May 17, 1875: The 1st Kentucky Derby

May 17, 1875: The 1st Kentucky Derby is run, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a mile and a half, with 15 horses, 13 of whom were ridden by black men. The winning horse, by 2 lengths, was named Aristides, in 2 minutes, 37.75 seconds. His jockey, Oliver Lewis, then 19, was black. (Lewis lived until 1924, not quite to the 50th Anniversary of the event.)

The Derby has been run every year since, usually on the 1st Saturday in May. In 1896, the length of the race was shortened to a mile and a quarter, which it has remained ever since. It became the 1st leg of the "Triple Crown" of American thoroughbred racing, along with the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, held on the 3rd Saturday in May; and the Belmont Stakes, just outside New York City, held on the 1st Saturday in June.

Churchill Downs was built in 1875, by Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of explorer William Clark. It was built on land leased to them by his uncles, John and Henry Churchill. The famous twin spires were built in 1895. In 2005, luxury boxes were built. This "Millionaire's Row" now dwarfs the spires, and ruins the perspective of one of the most historic sports venues in America. The grandstand seats about 50,000 people. Only on Derby Day is the infield opened, giving it a seating capacity of 170,000.

The Kentucky Derby -- and, in America, if someone says simply "The Derby," this is what they mean -- is billed as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports." Two horses have won it in less than 2 minutes: Secretariat in 1973, in 1:59 and 2/5ths (traditionally, the Triple Crown races were measured in fifths of a second); and Monarchos, in 2001, just under, in 1:59.97.

Every horse in the race was born 3 calendar years before. Every horse carries exactly 126 pounds, including the jockey. If the jockey weighs more than 126 pounds, he is disqualified from the race. If he weighs less than 126, weights are added to the horse, so that every horse, at least in theory, is equal.

Every year since 1932 -- when the Derby became the 1st sporting event ever broadcast live on radio around the world, and Burgoo King, named for a local stew, won it -- The Governor of Kentucky and the Chairman of Churchill Downs, Inc. present the winning horse with a blanket of 554 red roses. Hence, the race is nicknamed "The Run for the Roses."

1997 Winners Silver Charm and Gary Stevens, with the garland

The Preakness is "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans." The Belmont is "The Run for the Carnations." Los Angeles Times sports columnist Jim Murray had lost some friends to fatal crashes at the Indianapolis 500, and called America's most famous auto race "The Run for the Lilies," as in the flowers often seen at funerals. He also turned the traditional introduction, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" into, "Gentlemen, start your coffins!"

Among the traditions of the Derby are dressing up, including women wearing the fanciest hats this side of a British royal wedding; the drinking of mint juleps, an iced drink of bourbon, mint and sugar syrup, introduced at the 1938 Derby; and the singing of "My Old Kentucky Home," the State Song, written in 1852 by Stephen Foster.

(According to the International Bartenders' Association, this is the official recipe for a mint julep: 2 fluid ounces of bourbon whiskey, 4 mint sprigs, 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar, and 2 teaspoons of water, served over crushed ice.)

Eddie Arcaro won 5 Kentucky Derbies as a jockey: 1938 aboard Lawrin, 1941 aboard Whirlaway, 1945 aboard Hoop Jr., 1948 aboard Citation, and 1952 about Hill Gail. That record was tied by Bill Hartack: 1957 aboard Iron Liege, 1960 aboard Venetian Way, 1962 aboard Decidedly, 1964 aboard Northern Dancer, and 1969 aboard Majestic Prince. But it has never been broken.

Ben A. Jones trained 6 winners, between 1938 and 1952. That record hasn't been broken, but it has been tied by Bob Baffert, between 1997 and 2020. Calumet Farm is the leading owner, with 8 wins, from 1941 to 1968.

The longest shot to win the race has been Donerail, 91-1 in 1913. Since then, the longest has been Rich Strike, 80-1 in 2022. Three fillies have won: Regret in 1915, Genuine Risk in 1980, Winning Colors in 1988.

The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously-run professional sporting event in America. It was not suspended for World War I. It was not suspended for the Great Depression. It was not suspended for World War II. The Indianapolis 500 can be delayed by rain, but if it rains on Derby Day, the race is run on the sloppy track, anyway. Even in 2020, when COVID restrictions meant that it couldn't be run on May 2, it was postponed to the 1st Saturday of another month, September 5. The winner was named Authentic.

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May 17, 1875 was a Monday, unlike most Derby Days, which are Saturdays. It turned out to be a sad day for many people in Kentucky, as John C. Breckinridge died. He served the State in both houses of Congress, was James Buchanan's Vice President from 1857 to 1861, and, regrettably, was a Confederate General in the American Civil War. He was only 54 years old.

The only professional sports league in America at the time was baseball's National Association. There were 4 games played that day:

* The Boston Red Stockings beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 12-0 at the original version (1871-1887) of the South End Grounds in Boston. Both teams' names would later be adopted by charter franchises in the American League. These Red Stockings would go through some name changes until 1912, becoming the Boston Braves. They moved to Milwaukee in 1953, and to Atlanta in 1966.

* The Washington Nationals beat the New Haven Elm Citys, 10-7 at the Howard Avenue Grounds in New Haven, Connecticut. These Nationals folded after the season, and the current National League team with that name has no connection to them.

* The Hartford Dark Blues beat the Brooklyn Atlantics, 5-0 at the Union Grounds in Brooklyn. Once America's top amateur baseball team, the Atlantics were surpassed when moving to the professional game, and 1875 would be their last season.

* And the New York Mutuals beat the Philadelphia White Stockings, 8-7 at the Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia.

May 10, 1913: The Longest Shot to Win the Kentucky Derby

May 10, 1913: Donerail, ridden by Roscoe Goose, wins the Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. He began the race with odds of 91-1. He remains the longest shot ever to win America's biggest horse race.

Under beautiful conditions, 12 horses were scheduled to race, but scratches reduced the number to 8. Donerail won what would later be called "the most exciting two minutes in sports" in 2 minutes, 4.8 seconds, a record that would stand for just 1 year. Ten Point, the betting favorite, was 2nd, half a length behind. Gowell was 3rd, an additional length behind.

It would be a long time before another genuine longshot won the Kentucky Derby, when Giacomo came from 50-1 to win it in 2005. But a few have done it since then: Mine That Bird was also 50-1 in 2009, Country House was 65-1 in 2019, and Rich Strike was 80-1 in 2022.

The longest shot ever to win the Preakness Stakes wasn't very long: The ironically-named Master Derby was 23-1 when he won in 1975. The Belmont Stakes is friendlier to really long shots: Sherluck was 65-1 when he won in 1961, Temperence Hill was 53-1 when he won in 1980, and Sarava was a race record 70-1 when he won in 2002.

Donerail continued to race until 1918. He is lost to history after that, and it is not known when he died. Jockey Roscoe Goose, a Louisville native, never won any other major races, and lived until 1971.

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May 10, 1913 was a Saturday. These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, 10-9 in 10 innings at Navin Field in Detroit. (That ballpark would later be renamed Briggs Stadium and Tiger Stadium.) Ty Cobb only appeared as a pinch-hitter, but had an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

* The New York Giants lost to the Chicago Cubs, 2-1 at the Polo Grounds.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds, 9-3 at Ebbets Field.

* The St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Braves were tied, 1-1 after 12 innings at the South End Grounds, when the game was called due to darkness.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-0 at National League Park (later Baker Bowl) in Philadelphia. Eppa Rixey couldn't finish the job, and Tom Seaton had to pitch the last inning and 2/3rds, but the 12-hit shutout was completed.

* The Cleveland Naps beat the Boston Red Sox, 9-2 at League Park in Cleveland. Tris Speaker hit a home run for the Red Sox. Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie, the Cleveland team's 2nd baseman, best hitter, manager and namesake, went 0-for-3, but had an RBI on a sacrifice fly. "Shoeless Joe" Jackson went 2-for-3 with a walk and 3 RBIs. The Naps became the Cleveland Indians in 1915, after Lajoie left; and the Cleveland Guardians in 2022.

* The Washington Senators beat the Chicago White Sox, 1-0 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Walter Johnson pitched a 2-hit shutout.

* And the Philadelphia Athletics beat the St. Louis Browns, 8-6 in 10 innings at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

May 8, 1915: The 1st Filly to Win the Kentucky Derby

May 8, 1915: The Kentucky Derby is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is won by Regret, in 2 minutes, 5.4 seconds. Pebbles finishes 2nd, and Sharpshooter is 3rd, both 2 lengths behind. Regret thus became the 1st filly to win the Derby. 

While the Kentucky Oaks, usually run the day before the Derby, is considered the 1st leg of the Triple Crown for 3-year-old female horses in America, fillies are eligible to run with the colts in the Derby. They are usually given one concession: Male horses carry 126 pounds -- their jockeys, plus enough additional weight to get to 126 -- while female horses carry 121.

Traditionally, as with humans, female horses aren't as big, as strong, or as fast as male horses. Regret, ridden by Joe Notter, trained by James G. Rowe, and owned by Harry Payne Whitney of the fabulously wealthy Whitney family, won 3 stakes races at Saratoga as a 2-year-old. The Derby was her 1st race as a 3-year-old, so she was the 1st undefeated horse to win the Derby in its 40-year history to that point.

Whitney did not, however, run her in the Preakness Stakes. Oddly, that race was also won by a filly: Rhine Maiden, who had not run in the Kentucky Derby. Neither horse ran in the Belmont Stakes, which was won by The Finn. At the time, winning all 3 races not only had never been done, but had hardly even been tried, given how close together they then were. Even after Sir Barton became the 1st horse to win all 3, in 1919, it was several more years before the Triple Crown was considered a big deal.

Regret lived until 1934. Rowe died in 1929, Whitney in 1930, Notter in 1973.

Only 2 more fillies have won the Kentucky Derby: Genuine Risk in 1980, and Winning Colors in 1988. Only 3 have won the Belmont. Oddly enough, the 1st winner, in 1867, was a filly, Ruthless. Tanya won in 1905, and Rags to Riches in 2007.

There have been 6 fillies to win the Preakness, as many as the Derby and the Belmont combined: Flocarline in 1903, Whimsical in 1906, the aforementioned Rhine Maiden in 1915, Nellie Morse in 1924, Rachel Alexandra in 2009, and Swiss Skydiver in 2020.

The most celebrated filly in American thoroughbred racing history, Ruffian, was not entered in any of the male Triple Crown races.

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May 8, 1915 was a Saturday. These baseball games were played that day in the American League:

* The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox, 10-3 at the Polo Grounds. The not-yet-Bronx Bombers scored all 10 runs in the 5th inning. Babe Ruth was available for the Red Sox, but did not play.

* The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Washington Senators, 5-3 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

* The Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 10-5 at League Park in Cleveland. Eddie Collins went 0-for-3 with a walk. "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, soon to be be traded to the White Sox, went 2-for-4 with a walk and 2 RBIs.

* The St. Louis Browns beat the Detroit Tigers, 6-4 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Ty Cobb went 1-for-4.

In the National League:

* The New York Giants lost to the Boston Braves, 4-3 at Fenway Park in Boston. The Braves were groundsharing with the Red Sox while waiting for their new Braves Field to open, later in the year. The Giants scored a run in the top of the 11th, but the Braves scored 2 in the bottom of the 11th, the winning run on a wild pitch by Alexander "Rube" Schauer, who had relieved Richard "Rube" Marquard.

* The Brooklyn Robins (as the Dodgers were known while Wilbert Robinson managed them from 1914 to 1931) beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2 at Ebbets Field.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Honus Wagner went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

* And the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds were rained out at the West Side Grounds in Chicago. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on September 28. The Cubs swept, 7-3 and 5-0. Brad Hogg pitched a 7-hit shutout in the 2nd game.

And in the Federal League:

* The Brooklyn Tip-Tops lost to the Kansas City Packers, 8-5 at Washington Park in Brooklyn.

* The Newark Peppers beat the Chicago Whales, 2-0 at Harrison Park in Harrison, New Jersey, across the Passaic River from Newark. Earl Moseley pitched a 5-hit shutout.

* The Pittsburgh Rebels beat the Baltimore Terrapins, 4-2 in 10 innings at Terrapin Park in Baltimore.

* And a doubleheader was split at Federal League Park in Buffalo. The St. Louis Terriers won the opener, 6-5. The Buffalo Blues won the nightcap, 4-2.

May 4, 1957: Willie Shoemaker's Gallant Goof

Willie Shoemaker

May 4, 1957: Most great boxers, no matter what they've won, are often remembered first for the fights they've lost, not the ones they've won. Willie Shoemaker won more thoroughbred horse races than any jockey before him, but he's best remembered for one he not only lost, but screwed up.

It was the 1st Saturday in May, which meant that the Kentucky Derby was being held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Shoemaker, just 25 years old, had won the Derby in 1955, aboard Swaps. This time, he was riding Gallant Man. The horse had been bred by Pakistani Prince Aga Khan III and his son Aly Khan, and trained by John Nerud.

To win the race, he would have to hold off Bold Ruler, ridden by 2-time Triple Crown winner Eddie Arcaro to victory in the Flamingo Stakes and the Wood Memorial; Round Table, ridden by Rob Neves to victory in the Blue Grass Stakes; and Iron Liege, ridden by Bill Hartack to victory in the Forerunner Stakes and the Jersey Stakes. 

There were 9 horses in the race. Those not yet listed were Federal Hill, Indian Creek, Mister Jive, Better Bee and Shan Pac. Better Bee finished 8th, and Shan Pac 9th. Better Bee was ridden by John H. Adams; Shan Pac by his son, John R. Adams. It remains the only Kentucky Derby in which a father and son both rode. This field has been called the best field in Derby history.

Hartack and Shoemaker had one big thing in common: Both preferred to be called "Bill," hating the nickname "Willie." But Hartack is usually remembered as "Bill," while Shoemaker is generally first thought of as "Willie."

Gallant Man led most of the race. But Shoemaker saw the 16th pole, mistook it for the finish line, and stood in his saddle for a second. He realized his mistake, but it was too late: Hartack pushed Iron Liege to a photo finish. When the photo was printed, it showed that Iron Liege had beaten Gallant Man by a nose. Shoemaker had blown it, and he knew it.

It was the 1st Derby win for Hartack, who would go on to win the race 5 times, tying a record set by Arcaro.

Bill Hartack

Bold Ruler went on to win the Preakness Stakes. Shoemaker and Gallant Man won the Belmont Stakes. It was small consolation.

Bold Ruler lived until 1971, and his son, Secretariat, won the Triple Crown in 1973. Iron Liege lived until 1972; Gallant Man, until 1988.

Shoemaker kept on riding, winning the Derby in 1959, 1965, and 1986, making him the oldest jockey ever to win it. He also won the Preakness in 1963 and 1967; the Belmont in 1959, 1962, 1967 and 1975; and the Breeders' Cup Classic in 1987.

In 1970, Shoemaker won his 6,033rd race, surpassing Johnny Longden as the all-time winningest jockey. When he retired in 1990, he had 8,833. That record still until 1999, broken by Laffit Pincay Jr., who won 9,530; who was surpassed in 2006 by Russell Baze, with 12,844.

In 1991, Shoemaker was paralyzed in a car crash in San Dimas, California. He had been driving drunk. He continued to train racehorses from a wheelchair until his death in 2003. Hartack became an analyst on ABC Sports' horse racing broadcasts, and lived until 2007.

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May 4, 1957 was, like most Derby Days have been, a Saturday. These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-2 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Whitey Ford left the game due to an injury in the 2nd inning, and Tom Sturdivant became the winning pitcher. Mickey Mantle went 0-for-3 with a walk. Andy Carey hit a home run.

* The New York Giants lost to the Cincinnati Redlegs (as the Reds were known from 1953 to 1958), 5-2 at the Polo Grounds. Willie Mays went 1-for-3 with a walk. Frank Robinson went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2 at Ebbets Field. Charlie Neal hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th. He hit it off Lindy McDaniel, who went the distance for the Cards, and hit a home run himself. Roy Campanella also hit a home run for Brooklyn. Stan Musial went 2-for-4.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-2 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Richie Ashburn went 2-for-5. Ernie Banks went 0-for-4.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Braves, 1-0 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Gene Freese singled Bill Virdon home with the game's only run in the bottom of the 7th inning. Vern Law pitched a 2-hit shutout, outpitching Juan Pizarro. Dick Groat and Hank Foiles each got 3 hits, each outhitting the entire Milwaukee team. Hank Aaron and Johnny Logan got the Braves' hits, while Roberto Clemente went 0-for-4 for Pittsburgh.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox, 5-2 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Early Wynn outpitched Dean Stone. Ted Williams did not play. A rookie named Roger Maris did play for the Indians, going 0-for-4, but getting an RBI on a fielder's choice.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles, 3-0 at Briggs Stadium (later Tiger Stadium) in Detroit. Duke Maas pitched a 5-hit shutout. Al Kaline went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Brooks Robinson did not play, and was not yet the Orioles' regular 3rd baseman.

* And the Kansas City Athletics beat the Washington Senators, 8-2 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium.

And in English soccer, the FA Cup Final was played at the original Wembley Stadium in West London. Birmingham team Aston Villa beat Manchester United, 2-1.

May 2, 1953: Horse Racing's Big Daddy & His Only Loss

Native Dancer, with Eric Guerin aboard

May 2, 1953: Dark Star, ridden by Henry Moreno, wins the Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, edging the heavily favored Native Dancer.

It is the only race Native Dancer ever lost: "The Grey Ghost" won 21 of 22 starts, including the other 2 legs of that year's Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. He also won that year's Travers Stakes, the annual "Midsummer Derby" at Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York.

Because he was gray, at a time when black-and-white TV viewers couldn't really tell the difference between a colt that was jet black and one that was chestnut brown, he stood out, and he is considered to be the 1st televised horse racing star.

His jockey was Eric Guerin, a 29-year-old Cajun from Louisiana, who had won the 1947 Kentucky Derby, about Jet Pilot; and won the Belmont Stakes again in 1954, aboard High Gun. He lived until 1993.

Native Dancer sired 635 foals, living until 1967. Although he couldn't win the Kentucky Derby, that race has been won by his offspring in 1964, Northern Dancer; 1966, Kauai King; 1968, Dancer's Image, disqualified for reasons that weren't the horse's fault; 1978, Affirmed, who went on to win the Triple Crown; 1998, Real Quiet; 1999, Charismatic; 2008, Big Brown; and 2009. In fact, while 3 different horses split the Triple Crown races in 2009, all were descendants of Native Dancer: Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby, Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, and Summer Bird in the Belmont.

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May 2, 1953 was a Saturday. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Jamaal Wilkes was born on this day.

Football was out of season. The NBA and NHL seasons had ended a few days earlier, won by the Minneapolis Lakers and the Montreal Canadiens, respectively.

The FA Cup Final was played at the old Wembley Stadium in London. Blackpool FC, of Lancashire, beat Bolton Wanderers of the Manchester area, 4-1. Although Stan Mortensen of Blackpool because the 1st player to score 3 goals in an FA Cup Final, and remains the only one, his teammate Stanley Matthews played so well that it remains known as "The Matthews Final." I have a separate entry for this event.

These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees lost to the Chicago White Sox, 8-7 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Mickey Mantle went 2-for-4, but Eddie Lopat did not have a good start, and 3 Yankee pitchers blew a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the 9th, including allowing a home run by Ferris Fain to tie the game, and a sacrifice fly by Jim Rivera to win it.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds, 12-4 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Ralph Kiner and Danny O'Connell hit home runs for the Bucs.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 5-1 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Hal Brown outpitched Bob Feller, despite Ted Williams being unavailable, due to serving in the Korean War.

* The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers, 4-1 at Briggs Stadium (later renamed Tiger Stadium) in Detroit.

* The Washington Senators beat the St. Louis Browns, 5-4 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs were rained out at Ebbets Field. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on June 14. The Dodgers won the opener, 6-3. Billy Loes was the winning pitcher. By this point, the Pirates had traded Ralph Kiner to the Cubs, and he went 1-for-3 with a walk for them.

The nightcap was called due to rain, with the teams tied 6-6 after 9 innings. Kiner tied it with a grand slam off Carl Erskine in the top of the 9th. Over the 2 games, Jackie Robinson went 4-for-8 with a walk and 2 RBIs.

* The New York Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals were rained out at the Polo Grounds. The game was made up on June 15. The Giants won, 3-2, despite Willie Mays not being available, due to serving in the Korean War. Alvin Dark went 3-for-4 with an RBI, in support of Jim Hearn. Stan Musial went 1-for-2 with 2 walks.

* And the Milwaukee Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies were rained out at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on July 21. The Phillies won the 1st game, 10-0. The Braves won the 2nd game, 7-3.