LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- So you think you know the Kentucky Derby? When a sporting event gets to be 151 years old, it can accumulate some trivia.
The following just scratches the surface of some fun facts that make up the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.
Kentucky Derby 151 | Derby Prep Races | Derby Festival Events
1. Temporary City: More than 125 temporary structures and 28,842 feet of fencing are built for Derby Week at Churchill Downs.
2. Mint Julep Madness: Over 300,000 mint juleps are served during Derby Week, requiring about 1,000 pounds of mint and 50,000 liters of bourbon.
3. Garland of Roses: The winner’s garland weighs about 40 pounds, is 122 inches long, and contains over 400 “Freedom” roses. The first garland of roses was presented to Burgoo King in 1932.
4. Fastest Derby: Secretariat still holds the Kentucky Derby speed record at 1:59.40 for 1¼ miles, set in 1973.
5. First Mint Julep Glass: The now-iconic Mint Julep glass collectible tradition started in 1938.
6. Favorite Letter: Horses whose names start with "S" have won the Derby 19 times — more than any other letter.
7. Highest-Priced Derby Horse: Fusaichi Pegasus was bought for a record $4 million before winning the 2000 Derby.
8. Post Position Luck: No horse has ever won the Derby from Post 17.
9. Longest Shot: Donerail in 1913 paid a record $184.90 on a $2 win bet — the biggest Derby upset.
10. Fillies' Rare Feat: Only three fillies have ever won the Kentucky Derby — the last was Winning Colors in 1988.
11. Gelding Winners: Nine geldings have won the Derby, including recent ones like Funny Cide (2003) and Mine That Bird (2009). There’s one in the race this year, Blue Grass Stakes winner Burnham Square.
12. Mystik Dan’s Photo Finish: Mystik Dan’s 2024 win was part of the closest three-horse photo finish since 1947.
13. Most Decorated Trainers: Ben Jones and Bob Baffert share the Derby record with six wins each.
14. Oldest Winning Trainer: Art Sherman, at age 77, won with California Chrome in 2014. D. Wayne Lukas, at age 89, could become the oldest this year.
15. Youngest Winning Jockey: Alonzo Clayton won aboard Azra in 1892 at just 15 years old.
16. First Female Jockey: Diane Crump broke barriers in 1970 by riding Fathom to 15th place.
17. Oldest Major Sporting Event: The Derby is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the U.S., running since 1875.
18. First Saturday Tradition: The date for the Derby was officially established as the first Saturday in May in 1931. (It was run in September because of COVID in 2020).
19. Infield Revelry: The infield packs in around 80,000 fans every Derby Day, blending partying and picnics.
20. Derby Purse: The race purse rose to a record $5 million starting in 2024, with $3.1 million to the winner.
21. My Old Kentucky Home: The tradition of singing "My Old Kentucky Home" before the Derby dates back to 1921.
22. ”Run for the Roses": The phrase was coined by sportswriter Bill Corum in 1925. The red rose became the official flower of the Kentucky Derby in 1904.
23. Longest Winning Margin: Eight lengths is the largest margin of victory, achieved four times, last by Assault in 1946.
24. Japan’s Bid: Forever Young finished third in 2024, the best showing ever for a Japan-based horse in the Derby. Two Japan-based horses will again compete in this year’s Derby – Admire Daytona and Luxor Café.
25. Triple Crown Offspring: This year’s Derby will feature sons of both American Pharoah and Justify. Pharoah has two sons in the race – Publisher and Luxor Café. Justify is the sire of American Promise.
Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
