Look, the Kentucky Derby is basically the only horse race where people who can't tell a pony from a mule suddenly become expert handicappers. It's the "Run for the Roses," the "Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," and honestly, it’s a chaotic mess of history that dates back to 1875. If you're looking at a list of winners of Kentucky Derby, you aren't just looking at names; you're looking at 150 years of luck, heartbreak, and occasionally, a horse that runs so fast it breaks the laws of physics.
Most folks think the fastest horse always wins. Not even close. Sometimes the winner is a 91-1 longshot that nobody wanted, and other times the winner gets stripped of their title because of a post-race drug test or a lane-change violation that feels like a bad DMV hearing.
Why the List of Winners of Kentucky Derby Still Matters
We care because of the Triple Crown. That's the holy grail. But winning the Derby is the hardest part. You've got 20 screaming three-year-old colts (and the occasional filly) trying to shove through a 1.25-mile dirt track at Churchill Downs.
The list of winners of Kentucky Derby is a weird mix of legends and one-hit wonders. You have Secretariat, the 1973 monster who still holds the track record. Then you have horses like Sovereignty, who just took the 2025 Derby on a sloppy track with 9-1 odds. It’s unpredictable. That’s the point.
The Recent Winners (The Modern Era)
If you’ve been watching lately, the names come fast. 2025 gave us Sovereignty. Bill Mott trained him, and Junior Alvarado rode him to a 1.5-length victory. It was a gritty win on a muddy surface that looked like chocolate pudding.
Here is how the last few years shook out:
- 2025: Sovereignty (Jockey: Junior Alvarado) - Time: 2:02.31
- 2024: Mystik Dan (Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.) - Time: 2:03.34
- 2023: Mage (Jockey: Javier Castellano) - Time: 2:01.57
- 2022: Rich Strike (Jockey: Sonny Leon) - Time: 2:02.61
- 2021: Mandaloun (Jockey: Florent Geroux) - Time: 2:01.02
Wait, you're probably asking about Medina Spirit. Yeah, he crossed the wire first in 2021, but he was disqualified later. Mandaloun got the win in the record books. It's messy. Same thing happened in 2019 with Country House. Maximum Security actually won the race but got tossed for interference. It was the first time in history a winner was DQ’d on the spot for a racing foul.
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The Speed Kings: Who Actually Ran the Fastest?
Everyone talks about "the two minutes." It's the gold standard. In the entire list of winners of Kentucky Derby, only two horses have officially finished under two minutes since the distance moved to 1.25 miles in 1896.
Secretariat (1973) is the king. 1:59.40. He didn't just win; he got faster every single quarter-mile. Think about that. Most horses tire out. Secretariat just kept accelerating like he had a jet engine in his chest.
Monarchos (2001) is the only other horse in the club. He clocked a 1:59.97. He came from 13th place and just vaporized the field. People sort of forget about him because he didn't win the Triple Crown, but his Derby performance was purely scientific insanity.
Northern Dancer (1964) hit exactly 2:00.00. He was the first Canadian-bred horse to win, and he was tiny. People said he was too small for the distance. He proved them wrong by setting a record that stood until Secretariat came along.
The Longshots That Ruined Everyone’s Betting Slip
If you like gambling, the Derby is a nightmare. In 1913, a horse named Donerail won at 91-1 odds. To this day, he is the biggest upset in the history of the race. If you bet $2 on him back then, you walked away with $184.90—which was a lot of money in 1913.
More recently, Rich Strike (2022) blew the roof off the place at 80-1. He wasn't even supposed to be in the race. He only got in because another horse, Ethereal Road, scratched the day before. He started at the very back and zig-zagged through traffic like a New York City cab driver to win.
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Then there’s Mine That Bird (2009) at 50-1. Calvin Borel rode him along the rail, and the announcer didn't even see him coming until he was already in front. Borel is a legend at Churchill Downs; they call him "Bo-rail" because he never leaves the fence. He won three Derbies in four years (2007, 2009, 2010), which is a stat that most people completely overlook.
The Legends and the Bloodlines
You can't talk about the winners without mentioning Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack. They both won five times. Arcaro is basically the godfather of American jockeys. He won with Whirlaway (1941) and Citation (1948), both Triple Crown winners.
Speaking of Triple Crowns, the list is short. Only 13 horses have done it.
- Sir Barton (1919)
- Gallant Fox (1930)
- Omaha (1935)
- War Admiral (1937)
- Whirlaway (1941)
- Count Fleet (1943)
- Assault (1946)
- Citation (1948)
- Secretariat (1973)
- Seattle Slew (1977)
- Affirmed (1978)
- American Pharoah (2015)
- Justify (2018)
Seattle Slew is special because he was the first horse to win the Triple Crown while being completely undefeated. He was a "bargain" horse, too—bought for $17,500. For a horse that ended up being worth millions, that’s basically finding a Ferrari at a garage sale.
The Fillies Who Beat the Boys
It’s rare. Really rare. Only three fillies have ever won the Kentucky Derby.
- Regret (1915): She was the first. Her owner basically entered her just to prove she was better than the colts. She was.
- Genuine Risk (1980): She was a fan favorite. She finished in 2:02.00 flat.
- Winning Colors (1988): A big, grey mare who led from start to finish. She just outran everyone.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Winners
There’s this myth that the favorite always wins. Statistics say they win about 35% of the time. Between 2013 and 2018, the favorite won six times in a row. It felt like the race was getting predictable. Then 2019 happened. Since then, it’s been total chaos. We’ve seen DQs, massive longshots, and a global pandemic that moved the 2020 race (won by Authentic) to September.
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Another misconception? That the fastest horse from the prep races will win the Derby. The Derby is a different beast. It's a crowd of 150,000 people screaming, a 20-horse field, and a track that might be bone-dry or a total mud pit. It’s about who can handle the stress, not just who has the highest speed figure.
Breaking Down the All-Time Wins
If you look at the trainers, Ben Jones and Bob Baffert are tied at the top with six wins each. Baffert would have seven, but Medina Spirit's DQ took that away.
For owners, Calumet Farm is the undisputed heavyweight champion. They’ve won eight times. Their pink and blue silks were the dominant force in racing for decades, especially in the 40s and 50s.
How to Use This List for Your Next Derby Party
If you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about next May, don't just memorize the winners. Talk about the "Curse of Apollo." Until Justify won in 2018, no horse had won the Derby without racing as a two-year-old since Apollo did it in 1882. It was a 136-year jinx. Then Mage did it again in 2023. The old rules of "pedigree" and "experience" are being rewritten by modern training.
Keep an eye on the times, too. If a horse is running around 2:02.00, they are in the mix. If they approach 2:00.00, you are watching history.
The list of winners of Kentucky Derby is more than just a sports record; it's a timeline of American culture. From the first winner, Aristides, to the latest champion, Sovereignty, the race remains the ultimate test of three minutes (well, two minutes) of glory.
Key Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Track the Trainer: Bill Mott (2025 winner) and Bob Baffert are consistent threats; always check who is conditioning the horse.
- The 2:00 Barrier: Only Secretariat and Monarchos have officially broken it; use this as a benchmark for "all-time greatness."
- The Rail Factor: Look for jockeys like Calvin Borel who know how to save ground on the inside.
- Mud Matters: Check the weather; horses like Sovereignty thrive when the track gets "sloppy."
Check the official Churchill Downs leaderboard in early April to see which horses are actually qualifying for the next run. Study the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" points—winning a big prep race like the Florida Derby or the Santa Anita Derby is usually the best indicator of who will actually end up on the permanent list.