How Long Is the Kentucky Derby?

Nate Cunningham | Apr 28, 2025

Near the finish line, jockey Tyler Gaffalione, left, and Forever Young's jockey Ryusei Sakai crowd after the two horses bumped and Mystik Dan with jockey Brian J. Hernandez, right, won the 2024 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. / Matt Stone/The Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it comes to iconic sporting events in America, there's nothing quite like the Kentucky Derby. Often called "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," this legendary horse race has been captivating fans and making history for the last 150 years.

But while the energy and excitement for the event stretches across days of celebrations, parties, pageantry and drinking, the race itself is actually very short. Not quite "blink-and-you'll-miss-it," but fairly close.

So how long, exactly, is the Kentucky Derby? Let's take a look.

What is the Kentucky Derby?

Each year on the first Saturday in May, more than 150,000 pack the stands at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to witness the most famous horse race in history. It is run exclusively by 3-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies.

The Kentucky Derby is the first race of the ever-elusive "Triple Crown," which also consists of the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. However, while all three make up the most-impressive accomplishment in the sport, the Kentucky Derby is unquestionably the most celebrated of the three events.

The first Kentucky Derby was run way back in 1875, which makes it the longest continuously held American sports event.

Official Distance of the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is 1¼ miles, or 10 furlongs. While the time of the victors vary from year to year, it usually clocks in at right around two minutes (hence the nickname).

The record pace was set by Secretariat in 1973, who completed the race in under two minutes (1:59:40). The slowest pace for a winner was set by Kingman in 1891, who needed nearly three minutes to win the race (2:52:25).

The Build-Up vs. the Actual Race Time

To focus solely on the shorter track length of the Kentucky Derby would be missing the mark. The race is wrapped with enough pomp and circumstance to, well, (for lack of a better term) choke a horse.

The race is the culmination of months of prep, training and anticipation. Plus, there's the tradition associated with Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. We're talking about elaborate hats and dresses, gambling mint juleps, gambling, celebrity appearances, gambling, burgoo, gambling, the Kentucky Derby Festival, "My Old Kentucky Home"... oh, and gambling.

The television broadcast usually lasts hours (this year, NBC/Peacock's coverage will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET and run until about 7:30 p.m. ET) and will cover everything from warmups to "Rider's Up!" to the post-race blanket of roses celebration.

Kentucky Derby Winner's Times Since 2000

Winning Horse	Year	Time
Mystik Dan	2024	2:03.34
Mage	2023	2:01.57
Rich Strike	2022	2:02.61
Mandaloun	2021	2:01.36
Authentic	2020	2:00.61
Country House	2019	2:03.93
Justify	2018	2:04.20
Always Dreaming	2017	2:03.59
Nyquist	2016	2:01.31
American Pharoah	2015	2:03.02
California Chrome	2014	2:03.66
Orb	2013	2:02.89
I'll Have Another	2012	2:01.83
Animal Kingdom	2011	2:02.04
Super Saver	2010	2:04.45
Mine That Bird	2009	2:02.66
Big Brown	2008	2:01.82
Street Sense	2007	2:02.17
Barbaro	2006	2:01.36
Giacomo	2005	2:02.75
Smarty Jones	2004	2:04.06
Funny Cide	2003	2:01.19
War Emblem	2002	2:01.13
Monarchos	2001	1:59.97
Fusaichi Pegasus	2000	2:01.00

How Weather Can Affect Horses at the Kentucky Derby

Currently, most weather forecasters have Saturday as being somewhere around 70 degrees at race time, with conditions being mostly sunny.

That's good news for the field of racers, because weather conditions can play a serious role on a race.

Most (but not all) horses dislike running in hot, humid weather. Rain obviously can wreak havoc on the track, creating less-than-ideal and in some cases even dangerous conditions. Even things rarely thought of, like changes in barometric pressure or pollen counts, can affect a horse. Changes in barometric pressure, when combined with dehydration can cause severe colic, and many horses are allergic to pollen, just like humans.

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