Kentucky Derby Weekend

Bob Baffert shares the Kentucky Derby record for trainers. He has saddled six official winners, level with the late Ben Jones, who won six between 1938 and 1952. Baffert's run began with Silver Charm in 1997 and Real Quiet in 1998, and includes Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. Authentic added the sixth in 2020. Medina Spirit finished first in 2021 but was later disqualified after a positive drug test.

Secretariat's Kentucky Derby time has stood for more than half a century. Ridden by Ron Turcotte, he covered the mile and a quarter at Churchill Downs in 1:59.40 in 1973, the first Derby run in under two minutes. Monarchos, in 2001, is the only other winner to break two minutes, in 1:59.97. Secretariat went on to complete the Triple Crown with a 31-length win in the Belmont Stakes in a record time of 2:24.

Rachel Alexandra produced the most one-sided Kentucky Oaks on record. In 2009 she won by 20¼ lengths, more than doubling the previous record of 10 lengths set by Lite Light in 1991. Ridden by Calvin Borel for trainer Hal Wiggins, she started the 3-10 favourite and stopped the clock in 1:48.87. Stone Legacy finished second. A crowd of 104,867 watched the 135th running of the race at Churchill Downs.