Best Kentucky Derbies Ever

Back in 1874, a gentleman by the name of Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark had the notion to create the Louisville Jockey Club. He set about this ambitious undertaking by securing land for the racing from his esteemed uncles, John Churchill and Henry Churchill.

Within double-quick time, Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark was up and running with the world’s first Kentucky Derby exploding out of the proverbial gates on May 17.

The term ‘Derby’ dates back well into the 1800s and refers to a race for 3-year old horses. The very first Kentucky Derby saw some 10,000 eager spectators gather to watch the legendary Aristides as it raced away to victory. This was the beginning of what was to become the most incredible horse racing contest of all time.

Betting on the Kentucky Derby is big business, and New Jersey’s premier sportsbook 888sport, is here to bring you the best odds and the widest possible coverage at all times.

Over time, the Kentucky Derby has played host to crowds of up to 150,000 people at the prestigious Churchill Downs racetrack.

Let’s Wind Back the Clocks to Check Out the Winners of the Kentucky Derby in Recent Years  

* 2000 - Fusaichi Pegasis ridden by Kent Desormeaux in a time of 2:01.
* 2001 – Monarchos ridden by Jorge Chavez in a time of 1:59.97.
* 2002 – War Emblem ridden by Victor Espinoza in a time of 2:01.13.
* 2003 – Funny Cide ridden by Jose Santos in a time of 2:01.19.
* 2004 – Smarty Jones ridden by Stewart Elliott in a time of 2:04.06.
* 2005 - Giacomo ridden by Mike Smith in a time of 2:02.75.
* 2006 – Barbaro ridden by Edgar Prado in a time of 2:01.36.
* 2007 – Street Sense ridden by Calvin Borel in a time of 2:02.17.
* 2008 – Big Brown ridden by Kent Desormeaux in a time of 2:01.82.
* 2009 – Mine that Bird ridden by Calvin Borel in a time of 2:02.66.
* 2010 – Super Saver ridden by Calvin Boreal in a time of 2:04.45.
* 2011 – Animal Kingdom ridden by John Velazquez in a time of 2:02.04.
* 2012 – I’ll Have Another ridden by Mario Gutierrez in a time of 2:01.83.
* 2013 – Orb ridden by Joel Rosario in a time of 2:02.89.
* 2014 – California Chrome ridden by Victor Espinoza in a time of 2:03.66.
* 2015 – American Pharoah ridden by Victor Espinoza in a time of 2:03.02.
* 2016 – Nyquist ridden by Mario Gutierrez in a time of 2:01.31.
* 2017 – Always Dreaming ridden by John R. Velazquez in a time of 2:03.59.
* 2018 – Justify ridden by Mike E. Smith in a time of 2:04.20.
* 2019 – Country House ridden by Flavien Prat in a time of 2:03.98.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the jockeys who have won the greatest number of Kentucky Derbies include:

* Bill Hartack and Eddie Arcaro have each won 5 Kentucky Derbies. Interestingly enough, this 2-minute horserace has only ever seen 2 horses winning the Kentucky Derby in under 2 minutes. These include the legendary Secretariat in 1973 in a time of 1:59.24, and again in 2001 when Monarchos won in a time of 1:59.97

Unbelievable Longshot Odds in the Kentucky Derby

As far as sports betting goes, the Kentucky Derby has provided more than its fair share of incredible odds over the years. Take the case of Donerail at odds of 91:1 which ended up winning the Kentucky Derby back in 1913. While only a few fillies have won this race over the years, the ones that have made history. The likes of Regret in 1915, Genuine Risk in 1980, and then Winning Colors in 1988 come to mind. It is high time that another filly made its mark since it has been several decades since a female horse claimed first place.

The Most Memorable Kentucky Derby of All Time

Every Kentucky Derby is truly special. These horse racing meets are extraordinary and feature the finest competitors in the world of horse racing. Consider that one of the best performances took place when horses won by a margin of 8 lengths, the last time that occurred was in 1946 by a horse named Assault.

Yet, despite its celebrated status as the most memorable of all the major horse racing meets, the Kentucky Derby has not always been inclusive of minorities, since African Americans were absent between 1921 and 2000, and women have been notably absent for the most part. Times they are a changing however; female owners of winning horses are notable.

In terms of sports betting on the Kentucky Derby, many memorable payouts have taken place over the years. One such lucky bet took place in Las Vegas, Nevada when a lucky fellow placed an $8 bet and walked away with $78,000. The lucky winner from the Mirage hotel and casino, which is a real money casino and resort, placed 2 x $4 Superfectas with a payout of $51,400 each less taxes.

The longshot in the race – Country House was bumped up after the winner was disqualified. Despite all these longshot odds over the years, Donerail’s 91:1 odds remain the best ever. In fact #7 Maximum Security was the first Kentucky Derby horse winner to be disqualified as a result of interference.  

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Photo courtesy of John Minchillo and AP