Top 5 Kentucky Derby Records

In honor of the Saturday's the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in
Louisville, we here at Copperspicks.com decided it was as good of time as any to look back on
the Holy Grail of Horse Racing and try to pick some of the most fascinating feats that happened
over the years.

Bt picking out just five was no easy task. nevertheless, we hope you will enjoy--and maybe even
agree with --our top 5 Kentucky Derby records we’ve chosen to be the most impressive and more
than worthy of inclusion in the title.

5. The most winninest Derby Jockey--The first one on our list had to be a tough one, as Eddie
Arcaro and Bill Hardtack both have tallied five Kentucky Derby wins. So how do we choose? Well,
while Arcaro won the first of his five wins in 1938, riding Lawrin --a horse the was just 9-8-2 in
his previous starts, Hardtack recorded the fastest wining time at 2:00:00 back in 1962 and 1964
on ‘Decidedly’ and ‘Northern Dancer’ respectively. Giving Hardtack top honors on our list.

4. The most winninest Derby Trainer- When comes to making our selection for the all-time
record winning trainer at the Kentucky Derby. Ben A. Jones, is hands down our pick. Jones
accumulated a stunning total of six Derby wins, spanning the years 1938 to 1952. The first four
with legendary jockey Eddie Arcaro in 1938, 1941, 1948 and 1952. His other two being in 1944
and 1949. But perhaps the two most recognized wins were back-to-back winners in ’48 and ’49
with Citation and Ponder.

3. The most winninest Derby Owner-Again, a clear winner in this category. Spanning 27 years,
Kentucky-based owner Calumet Farm has fashioned a stunning record of eight winners of the
Kentucky Derby in 1941, ’44, ’48, ’49 ’52, ’57, ’58. They were the owners of five horses all trained
and coached by Jones, three ridden by Arcaro and one by Hardtack. Calmut has also produced
two colts who became U.S. Triple Crown winners. Whirlaway and Citation. Hear of them?

2. Wining the Derby by the Greatest Length-Once again we have a record-sharing pair on this
one. The first in 1946 by Assault who romped home 8 lengths clear in a great winning time of
2:07. However, just five years prior in 1941, Whirlaway, fitted with a full-cup blinker with a small
hole over his right eye, cut a straight 10 feet line off the inner rail and galloped his way out to
eight lengths to win the Derby in 2:01.40. Just like the Derby, those six seconds are just enough
give the Jones trainee the edge to the win on our list.

1. Winning the Derby by the Fastest Time-Okay, so there has been a lot of fast horses. But none
faster than our final Kentucky Derby record winner, Secretariat who turned in an eye-popping
1:59:40 in the 1973 "Run for the Roses." The large chestnut colt who was given the same
nickname, "Big Red", was the horse to have run the 11/4 mile (2km) race in under 2 minutes and
is about 53 seconds faster than the slowest winner, who was Kingman back in 1891.

Although a lot of the records on our list were set decades ago , and when it comes to the time
and training possibilities of the modern era’, who knows? There could be a Kentucky Derby
celebration for a new record setter this year.

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Matt Martz is a sportswriter for the Bakersfield Californian, the Oregonian, Springfield Republican,
Sacramento Bee, and the San Diego Union Tribune. I leave handicapping to the pros. Blessed is
the gambler who expects nothing, for ye shall not be disappointed.