer, Ben A. Jones and Bob Baffert currently share the record as Jones trained the winners in 1938, 1941, 1944, 1948, 1949 and 1952 and Baffert also turned the trick with wins in 1997, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2018 and 2020.
The record most wins by an owner is held by Calumet Farm as his horses crossed the finish line first in 1941, 1944, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1957, 1958 and 1968.
The longest shot to ever win the Kentucky Derby came in 1913 when Donerail won the race after starting it at odds of 91/1.
Country House was named the Kentucky Derby winner in 2019 when Maximum Security was disqualified due to interference.
The 20-horse field for the 148th Kentucky Derby along with their post position and current odds at bet365 are as follows:
Post Horse Odds Trainer Last Race
1 Mo Donegal 10/1 Todd Pletcher 1st, Wood Memorial Stakes (G2)-Aqueduct
2 Happy Jack 66/1 Doug O’Neill 3rd, Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park
3 Epicenter 7/2 Steve Asmussen 1st, Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds
4 Summer Is Tomorrow 66/1 Bhupat Seemar 2nd, UAE Derby at Meydan Race Course
5 Smile Happy 20/1 Kenny McPeek 2nd, Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland
6 Messier 10/1 Tim Yakteen 2nd, Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita
7 Crown Pride 33/1 Koichi Shintani 1st, UAE Derby at Meydan Race Course
8 Charge It 12/1 Todd Pletcher 2nd, Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park
9 Tiz The Bomb 25/1 Kenny McPeek 1st, Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park
10 Zandon 4/1 Chad Brown 1st, Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland
11 Pioneer Of Medina 33/1 Todd Pletcher 3rd, Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds
12 Taiba 8/1 Tim Yakteen 1st, Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita
13 Simplification 16/1 Antonio Sano 3rd, Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park
14 Barber Road 40/1 John Ortiz 2nd, Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park
15 White Abarrio 12/1 Saffie Joseph Jr. 1st, Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park
16 Cyberknife 20/1 Brad Cox 1st, Arkansas Derby (G1)
17 Classic Causeway 33/1 Brian Lynch 11th, Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park
18 Tawny Port 33/1 Brad Cox 2nd, Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park
19 Zozos 20/1 Brad Cox 2nd, Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds
20 Ethereal Road 50/1 D Wayne Lukas 4th, Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland