Kentucky Derby Winners + Historical Betting Odds

Every year since 1875, a three-year-old thoroughbred has crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs to become the winner of the Kentucky Derby. That’s more than a century’s worth of Kentucky Derby winners, with notable highlights from each run of the race. Numerous records have been broken during the race and quite a few legends have been born. The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel of the Triple Crown and is the race where the potential winner is determined. Not only is learning more about past winners of the Run for the Roses interesting, it can also be helpful for those betting on the race.

Looking back at past winners gives bettors the historical facts and Kentucky Derby betting trends that are necessary for strategic wagering. You can read about five of the most notable winners of the Kentucky Derby and what set them apart from other contenders. Then, take a look at historical Kentucky Derby betting odds to see where these horses landed on tote board against the overall competition. All of this information is beneficial when it comes to legal Kentucky Derby betting.

What was once a staple as horses race for the triple crown, there have been many Kentucky Derby winners in the last few years that did not race at the Preakness two weeks after winning The Run for the Roses. Some of the recent Kentucky Derby winners and their results at the Preakness are below.

• Mage 2023 – Finished in third at the 2023 Preakness. Rich Strike 2022 – Did not run at the 2022 Preakness.
• Mandaloun 2021 – Did not race at the 2021 Preakness.
• Authentic 2020 – Finished in second at the Preakness. It’s important to note that the running of the Preakness was delayed until October due to Covid-19. Country House
• 2019 – Did not race at the Preakness due to an illness.

Secretariat (1973)

No other horse has become as notorious to Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown races as Secretariat. Secretariat holds the record for fastest Kentucky Derby run time, finishing in 1 minute, 59 and 2/5 seconds. He went on to conquer the Preakness and Belmont to become the 9th winner of the Triple Crown. A legend in the horse racing world, the thoroughbred inspired the 2010 Disney film titled after his namesake.

American Pharoah (2015)

American Pharoah is the horse that ended a 37-year Triple Crown drought. Jockey Victor Espinoza had led California Chrome close to the crown in 2014 and had done the same with War Emblem in 2002. It during the 2015 Kentucky Derby that Espinoza led American Pharoah to victory with a finishing time of 2:03.02. To seal his legendary status, the Jockey Club reserved the name American Pharoah.

Donerail (1913)

Donerail makes the list because he was the longest shot to ever win the Kentucky Derby. The horse was posted at 91-1 betting odds and was able to overtake several horses to gain the lead. The upset winner gave lucky bettors a 184.90 payoff on a $2 bet. With jockey Roscoe Goose, Donerail finished the Kentucky Derby in 2 minutes, 4.80 seconds.

Citation (1948)

Citation is often argued as the greatest horses of all time, but not necessarily due to his speed. The Triple Crown winner raced 29 times during his three-year-old career and won 27 of those races. “The Big Cy” is just one of three thoroughbreds to ever win 16 graded-stakes races consecutively. While many horses have surpassed $1 million in career earnings in today’s day in age, Citation was the first to accomplish this feat.

Spectacular Bid (1979)

Also known as “the Bid”, this thoroughbred was initially favored to win the Kentucky Derby and sweep the Triple Crown. Unfortunately, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin just before the Belmont and was not able to perform to the best of his abilities. The year that the Bid won the Kentucky Derby was jockey Ronnie Franklin’s first time appearing in the stakes race.

Historic Kentucky Derby Betting Odds

While wagering on the Kentucky Derby betting favorite can pay off, so can taking a shot on the underdog. It is impossible to know exactly what will happen in the two most exciting minutes in sports but looking back at the historic Kentucky Derby betting odds can help. You can see a full list of past Kentucky Derby betting odds, along with what betting trends can be identified: