1. The crown the winner of the Derby gets
   If a horse wins the Derby three times
2. A type of horse
   When a single horse wins the three biggest races in a given year

The Triple Crown refers to when a single horse wins three of the largest races in a given year. This includes winning the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes.

1. 1909
   1700
2. 1875
   1935

The very first Kentucky Derby took place way back in 1875. The first race featured 15 different horses, and the winner took home just shy of $3000 for winning. The second-place finisher got only $200.

1. Secretariat
   Barbaro
2. Smarty Brown
   Orb

While he ran in the Derby decades ago in 1973, Secretariat still holds the record for the fastest win at the Kentucky Derby. He finished the race in 1:59:40. He's one of only two winners to come in at under 2 minutes.

1. $3,000,000
   $100,000,000
2. $450,000
   $47,500

In addition to the glory of victory, there's also a lot of money at stake in the Kentucky Derby. In total, there's a purse of $3,000,000, of which $1,860,000 goes to the winner.

1. 1 year old
   2 years old
2. 3 years old
   They can be any age.

There are plenty of high-profile races for different aged horses, but the Kentucky Derby is just for 3-year-old horses. It has been like that for well over a century, since the first running of the Kentucky Derby.

1. Beer
   Mint julep
2. Vodka special
   White wine

The mint julep has long been the signature drink for the Kentucky Derby, since it began getting promoted in 1938. Thousands of attendees (and viewers at home) consume these drinks that are made up of bourbon, sugar, water, ice and mint.

1. 1938
   1875
2. 1975
   2004

That's right, jockeys weren't allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their uniforms for the first 100+ years of the Kentucky Derby. It wasn't until 2004 that a court order allowed it.

1. 35
   10,000
2. 100,000
   500

Despite the first running of the Kentucky Derby taking place in 1875, a respectable 10,000 people were believed to have been at the race. This is low by today's standards but impressive for the very first running.

1. 4
   8
2. 2
   6

There have been many great owners and trainers in the horse breeding and racing world, but none more so than Calumet Farm. Over their near-100 years in the space, they've had 8 horses win the Kentucky Derby.

1. Just over 170,000
   100,00
2. Just over 250,000
   Just under 100,000

The all-time record for attendance at the Kentucky Derby was set in 2015. During that race, over 170,000 people attended to watch. Most of the highest attendance records were set in the last decade or so, so don't be shocked to see this record be broken soon.

1. Roses
   Daffodils
2. Lilies
   Petunias

The Kentucky Derby is sometimes referred to as "The Run for the Roses," as a blanket of 554 roses is put around the winner of the race. This idea originated in 1883, but there's no evidence roses were presented to the winner any earlier than 1896.

1. Churchill Downs
   Fair Grounds
2. Belterra Park
   Fair Meadows Race Track

The Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs. The track was founded in 1875 and has been the home of the Kentucky Derby since the beginning. It has also hosted several other large races.

1. Tuxedos
   Fancy hats
2. High-heeled shoes
   Scarves

Since the beginning, it's been a tradition for women to wear large, over-the-top and fancy hats to the Kentucky Derby. This started back when dressing in extravagant clothing and large hats was common for large events, and the tradition has continued.

1. 2
   23
2. 13
   7

Since the Triple Crown has been introduced, a total of 13 different horses have won it. The most recent was in 2018, and from 1978 to the present day, there have only been two Triple Crown winners.

1. It ended in a tie.
   Both of the leading two horses fell.
2. A jockey was thrown from his horse.
   Two jockeys grabbed and whipped each other.

The 1933 races had among the craziest finishes ever. Two horses were side by side nearing the end of the race, and the jockeys began to grab and whip one another down the stretch. They later fought in the jockey room and both were suspended for 30 days.

1. 5
   10
2. 1
   15

Starting at the 5 position at the Kentucky Derby has proven to be the best spot. 10 Kentucky Derby winners have started in the 5th position. Second place is the 10th gate with 9 winners.

1. 0
   1
2. 2
   3

While it's usually male horses (colts) that race in the Derby, there's also the occasional female horse (filly) that races. Only three times in the history of the Kentucky Derby has a female horse won the race. The last time it happened was in 1988.

1. Giacomo
   American Pharoah
2. Justify
   Donerail

While there have been many underdogs win at the Kentucky Derby, none was as big an underdog as Donerail. Back in 1913, Donerail won the Kentucky Derby despite being a 91-1 underdog.

1. California Chrome
   Swaps
2. Aristides
   Needles

The very first horse to ever win the Kentucky Derby was Aristides. He ran it in just over 2 minutes and 37 seconds. However, the race used to be longer, so lots of these earlier runs look slower than they actually were.

1. 25
   30
2. 20
   15

While the number of horses racing in the Kentucky Derby used to fluctuate a lot, there's now a maximum of 20 horses that can race in the Derby. While it could be less in the case of injury or disqualification, it cannot be more.

1. 3 horses
   15 horses
2. 12 horses
   8 horses

While usually around 20 or so race in each Kentucky Derby, there have been two years (1905 and 1892) in which only three horses raced. These events were considered low points for the Derby, and we'll most likely never see it go this low ever again.

1. The horse wasn't actually 3 years old.
   They had an illegal substance in their system.
2. Their jockey wasn't legal.
   The horse was an impersonator.

After the 1968 Derby, there were traces of phenylbutazone (a banned anti-inflammatory) in the urine of Dancer's Image, who was fresh off winning the race. He was immediately disqualified, and the second-place horse was given the winner.

1. 2010
   1999
2. 2007
   2002

Back in 2007, the Queen of England Elizabeth II made an appearance at the Kentucky Derby. This was her first visit to the U.S. in many years and said one of her dreams was to attend the Kentucky Derby.

1. 1st leg
   2nd leg
2. 3rd leg
   It depends on the year.

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes. The Derby is on the first Saturday of May, so the actual day of the race will vary.

1. 12
   15
2. 17
   20

Back in 1892, Alonzo Clayton became the youngest jockey to ever win a Kentucky Derby. The young African-American man was making a name for himself the year before, when he begun his professional career.

1. The Kentucky Grounds Race
   The Kentucky Oaks
2. The Texas Derby
   The Preakness Stakes

The Kentucky Oaks is a race that takes place the day before the Kentucky Derby. It's for fillies only, and the purse is over a million dollars, with the winning horse taking home a cool $750,000.

1. Lexington
   Bowling Green
2. Louisville
   Covington

The Kentucky Derby has taken place in Louisville since its inception. It's the largest city in the state of Kentucky by a large margin, so it makes sense for an event of this magnitude to take place there.

1. 1 mile
   1 and a quarter miles
2. 1 and a half miles
   2 miles

The Kentucky Derby in its current state is a race that spans 1 and a quarter miles. In its early days, it was 1 and a half, but it was shortened in 1896 to the current length. So when looking at speeds throughout history, it's important to remember this fact.

1. Their famous trainer
   They only lost one race in their career.
2. The color of the horse
   Their record-breaking run

Native Dancer raced 22 times in their illustrious career, losing only one race. Unfortunately, that one race happened to be the 1953 Kentucky Derby. He's regularly seen as one of the best race horses in history.

1. The 1890s
   The 2000s
2. The 1980s
   The 1930s

Only one father-son duo has ever won the Kentucky Derby, and this took place back in the 1930s. Gallant Fox won the Triple Crown in 1930, and his son Omaha won it in 1935. They were both trained by the same person, as well.

1. $1 billion
   $800,000
2. $139 million
   $25 million

The record number for the amounts bet on the Kentucky Derby race were set in 2017 when bettors spent nearly $140 million. The numbers have been steadily on the rise in recent years, not dipping below $100 million since back in 2004.

1. Winning the Kentucky Derby
   Finishing second in all three Triple Crown races
2. Having won the most money as a racehorse
   Bucking off his jockey

In 1978, Alydar became world famous for finishing second to Triple Crown winner Affirmed in all three legs of the Crown. They were all incredibly close races, and he's often seen as the best horse to never win a championship.

1. 70 years old
   54 years old
2. 36 years old
   45 years old

Back in 1986, 54 year-old Bill Shoemaker became the oldest man to ever with the Kentucky Derby. He was a prolific jockey during his career, partly due to his size. He was only 4'10" and weighed only 91 lbs.

1. A thoroughbred is a breed of horse.
   Horses birthed through selective breeding
2. Horses that have bread added to their diet
   Horses with a certain amount of muscle mass

There are several different horse breeds, each with their own unique characteristics. Because of Thoroughbreds being tall, slim, athletic and fast, it makes them perfect for horse races.

1. Mike Smith
   Gary Stevens
2. Victor Espinoza
   Calvin Borel

Calvin Borel is without a doubt one of the best jockeys of our generation. He won the Kentucky Derby in 2007, 2009 and 2010. He holds thousands of wins as a jockey and is still adding to this total.