Derby 10
Only one Derby winner since 1908 broke his maiden in the Derby and this year, with time added to the Derby trail thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the Derby probables have had extra time and extra starts to make the gate, things they might not have had in a traditionally run Derby. Some tracks send out more Derby winners than others, so following is a list of track success where Derby winners broke their maidens, in alphabetical order.
Aqueduct: 9
Arlington Park: 5
Belmont Park: 16
Major Fed – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
Calder: 2
Churchill Downs: 4
Del Mar: 3
Delaware Park: 3
Fort Erie: 1
Gulfstream Park: 3
Hialeah: 7
Hollywood Park: 5
Keeneland: 2
Pimlico: 1
Santa Anita: 9
Saratoga: 10
Tampa Bay Downs 1
Turfway Park: 2
Woodbine: 3
Last winner to have broken their maiden at each track:
Aqueduct: 2013 winner Orb
Arlington Park: 2007 winner Street Sense
Belmont Park: 2010 winner Super Saver
Calder: 1992 winner Lil E. Tee
Churchill Downs: 1933 winner Brokers Tip (also broke maiden in the Derby)
Del Mar: 2015 winner American Pharoah
Delaware Park: 2006 winner Barbaro
Fort Erie: 1964 winner Northern Dancer
Gulfstream Park: 2019 winner Country House
Hialeah: 1975 winner Foolish Pleasure
Hollywood Park: 2014 winner California Chrome
Keeneland: 2011 winner Animal Kingdom
Meadowlands: 1981 winner Pleasant Colony
Parx Racing: 2004 winner Smarty Jones
Pimlico: 1979 winner Spectacular Bid
Santa Anita: 2018 winner Justify
Saratoga: 2008 winner Big Brown
Saratoga (dirt): 1988 winner Winning Colors
Saratoga (male on dirt): 1962 winner Decidedly
Tampa Bay Downs” 2017 winner Always Dreaming
Turfway Park: 1987 winner Alysheba
Woodbine: 2009 winner Mine That Bird
On Synthetic: 2011 winner Animal Kingdom
On Turf: 2008 winner Big Brown
Foreign: 1976 winner Bold Forbes (El Commandante, Puerto Rico)
How many starts did it take for Derby winners to break their maiden?
Derby winners who broke maiden in first start: 44
Derby winners who broke maiden in second start: 26
Derby winners who broke maiden in first or second start: 69
Derby winners who broke maiden in third start: 16
Derby winners who broke maiden in 4+ starts: 17
Derby winners who broke maiden on turf: 3
Derby winners who broke maiden on synthetic: 4
Derby winners who broke maiden on turf (since 1914): Sea Hero (1993), Barbaro (2006) & Big Brown (2008)
Derby winners who broke maiden on a synthetic surface (since 1914): Mine That Bird (2009), Animal Kingdom (2011), I’ll Have Another (2012), California Chrome (2014) & American Pharoah (2015)
Derby winners who broke maiden in a maiden claiming race (since 1914): Charistmatic (1999) & Mine That Bird (2009)
Maiden Winners (since 1929 or last 90)
Derby winners who broke maiden in April: 8
Derby winners who broke maiden in May: 6
Derby winners who broke maiden in June: 11
Derby winners who broke maiden in July: 10
Derby winners who broke maiden in August: 11
Derby winners who broke maiden in September: 11
Derby winners who broke maiden in October: 9 (including 8 of last 24)
Derby winners who broke maiden in November: 7
Derby winners who broke maiden in December: 0
Derby winners who broke maiden in January.: 8
Derby winners who broke maiden in February: 1 (latest February 18, except 1933)
Derby winners who broke maiden in March: 0
Derby winners who broke maiden in April: 0
Derby winners who broke maiden prior to December: 74 (82.2%)
About two-thirds of the Derby winners broke their maiden in their first or second start, including 16 of the last 20 years.
Twelve maidens have run in the Kentucky Derby since 1937 – Bodexpress, 2019, 13th; Sonneteer, 2017, 16th; Trojan Nation, 2016, 16th; Nationalore, 1998, 9th; Pendleton Ridge, 1990, 13th; Great Redeemer, 1979, 10th; Fourulla, 1971, 19th; The Chosen One ,1959, 14th; Flamingo, 1958; 13th; On The Mark, 1950, 8th; Senecas Coin, 1949, 14th; and Bert G., 1945, 14th
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.
