On May 17, 1875, some 10,000 people attended the first Kentucky Derby, which featured a field of 15 three-year-old thoroughbreds racing 1.5 miles. The winning horse, Aristides, finished with a time of 2:37.75 and was ridden by Oliver Lewis, an African-American jockey.
What was the first Kentucky Derby like?
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.
Who was the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby in 1875?
Aristides
Aristides was ridden by a jockey, Oliver Lewis, who was only nineteen years old at the time, and would never race in the Kentucky Derby again. Lewis traded in his saddle and crop for a career in training and bookmaking. Aristides was the first Kentucky Derby winner, earning a purse of just $2,850.
What are 5 interesting facts about Kentucky Derby?
17 Fascinating Facts You Never Knew About the Kentucky Derby
- It has a connection to Lewis and Clark.
- It’s the longest running sporting event in the U.S.
- Aristides was the first Derby winner.
- The racetrack didn’t always have a name.
- Its architecture is iconic.
- The red rose is the race’s official flower.
When was the first Kentucky Derby?
Read a brief summary of this topic. Kentucky Derby, the most prestigious American horse race, established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky.
What was the first biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history?
1913-1915: The Kentucky Derby Makes Front Page News
Here’s what happened… First, in 1913, Donerail, the underdog in the 38th running of the Kentucky Derby race, upset the field, with 91-1 odds. Donerail still stands as the biggest long-shot victory, paying $184.90 on just a $2 win bet.
Who won the first ever Kentucky Derby?
Aristides
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.
What famous horse race started in 1875?
The Kentucky Derby, first held in 1875 at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, is the longest-running sports event in the United States. Dubbed the “Run for the Roses,” the Derby features three-year-old thoroughbreds racing a distance of 1.25 miles.
Who was faster Secretariat or winning brew?
The Fastest Thoroughbred ran 43.97.
The horse holding the record is “Winning Brew.” She was only a two-year-old when she broke the record in 2008 at the Penn National Race Course. For comparison, the average Kentucky Derby winner typically runs about 37 mph. Secretariat won the race running 38 mph.
What year did the horse Regret win the Kentucky Derby?
1915
In her first season, Regret won the Saratoga Special, Sanford, and Hopeful Stakes. Beating the boys, however, was only part of Regret’s fascinating story. Along with leaving the best colts of her generation in the dust, Regret’s landmark victory in the 1915 Kentucky Derby entrenched the race as an American institution.
Why do horses have to be 3 years old for the Kentucky Derby?
Age is critical in horse racing. When older horses race against younger horses, there is a weight allowance for horses three and under. The weight is added because four and five-year-old horses typically outmatch younger horses.
Has a white horse ever won Kentucky Derby?
Winning Colors (March 14, 1985 – February 17, 2008) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and one of only three fillies to ever win the Kentucky Derby. Though she was registered as roan, she was, in fact, a gray with a white blaze on her face.
Winning Colors (horse)
| Winning Colors | |
|---|---|
| Earnings | $1,526,837 |
| Major wins |
Has a female horse ever won the Kentucky Derby?
Winning Colors (1988), Genuine Risk (1980) and Regret (1915) are the only fillies to win the Kentucky Derby. Each raced against males in advance of running in the Kentucky Derby. Winning Colors and Genuine Risk are the only two fillies to compete in all three Triple Crown races.
What is the oldest horse Derby?
Kiplingcotes Derby (also spelt Kipling Cotes), run at Kiplingcotes in the East Riding of Yorkshire, is widely accepted to be the oldest annual horse race in the English sporting calendar. It reputedly began in 1519 and takes place on the third Thursday in March, often in exceptionally adverse weather conditions.
Is the Kentucky Derby the oldest horse race?
The Kentucky Derby is the first horse race that most people think of when they think of horse racing in America. Although the Preakness and Belmont Stakes are older, the Kentucky Derby is the season’s first big race.
Where was the first Kentucky Derby?
The 1875 Kentucky Derby was the first running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 17, 1875.
1875 Kentucky Derby.
| Kentucky Derby | |
|---|---|
| Grade I stakes race | |
| Location | Churchill Downs |
| Date | May 17, 1875 |
| Winning horse | Aristides |
Who was the first black man to win the Kentucky Derby?
Oliver Lewis
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. The winning thoroughbred was trained by renowned African American trainer Ansel Williamson.
Who was the fastest horse in Kentucky Derby history?
Secretariat
1. Secretariat (1973) This truly great American horse barely broke sweat in his various racing achievements, but when he did, he perspired class. Secretariat smashed the Kentucky Derby record in 1973 and such was his speed and talent that his record of 1:59.40 still stands today.
What was the first horse in the history of the Kentucky Derby to be disqualified?
But shortly thereafter, the racehorse became the first winner to be disqualified in Derby history. Second-place finisher Forward Pass was later declared the winner. Phenylbutazone, also known as bute, was found in Dancer’s Image’s system after the 1968 Derby, leading officials to strip the horse of the win.
Has a two year old ever won the Kentucky Derby?
Wayne Lukas notched his second Derby victory with a then two-year-old Thunder Gulch in 1995. The youngster would later rack up victories in the Belmont and Travers Stakes and an Eclipse Award. The last two year old to win the Kentucky Derby came in 2009 when long-shot Mine That Bird stunned the racing world.
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.