Fillies in the Kentucky Derby
By USRacing Team
In 2020, despite pressure from fans and handicappers, the connections of the two best fillies in the 3-year-old division – Swiss Skydiver and Gamine – resisted pressure and temptation, skipped the Kentucky Derby and they instead faced off in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks. Neither won, both going down to Shedaresthedevil. The odds to win the Derby were against them anyway as only three fillies in history have captured the Run for the Roses — Winning Colors (1988), Genuine Risk (1980) and Regret (1915). Each raced against males before the Derby, too, while Winning Colors and Genuine Risk are the only two fillies to compete in all three Triple Crown races. Winning Colors finished third in the 1988 Preakness Stakes and sixth in the 1988 Belmont Stakes, while Genuine Risk finished second in both the 1980 Preakness and Belmont.
A total of 40 fillies have run in the Kentucky Derby and six were post-time favorites. Among them were Regret and Calumet Farm’s Nellie Flag, who finished fourth in 1935. The coupled entry of the filly Prudery, who finished third, and the colt Tryster, fourth, was favored in 1921. The entry of Althea (19th) and Life’s Magic (eighth) was favored in 1984, and the entry of the filly Serena’s Song (16th) and D. Wayne Lukas-trained stablemate Timber Country (third) was the post-time favorite in 1995.
A filly hasn’t started in the Derby since 2010 when Devil May Car finished 10th and no fillies will run this year.
Fillies in the Derby, with year and finish position:
Devil May Care: 2010, 10th
Eight Belles: 2008, 2nd
Excellent Meeting: 1999, 5th
Three Ring: 1999, 19th
Serena’s Song: 1995, 16th
Winning Colors: 1988, 1st
Life’s Magic: 1984, 8th
Althea: 1984, 19th
Cupecoy’s Joy: 1982, 10th
Genuine Risk: 1980, 1st
Silver Spoon: 1959, 5th
Misweet: 1945, 12th
Gold Seeker: 1936, 9th
Nellie Flag: 1935, 4th
Mata Hari: 1934, 4th
Bazaar: 1934, 9th
Oscillation: 1932, 13th
Alcibiades: 1930, 10th
Ben Machree: 1929, 18th
Startle: 1922, 8th
Prudery: 1921, 3rd
Careful: 1921, 5th
Cleopatra: 1920, 15th
Regalo: 1920, 15th
Viva America: 1918, 3rd
Regret: 1915, 1st
Bronzewing: 1914, 3rd
Watermelon: 1914, 7th
Gowell: 1913, 3rd
Flamma: 1912, 3rd
Round the World: 1911, 6th
Lady Navarre: 1906, 2nd
Pike’s Pride: 1883, 6th
Ada Glenn: 1879, 7th
Wissahickon: 1879, 9th
Early Light: 1877, 8th
Lizzie Stone: 1876, 6th
Marie Michon: 1876, 7th
Ascension: 1875, 10th
Gold Mine: 1875, 15th
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
