Kentucky Derby 2025: History, Traditions & Betting Insights

With the 151st running at Churchill Downs in the offing, horse racing enthusiasts are getting excited and figuring out their bets. Meanwhile, let’s look at the history, traditions, and gambling of the marquee race and overview the upcoming Kentucky Derby to see what to expect in 2025.

History of the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is the inaugural event in the legendary Triple Crown, an American thoroughbred racing series, followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The race was founded by Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., who drew inspiration from European Group 1 stakes, including the Epsom Derby of England.

In 1874, Clark launched the Louisville Jockey Club and laid the foundation for the future Churchill Downs racecourse. A year later, on May 17, 1875, witnessed by 10,000 attendees, the Kentucky Derby premiered, featuring 15 contestants. Rider Oliver Lewis aboard Aristides recorded the historic win. From there, the story of the Derby unfolded as follows:

1894: As attendance continued to grow, a new grandstand more than 86 meters high was built on the horse racing premises.
1896: Willie Simms and Ben Brush, winners at the newly approved 2 km distance, were the first to receive the Garland of Roses.
1902: Matt Winn took up the reins of the Churchill Downs to make the Kentucky Derby a prosperous and prestigious horse racing event.
1913: Despite the odds of 91:1, colt Donerail finished first, becoming the Derby’s sensation and longest shot ever.
1925: The race was first broadcast on the radio, garnering over 5 million listens, and was for the first time nicknamed “The Run for the Roses.”
1939: The event saw the construction of the infield, an area inside the racetrack, and the introduction of the Mint Julep.
1952: The contest was first televised live nationwide, with about 15 million people watching the triumph of Hill Gail, ridden by Eddie Arcaro.
1974: The 100th edition of the event boasted a record field of 23 runners and a stupendous 163,628 spectators in presence.
2006: Crowd-pleaser Barbaro won the race by 6.5 lengths and was later immortalized as a statue before the racetrack.
2015: The Derby cemented its status as the best-attended race in the US, with a record 175,513 people witnessing American Pharoah win.

Apart from its huge attendance, the Kentucky Derby is at the forefront of horse racing betting. The event brings together the top runners, hence another moniker, “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.” You can always bet on the Derby at a profit at 1xBet, securing the highest odds here.

Kentucky Derby Traditions

As one of the oldest equestrian competitions, the Run for the Roses is steeped in tradition and symbols. Whether it’s opening the race, celebrating the winner, dressing up, or spending time at the Derby, the event has quite a number of hallmarks that make it unique and enthralling. Listed below are some of the most vivid traditions adopted at Churchill Downs for many decades.

The Garland of Roses: Brought in 1896 and officialized in 1932, the Garland of Roses is a signature award and true symbol of the Derby that gave it its nickname. The garland consists of over 400 roses, all of them red, and has some additional elements, such as one rose in the center symbolizing the struggle and heart the Derby winner must have.
The Mint Julep: This famous cocktail, made of Kentucky bourbon, fresh mint, syrup, and ice, has been officially served at Churchill Downs since 1939. The cold julep poured in branded silver and pewter cups is a nice addition to the festivity on a warm May day, and the estimated sales of over 125,000 drinks every year are a testament to this.
Fashion and hats: The Kentucky Derby dress code has changed over time to reflect the zeitgeist, but elegance, glamour, and glitz have always been prioritized. The modern event welcomes men in classy jackets or blazers with pants and women in chic, sophisticated dresses that speak to their style and taste. Matching hats are must-haves.
My Old Kentucky Home: The first documented performance of the song by prominent American composer Stephen Foster dates back to 1921, when Behave Yourself, bred in Kentucky, won the race. Since 1936, the University of Louisville Marching Band has performed the ballad at almost every running, escorting the horses to the starting gate.

Kentucky Derby 2025: What to Expect

In 2025, the Run for the Roses will traditionally be held on the first Saturday of the last spring month, May 3. The official schedule for the race day has not yet been announced, but the main event is expected to take place as usual from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. Preceding the major competition will be Derby Week, packed with fascinating events scheduled as follows:

April 26, 2025: Opening Night
April 27 and April 28, 2025: Dawn at the Downs
April 29, 2025: 502’sDay
April 30, 2025: Winsday
May 1, 2025: Thurby
May 2, 2025: Kentucky Oaks
May 3, 2025: Kentucky Derby

The ultimate field for the 151st running will be decided by mid-April when the final Derby prep races will produce 20 entrants with the most points. The challengers for the $5 million purse set for 2025 will include exceptional three-year-old talents trained by horse racing heavyweights.

Citizen Bulls, trained by Bob Baffert, a legendary racehorse trainer and six-time champion of the Kentucky Derby, is a top contender and bookmakers’ favorite. The colt, who won the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the 2025 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, has current odds of 6:1.

Barnes is another of Baffert’s trainees and a noteworthy contender, with odds of 8:1. Also, pundits believe the chances are decent for such prospects as East Avenue, with odds of 15:1, as well as Rodriguez, Captain Cook, Journalism, and Burnham Square, all with odds of 20:1.

How to Bet on the Kentucky Derby

One more deep-rooted tradition of the storied race is gambling. Every year, the competition gathers a prodigious amount of wagers made by punters and fans of equestrianism from all over the world. If you’re willing to try your hand at the Derby betting, you have two paths to follow.

You can travel to Louisville, visit Churchill Downs, and place your wager in person by giving your cash to a teller and receiving a ticket with your wager’s details. Or you can bet on the Internet by joining a bookmaker’s website or app, depositing funds, and submitting your online wager.

The simplest and most common bets you can put on the race are the straight options below:

Win: a bet on the winner of the race.
Place: a bet on the winner or runner-up.
Show: a bet on the first, second, or third finisher.

The following types of bets have a higher level of complexity and require a little more skill:

Exacta: a bet on the winner and runner-up in the exact order.
Trifecta: a bet on the first, second, and third finisher in the exact order.
Quinella: a bet on the winner and runner-up in any order.
Superfecta: a bet on the first, second, third, and fourth finisher in the exact order.

To make your first-time Derby betting experience a success, you should be armed with the most recent and reliable race-related information, as well as the tips and strategies listed below:

Study the contenders’ rankings and stats, including the events entered and won.
Scrutinize the runners’ past performances at the same distance and track surface.
Familiarize yourself with the track record of the horses’ jockeys, trainers, and owners.
Cut and diversify risks by putting small, straightforward bets on several participants.
Avoid making emotionally driven decisions and wager within reason and your budget.

How to Watch the Kentucky Derby

There are plenty of options for watching the renowned event, the first being via television. NBC will be the primary broadcaster covering the race day developments and airing the grand finale. According to the official schedule, NBC’s broadcast start time will be 2:30 p.m. ET on May 3.

Aside from TV, you can use streaming services such as Peacock and FanDuel TV. Peacock will cover May 3 and the preceding day, while FanDuel TV will show the entire Derby Week. Fubo is another service that you can access on a free-trial basis to stream the Kentucky Derby live.

Despite the convenience of TV broadcasting and online streaming, the real-life viewing experience is invaluable. Sitting in the grandstands at Churchill Downs will give you unforgettable feelings and the authentic thrill of horse racing. The seating options vary from affordable tickets to the infield to deluxe private suites with breathtaking views of the racetrack.

Fun Facts About the Kentucky Derby

Every running at the Churchill Downs racecourse has extraordinary moments to remember. Given the harsh competition of the best in class, the Kentucky Derby creates dramatic and highly intense horse racing action, with impressive records and incredible upsets.

In 1892, Alonzo Clayton became the youngest first-place jockey finisher at only 15 years old. In 1973, Secretariat, an icon of a racehorse, set the fastest time record, running the distance in 1:59.4. In 2022, Rich Strike stunned the favorites by winning the race at 80-to-1 odds.

Although held outdoors, the event has never been rescheduled or abandoned due to weather, no matter how cold or rainy. The running of 2018 went down in the competition’s history as the wettest, with rainfall reaching 80 millimeters and contestants running through puddles of mud.

The Derby is notable not only for stellar racing performances but also for star guests. The elite event has become a must-visit for celebrities and, in different years, has been attended by Zoe Saldana, Ashton Kutcher, Serena Williams, Jeff Bridges, Jimmy Falon, and many others.

Conclusion

Established a century and a half ago in the American Southeast, the Kentucky Derby is now one of the most popular stakes races lauded by the international horse racing community. It’s remarkable for its distinctive traditions, top-class runners, and exhilarating betting experience.

On May 3, 2025, the well-known racetrack at Churchill Downs will greet horse racing fans and bettors at the 151st running. If you’ve never bet on the race, you have sufficient time to prepare for the sought-after event, work out your betting strategy, and place your maiden Derby wager.