The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown. 

This is thoroughbred racing at its best.  Always exciting, often surprising, and one of the guaranteed thoroughbred social events of the year. 

The 2002 winner, War Emblem covered the 1 ¼ mile track in 2:01.13.  Owned by the The Thoroughbred Corporation.

Included is a discussion of pari-mutuel betting, betting options, placing a bet at the track, payoff calculations, and the track cut.

The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a 1 ¼ mile thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run on the first Saturday of May each year at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky along with the Kentucky Oaks since 1875.

Modeled after the Epsom Derby in England, it is the first race of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing followed two Saturdays later by the Preakness Stakes and three weeks later, the Belmont Stakes.

The winner of the very first race was Aristides in front of a crowd of 10,000 people on May 17, 1875.

The speed record for the race is 1 minute 59 2/5 seconds, set by Secretariat in 1973.

Year - Winner
1875 - Aristides
1876 - Vagrant
1877 - Baden Baden
1878 - Day Star
1879 - Lord Murphy
1880 - Fonso
1881 - Hindoo
1882 - Apollo
1883 - Leonatus
1884 - Buchanan
1885 - Joe Cotton
1886 - Ben Ali
1887 - Montrose
1888 - Macbeth II
1889 - Spokane
1890 - Riley
1891 - Kingman
1892 - Azra
1893 - Lookout
1894 - Chant
1895 - Halma
1896 - Ben Brush
1897 - Typhoon II
1898 - Plaudit
1899 - Manuel
1900 - Lieutenant Gibson
1901 - His Eminence
1902 - Alan-a-Dale
1903 - Judge Himes
1904 - Elwood
1905 - Agile
1906 - Sir Huon
1907 - Pink Star
1908 - Stone Street
1909 - Wintergreen
1910 - Donau
1911 - Meridian
1912 - Worth
1913 - Donerail
1914 - Old Rosebud
1915 - Regret
1916 - George Smith
1917 - Omar Khayyam
1918 - Exterminator
1919 - Sir Barton*
1920 - Paul Jones
1921 - Behave Yourself
1922 - Morvich
1923 - Zev
1924 - Black Gold
1925 - Flying Ebony
1926 - Bubbling Over
1927 - Whiskery
1928 - Reigh Count
1929 - Clyde Van Dusen
1930 - Gallant Fox*
1931 - Twenty Grand
1932 - Burgoo King
1933 - Broker's Tip
1934 - Cavalcade
1935 - Omaha*
1936 - Bold Venture
1937 - War Admiral*
1938 - Lawrin
1939 - Johnstown
1940 - Gallahadion
1941 - Whirlaway*
1942 - Shut Out
1943 - Count Fleet*
1944 - Pensive
1945 - Hoop, Jr.
1946 - Assault*
1947 - Jet Pilot
1948 - Citation*
1949 - Ponder
1950 - Middleground
1951 - Count Turf
1952 - Hill Gail
1953 - Dark Star
1954 - Determine
1955 - Swaps
1956 - Needles
1957 - Iron Liege
1958 - Tim Tam
1959 - Tomy Lee
1960 - Venetian Way
1961 - Carry Back
1962 - Decidedly
1963 - Chateaugay
1964 - Northern Dancer
1965 - Lucky Debonair
1966 - Kauai King
1967 - Proud Clarion
1968 - Forward Pass++
1969 - Majestic Prince
1970 - Dust Commander
1971 - Canonero II
1972 - Riva Ridge
1973 - Secretariat*
1974 - Cannonade
1975 - Foolish Pleasure
1976 - Bold Forbes
1977 - Seattle Slew*
1978 - Affirmed*
1979 - Spectacular Bid
1980 - Genuine Risk
1981 - Pleasant Colony
1982 - Gato del Sol
1983 - Sunny's Halo
1984 - Swale
1985 - Spend a Buck
1986 - Ferdinand
1987 - Alysheba
1988 - Winning Colors
1989 - Sunday Silence
1990 - Unbridled
1991 - Strike the Gold
1992 - Lil E. Tee
1993 - Sea Hero
1994 - Go for Gin
1995 - Thunder Gulch
1996 - Grindstone
1997 - Silver Charm
1998 - Real Quiet
1999 - Charismatic
2000 - Fusaichi Pegasus
2001 - Monarchos
2002 - War Emblem

 * designates a Triple Crown Winner