From yearling sale to finish line, everything you need to know about the Kentucky Derby
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In 2024, bettors put down $211 million on the iconic horse race held on the hallowed grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
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While the Super Bowl now draws more than $1 billion in legal bets — by far the largest handle for a single sporting event — the National Football League championship tilt plays out over three hours or so.
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The Derby, contested by three-year-old thoroughbreds, is generally won in two minutes and change, lending credence to the slogan which was trademarked by Churchill Downs Incorporated in 2018.
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The Derby is also known and was trademarked in 2009 as the Run for the Roses® because the victorious horse and jockey proceed to the winner's circle where the animal is festooned with a blanket of 554 red flowers, while the rider receives a 60-rose bouquet.
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The post-race tradition began much more humbly in the late 1800s with far less flora, but just as much fawning. The first Derby went off in 1875 when Aristides beat 14 other horses to the finish line in 2:37.75 after a gruelling mile and a half.
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In 1896, the race was shortened to a mile and a quarter and in 1964 Northern Dancer became the first Canadian-bred horse to win it, doing so in exactly two minutes.
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In 1973, the great Secretariat lowered the race record to 1:59.40, where it remains.
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The field for the 151 st running, which hits the track on May 3, will be comprised of 20 horses, including 3-1 favourite Journalism and 20-1 long shot Publisher.
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'The Canadian Derby is a big deal, but the Kentucky Derby is the holy grail,' said Tim Rycroft, one of Alberta's top thoroughbred trainers, with more than 800 wins. 'It's just a famous race that everyone gears up for basically all winter down there in the states. It's not the most expensive race out there or anything, it's kind of the start of the race season and it seems to just have that appeal to it.
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