Kentucky Derby 2023: Who are the past winners of the Kentucky Derby?

By May 3, 2023, 7:21 PM EDT
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The 149th Run for the Roses is nearly here, as 20 horses prepare to saddle up for the most historical sporting event in American history. A new champion will soon be crowned in Louisville, Kentucky, joining an exclusive list of 148 Thoroughbreds that have claimed a Kentucky Derby trophy. But who are the past winners that have surmounted the Run for the Roses?

The 2023 Kentucky Derby returns to Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 6, with coverage beginning on NBC at 12 p.m. ET. See below for every horse that has come out on top in the most exciting two minutes in sports.

RELATED: Traditional recipes, dessert ideas for the Kentucky Derby

How to watch the 2023 Kentucky Derby:

  • Date: Saturday, May 6
  • Time: Live coverage begins at 12 PM ET
  • Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
  • TV Network: NBC
  • Streaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app

Who was the winner of the first Kentucky Derby?

Horses took to the Kentucky Derby track for the first time on May 17, 1875, with a crowd of approximately 10,000 in attendance to witness the inaugural Run for the Roses.

15 thoroughbreds lined up vying to be Kentucky Derby winners, but only one could be handed the golden trophy. The horses raced for one and a half miles, and it was ultimately a chestnut horse by the name of Aristides that brought home the title, finishing in just over 2:37.

The horse and his jockey, 19-year-old Oliver Lewis, were awarded $2,850 for the achievement. Lewis would never again jockey a horse in the Derby, as he gave up his horse racing career for one in training and bookmaking.

RELATED: How to make a mint julep, the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby

Who won the most recent Kentucky Derby?

Last year’s Run for the Roses saw one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky Derby history, as Rich Strike blazed by the competition on the final backstretch, passing favorite Epicenter just before the finish line.

Rich Strike, who wasn’t entered in the race until a mere day before when Ethereal Road was scratched, reigned victorious with a finishing time of 2:02.61. Trainer Eric Reed and jockey Sonny Lee were Kentucky Derby winners for the first time.

RELATED: Click here to relive Rick Strike’s winning moment

Who are the past winners of the Kentucky Derby?

See below for the full list of Kentucky Derby winners since the race’s inception in 1875:

YEAR     WINNER JOCKEY TRAINER TIME
2022 Rich Strike Sonny Leon Eric R. Reed 2:02.61
2021 Mandaloun Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox 2:01.02
2020 Authentic John R. Velazquez Bob Baffert 2:00.61
2019 Country House Flavien Prat William I. Mott 2:03.98
2018 Justify  Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert 2:04.20
2017 Always Dreaming John R. Velazquez Todd Pletcher 2:03.59
2016 Nyquist Mario Gutierrez Doug F. O’Neill 2:01:31
2015 American Pharoah  Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 2:03.02
2014 California Chrome Victor Espinoza Art Sherman 2:03.66
2013 Orb Joel Rosario Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III 2:02.89
2012 I’ll Have Another Mario Gutierrez Doug O’Neill 2:01.83
2011 Animal Kingdom John Velazquez H. Graham Motion 2:02.04
2010 Super Saver Calvin Borel Todd Pletcher 2:04.45
2009 Mine That Bird Calvin Borel Bennie Woolley Jr. 2:02.66
2008 Big Brown Kent Desormeaux Richard Dutrow, Jr. 2:01.82
2007 Street Sense Calvin Borel Carl Nafzger 2:02.17
2006 Barbaro Edgar Prado Michael Matz 2:01.36
2005 Giacomo Mike Smith John Shirreffs 2:02.75
2004 Smarty Jones Stewart Elliott John Servis 2:04.06
2003 Funny Cide José Santos Barclay Tagg 2:01.19
2002 War Emblem Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 2:01.13
2001 Monarchos Jorge Chavez John T. Ward, Jr. 1:59.97
2000 Fusaichi Pegasus Kent Desormeaux Neil D. Drysdale 2:01
1999 Charismatic Chris Antley D. Wayne Lukas 2:03.29
1998 Real Quiet Kent Desormeaux Bob Baffert 2:02 1/5
1997 Silver Charm Gary Stevens Bob Baffert 2:02 2/5
1996 Grindstone Jerry Bailey D. Wayne Lukas 2:01
1995 Thunder Gulch Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas 2:01 1/5
1994 Go for Gin Chris McCarron Nick Zito 2:03 3/5
1993 Sea Hero Jerry Bailey MacKenzie “Mack” Miller 2:02
1992 Lil E. Tee Pat Day Lynn Whiting 2:03
1991 Strike the Gold Chris Antley Nick Zito 2:03
1990 Unbridled Craig Perret Carl Nafzger 2:02
1989 Sunday Silence Patrick Valenzuela Charles Edward Whittingham 2:05
1988 Winning Colors Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas 2:02 1/5
1987 Alysheba Chris McCarron Charles “Jack” Van Berg 2:03
1986 Ferdinand William Shoemaker Charles Edward Whittingham 2:02 4/5
1985 Spend a Buck Angel Cordero, Jr. Cam Gambolati 2:00 1/5
1984 Swale Laffit Pincay, Jr. Woodford C. Stephens 2:02 2/5
1983 Sunny’s Halo Eddie Delahoussaye David C. Cross, Jr. 2:02 1/5
1982 Gato Del Sol Eddie Delahoussaye Edwin J. Gregson 2:02 2/5
1981 Pleasant Colony Jorge Velasquez John P. Campo 2:02
1980 Genuine Risk Jacinto Vasquez LeRoy Jolley 2:02
1979 Spectacular Bid Ronnie Franklin Grover Delp 2:02 2/5
1978 Affirmed  Steve Cauthen Lazaro Barrera 2:01 1/5
1977 Seattle Slew  Jean Cruguet Wm. H. Turner, Jr. 2:02 1/5
1976 Bold Forbes Angel Cordero, Jr. Lazaro Barrera 2:01 3/5
1975 Foolish Pleasure Jacinto Vasquez LeRoy Jolley 2:02
1974 Cannonade Angel Cordero, Jr. Woodford C. Stephens 2:04
1973 Secretariat  Ron Turcotte Lucien Laurin 1:59 2/5
1972 Riva Ridge Ron Turcotte Lucien Laurin 2:01 4/5
1971 Canonero II Gustavo Avila Juan Arias 2:03 1/5
1970 Dust Commander Mike Manganello Don Combs 2:03 2/5
1969 Majestic Prince William Hartack John Longden 2:01 4/5
1968 Forward Pass Ismael Valenzuela Henry Forrest 2:02 1/5
1967 Proud Clarion Robert Ussery Loyd Gentry, Jr. 2:00 3/5
1966 Kauai King Don Brumfield Henry Forrest 2:02
1965 Lucky Debonair William Shoemaker Frank Catrone 2:01 1/5
1964 Northern Dancer William Hartack Horatio Luro 2:00
1963 Chateaugay Braulio Baeza James P. Conway 2:01 4/5
1962 Decidedly William Hartack Horatio Luro 2:00 2/5
1961 Carry Back John Sellers Jack Price 2:04
1960 Venetian Way William Hartack Victor J. Sovinski 2:02 2/5
1959 Tomy Lee William Shoemaker Frank E. Childs 2:02 1/5
1958 Tim Tam Ismael Valenzuela H. A. Jones 2:05
1957 Iron Liege William Hartack H. A. Jones 2:01 1/5
1956 Needles David Erb Hugh Fontaine 2:03 2/5
1955 Swaps William Shoemaker M. A. Tenney 2:01 4/5
1954 Determine Raymond York William Molter 2:03
1953 Dark Star Henry Moreno Eddie Hayward 2:02
1952 Hill Gail Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones 2:01 3/5
1951 Count Turf Conn McCreary Sol Rutchick 2:02 3/5
1950 Middleground William Boland Max Hirsch 2:01 3/5
1949 Ponder Steve Brooks Ben A. Jones 2:04 1/5
1948 Citation  Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones 2:05 2/5
1947 Jet Pilot Eric Guerin Tom Smith 2:06 4/5
1946 Assault  Warren Mehrtens Max Hirsch 2:06 3/5
1945 Hoop Jr. Eddie Arcaro Ivan H. Parke 2:07
1944 Pensive Conn McCreary Ben A. Jones 2:04 1/5
1943 Count Fleet  John Longden G. D. Cameron 2:04
1942 Shut Out Wayne D. Wright John Milton Gaver, Sr. 2:04 2/5
1941 Whirlaway  Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones 2:01 2/5
1940 Gallahadion Carroll Bierman Roy Waldron 2:05
1939 Johnstown James Stout Jame Fitzsimmons 2:03 2/5
1938 Lawrin Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones 2:04 4/5
1937 War Admiral  Charle Kurtsinger George Conway 2:03 1/5
1936 Bold Venture Ira Hanford Max Hirsch 2:03 3/5
1935 Omaha  William Saunders Jame Fitzsimmons 2:05
1934 Cavalcade Mack Garner Robert A. Smith 2:04
1933 Brokers Tip Don Meade Herbert John Thompson 2:06 4/5
1932 Burgoo King Basil James Herbert John Thompson 2:05 1/5
1931 Twenty Grand Charle Kurtsinger James Rowe, Jr. 2:01 4/5
1930 Gallant Fox  Earl Sande Jame Fitzsimmons 2:07 3/5
1929 Clyde Van Dusen Linus McAtee Clyde Van Dusen 2:10 4/5
1928 Reigh Count Charle Lang Bert Michell 2:10 2/5
1927 Whiskery Linus McAtee Fred Hopkins 2:06
1926 Bubbling Over Albert Johnson Herbert John Thompson 2:03 4/5
1925 Flying Ebony Earl Sande William Duke 2:07 3/5
1924 Black Gold John D. Mooney Hanly Webb 2:05 1/5
1923 Zev Earl Sande D. J. Leary 2:05 2/5
1922 Morvich Albert Johnson Fred Burlew 2:04 3/5
1921 Behave Yourself Charles Thompson Herbert John Thompson 2:04 1/5
1920 Paul Jones Ted Rice William Garth 2:09
1919 Sir Barton  John Loftus H. Guy Bedwell 2:09 4/5
1918 Exterminator William Knapp Henry McDaniel 2:10 4/5
1917 Omar Khayyam Charles Borel C. T. Patterson 2:04 3/5
1916 George Smith John Loftus Hollie Hughes 2:04
1915 Regret Joe Notter James Rowe, Sr. 2:05 2/5
1914 Old Rosebud John McCabe Frank D. Weir 2:03 2/5
1913 Donerail Roscoe Goose Thomas P. Hayes 2:04 4/5
1912 Worth Carroll Hugh Shilling Frank M. Taylor 2:09 2/5
1911 Meridian George Archibald Albert Ewing 2:05
1910 Donau Robert Herbert George Ham 2:06 2/5
1909 Wintergreen Vincent Powers Charles Mack 2:08 1/5
1908 Stone Street Arthur Pickens J. W. Hall 2:15 1/5
1907 Pink Star Andy Minder W. H. Fizer 2:12 3/5
1906 Sir Huon Roscoe Troxler Pete Coyne 2:08 4/5
1905 Agile Jack Martin Robert Tucker 2:10 3/4
1904 Elwood Frank Prior Charle E. Durnell 2:08 1/2
1903 Judge Himes Harold Booker John P. Mayberry 2:09
1902 Alan-a-Dale Jimmy Winkfield Thomas Clay McDowell 2:08 3/4
1901 His Eminence Jimmy Winkfield Frank B. Van Meter 2:07 3/4
1900 Lieut. Gibson Jimmy Boland Charles Hughes 2:06 1/2
1899 Manuel Fred Taral Robert Walden 2:12
1898 Plaudit Willie Simms John E. Madden 2:09
1897 Typhoon II Buttons Garner J. C. Cahn 2:12 1/2
1896 Ben Brush Willie Simms Hardy Campbell, Jr. 2:07 3/4
1895 Halma Soup Perkins Byron McClelland 2:37 1/2
1894 Chant Frank Goodale H. Eugene Leigh 2:41
1893 Lookout Eddie Kunze William McDaniel 2:39 1/4
1892 Azra Alonzo Clayton John H. Morris 2:41 1/2
1891 Kingman Isaac Murphy Dud Allen 2:52 1/4
1890 Riley Isaac Murphy Edward Corrigan 2:45
1889 Spokane Thomas Kiley John Rodegap 2:34 1/2
1888 Macbeth II George Covington John Campbell 2:38 1/4
1887 Montrose Isaac Lewis John McGinty 2:39 1/4
1886 Ben Ali Paul Duffy Jim Murphy 2:36 1/2
1885 Joe Cotton Erkine Henderson Abe Perry 2:37 1/4
1884 Buchanan Isaac Murphy William Bird 2:40 1/4
1883 Leonatus William Donohue Raleigh Colston 2:43
1882 Apollo Babe Hurd Green B. Morris 2:40 1/4
1881 Hindoo James McLaughlin James G. Rowe, Sr. 2:40
1880 Fonso George Garret Lewis Tice Hutsell 2:37 1/2
1879 Lord Murphy Charlie Shauer George Rice 2:37
1878 Day Star Jimmy Carter Lee Paul 2:37 1/4
1877 Baden-Baden William Walker Edward D. Brown 2:38
1876 Vagrant Bobby Swim James Williams 2:38 1/4
1875 Aristides Oliver Lewis Ansel Williamson

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Watch the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6 on NBC, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.

Forte works out, waits for Belmont Stakes clearance

Associated PressMay 27, 2023, 3:14 PM EDT
Matt Stone/USA TODAY NETWORK
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NEW YORK — Forte, the early Kentucky Derby favorite who was scratched on the day of the race, worked out in preparation for a possible start in the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Under regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte worked five-eighths of a mile for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. It was the colt’s second workout since being scratched from the Derby on May 6.

“It seems like he’s maintained his fitness level,” Pletcher said. “It seems like everything is in good order.”

Forte was placed on a mandatory 14-day veterinary list after being scratched from the Derby because of a bruised right front foot. In order to be removed from the list, the colt had to work in front of a state veterinarian and give a blood sample afterward, the results of which take five days.

“There’s protocols in place and we had to adhere to those and we’re happy that everything went smoothly,” Pletcher said. “We felt confident the horse was in good order or we wouldn’t have been out there twice in the last six days, but you still want to make sure everything went smoothly and we’re happy everything did go well.”

Pletcher said Kingsbarns, who finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby, will miss the Belmont. The colt is showing signs of colic, although he is fine, the trainer said.

Another Pletcher-trained horse, Prove Worthy, is under consideration for the Belmont. He also has Tapit Trice, who finished seventh in the Derby, being pointed toward the Belmont.

Judge grants Churchill Downs’ request for summary judgment to dismiss Bob Baffert’s lawsuit

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:36 PM EDT
churchill downs
Abbey Cutrer/USA TODAY NETWORK
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A federal judge has granted Churchill Downs’ motion for summary judgment that dismisses Bob Baffert’s claim the track breached due process by suspending the Hall of Fame trainer for two years.

Churchill Downs Inc. suspended Baffert in June 2021 after his now-deceased colt, Medina Spirit, failed a postrace drug test after crossing the finish line first in the 147th Kentucky Derby. The trainer’s request to lift the discipline was denied in February, keeping him out of the Derby for a second consecutive May.

U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings ruled in a 12-page opinion issued Wednesday that Churchill Downs’ suspension of Baffert did not devalue his Kentucky trainer’s license. It cited his purse winnings exceeding $1 million at Keeneland in Lexington and stated that his argument “amounts to a false analogy that distorts caselaw.”

Jennings denied CDI’s motion to stay discovery as moot.

The decision comes less than a week after Baffert-trained colt National Treasure won the Preakness in his first Triple Crown race in two years. His record eighth win in the second jewel of the Triple Crown came hours after another of his horses, Havnameltdown, was euthanized following an injury at Pimlico.

Churchill Downs said in a statement that it was pleased with the court’s favorable ruling as in Baffert’s other cases.

It added, “While he may choose to file baseless appeals, this completes the seemingly endless, arduous and unnecessary litigation proceedings instigated by Mr. Baffert.”

Baffert’s suspension is scheduled to end on June 2, but the track’s release noted its right to extend it “and will communicate our decision” at its conclusion.