Kentucky Derby

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noun Trademark.

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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Words nearby Kentucky Derby

Kentuck, Kentuckian, Kentucky, Kentucky bluegrass, Kentucky coffee tree, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky fried, Kentucky rifle, Kentucky warbler, Kentucky windage, Kentwood

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT KENTUCKY DERBY

What is the Kentucky Derby?

The Kentucky Derby is a famous annual horse race at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 three-year-old horses and is run on a dirt racetrack that is 1 ¼ miles long.

It is the first and most famous race in the three-race series that also includes the races known as the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Winning all three races in a single year is known as winning the Triple Crown.

When is the Kentucky Derby?

The 2023 Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 6. The 2024 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4.

The Kentucky Derby is traditionally held each year on the first Saturday in May, weather permitting.

More information and context on the Kentucky Derby

The first Kentucky Derby was held in 1875, making it one of the longest-running sporting events in the U.S.

Today, the race is usually run in around two minutes. For this reason, it is popularly referred to as “the greatest two minutes in sports.” Legendary racehorse Secretariat set a Kentucky Derby record of 1:59.4 in 1973 on the way to becoming one of the few horses to win the Triple Crown (by winning all three races). Other notable Triple Crown winners include War Admiral and Seattle Slew.

The Kentucky Derby is nicknamed “the Run for the Roses” because the winning horse is awarded a blanket of red roses.

The Kentucky Derby is often considered a symbol of Southern culture in the U.S. Among spectators, there are many traditions associated with watching and attending the event, including the wearing of old-fashioned attire and fancy hats and the drinking of mint juleps (a cocktail made with bourbon, sugar, and mint).

What are some terms that often get used in discussing the Kentucky Derby?

How is the Kentucky Derby discussed in real life?

The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in the U.S. It’s associated with its many traditions and is seen as an emblem of Southern culture.

So this is happening today:

• Day 3, NFL Draft
• NHL Playoffs
• Yankees at Red Sox
• Kentucky Derby
• Spurs vs Clippers, Game 7
• MayPac

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 2, 2015

It is almost time for the @KentuckyDerby. Magic, tradition, pageantry, beauty, speed, brilliance, and the greatest two minutes in sports. It is a privilege to be a part of it. pic.twitter.com/lfMwgnpOZ0

— Ed DeRosa (@EJXD2) May 4, 2019

KENTUCKY DERBY RESULTS:
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— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) May 7, 2016

Try using the Kentucky Derby!

True or False?

The Kentucky Derby is always held at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

How to use Kentucky Derby in a sentence

I am reminded of Bob Baffert, the legendary horse trainer, who blamed “cancel culture” when his Kentucky Derby-winning horse was found to have tested positive for steroids.
‘The Card Counter’ Asks Whether an Abu Ghraib Torturer Is Worthy of a Second Chance|Marlow Stern|September 2, 2021|The Daily Beast
Concert Tour is also the only horse in the race besides Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit that has two graded stakes wins on his resume, a huge class advantage in a Triple Crown event.
How to build the best trifectas and superfectas for the 2021 Preakness Stakes|Neil Greenberg|May 14, 2021|Washington Post
Any horse that finishes in the top three of these races will likely get a spot in this year’s Kentucky Derby field.
Road to the Kentucky Derby arrives at Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes|Neil Greenberg|April 2, 2021|Washington Post
Little Bill Boland was only 18 when he rode Middleground to victory in the 1950 Kentucky Derby.
One Red Rose for the Green Kid Who Won the Kentucky Derby|Red Smith|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

So when you take that first frosty sip of your mint julep in celebration of the Kentucky Derby, enjoy it.
The Storied Origins of the Classic Mint Julep|Dane Huckelbridge|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Who better to turn to for the Kentucky Derby than Red Smith, that elegant stylist widely considered our finest sports columnist.
One Red Rose for the Green Kid Who Won the Kentucky Derby|Red Smith|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
How a 1,000-year-old fragrant elixir traveled over continents and time to become the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby.
The Storied Origins of the Classic Mint Julep|Dane Huckelbridge|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The seventy-sixth Kentucky Derby was over, and the losers walked swiftly, as though in a hurry.
One Red Rose for the Green Kid Who Won the Kentucky Derby|Red Smith|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Smart racing horses, sometimes taken to the Kentucky Derby, contentedly grazed in his rich pastures.
Red Dynamite|Roy J. Snell
Wally Wilson has just said that he'd rather marry me than go to the Kentucky Derby with you.
The Big Fix|George Oliver Smith
Persons who long wished and desired a beautiful day for the Kentucky Derby were fully gratified Tuesday.
History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921|John Lawrence O'Connor
For the Kentucky Derby, out of 56 nominations nine splendid colts faced the starter.
History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921|John Lawrence O'Connor
For the Kentucky Derby, only half a dozen sported silk for this valuable and important event.
History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921|John Lawrence O'Connor

British Dictionary definitions for Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

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