Kentucky Derby Horse Race info at SBG Global

The 2007 Kentucky Derby winner was Street Sense, the 9-2 favorite, who rallied from 19th under jockey Calvin Borel to pass the pacesetting Hard Spun in the stretch and draw away to a 2 ¼-length victory in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, rewarding horse betting players.

The Churchill Downs racetrack officially opened on May 17, 1875 and that was the day of the first Kentucky Derby won by Aristides. That first Kentucky Derby race  was held before a crowd of 10,000 from around the city, state and surrounding areas as it made Kentucky history. In that race, a field of 15 three-year-olds ran a 1.5 mile course which was won by H.P. McGrath’s Aristides. Although the first Kentucky Derby race was held at 1.5 miles, the distance was changed to the current 1.25 miles for the Kentucky Derby date in 1896.

Colonel Matt J. Winn took over Churchill Downs racecourse in 1902 and started promoting the Kentucky horse park and changing Kentucky history. By 1920, the Kentucky Derby had become the best-known thoroughbred race in North America and it was attracting the top three-year-olds from all over the country in addition to the best Kentucky horses.

In the history of Kentucky Derby racing, only three fillies have been Kentucky Derby winners: Regret in 1915, Genuine Risk in 1980, and Winning Colors in 1988. History of Kentucky Derby racing shows the largest field was during the 100th running in 1974 when 23 horses ran. The smallest fields were in 1892 and 1905, with only three horses in each race.

The fastestKentucky Derby winner was Secretariat, who covered the 1 1/4 miles in 1:59 2/5, the only Kentucky Derby winner to finish under two minutes for the winning Kentucky Derby time.

Kentucky is one of the major horse breeding and horseracing areas in the world today. In 1872, Colonel Merwether Lewis Clark, Jr, grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition started visiting horse racing tracks in England and France.  He came back to Kentucky and organized the Louisville Jockey Club at the Kentucky horse park for Kentucky horse racing.  Churchill Downs was named for Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.’s relatives, John and Henry Churchill, who had provided the land for the Kentucky horse park.

In Kentucky Derby history, in 1915, Regret became the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby, and in 1917, the English bred colt “Omar Khayyam” became the first foreign-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. On May 3rd, 1952 the first national television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place and provided great Kentucky Derby entertainment.

Other Kentucky horse park history notes have the historic Mint Julep drink which consists of bourbon, mint and sugar syrup.  Over 80,000 mint juleps are typically served on Kentucky Derby dates and Kentucky Oak’s days.  The University of Louisville band plays “My Old Kentucky Home” before the race begins for more history of Kentucky.

Other historical facts about Kentucky have the Kentucky Derby called “The Run for the Roses,” because a blanket of 554 red roses goes to the Kentucky Derby winners on Kentucky Derby race day.

Barbaro won the 2006 Kentucky Derby with jockey Edgar Prado, exciting horse racing betting fans. He won by 6.5 lengths over second place finisher Bluegrass Cat. The race was attended by 157,536 fans, the second-largest crowd in Kentucky Derby history. Unfortunately Barbaro was injured in the Preakness and did not get a chance to make a Triple Crown run, disappointing many online gambling players.  Many horses have won the Kentucky Derby without winning the Triple Crown.  The 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide was one of many that won the Derby yet did not win the Triple Crown.  It is very difficult for Kentucky Derby horses to win the Derby, then win the Preakness two weeks later and have anything left for the grueling Belmont Stakes.  The Kentucky Derby schedule makes it tough on any horse trying to join the 11 Triple Crown winners in horse racing history.  It is even more difficult than winning a Breeder’s Cup race.

In recent years Kentucky Derby betting online has been a popular way for many online horse betting players to bet horse racing odds and see results of the Kentucky Derby.  Horse betting and online sports betting have become very popular with many people around the world, including those that bet on the Kentucky-Derby.