This week marks the 152nd Kentucky Derby race — the first of three horse races that make up the Triple Crown.On Saturday, 20 horses will line up at Churchill Downs in Louisville to run the 1.25-mile track in what the Derby calls “the most exciting two minutes in sports.”Here are five statistics about the Kentucky Derby. Fastest winnersJust two horses out of 151 winners have completed the race in less than two minutes — Secretariat in 1973 and Monarchos in 2001. One horse, Northern Dancer, did complete the 1 1/4-mile track in exactly two minutes.After Secretariat’s record time of one minute and 59.4 seconds, the horse went on to win the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in New York, completing the Triple Crown that only 13 horses have won. Post position Post positions are the randomly drawn starting spots for as many as 20 horses competing in the Kentucky Derby. These spots start at 1 on the inside and go to 20 on the outside. If 20 horses are on the field, each post has a 5% chance of being the starting position for a winner.Post position 20 has technically had the highest percentage of wins at 10.5%. However, that is two wins out of just the 19 times it has been used.Post 5 has the second-highest winning rate at 10.4% and has been used for all 96 years that the Kentucky Derby has used the starting gate. The worst-performing post position is 17, which, out of its 46 horses starting there, has never been the starting spot for a Kentucky Derby winner. JockeysOnly two jockeys have won the Kentucky Derby five times: Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack.John Velazquez, who is racing Further Ado this year, is one of the jockeys with three Kentucky Derby wins. MarginsJust 23 horses have won by 4 or more lengths of a horse in Kentucky Derby history. Of these, the largest winning margin was 8 lengths won four times, according to the Kentucky Derby. These horses are Old Rosebud in 1914, Johnstown in 1939, Whirlaway in 1941, and Assault in 1946.The fifth-largest winning margin was 6 3/4 lengths won by Mine That Bird in 2009, which was also the last time a horse won by 4 or more lengths.Ten horses have won by the smallest margin — by a nose. Seven have won by a head, nine by a neck and 12 by a half-length. BirthplaceKentucky is the leading birthplace for Derby winners. More than 77% of Kentucky Derby winners were born in the state, which is also responsible for the majority of North American foals.Almost 65% of foals born in 2024 in North America were in Kentucky, according to data from the Jockey Club.
This week marks the 152nd Kentucky Derby race — the first of three horse races that make up the Triple Crown.
On Saturday, 20 horses will line up at Churchill Downs in Louisville to run the 1.25-mile track in what the Derby calls “the most exciting two minutes in sports.”
Here are five statistics about the Kentucky Derby.
Fastest winners
Just two horses out of 151 winners have completed the race in less than two minutes — Secretariat in 1973 and Monarchos in 2001. One horse, Northern Dancer, did complete the 1 1/4-mile track in exactly two minutes.
After Secretariat’s record time of one minute and 59.4 seconds, the horse went on to win the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in New York, completing the Triple Crown that only 13 horses have won.
Post position
Post positions are the randomly drawn starting spots for as many as 20 horses competing in the Kentucky Derby. These spots start at 1 on the inside and go to 20 on the outside. If 20 horses are on the field, each post has a 5% chance of being the starting position for a winner.
Post position 20 has technically had the highest percentage of wins at 10.5%. However, that is two wins out of just the 19 times it has been used.
Post 5 has the second-highest winning rate at 10.4% and has been used for all 96 years that the Kentucky Derby has used the starting gate.
The worst-performing post position is 17, which, out of its 46 horses starting there, has never been the starting spot for a Kentucky Derby winner.
Jockeys
Only two jockeys have won the Kentucky Derby five times: Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack.
John Velazquez, who is racing Further Ado this year, is one of the jockeys with three Kentucky Derby wins.
Margins
Just 23 horses have won by 4 or more lengths of a horse in Kentucky Derby history. Of these, the largest winning margin was 8 lengths won four times, according to the Kentucky Derby. These horses are Old Rosebud in 1914, Johnstown in 1939, Whirlaway in 1941, and Assault in 1946.
The fifth-largest winning margin was 6 3/4 lengths won by Mine That Bird in 2009, which was also the last time a horse won by 4 or more lengths.
Ten horses have won by the smallest margin — by a nose. Seven have won by a head, nine by a neck and 12 by a half-length.
Birthplace
Kentucky is the leading birthplace for Derby winners. More than 77% of Kentucky Derby winners were born in the state, which is also responsible for the majority of North American foals.
Almost 65% of foals born in 2024 in North America were in Kentucky, according to data from the Jockey Club.
