Kentucky Derby

American  

noun

Trademark.

1. a horse race for three-year-olds, run annually since 1875, on the first Saturday in May, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.: the first race in the Triple Crown.

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Kentucky Derby British  

noun

1. a race for three-year-old horses run annually since 1875 at Louisville, Kentucky

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Kentucky Derby Cultural  

1. The most famous American horse race, held each spring at Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky.

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Example Sentences

Given the points system used to determine starters in the Kentucky Derby, Intrepido almost certainly needs to finish first or second Saturday at Santa Anita.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Plutarch earned 20 Kentucky Derby points, giving him 23, tied with Intrepido for third in the standings.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026

The next year, she brought down another, becoming the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Jessica Whitehead, curator of collections for the Kentucky Derby Museum, said Crump was part of a small group of women trying to break into the business who became known as the Class of 1969.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

But Granville’s presence probably did work against Seabiscuit, simply by virtue of the demands that a Kentucky Derby contender makes on his trainer.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand