The Grayson  Prestonfirst leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, "The Fastest Two Minutes In Sports," has been run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, since 1875. It usually takes place on the first Saturday in May (except for 2020, when it was run in September because of the coronavirus pandemic).

Only two Derby winners have broken the 2-minute barrier, Secretariat in 1973 and Monarchos in 2001. The morning line favorites hadn’t fared too well either, as only 40 favorites have crossed the finish line first since 1908, when pari-mutuel wagering was made available at the Derby.                                       

Here are the Kentucky Derby winners over the years, with the winning horse and the winning time in parentheses. Eventual Triple Crown winners are in bold.

Kentucky Derby winners list

2023 - Mage (2:01.57)

2022 - Rich Strike (2:02.61)

2021 - Mandaloun (2:01.36)

2020 - Authentic (2:00.61)

2019 - Country House (2:03.93)

2018 - Justify (2:04:20)

2017 - Always Dreaming (2:03.59)

2016 – Nyquist (2:01.31)

2015 - American Pharoah (2:03.02)

2014 - California Chrome (2:03.66)

2013 - Orb (2:02.89)

2012 - I'll Have Another (2:01.83)

2011 - Animal Kingdom (2:02.04)

2010 - Super Saver (2:04.45)

2009 - Mine That Bird (2:02.66)

2008 - Big Brown (2:01.82)

2007 - Street Sense (2:02.17)

2006 - Barbaro (2:01.36)

2005 - Giacomo (2:02.75)

2004 - Smarty Jones   (2:04.06)

2003 - Funny Cide (2:01.19)

2002 - War Emblem (2:01.13)

2001 – Monarchos (1:59.97)

2000  - Fusaichi Pegasus (2:01.00)

1999 - Charismatic (2:03.20)

1998 - Real Quiet (2:02.20)

1997 - Silver Charm (2:02.40)

1996 - Grindstone (2:01.00)

1995 - Thunder Gulch (2:01.20)

1994 - Go for Gin (2:03.60)

1993 - Sea Hero (2:02.40)

1992 - Lil E. Tee (2:03.00)

1991 - Strike the Gold (2:03.00)

1990 - Unbridled (2:02.00)

1989 - Sunday Silence (2:05.00)

1988 - Winning Colors (2:02.20)

1987 - Alysheba (2:03.40)

1986 - Ferdinand (2:02.80)

1985 - Spend A Buck (2:00.20)

1984 – Swale (2:02.40)

1983 - Sunny's Halo (2:02.20)

1982 - Gato Del Sol (2:02.40)

1981 - Pleasant Colony (2:02.00)

1980 - Genuine Risk (2:02.00)

1979 - Spectacular Bid (2:02.40)

1978 – Affirmed (2:01.20)

1977 - Seattle Slew (2:02.20)

1976 - Bold Forbes (2:01.60)

1975 - Foolish Pleasure (2:02.00)

1974 – Cannonade (2:04.00)

1973 - Secretariat (1:59.40)

1972 - Riva Ridge (2:01.80)

1971 - Canonero II (2:03.20)

1970 - Dust Commander (2:03.40)

1969 - Majestic Prince (2:01.80)

1968 - Forward Pass  (2:02.20)

1967 - Proud Clarion (2:00.60)

1966 - Kauai King (2:02.00)

1965 - Lucky Debonair (2:01.20)

1964 - Northern Dancer (2:00.00)

1963 – Chateaugay (2:01.80)

1962 – Decidedly (2:00.40)

1961 - Carry Back (2:04.00)

1960 - Venetian Way  (2:02.40)

1959 - Tomy Lee (2:02.20)

1958 - Tim Tam (2:05.00)

1957 - Iron Liege (2:02.20)

1956 - Needles (2:03.40)

1955 - Swaps (2:01.80)

1954 – Determine (2:03.00)

1953 - Dark Star (2:02.00)

1952 - Hill Gail (2:01.60)

1951 - Count Turf (2:02.60)

1950 - Middleground (2:01.60)

1949 - Ponder (2:04.20)

1948 - Citation (2:05.40)

1947 - Jet Pilot (2:06.80)

1946 – Assault (2:06.60)

1945 - Hoop Jr. (2:07.00)

1944 - Pensive (2:04.20)

1943 - Count Fleet  (2:04.00)

1942 -Shut Out (2:04.40)

1941 - Whirlaway (2:01.40)

1940 – Gallahadion (2:05.00)

1939 - Johnstown (2:03.40)

1938 - Lawrin  (2:04.80)

1937 - War Admiral (2:03.20)

1936 - Bold Venture (2:03.60)

1935 - Omaha (2:05.00)

1934 - Cavalcade (2:04.00)

1933 - Brokers Tip (2:06.80)

1932 - Burgoo King (2:05.20)

1931 - Twenty Grand  (2:01.80)

1930 - Gallant Fox (2:07.60)

1929 - Clyde Van Dusen (2:10.80)

1928 - Reigh Count (2:10.40)

1927 - Whiskery (2:06.00)

1926 - Bubbling Over (2:03.80)

1925 - Flying Ebony (2:07.60)

1924 - Black Gold (2:05.20)

1923 – Zev (2:05.40)

1922 - Morvich (2:04.60)

1921 - Behave Yourself (2:04.20)

1920 - Paul Jones (2:09.00)

1919 - Sir Barton (2:09.80)

1918 – Exterminator (2:10.80)

1917 - Omar Khayyam (2:04.60)

1916 - George Smith  (2:04.00)

1915 - Regret (2:05.40)

1914 - Old Rosebud (2:03.40)

1913 - Donerail (2:04.80)

1912 - Worth   (2:09.40)

1911 - Meridian (2:05.00)

1910 - Donau  (2:06.40)

1909 - Wintergreen (2:08.20)

1908 - Stone Street (2:15.20)

1907 - Pink Star (2:12.60)

1906 - Sir Huon (2:08.80)

1905 - Agile (2:10.75)

1904 - Elwood (2:08.50)

1903 - Judge Himes    (2:09.00)

1902 - Alan-a-Dale (2:08.75)

1901 - His Eminence (2:07.75)

1900 - Lieut. Gibson   (2:06.25)

1899 – Manuel (2:12.00)

1898 – Plaudit (2:09.00)

1897 - Typhoon II (2:12.50)

1896 - Ben Brush (2:07.75)

1895 - Halma  (2:37.50)

1894 - Chant   (2:41.00)

1893 – Lookout (2:39.25)

1892 – Azra (2:41.50)

1891 - Kingman – (2:52.25)

1890 – Riley (2:45.00)

1889 – Spokane (2:34.50)

1888 - Macbeth II (2:38.00)

1887 – Montrose (2:39.25)

1886 - Ben Ali (2:36.50)

1885 - Joe Cotton (2:37.25)

1884 – Buchanan (2:40.25)

1883 – Leonatus (2:43.00)

1882 - Apollo  (2:40.00)

1881 - Hindoo (2:40.00)

1880 - Fonso   (2:37.50)

1879 - Lord Murphy     (2:37.00)

1878 - Day Star               (2:37.25)

1877 - Baden-Baden (2:38.00)

1876 - Vagrant                 (2:38.25)

1875 - Aristides              (2:37.75)