Kentucky Derby Betting
Kentucky Derby
Skybook Racebook offers online horse betting on the Kentucky Derby, the premier horse racing event of the year. Bet on the Kentucky Derby or one of the other Triple Crown events, the Preakness Stakes or Belmont Stakes, in Skybook's secure online racebook. Kentucky Derby betting brings even more excitement to the action at Churchill Downs.
About the Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby, known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown. Three-year-old thoroughbred horses compete in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, marking the end of the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival.
Kentucky Derby Details
The Kentucky Derby covers 1 1/4 miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg), while fillies carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The Kentucky Derby draws around 155,000 fans.
Kentucky Derby History
Organized horse racing in Kentucky can be traced back to the late 1700s, when several horse tracks were built in the Louisville area. The first Kentucky Derby was held on May 17, 1875. Jockey Oliver Lewis led colt Aristides to victory. The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1 1/2 miles, the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris, which the Kentucky Derby was modeled after. In 1896, the distance was changed to its current 1 1/4 miles.
The 2006 Kentucky Derby was won by the undefeated horse, Barbaro who would go on to suffer a catastrophic injury in the Preakness Stakes shaking up the horse racing world.