The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest and most prestigious horse races in the world, and it has a rich history as Saturday’s 2023 race is the 149th running.
It’s nicknamed “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” because the 1.25-mile race on Churchill Downs’ dirt track often produces riveting racing and thrilling finishes. Even in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike appeared seemingly out of nowhere to steal the victory, despite the longest odds in the field at 80-1.
So ahead of Saturday’s 149th Kentucky Derby, here’s a look back at some Derby history with all the winning horses, plus jockeys and trainers, since 2000, per the Derby’s site.
MORE KENTUCKY DERBY:
- Every 2023 Kentucky Derby horse name, ranked
- 5 horses to know before the 2023 Kentucky Derby
- Kentucky Derby 2023: post position draw results and morning line odds
2000: Fusaichi Pegasus
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
Trainer: Neil D. Drysdale
Owner: Fusao Sekiguchi
Time: 2:01
2001: Monarchos
Jockey: Jorge Chavez
Trainer: John T. Ward, Jr.
Owner: John C. Oxley
Time: 1:59.97
2002: War Emblem
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: The Thoroughbred Corporation
Time: 2:01.13
2003: Funny Cide
Jockey: José Santos
Trainer: Barclay Tagg
Owner: Sackatoga Stable (Jackson Knowlton)
Time: 2:01.19
2004: Smarty Jones
Jockey: Stewart Elliott
Trainer: John Servis
Owner: Someday Farm
Time: 2:04.06
2005: Giacomo
Jockey: Mike Smith
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Time: 2:02.75
2006: Barbaro
Jockey: Edgar Prado
Trainer: Michael Matz
Owner: Lael Stables (Roy & Gretchen Jackson)
Time: 2:01.36
2007: Street Sense
Jockey: Calvin Borel
Trainer: Carl Nafzger
Owner: James B. Tafel
Time: 2:02.17
2008: Big Brown
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
Trainer: Richard Dutrow, Jr.
Owner: IEAH Stable (Michael Iavarone) and Paul P. Pompa Jr.
Time: 2:01.82
2009: Mine That Bird
Jockey: Calvin Borel
Trainer: Bennie Woolley Jr.
Owner: Double Eagle Ranch & Bueno Suerte Equine
Time: 2:02.66
2010: Super Saver
Jockey: Calvin Borel
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: WinStar Farm LLC.
Time: 2:04.45
2011: Animal Kingdom
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: H. Graham Motion
Owner: Team Valor International
Time: 2:02.04
2012: I'll Have Another
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Owner: J. Paul Reddam
Time: 2:01.83
2013: Orb
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III
Owner: Stuart Janney III & Phipps Stable (Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps)
Time: 2:02.89
2014: California Chrome
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: Art Sherman
Owner: Steve and Carolyn Coburn & Perry and Denise Martin
Time: 2:03.66
2015: American Pharoah
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Ahmed Zayat
Time: 2:03.02
American Pharoah was also a Triple Crown winner.
2016: Nyquist
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
Trainer: Doug F. O’Neill
Owner: Reddam Racing LLC
Time: 2:01:31
2017: Always Dreaming
Jockey: John R. Velazquez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Teresa Viola Racing Stables, Siena Farm LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, MeB Racing Stables LLC, St. Elias Stables, LLC.
Time: 2:03.59
2018: Justify
Jockey: Mike E. Smith
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farms
Time: 2:04.20
Justify was also a Triple Crown winner.
2019: Country House
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: William I. Mott
Owner: Mrs. JV Shields, EJM McFadden and LNJ Foxwoods
Time: 2:03.98
2020: Authentic
Jockey: John R. Velazquez
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing
Time: 2:00.61
2021: Mandaloun
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Brad H. Cox
Owner: Juddmonte Farms (Khalid Abdullah)
Time: 2:01.02
2022: Rich Strike
Jockey: Sonny Leon
Trainer: Eric R. Reed
Owner: RED TR-Racing, LLC
Time: 2:02.61
