Kentucky Derby Early Winners: 1800s
Kentucky Derby history stretches back to 1875, when the first Derby was run at Churchill Downs. In the inaugural Kentucky Derby, about 10,000 fans watched as jockey Oliver Lewis rode Aristides to victory. In the same year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Until 1896, the Kentucky Derby was run over a distance of 1.5 miles the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. Since 1896, the length of the race has been set at 1.25 miles.
For details of the winning horses, jockeys, and trainers of the Kentucky Derby since 1980, visit our Kentucky Derby winners page.
Kentucky Derby Early Winners: 1875 to 1900
Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
1900 | Lieut. Gibson | Jimmy Boland | Charles Hughes | Charles H. Smith | 2:06.25 |
1899 | Manuel | Fred Taral | Robert J. Walden | A. H. & D. H. Morris | 2:12.00 |
1898 | Plaudit | Willie Simms | John E. Madden | John E. Madden | 2:09.00 |
1897 | Typhoon II | Buttons Garner | J. C. Cahn | J. C. Cahn | 2:12.50 |
1896 | Ben Brush | Willie Simms | Hardy Campbell | Mike F. Dwyer | 2:07.75 |
1895 | Halma | Soup Perkins | Byron McClelland | Byron McClelland | 2:37.50 |
1894 | Chant | Frank Goodale | H. Eugene Leigh | Leigh & Rose | 2:41.00 |
1893 | Lookout | Eddie Kunze | William McDaniel | Cushing & Orth | 2:39.25 |
1892 | Azra | Lonnie Clayton | John Morris | Bashford Manor Stable | 2:41.50 |
1891 | Kingman | Isaac Murphy | Dud Allen | Jacobin Stable | 2:52.25 |
1890 | Riley | Isaac Murphy | Edward Corrigan | Edward Corrigan | 2:45.00 |
1889 | Spokane | Thomas Kiley | John Rodegap | Noah Armstrong | 2:34.50 |
1888 | Macbeth II | George Covington | John Campbell | Chicago Stable | 2:38.00 |
1887 | Montrose | Isaac Lewis | John McGinty | Labold Brothers | 2:39.25 |
1886 | Ben Ali | Paul Duffy | Jim Murphy | J. B. A. Haggin | 2:36.50 |
1885 | Joe Cotton | Babe Henderson | Alex Perry | J. T. Williams | 2:37.25 |
1884 | Buchanan | Isaac Murphy | William Bird | William Cottrill | 2:40.25 |
1883 | Leonatus | Billy Donohue | Raleigh Colston | Chinn & Morgan | 2:43.00 |
1882 | Apollo | Babe Hurd | Green B. Morris | Morris & Patton | 2:40.00 |
1881 | Hindoo | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe, Sr. | Dwyer Bros. Stable | 2:40.00 |
1880 | Fonso | George Lewis | Tice Hutsell | J. Snell Shawhan | 2:37.50 |
1879 | Lord Murphy | Charlie Shauer | George Rice | Darden & Co | 2:37.00 |
1878 | Day Star | Jimmy Carter | Lee Paul | T. J. Nichols | 2:37.25 |
1877 | Baden-Baden | Billy Walker | Edward D. Brown | Daniel Swigert | 2:38.00 |
1876 | Vagrant | Bobby Swim | James Williams | William Astor, Jr. | 2:38.25 |
1875 | Aristides | Oliver Lewis | Ansel Williamson | Hal P. McGrath | 2:37.75 |
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