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History of Kentucky Derby J The first Kentucky Derby was run in 1875. The sixty-second will be decided today, May 2. Aristides, the little "red" horse, was the first winner of the now internationally famous race. Some of the salient features of the Kentucky Derby history are well worth repeating. A total of 589 horses have started in the Derby during the sixty-one runnings. The largest field started in 1928 when Reign Count won. The smallest number to face the starter was three in 1892, 1899 and 1905. The Derby has been run at two distances, the first at one mile and a half from its inception until 1896, at one mile and a quarter since then. The fastest time at the longer distance was made by Spokane in 1889 when he won in 2:34. Twenty Grand holds the record at a mile and a quarter, winning in 2:01% in 1931. These and many other interesting facts are interwoven in the pages of the history of the Kentucky Derby, a condensed tabulation of which is here presented: Year. First. Sire. Starters. Jockey. Wt. Second, Third. Val. Time. Odds. 1875 Aristides -.-. .Leamington 15. .G. Lewis 100 Volcano .Verdigris $ 2,850 2:37% *29-10 1876 Vagrant Virgil 11. . Swim 97 Creedmore Harry Hill 2,950 2:381,4 • 9-5 1877 Baden Baden Australian .11. .Walker .100 Leonard King William , 3,300 2:38 8-1 1878 Day Star Star Davis : 9.. Carter 100 Himyar Leveler ; 4,050 2:37 3-1 1879 Lord Murphy Pat Malloy ,:. 9. . Schauer 100 Falsetto Strathmore 3,550 2:37 *11-10 1880 Fonso King Alfonso 5. .G. Lewis 105 Kimball Bancroft ; 3,800 2:37iA " 7-1 1881 Hindoo Virgil 6. .J. McLaughlin 105 Lelex Alhambra , 4,410 2:40 • 1-3 1882 Apollo Lever 14. .Hurd 102 Runnymede Bengal 4,560 2:40 10-1 1883 Leonatus Longfellow 7. .W. Donohue 105 Drake Carter Lord Raglan 3,760 2:43 * 1-2 1884 Buchanan Buckden 9. .1. Murphy 110 Loftin Audrain 3,990 2:404 7-2 1885 Joe Cotton .King Alfonso 10 .. Henderson 110 Bersan Ten Booker : 4,630 2:374 * 1-1 1886 Ben Ali Virgil 10. .P. Duffy 118 Blue Wing Free Knight , 4,890 2:36M * 7-5 1887 Montrose Duke of Montrose.. . . . . 7. .G. Lewis 118 Jim Gore Jacobin 4,200 2:39% 10-1 1888 Macbeth II Macduff 7. .Covington 115 Galifet White 4,740 2:38% 8-1 1889 Spokane Hyder Ali 8..Kiley 118 Proctor Knott Once Again 4,970 2:34y2 6-1 1890 Riley Longfellow 6. .1. Murphy 118 Bill Letcher . . Robespierre ; 5,460 2:45 4-1 1891 Kingman Glengarry 4.. I. Murphy 122 Balgowan High Tariff 4,680 2:52i/2 * 1-1 1892 Azra Reform 3.. Clayton 122 Huron Phil Dwyer 4,230 2:41i/2 * 3-2 1893 Lookout , Troubadour 6..Kunze 122 Plutus Boundless 4,090 2:39% *10-7 1894 Chant Falsetto 4..Goodale 122 Pearl Song Sigurd 4,020 2:41 * 1-2 1895 Halma Hanover 4. .Perkins 122 Basso Laureate 2,970 2:371/2 * 1-3 1896 Ben Brush Bramble 8..Simms 117 Ben Eder Semper Ego 4,850 2:07% * 1-2 1897 Typhoon II Top Gallant 6. .Garner 117 Ornament Dr. Catlett 4,850 2:12y2 3-1 1898 Plaudit Himyar 4..Simms 117 Lieber Karl Isabey i 4,850.2:09 3-1 1899 Manuel Bob Miles 3. .Taral 117 Corsini Mazo , 4,850 2:12 *ll-20 1900 Lieutenant Gibson G.W.Johnson ...7..Boland 117 Florizar Thrive 4,850 2:06% * 7-10 1901 His Eminence Falsetto 5. . Winkfield 117 Sannazarro Driscoll : 4,850 2:07% 3-1 1902 Alan-a-Dale Halma 4. . Winkfield 117 Inventor The Rival i 4,850 2:08% 3-2 1903 Judge Himes Esher 6.. H.Booker 117 Early Bourbon , 4,850 2:09 12-1 1904 Elwood Free Knight 5. . Prior 117 Ed Tierney Brancas 4,850 2:08% 10-1 1905 Agile Sir Dixon 3. . J. Martin 122 Rams Horn Layson 4,850 2-10% * 1-3 1906 Sir Huon Falsetto 6..Troxler 117 Lady Navarre James Reddick 4,850 2:08% *11-10 1907 Pink Star Pink Coat 6. . Minder 117 Zal Ovelando 4,850 2:12% 15-1 1908 Stone Street Longstreet .8.. Pickens 117 Sir Cleges Dunvegan 4,850 2:15% 24-1 1909 Wintergreen Dick Welles 10. .V. Powers 117 Miami Dr. Barkley -. 4,850 2:08% *19-10 1910 Donau Woolsthorpe 7.. Herbert 117 Joe Morris Fighting Bob 4.850 2:06 * 8-5 1911 Meridian Broomstick 7. . G. Archibald 117 Governor Gray Colston 4,850 2:05 29-10 1912 Worn Knight of the Thistle.. 8. . C. H. Shilling 117 Duval Flamma 4,850 2:09% * 4-5 1913 Eonerail McGee 8. . Goose 117 Ten Point Gowell 5,475 2:044/, 91-1 1914 Old Rosebud Uncle 7..J. McCabe 114 Hodge Bronzewing 9,125 2:03% * 4-5 1915 Regret Broomstick 16. .J. Notter 112 Pebbles Sharpshooter 11,450 2:05% *13-5 1916 George Smith Out of Reach 9..J.Loftus 117 Star Hawk Franklin , 9,750 2:04 41-10 1917 Omar Khayyam Marco 15.. C. Borel 117 Ticket Midway 16,600 2:04% 13-1 1918 Exterminator McGee 8..W. Knapp 114 Escoba Viva America 14,700 2:10% 30-1 1919 Sir Barton Star Shoot 12. . J. Loftus 112% Billy Kelly Under Fire 20,825 2:09% 13-5 1920 Paul Jones Sea King 17.. T.Rice 126 Upset On Watch 30,375 2:09 16-1 1921 Behave Yourself Marathon 10. . C. Thompson 126 Black Servant Prudery 38,450 2:04% 9-1 1922 Morvich Runnymede 10. .A. Johnson 126 Bet Mosie John Finn 53,775 2:04% • 6-5 1923 Zev The Finn 21.. E. Sande 126 Martingale Vigil 53,600 2:052 19-1 1924 Black Gold Black Toney 19. . J. D. Mooney 126 Chilhowee Beau Butler 52,775 2:05% *17-10 1925 Flying Ebony The Finn 20.. E. Sande 126 Captain Hal Son of John 52,950 2:07% 31-10 1926 Bubbling Over North Star III 13. . A. Johnson 126 Bagenbaggage Rock Man 50,075 2:03% *19-10 1927 Whiskery Whisk Broom II 15.. L. McAtee 126 Osmand Jock 51,000 2:06 *12-5 1928 Reigh Count Sunreigh 22. . C. Lang 126 Misstep Toro 55,375 2:10% * 2-1 1929 Clyde Van Dusen Man o War 21.. L. McAtee 126 Naishapur Panchio 53,950 2:10%, 3-1 1930 Gallant Fox Sir Gallahad III 15. .E. Sande 126 Gallant Knight Ned 0 50,725 2:07% *11-10 1931 Twenty Grand St. Germans 12. .C. Kurtsinger 126 Sweep All Mate 48,725 2:01% 9-10 1932 Burgoo King Bubbling Over 20. .E. James 126 Economic Stepenfetchit 52,350 2:05V-, 5%-l 1933 Brokers Tip Black Toney 13. .D. Meade 126 Head Play Charley 0 48,925 2:06% 9-1 1934 Cavalcade Lancegaye 13. .M. Garner 126 Discovery Agrarian 28,175 2:04 * 3-2 1935 Omaha Gallant Fox 18. . W. Saunders 126 Roman Soldier Whiskolo 39,525 2:05 4-1 * Favorite. Distance — From 1875 to 1895, inclusive, one and one-half miles; in 1896 reduced to one and one-quarter miles.
