With Kentucky Derby Day upon us, here are Past Performances of past winners of the Kentucky Derby to pick the winning horses and winning picks for this 2020 Kentucky Derby.
The excitement of the Kentucky Derby is never restricted to just the two minutes or so in which the race has run. In the weeks leading up to the annual event, contenders jump onto and off the probables lists daily and the hype builds steadily up until and through the time the gates swing open.
But nothing is as exciting, likely, than the last few seconds as the winner cruises down the lane to the win, or just gets up in time. The Derby outcome has been decided by less than a length on 42 occasions, but has been won by four lengths or more 23 times.
Largest Winning Margins:
Old Rosebud: 1914, 8 lengths
Johnstown: 1939, 8 lengths
Whirlaway: 1941, 8 lengths
Horse Racing – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
Assault: 1946, 8 lengths
Mine That Bird: 2009, 6 ¾ lengths
Barbaro: 2006, 6 ½ lengths
Chant: 1894, 6 lengths
Hoop Jr.: 1945, 6 lengths
Spend a Buck: 1985, 5 ¼ lengths
Halma: 1895, 5 lengths
Sir Barton: 191,9 5 lengths
Bubbling Over: 1926, 5 lengths
Burgoo King: 1932, 5 lengths
Dust Commander: 1970, 5 lengths
Monarchos: 2001, 4 ¾ lengths
Big Brown: 2008, 4 ¾ lengths
Pensive: 1944, 4 ½ lengths
Hindoo: 1881, 4 lengths
Lookout: 1893, 4 lengths
Wintergreen: 1909, 4 lengths
Twenty Grand: 1931, 4 lengths
Count Turf: 1951, 4 lengths
War Emblem: 2002, 4 lengths
Smallest Winning Margin
Spokane: 1889, nose
Azra: 1892, nose
Ben Brush: 1896, nose
Plaudit: 1898, nose
Alan-a-Dale: 1902, nose
Brokers Tip: 1933, nose
Iron Liege: 1957 nose
Tomy Lee: 1959, nose
Grindstone: 1996, nose
Paul Jones: 1920, head
Behave Yourself: 1921, head
Whiskery: 1927, head
Bold Venture: 1936, head
Jet Pilot: 1947, head
Dark Star: 1953, head
Silver Charm: 1997, head
Joe Cotton: 1885, neck
Typhoon II: 1897, neck
Worth: 1912, neck
George Smith: 1916, neck
Northern Dancer: 1964, neck
Lucky Debonair: 1965, neck
Majestic Prince: 1969, neck
Winning Colors: 1988, neck
Charismatic: 1999, neck
Apollo: 1882, ½ length
Ben Ali: 1886, ½ length
Kingman: 1891, ½ length
Elwood: 1904, ½ length
Donau: 1910, ½ length
Donerail: 1913, ½ length
Black Gold: 1924, ½ length
Tim Tam: 1958, ½ length
Kauai King: 1966, ½ length
Real Quiet: 1998, ½ length
Giacomo: 2005, ½ length
Judge Himes: 1903, ¾ length
Meridian: 1911, ¾ length
Needles: 1956 ¾ length
Carry Back: 1961,, ¾ length
Pleasant Colony: 1981, ¾ length
Alysheba: 1987, ¾ length
| 1 | Finnick the Fierce | SCR | Rey Hernandez | Martin Garcia |
| 2 | Max Player | 30-1 | Steven M. Asmussen | Ricardo Santana, Jr. |
| 3 | Enforceable | 30-1 | Mark Casse | Adam Beschizza |
| 4 | Storm the Court | 50-1 | Peter Eurton | Julien Leparoux |
| 5 | Major Fed | 50-1 | Greg Foley | James Graham |
| 6 | King Guillermo | SCR | Juan Carlos Avila | Samy Camacho |
| 7 | Money Moves | 30-1 | Todd Pletcher | Javier Castellano |
| 8 | South Bend | 50-1 | Tyler Gaffalione | Bill Mott |
| 9 | Mr. Big News | 50-1 | Bret Calhoun | Gabriel Saez |
| 10 | Thousand Words | 15-1 | Bob Baffert | Florent Geroux |
| 11 | Necker Island | 50-1 | Chris Hartman | Miguel Mena |
| 12 | Sole Volante | 30-1 | Patrick Biancone | Luca Panici |
| 13 | Attachment Rate | 50-1 | Dale Romans | Joe Talamo |
| 14 | Winning Impression | 50-1 | Dallas Stewart | Joe Rocco, Jr. |
| 15 | NY Traffic | 20-1 | Saffie Joseph, Jr. | Paco Lopez |
| 16 | Honor A. P. | 5-1 | John A. Shirreffs | Mike Smith |
| 17 | Tiz the Law | 3-5 | Barclay Tagg | Manny Franco |
| 18 | Authentic | 8-1 | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez |
alignColumn([2], 'left');
});
Miriam Lee has always been a horse racing fan thanks to trips to the tracks in her home state of Maryland with her father as kid. She owns an OTTB and is an advocate for promoting the sport among her peers. Miriam studies communication arts at Hood College and will receive her master’s degree in 2021, which she plans to use for a career in screenwriting. Her all-time favorite racehorse is Man O War.
