2026 Kentucky Derby Betting Guide
The famed Kentucky Derby takes place annually in early May at Churchill Downs. Twenty of the nation’s top three-year-old thoroughbreds compete in the event dubbed as the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” and also known as “The Run for the Roses.”
First run in 1875, this event is the signature horse race of the season, captivating the public and elevating the sport’s stature. It is the first jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes two weeks later and the Belmont Stakes three weeks beyond that.
Here’s a Kentucky Derby primer and guide for racing and fans in New Jersey. Learn more about the race, Derby betting odds, changing history, some memorable moments, and key handicapping variables.
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How to bet on the Derby in NJ
If you are one of the 100,000+ fans who like to watch the race live, head to Churchill Downs in Kentucky to place your wager on Derby Day. But if that is not your first choice, New Jersey offers a slate of horse betting options.
- New Jersey racetracks: There are three active racetracks in NJ that offer horse betting and simulcast racing. The Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, and Freehold Raceway are simulcast facilities. All three will take wagers on the Derby.
- Off-track betting facilities: New Jersey has a host of off-track betting facilities in and around the state, all of which offer Derby betting.
- Atlantic City casinos: Borgata is the only NJ casino with a racebook. Simulcast is also available.
- Online KY Derby betting: In New Jersey, Kentucky Derby online wagers are easy and legal. Visit FanDuel Racing to open an account and bet on the Kentucky Derby.
2026 Kentucky Derby odds
The 2026 Kentucky Derby ran on Saturday, May 2. These were the final odds for the race:
| Post Position | Horse | Morning Line Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Renegade | 5/1 |
| 2 | Albus | 48/1 |
| 3 | Intrepido | 52/1 |
| 4 | Litmus Test | 27/1 |
| 5 | Commandment | 6/1 |
| 6 | Danon Bourbon | 12/1 |
| 7 | So Happy | 5/1 |
| 8 | Wonder Dean | 26/1 |
| 9 | Incredibolt | 23/1 |
| 10 | Chief Wallabee | 7/1 |
| 11 | Potente | 17/1 |
| 12 | Emerging Market | 8/1 |
| 13 | Pavlovian | 50/1 |
| 14 | Six Speed | 38/1 |
| 15 | Further Ado | 5/1 |
| 16 | Golden Tempo | 23/1 |
| 17 | Great White | SCRATCHED |
| 18 | Ocelli | 70/1 |
| 19 | Robusta | 70/1 |
Leading up to the 2026 race, bettors favored horses like Renegade, Commandment, So Happy, Chief Wallabee, Emerging Market, and Further Ado. However, it was long-shot Golden Tempo, a horse boasting 23-1 odds ahead of the race, which won. A $10 wager on Golden Tempo to win would have paid out $230 in profit — not a bad payout whatsoever.
Common Kentucky Derby wager types
- Win: Selecting the top horse. Odds are reasonable for any winner in this race, given the top competition. The minimum bet is usually $2.
- Place: A horse to finish second or higher.
- Show: A horse to finish third or higher.
- Exactas: Selecting the order of the top two finishers. It’s always good to box them. You’d hate to have the right two horses in the wrong order.
- Trifectas: Picking the top three finishers. Wagered via a straight bet, a box of three or more horses, or a partial wheel.
- The latter option involves taking one’s favorite horse in the first position, with several additional selections in the second and third slots. It can also be wagered by placing one’s favorite horse in the second or third position with the other selections. The key is that the horse must finish in the exact spot where he is played, and the others must finish in the top 3.
- Superfecta: Picking the top four horses. Same combinations for trifectas can be used. The superfecta is often lucrative, but extremely hard to hit.
Costs for many common KY Derby bets
A $1 trifecta box with three horses costs $6. A $1 trifecta box with four horses costs $24. The $1 superfecta box with four horses is $24.
Thinking razzle-dazzle? A $1 key, putting your favorite horse in the first position and three others in the second and third slots, is $6. For $12, you can place four horses in the second and third slots. The “key” for this Derby bet is that your favorite horse must win the race.
The same principle applies in putting your horse in the second position.
Derby betting strategy
If you love a particular horse to win, invest strongly on the win line. The worst feeling for many players is picking the winner of a race and not cashing because the horses in second and third place were not the ones they played.
If you believe the favorites will run in the top two spots, consider playing a hefty exacta box.
Another option is to play one’s two favorite horses in the first and second slots, place a few others in the third and fourth positions, and have pretty good coverage on a potentially lucrative superfecta for reasonable money.
The road to the Kentucky Derby
While there have been some impressive long-shot winners (Donerail 91-1, 1913; Giacomo, 50-1, 2005; Mine That Bird, 50-1, 2009; Rich Strike, 80-1, 2022), the race has typically been dominated by favorites.
That happened by design with a rule change that alters the makeup of the race. For bettors, it’s good to know the race is now tilted toward favorites.
Before 2012, horses qualified for the Derby based on earnings from stakes races.
That changed with the Road to the Kentucky Derby system implemented for qualifying races. It completely disregards sprint races and places heavy weight on recent results. Sprinters don’t have a place in this Derby. A horse must be effective at a long distance to have a chance at entering the field.
How it works
The points system has changed the way horses are prepared for the Derby, the composition of the field, and how the race itself is run, given the absence of pure sprinters that normally ensure a fast early pace.
This means there are now fewer “speed duels,” which compromise distance horses by locking them into a sizzling early pace with sprinters.
In earlier years, that had set the stage for the front-runners to tire and be overtaken in the stretch. Mine That Bird and Giacomo, for instance, rallied from nearly last to first.
The pace change means the early leaders run the first half-mile in roughly 47 seconds, rather than the 45-ish area they had been pushed into with previous speed duels. Horses now get into position around the first turn, and their jockeys then try to relax them so they can fire on all cylinders during the home stretch.
There have been far fewer lead changes in recent Kentucky Derbys. Horses that have been starting in the back of the pack have been staying there.
In recent years, the “chalk” (industry jargon for favorites) has been able to “talk the talk and walk the walk.”
Previous Kentucky Derby winners (under the new format)
In 2013, Churchill Downs introduced a points system to determine qualification for the Kentucky Derby. This system replaced the old one, in which stake earnings were used to determine race entrants.
Now, horses race in “prep series” and a “championship series,” accumulating points towards the Derby.
| Year | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Golden Tempo | 23-1 |
| 2025 | Sovereignty | 7-1 |
| 2024 | Mystik Dan | 18-1 |
| 2023 | Mage | 15-1 |
| 2022 | Rich Strike | 80-1 |
| 2021 | Mandaloun | 12-1 |
| 2020 | Authentic | 8-1 |
| 2019 | Country House | 65-1 |
| 2018 | Justify | 5-2 |
| 2017 | Always Dreaming | 9-2 |
| 2016 | Nyquist | 2-1 |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | 5-2 |
| 2014 | California Chrome | 5-2 |
| 2013 | Orb | 7-2 |
Has there ever been a disqualification in the Kentucky Derby?
Yes. The first one happened in 2019 when Maximum Security was denied the Derby crown. Maximum Security triumphed and was taken down 22 minutes later because of alleged interference with other horses on the final turn.
Racing purists cried foul over the disqualification because rugged traffic conditions and jostling on the turn are common in each Derby and are part of the logistics of a 20-horse field. More glaring collisions over the years have been ignored.
The controversy drew attention to the large 20-horse field and to spectators along the backstretch rail who are not there for most races throughout the year. Spectators can startle a horse into making a sudden move in the wrong direction.
Country House, a 65-1 choice, was placed first. About $9 million in bets on Maximum Security were lost due to the disqualification.
In 2021, Medina Spirit was the original winner on race day, but a lengthy investigation followed due to suspected illegal drugging of the horse. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission officially named Mandaloun the winner of the 2022 race.
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Kentucky Derby betting tips
Before betting on the Derby in New Jersey, it’s important to note a few things about the track and check in on the details via the Daily Racing Form. For instance, the listing of track conditions is important.
They are:
- Fast: Normal, and ideal
- Good: A heavy, often muddy, and tiring track, which usually occurs a day after heavy rain. Speed horses can do poorly in these conditions. Horses from the back of the pack can make big rallies.
- Sloppy: Wet. Horses can’t easily get footing. Early front-runners do well because they are flinging wet mud into the face of horses behind them.
Information on how horses run on different surfaces will be available in the Daily Racing Form, too. More on that below.
The track surface is paramount.
If there is heavy rain, as there was for the 2019 Derby, it will be difficult to assess the merit of each horse. Running in the “slop” will adversely affect many horses. Some can run well on slop. Some hate it.
If you can get an angle on a horse you like, in the slop, be partial to early speed. Maximum Security went from 10-1 one night beforehand to 9-2 by race time last year because the skies opened up just before the race, and he was a good speed horse.
That foresight proved to be right. He led most of the way and rallied at the finish.
How to read a Daily Racing Form
Pick up the Daily Racing Form. Local stores or a simulcast facility will have them.
The form shows the running pattern of every horse in each of its races. If you see a listing like 1-1-1-3-3-4, it means the horse broke quickly but could not sustain the pace and faded. You would think this horse unlikely to win if another horse also broke quickly, but it would be dangerous if no other horse showed early speed.
If you see something like 4-4-4-3-3-3-2-2-2-1-1, it means the horse can rally and that his running style is “off the pace.” You would want to see an indication that the front speed could tire before playing this horse.
The indicator would be multiple horses showing they like to run near the front early.
The tricky part is that there is often more than one horse for each type of running style.
Guess that’s why they call it gambling.
In the Racing Form, you can find track conditions for fast (fst), good (gd), or slop (usually slp) next to a horse’s race. There is also a Wet number (normally 200-350) that can be measured against others, to indicate how a horse is likely to compete on the sloppy track.
What are Beyer figures?
An absolutely relevant question. Beyer figures will be in black, indicating the horse’s performance on a given day relative to track conditions. Potential Derby winners will have numbers in the 90s and above 100. You will want to respect any horse with a Beyer figure above 100.
Handicapping the Kentucky Derby
Although significant attention is given to fall and winter races, the Kentucky Derby picture comes into full focus with a series of prep races in March and April. The winner of the Kentucky Derby invariably wins one of these preps.
These events provide matchups between horses that will be helpful in your Kentucky Derby betting. They will also provide a sense of which of these races was run fastest, thus giving a glimpse of who might be the best horse in the Run for the Roses.
They can also provide insight into exacta and trifecta wagering. If two horses finish noses apart in a prep race, they might be a good Kentucky Derby exacta bet, or both can be placed in a trifecta wager. For many of these horses, this will be their final appearance before the Derby.
Kentucky Derby prep races
Below is a list of key prep races to watch for early handicapping. These races take place in late March and early April. If you can’t watch or bet these races live, they are ultimately available on YouTube and can be used for assessing Derby hopefuls.
| Race | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Derby | Fairgrounds Race Course, Louisiana | 1 3/16 miles |
| Florida Derby | Gulfstream Park, Florida | 1 1/8 miles |
| Arkansas Derby | Oaklawn Park, Arkansas | 1 1/8 miles |
| Wood Memorial | Aqueduct Race Track, New York | 1 1/8 miles |
| Santa Anita Derby | Santa Anita Park, California | 1 1/8 miles |
| Lexington S. | Keeneland, Kentucky | 1 1/16 miles |
Prep races and Kentucky Derby winners
Here’s a look at how the last 20 Kentucky Derby winners performed in their final prep race:
| Year | Horse | Last Prep Race | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Golden Tempo | Allowance Race | Third |
| 2025 | Sovereignty | Florida Derby | Second |
| 2024 | Mystik Dan | Arkansas Derby | Third |
| 2023 | Mage | Florida Derby | Second |
| 2022 | Rich Strike | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Third |
| 2021 | Mandaloun | Louisiana Derby | Seventh |
| 2020 | Authentic | Haskell Stakes | First |
| 2019 | Country House* | Louisiana Derby | Fourth |
| 2018 | Justify | Santa Anita Derby | First |
| 2017 | Always Dreaming | Florida Derby | First |
| 2016 | Nyquist | Florida Derby | First |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Arkansas Derby | First |
| 2014 | California Chrome | Santa Anita Derby | First |
| 2013 | Orb | Florida Derby | First |
| 2012 | I'll Have Another | Santa Anita Derby | First |
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom | Spiral Stakes | First |
| 2010 | Super Saver | Arkansas Derby | Second |
| 2009 | Mine That Bird | Sunland Derby | Fourth |
| 2008 | Big Brown | Florida Derby | First |
| 2007 | Street Sense | Blue Grass | Second |
| 2006 | Barbaro | Florida Derby | First |
| 2005 | Giacomo | Santa Anita Derby | Fourth |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | Arkansas Derby | First |
Kentucky Derby race history
The Kentucky Derby may well be the most popular sports event in the US. In fact, the Derby has become a multi-million-dollar spectacle. More than 150,000 fans jam into Churchill Downs to watch it live. The Derby draws more attendance than other major sports events, including the World Series, the Super Bowl, and the NCAA Final Four.
Its storied history began on May 17, 1875, when the Louisville Jockey Club sponsored the first Kentucky Derby. Fifteen three-year-old thoroughbred horses raced 1 1/2 miles. Aristides was the first winner of the Derby.
Over the course of decades, the Derby has seen its fair share of changes. In 1883, the track was first named Churchill Downs. The race was shortened to 1 1/4 miles in 1896. And the red rose became the official flower of the Derby in 1904.
By 1931, the Kentucky Derby was permanently scheduled for the first Saturday of May. This allowed the three key races of the Triple Crown — Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes — to have a consistent schedule.
There have been only 13 Triple Crown winners in horse racing history: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).
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Which horse is the GOAT in Kentucky Derby history?
The Secretariat did something in the 1973 Kentucky Derby that had never happened before or since. He ran each quarter-mile faster than the one before. That made him a logical choice to run even better in the 1973 Belmont Stakes, which he did, smashing the runner-up by a record 31 lengths.
Secretariat’s 1:59.40 winning time remains the Kentucky Derby record. It was also the first Derby run in under two minutes. The second was from the horse who finished second in that race, Sham, who was two lengths back at roughly 1:59.80.
The third was Monarchos, who romped home with a time of 1:59.97 in 2001.
Secretariat is still considered the gold standard of Kentucky Derby racing. Because the distance of 1 1/4 miles never changes, horses can be compared from different eras. One second in horse racing is equivalent to about five lengths.
By that barometer, Secretariat would still be defeating modern-age winners handily. He would romp not only over other Kentucky Derby winners, but also Triple Crown winners.
Want to compare and have some fun checking the myriad list of Derby winners? Assess five lengths for every one-second difference between the winning time of Secretariat and the others, and you can project how Secretariat would have done against previous Derby winners.
He would have beaten Justify, the last Triple Crown winner, by roughly 25 lengths in the Derby!
Kentucky Derby winners, 1875-Present
Below is a list of every Kentucky Derby winner, showing not only the event’s rich history but also the unparalleled success of Secretariat.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Golden Tempo | Jose Ortiz | 2:02.27 |
| 2025 | Sovereignty | Junior Alvarado | 2:02.31 |
| 2024 | Mystik Dan | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 2:03.34 |
| 2023 | Mage | Javier Castellano | 2:01.57 |
| 2022 | Rich Strike | Sonny Leon | 2:02.61 |
| 2021 | Mandaloun | Florent Geroux | 2:01:02 |
| 2020 | Authentic | John Velazquez | 2:00.61 |
| 2019 | Country House | Flavien Prat | 2:03.98 |
| 2018 | Justify * | Mike E. Smith | 2:04.20 |
| 2017 | Always Dreaming | John R. Velazquez | 2:03.59 |
| 2016 | Nyquist | Mario Gutierrez | 2:01:31 |
| 2015 | American Pharoah * | Victor Espinoza | 2:03.02 |
| 2014 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza | 2:03.66 |
| 2013 | Orb | Joel Rosario | 2:02.89 |
| 2012 | I'll Have Another | Mario Gutierrez | 2:01.83 |
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom | John Velazquez | 2:02.04 |
| 2010 | Super Saver | Calvin Borel | 2:04.45 |
| 2009 | Mine That Bird | Calvin Borel | 2:02.66 |
| 2008 | Big Brown | Kent Desormeaux | 2:01.82 |
| 2007 | Street Sense | Calvin Borel | 2:02.17 |
| 2006 | Barbaro | Edgar Prado | 2:01.36 |
| 2005 | Giacomo | Mike Smith | 2:02.75 |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | Stewart Elliott | 2:04.06 |
| 2003 | Funny Cide | José Santos | 2:01.19 |
| 2002 | War Emblem | Victor Espinoza | 2:01.13 |
| 2001 | Monarchos | Jorge Chavez | 1:59.97 |
| 2000 | Fusaichi Pegasus | Kent Desormeaux | 02:01 |
| 1999 | Charismatic | Chris Antley | 2:03.29 |
| 1998 | Real Quiet | Kent Desormeaux | 2:02 1/5 |
| 1997 | Silver Charm | Gary Stevens | 2:02 2/5 |
| 1996 | Grindstone | Jerry Bailey | 2:01 |
| 1995 | Thunder Gulch | Gary Stevens | 2:01 1/5 |
| 1994 | Go for Gin | Chris McCarron | 2:03 3/5 |
| 1993 | Sea Hero | Jerry Bailey | 02:02 |
| 1992 | Lil E. Tee | Pat Day | 02:03 |
| 1991 | Strike the Gold | Chris Antley | 02:03 |
| 1990 | Unbridled | Craig Perret | 02:02 |
| 1989 | Sunday Silence | Patrick Valenzuela | 02:05 |
| 1988 | Winning Colors | Gary Stevens | 2:02 1/5 |
| 1987 | Alysheba | Chris McCarron | 02:03 |
| 1986 | Ferdinand | William Shoemaker | 2:02 4/5 |
| 1985 | Spend a Buck | Angel Cordero, Jr. | 2:00 1/5 |
| 1984 | Swale | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | 2:02 2/5 |
| 1983 | Sunny's Halo | Eddie Delahoussaye | 2:02 1/5 |
| 1982 | Gato Del Sol | Eddie Delahoussaye | 2:02 2/5 |
| 1981 | Pleasant Colony | Jorge Velasquez | 02:02 |
| 1980 | Genuine Risk | Jacinto Vasquez | 02:02 |
| 1979 | Spectacular Bid | Ronnie Franklin | 2:02 2/5 |
| 1978 | Affirmed * | Steve Cauthen | 2:01 1/5 |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew * | Jean Cruguet | 2:02 1/5 |
| 1976 | Bold Forbes | Angel Cordero, Jr. | 2:01 3/5 |
| 1975 | Foolish Pleasure | Jacinto Vasquez | 02:02 |
| 1974 | Cannonade | Angel Cordero, Jr. | 02:04 |
| 1973 | Secretariat * | Ron Turcotte | 1:59 2/5 |
| 1972 | Riva Ridge | Ron Turcotte | 2:01 4/5 |
| 1971 | Canonero II | Gustavo Avila | 2:03 1/5 |
| 1970 | Dust Commander | Mike Manganello | 2:03 2/5 |
| 1969 | Majestic Prince | William Hartack | 2:01 4/5 |
| 1968 | Forward Pass | Ismael Valenzuela | 2:02 1/5 |
| 1967 | Proud Clarion | Robert Ussery | 2:00 3/5 |
| 1966 | Kauai King | Don Brumfield | 02:02 |
| 1965 | Lucky Debonair | William Shoemaker | 2:01 1/5 |
| 1964 | Northern Dancer | William Hartack | 02:00 |
| 1963 | Chateaugay | Braulio Baeza | 2:01 4/5 |
| 1962 | Decidedly | William Hartack | 2:00 2/5 |
| 1961 | Carry Back | John Sellers | 02:04 |
| 1960 | Venetian Way | William Hartack | 2:02 2/5 |
| 1959 | Tomy Lee | William Shoemaker | 2:02 1/5 |
| 1958 | Tim Tam | Ismael Valenzuela | 02:05 |
| 1957 | Iron Liege | William Hartack | 2:01 1/5 |
| 1956 | Needles | David Erb | 2:03 2/5 |
| 1955 | Swaps | William Shoemaker | 2:01 4/5 |
| 1954 | Determine | Raymond York | 02:03 |
| 1953 | Dark Star | Henry Moreno | 02:02 |
| 1952 | Hill Gail | Eddie Arcaro | 2:01 3/5 |
| 1951 | Count Turf | Conn McCreary | 2:02 3/5 |
| 1950 | Middleground | William Boland | 2:01 3/5 |
| 1949 | Ponder | Steve Brooks | 2:04 1/5 |
| 1948 | Citation * | Eddie Arcaro | 2:05 2/5 |
| 1947 | Jet Pilot | Eric Guerin | 2:06 4/5 |
| 1946 | Assault * | Warren Mehrtens | 2:06 3/5 |
| 1945 | Hoop Jr. | Eddie Arcaro | 02:07 |
| 1944 | Pensive | Conn McCreary | 2:04 1/5 |
| 1943 | Count Fleet * | John Longden | 02:04 |
| 1942 | Shut Out | Wayne D. Wright | 2:04 2/5 |
| 1941 | Whirlaway * | Eddie Arcaro | 2:01 2/5 |
| 1940 | Gallahadion | Carroll Bierman | 02:05 |
| 1939 | Johnstown | James Stout | 2:03 2/5 |
| 1938 | Lawrin | Eddie Arcaro | 2:04 4/5 |
| 1937 | War Admiral * | Charle Kurtsinger | 2:03 1/5 |
| 1936 | Bold Venture | Ira Hanford | 2:03 3/5 |
| 1935 | Omaha * | William Saunders | 02:05 |
| 1934 | Cavalcade | Mack Garner | 02:04 |
| 1933 | Brokers Tip | Don Meade | 2:06 4/5 |
| 1932 | Burgoo King | Basil James | 2:05 1/5 |
| 1931 | Twenty Grand | Charle Kurtsinger | 2:01 4/5 |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox * | Earl Sande | 2:07 3/5 |
| 1929 | Clyde Van Dusen | Linus McAtee | 2:10 4/5 |
| 1928 | Reigh Count | Charle Lang | 2:10 2/5 |
| 1927 | Whiskery | Linus McAtee | 02:06 |
| 1926 | Bubbling Over | Albert Johnson | 2:03 4/5 |
| 1925 | Flying Ebony | Earl Sande | 2:07 3/5 |
| 1924 | Black Gold | John D. Mooney | 2:05 1/5 |
| 1923 | Zev | Earl Sande | 2:05 2/5 |
| 1922 | Morvich | Albert Johnson | 2:04 3/5 |
| 1921 | Behave Yourself | Charles Thompson | 2:04 1/5 |
| 1920 | Paul Jones | Ted Rice | 02:09 |
| 1919 | Sir Barton * | John Loftus | 2:09 4/5 |
| 1918 | Exterminator | William Knapp | 2:10 4/5 |
| 1917 | Omar Khayyam | Charles Borel | 2:04 3/5 |
| 1916 | George Smith | John Loftus | 02:04 |
| 1915 | Regret | Joe Notter | 2:05 2/5 |
| 1914 | Old Rosebud | John McCabe | 2:03 2/5 |
| 1913 | Donerail | Roscoe Goose | 2:04 4/5 |
| 1912 | Worth | Carroll Hugh Shilling | 2:09 2/5 |
| 1911 | Meridian | George Archibald | 02:05 |
| 1910 | Donau | Robert Herbert | 2:06 2/5 |
| 1909 | Wintergreen | Vincent Powers | 2:08 1/5 |
| 1908 | Stone Street | Arthur Pickens | 2:15 1/5 |
| 1907 | Pink Star | Andy Minder | 2:12 3/5 |
| 1906 | Sir Huon | Roscoe Troxler | 2:08 4/5 |
| 1905 | Agile | Jack Martin | 2:10 3/4 |
| 1904 | Elwood | Frank Prior | 2:08 1/2 |
| 1903 | Judge Himes | Harold Booker | 02:09 |
| 1902 | Alan-a-Dale | Jimmy Winkfield | 2:08 3/4 |
| 1901 | His Eminence | Jimmy Winkfield | 2:07 3/4 |
| 1900 | Lieut. Gibson | Jimmy Boland | 2:06 1/2 |
| 1899 | Manuel | Fred Taral | 02:12 |
| 1898 | Plaudit | Willie Simms | 02:09 |
| 1897 | Typhoon II | Buttons Garner | 2:12 1/2 |
| 1896 | Ben Brush | Willie Simms | 2:07 3/4 |
| 1895 | Halma | Soup Perkins | 2:37 1/2 |
| 1894 | Chant | Frank Goodale | 02:41 |
| 1893 | Lookout | Eddie Kunze | 2:39 1/4 |
| 1892 | Azra | Alonzo Clayton | 2:41 1/2 |
| 1891 | Kingman | Isaac Murphy | 2:52 1/4 |
| 1890 | Riley | Isaac Murphy | 02:45 |
| 1889 | Spokane | Thomas Kiley | 2:34 1/2 |
| 1888 | Macbeth II | George Covington | 2:38 1/4 |
| 1887 | Montrose | Isaac Lewis | 2:39 1/4 |
| 1886 | Ben Ali | Paul Duffy | 2:36 1/2 |
| 1885 | Joe Cotton | Erkine Henderson | 2:37 1/4 |
| 1884 | Buchanan | Isaac Murphy | 2:40 1/4 |
| 1883 | Leonatus | William Donohue | 02:43 |
| 1882 | Apollo | Babe Hurd | 2:40 1/4 |
| 1881 | Hindoo | James McLaughlin | 02:40 |
| 1880 | Fonso | George Garret Lewis | 2:37 1/2 |
| 1879 | Lord Murphy | Charlie Shauer | 02:37 |
| 1878 | Day Star | Jimmy Carter | 2:37 1/4 |
| 1877 | Baden-Baden | William Walker | 02:38 |
| 1876 | Vagrant | Bobby Swim | 2:38 1/4 |
| 1875 | Aristides | Oliver Lewis | 2:37 3/4 |
* Denotes Triple Crown winners.
Kentucky Derby FAQ
Golden Tempo, led by jockey Jose Ortiz, trainer Cherie DeVaux, and Owners Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, won with a time of 2:02.27.
In recent history, it has been 20 horses. A second auxiliary gate is needed to fit all the horses.
Qualifying races late in the fall and spring award points to winners and runners-up of the “prep” races. The most significant preps occur in March and April.
The total purse for the 2026 Kentucky Derby was $5 million, which ties for the largest ever. The winner receives $3.1 million.
The Derby was once the most lucrative race on the circuit, but its total purse has been eclipsed by other events such as the Breeder’s Cup Classic, the Saudi Cup, and the Dubai Cup. But the Kentucky Derby still has history, consistency, glamour, and significant totals.
The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles. It is not the shortest race in the Triple Crown, however. The Preakness Stakes is a hair shorter in distance at 1 3/16 miles.
The 13 who eventually won the Triple Crown. That group includes Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018). Meanwhile, Maximum Security ranks as one of the most famous (or infamous) as well due to his disqualification in the 2019 Kentucky Derby.
The introduction of the superfecta (selecting the top four finishers in a horse race) ushered in an era of staggering payouts when longshots hit the top spots. The best ever was 2005, when Giacomo prevailed at 50-1. Closing argument finished second, at 71-1. Afleet Alex was third at 9-2 and Don’t Get Mad completed the superfecta at 29-1.
How could anyone get mad at this ticket? It paid an unbelievable $864,000 for the $2 superfecta, still the largest Derby payout ever. Even the trifecta, the top three finishers, paid more than $133,000. The exacta returned $9,814.
How did it happen? Front-end speed horses tired down the stretch. Two horses mired near the back of the pack overtook them, finishing first and second. They were the two longest shots on the board. One lukewarm favorite was third, and another longshot rallied to complete the eye-popping superfecta.
The biggest payout from one horse came in 1913. Donerail prevailed at 91-1 and paid $184.90. But there was no superfecta then. Imagine hitting a superfecta with him on top.
Down the stretch: Making smarter Kentucky Derby bets
Whether you’re placing a simple win bet or building a complex trifecta ticket, wagering on the Kentucky Derby requires preparation and a little patience. Understanding the horses, studying the prep races, and paying attention to factors like track conditions can help you make more informed wagers. With legal online betting available in New Jersey, it’s easier than ever to put your Kentucky Derby betting skills to the test.
