Kentucky Derby 2023: What is the fastest time ever run in the Kentucky Derby?
Each year, the world’s finest Thoroughbreads gather to race in “the most exciting two minutes in sports.” While most horses who achieve winning status do so in a time slightly above two minutes, there is one number that stands above the rest as the fastest in Kentucky Derby history.
See below to learn more about the fastest time ever run at Churchill Downs.
Which horse ran the fastest time in Kentucky Derby history?
The fastest Kentucky Derby time ever recorded came from Big Red himself, as Secretariat completed the 1973 Run for the Roses in 1:59 2/5. Secretariat’s triumph came in what is believed by most to have been the greatest horse race of all time.
Secretariat’s rival, Sham, led for the majority of the thrilling contest. Big Red, however, promptly narrowed the gap in the finishing stretch and surpassed the leader in the Derby’s final moments with a two and a half length win. Secretariat’s recorded time was a world record.
While there have been 148 victors of the Kentucky Derby throughout history, only two of these winners have officiallycompleted the race in under two minutes.
It is commonly believed that Sham cracked the two-minute race time in the 1973 Derby alongside Secretariat, but only the number of the first-place finisher was officially recorded at that time in history.
The other Thoroughbred to have completed the Derby under the two-minute mark was Monarchos. The 3-year-old and his jockey, Jorge Chavez, finished the 2001 Kentucky Derby in just 1:59.97.
What other records did Secretariat break?
Aside from posting the fastest Derby time in history, Big Red still holds a number of records in American horse racing. At the age of three, Secretariat set the record in each of the Triple Crown races, achieving the following times:
- Kentucky Derby – 1:59 2/5
- Preakness Stakes – 1:53
- Belmont Stakes – 2:24
The infamous horse was named the ninth American Triple Crown winner in history, and each of his Triple Crown records still stand to this day.
What is the slowest winning time in Kentucky Derby history?
The slowest winning time in Kentucky Derby history came from Kingman and jockey Isaac Murphy, who claimed the Run for the Roses title in 2:52. With just four horses in the race, each jockey was under orders to hold off, running abreast until one would make a move.
Eventually, Murphy caved and allowed Kingman to surpass the field, claiming a Derby trophy in what is believed to be the worst Kentucky Derby of all time.
How to watch the 2023 Kentucky Derby:
- Date: Saturday, May 6
- Time: Live coverage begins at 12 PM ET
- Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
- TV Network: NBC
- Streaming:Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
How can I watch horse racing on Peacock?
What else can I watch on Peacock?
Watch the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6 on NBC, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Practical Move won’t run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday because of an elevated temperature. Japanese horse Continuar also is out.
The scratches were announced Thursday.
Practical Move, the Santa Anita Derby winner, galloped in the morning and practiced standing in the starting gate.
Trainer Tim Yakteen told The Associated Press via text message that Practical Move’s temperature began to rise around 11 a.m.
The colt was the early co-fourth choice at 10-1 odds.
The scratch moves Cyclone Mischief into the 20-horse field. He finished third in the Florida Derby and was second in the Fountain of Youth. He has two wins in seven career starts for trainer Dale Romans.
Continuar was scratched because “he has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby,” trainer Yoshito Yahagi said.
As a result, King Russell moves into the field and will break from the far outside post.
Yakteen still has Reincarnate in the Derby. He took over that colt’s training from Bob Baffert, who is serving a two-year ban by Churchill Downs Inc. for a failed postrace doping test by Medina Spirit, the 2021 winner who was later disqualified.
Churchill Downs Incorporated announced on Thursday that trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is suspended indefinitely after what the organization described as “highly unusual sudden deaths” of two horses trained by Joseph at Churchill Downs Racetrack. Lord Miles, who was slated to run the 149th Kentucky Derby and is trained by Joseph, has been scratched from Saturday’s race by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
The suspension bars Joseph, or any trainer directly or indirectly employed by Joseph, from entering horses in races or applying for stall occupancy at all Churchill Downs Incorporated-owned race tracks.
“Given the unexplained sudden deaths, we have reasonable concerns about the condition of his horses, and decided to suspend him indefinitely until details are analyzed and understood,” said Bill Mudd, President and Chief Operating Officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated. “The safety of our equine and human athletes and integrity of our sport is our highest priority. We feel these measures are our duty and responsibility.”
Last Saturday, four-year-old filly Parents Pride collapsed and died following the eighth race at Churchill Downs. On Tuesday, five-year-old Chasing Artie had a similar incident following the eighth race that day. Both horses were owned by Kenneth Ramsey and trained by Joseph.
“We’ve done every test and everything in our power to find out what happened,” Joseph told Thoroughbred Daily News. “It happened at a bad time. The Kentucky Racing Commission told me there was no wrongdoing on my part. They looked at my barn and said you did nothing wrong. Churchill asked me to scratch all the horses and I did. Then for Churchill to come out and suspend me indefinitely, they’re trying to save their face.”
In the past week, four horses have died in racing or training at Churchill Downs. Take Charge Briana was euthanized following an injury in a turf race on Tuesday and Wild On Ice, who was scheduled to compete in the Derby, was put down after suffering a leg injury during training. Neither horse was trained by Joseph. The deaths have prompted an investigation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
