May 17, 1875.
The First Kentucky Derby. On May 17, 1875, the horse, Aristides, and his rider, Oliver Lewis, crossed the finish line ahead of the rest of the field at the first ever Kentucky Derby. The horse’s owner, H.P. McGrath, and a roaring crowd in the stands looked on.
Who won the 1st Kentucky Derby?
colt Aristides
Oliver Lewis (1856-1924), the African American jockey who rode the colt Aristides, won the first Kentucky Derby on May 17, 1875. His time of two minutes37. 75 seconds set an American record over the mile and a half distance.
When was the 1st Kentucky Derby?
1875
1875 – The first Kentucky Derby race takes place on May 17th. Aristides races 1.5 miles to win, in a field of fifteen horses, in front of a crowd of 10,000 spectators. 1883 – Leonatus wins the Derby, and the name “Churchill Downs” is first used to landmark the racetrack that is the home of the Kentucky Derby.
Where was the first Kentucky Derby held?
Louisville Jockey Club
The First Derby Day
Popular rider Oliver Lewis rode H. P. McGrath’s thoroughbred Aristides to victory in the first Kentucky Derby on May 17, 1875, at the Louisville Jockey Club.
Is the Kentucky Derby the oldest horse race?
Although the Preakness and Belmont Stakes are older, the Kentucky Derby is the season’s first big race.
Has a Black horse won the Kentucky Derby?
Black Gold won the 1924 Kentucky Derby in “race-horse style, displaying rare determination.” That year the three-year-old horse ran thirteen big-time races.
Who was the fastest horse in Kentucky Derby history?
Secretariat
The course record was set in 1973 by Secretariat, who finished in 1:59 2/5. (The runner-up in that race, Sham, finished two and a half lengths behind Secretariat, which some observers believe meant that he also broke two minutes, but only winners’ times were then recorded.)
Is the Kentucky Derby the oldest sporting event?
The Kentucky Derby is the longest running American sporting event having been held every year since 1875.
Was the first jockey black?
Many of the early jockeys in the Kentucky Derby’s history were black — unlike today, as Professor Pellom McDaniels of Emory University explains. MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: That bugle marks the running of the 142nd Kentucky Derby today.
What was the original Derby?
The term “derby” possibly originated from the Derby, a horse race in England, founded by the 12th Earl of Derby in 1780. The 19th Earl has since claimed the Derby name was originally only given to one other sporting event: fixtures between St Helens at one end of the family’s Knowsley estate and Wigan at the other.
Why is it called Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is actually based off of and named for a prestigious race in England called the Derby (frequently referred to as the “Epsom Derby” after the track where it is held), and the story behind the name of England’s Derby is equal parts interesting and amusing.
How much do jockeys make?
Jockeys are some of the original “gig workers” because they work as independent contractors. Rather than earn a salary, a jockey receives a “mounting fee” — often $50-$110 — for each race, riding sometimes eight races per day.
How many horses ran in the 1st Kentucky Derby?
On May 17th, 1875, history was made, and the very first Kentucky Derby race was run. In front of a crowd of approximately 10,000 fans, fifteen three-year old Thoroughbreds raced for 1 and a half miles on a fast track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
What is the fastest a race horse has ever gone?
43.97 mph
55 MPH is the top speed of the world’s fastest horses. Quarter horses racing 440-yard have been timed running 55 mph, the fastest recorded speed of any horse. Guinness World Record recognizes Winning Brew, a Thoroughbred, as the fastest horse in the world at 43.97 mph.
What happens to old Kentucky Derby horses?
Retired thoroughbreds live out golden years at Kentucky farm – The Washington Post.
How old was Secretariat when he was put down?
Secretariat’s grandsires fared a bit better, with grandsons A.P. Indy a Horse of the Year winner and great-granddaughter Rags to Riches the 2007 Belmont Stakes champion. In the fall of 1989, the 19-year-old champion developed laminitis, an incurable hoof condition; he was euthanized in October of that year.
What was the cheapest horse to win the Kentucky Derby?
The road to the Kentucky Derby
Canonero II’s role as a true blue collar hero came courtesy of the horse’s battle with adversity, starting off with being sold for just $1,200 at the Keeneland sales in Lexington, Kentucky, before being shipped by new owner Pedro Baptista to his native Venezuela.
Has a white horse ever won the Kentucky Derby?
However, in the one hundred and thirty-seven Kentucky Derbys, seven gray colts have won, and Winning Colors, a roan with a white face, was a filly who beat the boys in 1988, but no horse so pale as ivory as Hansen has ever won.
Has a woman jockey ever won the Kentucky Derby?
A female jockey still has yet to win the Kentucky Derby. Julie Krone became the first to win a Triple Crown race in 1993 when she took the Belmont aboard Colonial Affair.
How fast was Secretariat in mph?
Triple Crown winners
Secretariat holds the fastest finishing time at 2:24.00. In 1973, the Triple Crown-winning horse set a world record that still stands for a race on a mile-and-a-half dirt track. The horse reached a top speed of 49 mph.
Who is the greatest horse ever?
Secretariat (1973)
We all know the story about Secretariat; it’s even been made into a movie. Along with Man o’ War, he is considered to be the best horse of all time. Even ESPN counted Secretariat as on of the Top 50 Athletes of the 20th Century during their countdown in 1999.