The Kentucky Derby has been held every year since 1875 making it the longest running annual sporting event in the United States. The race takes place on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The 2025 race took place on May 3 marking it the 151st year of the derby. The race track is mainly dirt and is 1.25 miles long. The race lasts around 2 minutes earning the nickname, “The most exciting two minutes in sports.” Horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby through the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, which is a point based system that involves select prep races across North America, Japan, and Europe. Points are then awarded to the top five finishers in each race. The 20 horses that accumulate the most points earns them a spot in the starting gate.
The Kentucky Derby is also popular for the unique fashion trends. People who attend the derby often wear elaborate hats and stylish clothes. The tradition of dressing up for the derby started in 1875 and was inspired by European racing events. Founder of the derby Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. wanted an elegant atmosphere. Over the decades styles evolved, a major continuous fashion trend is the hat tradition. Today Derby hats are known for having bold designs with over sized brims and vibrant colors. Dresses worn by women are usually spring themed with floral patterns and pastel colors have been a popular choice. The Kentucky Derby’s fashion tradition contributes to the event’s commitment to elegance and style.
Another major trend is the Garland of Roses. The winning horse is draped with a blanket of 554 red roses which symbolizes the Derby’s nickname “The Run for the Roses.”
This year’s winner of the Kentucky Derby was a horse named Sovereignty, the conditions were muddy and runny as the Bill Mott trained horse won the first leg of the Triple Crown with a time of 2:02.31 closing at 7-1 odds. Despite not being the top pick Sovereignty secured the victory finishing 1.5 lengths ahead from second place finisher Journalism. Same as last year the Derby featured a purse of $5 million which is split among the race’s top 5 finishers. The purse refers to the total prize money awarded to the top finishers of a race. The funds are typically generated through a combination of entry fees paid by horse owners, portions of the betting pool, and additional contributions. Despite rainy conditions and a muddy track, the Derby attracted a record crowd of over 147,000 attendees and set new betting and viewership records. The race was broadcast to an average of 17.7 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, the largest television audience for the Derby since 1989.
Prize Money Breakdown
- Winner – Sovereignty: $3.1 million
- 2nd place – Journalism: $1 million
- 3rd place – Baeza: $500,000
- 4th place – Final Gambit: $250,000
- 5th place – Owen Almighty: $150,000
WATCH THE FULL DERBY RACE
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2025 Kentucky Derby full results
1. Sovereignty
2. Journalism
3. Baeza
4. Final Gambit
5. Owen Almighty
6. Burnham Square
7. Sandman
8. East Avenue
9. Chunk of Gold
10. Tiztastic
11. Coal Battle
12. Luxor Cafe
13. Neoequos
14. Publisher
15. Citizen Bull
16. American Promise
17. Render Judgement
18. Flying Mohawk
19. Admire Daytona
