Derby Winners: Making Their Maiden Wins Matter

By US Racing Team

Only one Derby winner since 1908 broke his maiden in the Derby, which means that the majority of all Derby runners have at least graduated to the winners’ class and made it to stakes company. In 2020, Authentic became the fourth Derby winner to have broken his maiden at Del Mar. Mandaloun, the eventual winner of the 2021 Derby, broke his maiden in his debut at Keeneland, and last year’s winner, Rich Strike, broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in his second career start and was claimed that day for $30,000. Belmont leads all tracks with 16.

With that said, some tracks still send out more Derby winners than others, so following is a list of track success where Derby winners broke their maidens, in alphabetical order.

Aqueduct: 9
Arlington Park: 5
Belmont Park: 16
Calder: 2
Churchill Downs: 5
Del Mar: 4
Delaware Park: 3
Fort Erie: 1
Gulfstream Park: 3
Hialeah: 7
Hollywood Park: 5
Keeneland: 3
Pimlico: 1
Santa Anita: 9
Saratoga: 10
Tampa Bay Downs 1
Turfway Park: 2
Woodbine: 3

Last winner to have broken their maiden at each track:

Aqueduct: 2013 winner Orb
Arlington Park: 2007 winner Street Sense
Belmont Park: 2010 winner Super Saver
Calder: 1992 winner Lil E. Tee
Churchill Downs: 2022 winner Rich Strike
Del Mar: 2020 winner Authentic
Delaware Park: 2006 winner Barbaro
Fort Erie: 1964 winner Northern Dancer
Gulfstream Park: 2019 winner Country House
Hialeah: 1975 winner Foolish Pleasure
Hollywood Park: 2014 winner California Chrome
Keeneland: 2021 winner Mandaloun
Meadowlands: 1981 winner Pleasant Colony
Parx Racing: 2004 winner Smarty Jones
Pimlico: 1979 winner Spectacular Bid
Santa Anita: 2018 winner Justify
Saratoga: 2008 winner Big Brown
Saratoga (dirt): 1988 winner Winning Colors
Saratoga (male on dirt): 1962 winner Decidedly
Tampa Bay Downs” 2017 winner Always Dreaming
Turfway Park: 1987 winner Alysheba
Woodbine: 2009 winner Mine That Bird
On Synthetic: 2011 winner Animal Kingdom

On Turf: 2008 winner Big Brown

Foreign: 1976 winner Bold Forbes (El Commandante, Puerto Rico)

How many starts did it take for Derby winners to break their maiden?

Derby winners who broke maiden in first start: 46
Derby winners who broke maiden in second start: 27
Derby winners who broke maiden in first or second start: 71
Derby winners who broke maiden in third start: 16
Derby winners who broke maiden in 4+ starts: 17
Derby winners who broke maiden on turf: 3
Derby winners who broke maiden on synthetic: 4
Derby winners who broke maiden on turf (since 1914): Sea Hero (1993), Barbaro (2006) & Big Brown (2008)
Derby winners who broke maiden on a synthetic surface (since 1914): Mine That Bird (2009), Animal Kingdom (2011), I’ll Have Another (2012), California Chrome (2014) & American Pharoah (2015)

Derby winners who broke maiden in a maiden claiming race (since 1914): Charismatic (1999), Mine That Bird (2009) and Rich Strike (2022).

Maiden Winners (since 1929 or last 90)

Derby winners who broke maiden in April: 8
Derby winners who broke maiden in May: 6
Derby winners who broke maiden in June: 11
Derby winners who broke maiden in July: 10
Derby winners who broke maiden in August: 11
Derby winners who broke maiden in September: 12
Derby winners who broke maiden in October: 10 (including 9 of last 25)
Derby winners who broke maiden in November: 8
Derby winners who broke maiden in December: 0
Derby winners who broke maiden in January.: 8
Derby winners who broke maiden in February: 1 (latest February 18, except 1933)
Derby winners who broke maiden in March: 0
Derby winners who broke maiden in April: 0
Derby winners who broke maiden prior to December: 75 (82.4%)

More than two-thirds of the Derby winners broke their maiden in their first or second start, including 19 of the last 23 years.

Twelve maidens have run in the Kentucky Derby since 1937 – Bodexpress, 2019, 13th; Sonneteer, 2017, 16th; Trojan Nation, 2016, 16th; Nationalore, 1998, 9th; Pendleton Ridge, 1990, 13th; Great Redeemer, 1979, 10th; Fourulla, 1971, 19th; The Chosen One ,1959, 14th; Flamingo, 1958; 13th; On The Mark, 1950, 8th; Senecas Coin, 1949, 14th; and Bert G., 1945, 14th.