Horse racing’s most prestigious event, the Kentucky Derby, will be run for the 145th time on Saturday, May 4. It is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the United States since it was first held in 1875.
Dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” it draws 150,000 fans to Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville each year. It’s no surprise then that the Kentucky Derby is one of the best events held in the state every year.
In recognition of this prestigious sporting event, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Kentucky Derby Woodford Reserve’s list of winners since the race began in 1875 to compile a list of the Kentucky Derby winners the year you were born.
Included on the list are Triple Crown winners, such as Whirlaway (in 1941), Citation (in 1948), Secretariat (in 1973), Seattle Slew (in 1977), and Affirmed (in 1978).
The Derby track was shortened in 1896 to 1.25 miles from 1.50 miles because the original distance was considered too long for 3-year-old horses, and only 3-year-old thoroughbreds can qualify for the race.
This year’s Kentucky Derby was thrown into chaos Wednesday when race favorite Omaha Beach was scratched because of a breathing issue. The colt developed a cough and an examination indicated he had an entrapped epiglottis, which is not life-threatening. Omaha Beach will need surgery and will be out for three weeks. As of the morning of May 2, Game Winner was the favorite at 5-1, followed by Improbable and Roadster, whose odds are 6-1.
This group of 3-year-olds is seeking equine immortality to join the previous 144 winners of America’s premier horse race. And these are the most iconic horses to race in the Kentucky Derby history.
Click here for to see every Kentucky Derby winner since 1990
Source: Ken Levine / Getty Images
1990
> Winner: Unbridled
> Time: 2:02.00
> Jockey: Craig Perret
> Trainer: Carl Nafzger
> Owner: Frances A. Genter
Source: the-o / Flickr
1991
> Winner: Strike the Gold
> Time: 2:03.00
> Jockey: Chris Antley
> Trainer: Nick Zito
> Owner: BCC Stable
Source: Ken Levine / Getty Images
1992
> Winner: Lil E. Tee
> Time: 2:03.00
> Jockey: Pat Day
> Trainer: Lynn Whiting
> Owner: W. Cal Partee
Source: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images
1993
> Winner: Sea Hero
> Time: 2:02.00
> Jockey: Jerry Bailey
> Trainer: MacKenzie “Mack” Miller
> Owner: Rokeby Stable
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Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
1994
> Winner: Go for Gin
> Time: 2:03.60
> Jockey: Chris McCarron
> Trainer: Nick Zito
> Owner: William J. Condren & Joseph M. Cornacchia
Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
1995
> Winner: Thunder Gulch
> Time: 2:01.20
> Jockey: Gary Stevens
> Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
> Owner: Michael Tabor
Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
1996
> Winner: Grindstone
> Time: 2:01.00
> Jockey: Jerry Bailey
> Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
> Owner: Overbrook Farm
Source: Elsa / Getty Images
1997
> Winner: Silver Charm
> Time: 2:02.40
> Jockey: Gary Stevens
> Trainer: Bob Baffert
> Owner: Robert B. & Beverly J. Lewis
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images
1998
> Winner: Real Quiet
> Time: 2:02.20
> Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
> Trainer: Bob Baffert
> Owner: Mike Pegram
Source: Doug Pensinger / ALLSPORT / Getty Images
1999
> Winner: Charismatic
> Time: 2:02.29
> Jockey: Chris Antley
> Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
> Owner: Robert B. & Beverly J. Lewis
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Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images
2000
> Winner: Fusaichi Pegasus
> Time: 2:01.00
> Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
> Trainer: Neil D. Drysdale
> Owner: Fusao Sekiguchi
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images
2001
> Winner: Monarchos
> Time: 1:59.97
> Jockey: Jorge Chavez
> Trainer: John T. Ward, Jr.
> Owner: John C. Oxley
Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
2002
> Winner: War Emblem
> Time: 2:02.13
> Jockey: Victor Espinoza
> Trainer: Bob Baffert
> Owner: The Thoroughbred Corporation
Source: Mario Tama / Getty Images
2003
> Winner: Funny Cide
> Time: 2:01.19
> Jockey: José Santos
> Trainer: Barclay Tagg
> Owner: Sackatoga Stable (Jackson Knowlton)
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Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
2004
> Winner: Smarty Jones
> Time: 2:02.06
> Jockey: Stewart Elliott
> Trainer: John Servis
> Owner: Someday Farm
Source: Boboroshi / Wikimedia Commons
2005
> Winner: Giacomo
> Time: 2:02.75
> Jockey: Mike Smith
> Trainer: John Shirreffs
> Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Source: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images
2006
> Winner: Barbaro
> Time: 2:01.36
> Jockey: Edgar Prado
> Trainer: Michael Matz
> Owner: Lael Stables (Roy & Gretchen Jackson)
Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
2007
> Winner: Street Sense
> Time: 2:02.17
> Jockey: Calvin Borel
> Trainer: Carl Nafzger
> Owner: James B. Tafel
Source: Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
2008
> Winner: Big Brown
> Time: 2:01.82
> Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
> Trainer: Richard Dutrow, Jr.
> Owner: IEAH Stable (Michael Iavarone) and Paul P. Pompa Jr.
Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images
2009
> Winner: Mine That Bird
> Time: 2:02.66
> Jockey: Calvin Borel
> Trainer: Bennie Woolley Jr.
> Owner: Double Eagle Ranch & Bueno Suerte Equine
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Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images
2010
> Winner: Super Saver
> Time: 2:04.45
> Jockey: Calvin Borel
> Trainer: Todd Pletcher
> Owner: WinStar Farm LLC.
Source: Travis Lindquist / Getty Images
2011
> Winner: Animal Kingdom
> Time: 2:02.04
> Jockey: John Velazquez
> Trainer: H. Graham Motion
> Owner: Team Valor International
Source: Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office / Wikimedia Commons
2012
> Winner: I’ll Have Another
> Time: 2:01.83
> Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
> Trainer: Doug O’Neill
> Owner: J. Paul Reddam
Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
2013
> Winner: Orb
> Time: 2:02.89
> Jockey: Joel Rosario
> Trainer: Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III
> Owner: Stuart Janney III & Phipps Stable (Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps)
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Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images
2014
> Winner: California Chrome
> Time: 2:03.66
> Jockey: Victor Espinoza
> Trainer: Art Sherman
> Owner: Steve and Carolyn Coburn & Perry and Denise Martin
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images
2015
> Winner: American Pharoah
> Time: 2:03.02
> Jockey: Victor Espinoza
> Trainer: Bob Baffert
> Owner: Ahmed Zayat
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images
2016
> Winner:
> Time: 2:01:31
> Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
> Trainer: Doug F. O’Neill
> Owner: Reddam Racing LLC
> Winner:
> Time: 2:01:31
> Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
> Trainer: Doug F. O’Neill
> Owner: Reddam Racing LLC
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Source: Patrick Smith / Getty Images
2017
> Winner: Always Dreaming
> Time: 2:03.59
> Jockey: John R. Velazquez
> Trainer: Todd Pletcher
> Owner: Brooklyn Boyz Stables
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images
2018
> Winner: Justify
> Time: 2:04.20
> Jockey: Mike E. Smith
> Trainer: Bob Baffert
> Owner: China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farms
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