Kentucky Derby Trivia
Trivia about the Kentucky Derby ...
- The first race was held in 1875, and was won by Aristides, trained by future Hall of Famer Ansel Williamson.
- The race is always held at the Churchill Downs racecourse, named for John and Henry Churchill, who provided the land for the racetrack.
- The Kentucky Derby is the second oldest horse race in America (the oldest is the Belmont Stakes).
- The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the United States
- The Kentucky Derby was first run over 12 furlongs (1+1⁄2 miles) the same distance as the Epsom Derby, before changing lengths in 1896 to its current 12 furlongs (1+1⁄4 miles).
- The Mint Julep is the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby. It is made with bourbon, sugar, water, and mint, served over crushed ice in a silver julep cup
- The Derby is often referred to as "The Run for the Roses" because the winner is draped with a garland of roses.
- 1919 the horse "Sir Barton" became the first to win the Triple Crown, though that term was not used until years later.
- In 1925, the first live radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby aired
- In 1949, the first television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place
- In 1970, Diane Crump became the first female jockey to ride in the Derby
- In 1973, Secretariat ran the fastest time ever run in the Derby at 1:59.4 minutes.
- In 2019, Maximum Security led all the way, only to become the first winner disqualified for interference in the race's 145-year history. After a long wait, long shot Country House was declared the winner, paying 65-1, the second-highest odds for a winner in Derby history. The only other disqualification in the Derby occurred long after the race in 1968. Dancer's Image, the first-place finisher, later tested positive for a prohibited substance.
- The 2020 Kentucky Derby was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of being held in the first week of May, it was held in September 2020.
- In 2022, 80-1 outsider Rich Strike stunned with the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history (behind the 1913 winner Donerail winning at odds of 91–1).
- The race is held annually on the first Saturday in May, though it has occasionally been held on other dates such as in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Derby has been run continuously since its first edition (even the World Wars and COVID did not stop it from being run)
- The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown (the other races are the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes)
Related Pages
- List of Winners of the Kentucky Derby
- About the Kentucky Derby
- Learn more about the sport of Horse Racing.
- More Horse Racing Major Events
- Read about other major world sporting events.
- Sporting events calendar
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