The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby, known as the most exciting two minutes in sports, is an annual event held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Also know as the run for the roses because of the blanket of roses that are draped on the winner after the race, the Kentucky Derby is one of the oldest U.S. run thoroughbred races. First run in 1875 at 1½ miles, a distance that matched the Gran Prix de Paris, the race was changed to 1¼ miles in 1896 and has been run at that length ever since. Taking place on the 1st Saturday in May, the race was first televised in 1952. In 1954 the purse reached over $100,000 for the first time. Secretariat to this day owns the track record set at 1 minute 59.4 seconds.

Two other horses in the history of The Kentucky Derby have recorded sub-two minute times. The most recent was Monarchos, who recorded a track time of 1:59:97 in 2001. The third sub-two minute time was recorded by Sham, who?s blazing speed didn?t even win him the race. Sham had the misfortune of turning in his sub-two minute performance in the same race in which Secretariat set the all time record.