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

The Kentucky Derby will be run in eight weeks, which allows plenty of time for considerable changes in the field.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Shirreffs first grabbed national attention when he won the Kentucky Derby with Giacomo at odds of 50-1 in 2005.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 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

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