Most racing nations have a contest that stands tall above the rest when measured by public interest and betting turnover; the Grand National, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and the Melbourne Cup are examples of events which dwarf all others from Britain, France and Australia, respectively. In the US, that race is the Kentucky Derby. First run in 1875, the race has been held every year since, making it the longest continuously running US contest.
Taking place on the first Saturday in May each year, the Kentucky Derby provides the spectacular finale to the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. Open to three-year-old colts, geldings, and fillies, and run over the 1m2f trip, the race labelled “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” serves as the first leg of the US Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes in May and the Belmont Stakes in June. With around $5m in total prize money and a place in the history books up for grabs, this is one US contest not to be missed!
2026 - Golden Tempo
A thrilling finish to the 2026 edition saw Golden Tempo and Renegade battle for victory after coming from well behind the early leaders. Six Speed set the initial pace before Danon Bourbon moved ahead at the mile marker. Ocelli briefly took the lead in the stretch, but Golden Tempo and Renegade surged past him and fought out the finish. Golden Tempo prevailed by a neck, making trainer Cherie DeVaux the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby. It also provided spectators with a great family battle as jockey José Ortiz narrowly beat his brother Irad, who was riding Renegade.
- 1st – Golden Tempo 231/10, Jockey: Jose L Ortiz, Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
- 2nd – Renegade 56/10, Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr, Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- 3rd – Ocelli 71/1, Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione, Trainer: D Whitworth Beckman
2025 - Sovereignty
Sovereignty produced a sustained late challenge to defeat Journalism by one and a half lengths after a perfectly timed surge from deep. Citizen Bull led the field before yielding around the final turn, allowing Owen Almighty and Neoequos to briefly move ahead. Sovereignty, who endured a rough start, and Journalism then battled for the lead until the closing furlong, when Junior Alvarado's mount began to pull clear. Baeza and Final Gambit both made up decent ground on the winner but neither looked like getting on terms in time.
- 1st - Sovereignty 8/1, Jockey: Junior Alvarado, Trainer: William Mott
- 2nd - Journalism 17/5F, Jockey: Umberto Rispoli, Trainer: Michael McCarthy
- 3rd - Baeza 139/10, Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: John Shirreffs
2024 - Mystik Dan
The first three-horse photo finish in the Kentucky Derby since 1947 decided a dramatic renewal. Mystik Dan saved ground along the rail under Brian Hernandez Jr. before making his move around the far turn. He held a short lead entering the stretch, but Sierra Leone and Japanese contender Forever Young closed rapidly. Mystik Dan held on by a nose, with Sierra Leone second and Forever Young third. The defeated pair repeatedly bumped each other in the closing stages, but neither jockey claimed a foul. Pre-race favourite Fierceness, trading at 5/2, faded badly to finish 15th.
- 1st - Mystik Dan 186/10, Jockey: Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr, Trainer: Kenneth McPeek
- 2nd - Sierra Leone 48/10, Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione, Trainer: Chad C Brown
- 3rd - Forever Young 705/100, Jockey: Ryusei Sakai, Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
2023 - Mage
Despite having just one previous victory, Mage produced a powerful finish to win by a length at Churchill Downs. Early favourite Forte had been scratched on the morning of the race because of a bruised foot. Verifying, Kingsbarns and Reincarnate set a fast pace, while Mage moved into sixth place by the mile marker. He charged around Two Phil's in the stretch and held off his challengers, with Two Phil's second and the newly appointed favourite Angel of Empire third. In doing so, Mage became the fourth horse to win the Derby after only three previous starts.
- 1st – Mage 152/10 - Jockey: Javier Castellano, Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
- 2nd – Two Phil’s 99/10 - Jockey: Jareth Loveberry, Trainer: Larry Rivelli
- 3rd – Angel Of Empire 41/10F - Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: Brad H Cox
2022 - Rich Strike
An 80-1 outsider, Rich Strike produced one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky Derby history. Summer Is Tomorrow set a blistering early pace, recording a Derby-record first quarter of a mile of 21.78 seconds. Messier briefly took the lead before Epicenter moved ahead entering the stretch. Rich Strike had been 15th after the first mile, but found room near the rail and weaved past tiring rivals. The last horse to pass was Epicenter, who could do nothing about Rich Strike’s formidable surge. What a way for jockey Sonny Leon's to record a first graded stakes win of his career.
- 1st – Rich Strike 81/1 - Jockey: Sonny Leon, Trainer: Eric R Reed
- 2nd – Epicenter 41/10F - Jockey: Joel Rosario, Trainer: Steven Asmussen
- 3rd – Zandon 61/10 - Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: Chad C Brown
2021 - Mandaloun
A change of tactics helped Medina Spirit lead from the start and withstand a late challenge. Having previously raced behind the pace, the colt was sent forward by John Velazquez and set solid fractions. Mandaloun closed to within a head before Essential Quality made a wide move around the final turn. However, Essential Quality lost momentum entering the stretch, allowing Medina Spirit to hold on. After nine months of delay, litigation and laboratory tests however, Medina was stripped of his title due to a positive drug sample, and initial runner-up Mandaloun was declared the winner.
- Disq – Medina Spirit 121/10 - Jockey: John R Velazquez, Trainer: Bob Baffert
- 1st – Mandaloun 269/10 - Jockey: Florent Geroux, Trainer: Brad H Cox
- 2nd – Hot Rod Charlie 56/10 - Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: Doug O’Neill
- 3rd – Essential Quality 29/10F - Jockey: Luis Saez, Trainer: Brad H Cox
2020 - Authentic
After breaking poorly from the outside post, Authentic quickly moved forward to take the lead and settled into a steady rhythm along the backstretch. Odds-on favourite Tiz the Law tracked him in fourth before making a strong challenge around the final turn. The pair were almost level at the mile pole, and Tiz the Law appeared to have momentum. However, Authentic rallied in the stretch and pulled away to win. The victory gave Bob Baffert his sixth Derby win, equalling Ben Jones's record, and inflicted only a second defeat on Tiz the Law.
- 1st – Authentic 84/10 - Jockey: John R Velazquez, Trainer: Bob Baffert
- 2nd – Tiz The Law 7/10F - Jockey Manuel Franco:, Trainer: Barclay Tagg
- 3rd – Mr Big News 47/1 - Jockey: Gabriel Saez, Trainer: W Bret Calhoun
2019 - Country House
A historic disqualification denied Maximum Security after the colt crossed the line first. Having led for much of the race, he veered out around the final turn and interfered with several rivals, including War of Will, Long Range Toddy and Bodexpress. Country House had also been making ground from the middle of the field and finished second. After a 22-minute review, the stewards ruled that Maximum Security had impeded other runners and demoted him to 17th. Country House was awarded the victory, marking the first time in Kentucky Derby history that the first-place finisher was disqualified for an on-track infraction.
- Disq (17th) – Maximum Security 9/2 - Jockey: Luis Saez, Trainer: Jason Servis
- 1st – Country House 65/1 - Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: William Mott
- 2nd – Code Of Honor 144/10 - Jockey: John R Velazquez, Trainer: Claude R McGaughey III
- 3rd – Tacitus 58/10 - Jockey: Jose L Ortiz, Trainer: William Mott
2018 - Justify
Heavy rain left the track very wet, with more than 2.8 inches recorded at a nearby weather station, breaking the Derby Day record for rain that had been set in 1918. Justify handled the conditions well, settling behind early leader Promises Fulfilled before taking control around the final turn. Mike Smith urged the colt forward and Justify opened a clear advantage in the stretch to win by two and a half lengths. The victory continued Justify's unbeaten run, while favourite Mendelssohn, looking to become the first European winner of this contest, was bumped more than once early on and could not get going after.
- 1st – Justify 29/10F - Jockey: Mike E Smith, Trainer: Bob Baffert
- 2nd – Good Magic 97/10 - Jockey: Jose L Ortiz, Trainer: Chad C Brown
- 3rd – Audible 7/1 - Jockey: Javier Castellano, Trainer: Todd Pletcher
2017 - Always Dreaming
We witnessed a chaotic start to this race, which disrupted several runners, most notably Thunder Snow, who initially refused to run as soon as the gates opened. Always Dreaming avoided the early trouble with a burst of speed, settling behind longshot State of Honor before taking control down the backstretch. Todd Pletcher’s horse began extending his lead down the home straight and although Lookin At Lee reduced the gap late on, there was never any threat to the winner. This marked the fifth consecutive time the favourite won the Kentucky Derby, something which last happened in the 1970s.
- 1st – Always Dreaming 47/10F - Jockey: John R Velazquez, Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- 2nd – Lookin At Lee 33/1 - Jockey: Corey J Lanerie, Trainer: Steven Asmussen
- 3rd – Battle Of Midway 40/1 - Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
2016 - Nyquist
- 1st – Nyquist 23/10F - Jockey: Mario Gutierrez, Trainer: Doug O’Neill
- 2nd – Exaggerator 51/10 - Jockey: Kent J Desormeaux, Trainer: J Keith Desormeaux
- 3rd – Gun Runner 103/10 - Jockey: Florent Geroux, Trainer: Steven Asmussen
2015 - American Pharoah
- 1st– American Pharoah 29/10F - Jockey: Victor Espinoza, Trainer: Bob Baffert
- 2nd – Firing Line 19/2 - Jockey: Gary Stevens, Trainer: Simon Callaghan
- 3rd – Dortmund 43/10 - Jockey: Martin Garcia, Trainer: Bob Baffert