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

See Examples For:

Kentucky Derby

Of the 95 horses who have run in the Kentucky Derby in the past five years, only 13 entered the starting gate for the Preakness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

This week, the operators of the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes said they would launch a six-race series beginning next year with a $5 million prize pool attached.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

The Kentucky Derby was run on the first Saturday in May, followed two weeks later by the Preakness and three weeks after that by the Belmont.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Consider the decision from the 6th Circuit, which incorporated Consumers’ Research into its reasoning, and which presides over Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby.

From Slate ● Jun. 12, 2026

Down in Louisville to cover the Kentucky Derby, Oscar Otis found that he was about the only journalist who thought Seabiscuit could win.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand