Kentucky Derby winners

Bill Sullivan
May 1, 2009

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of thoroughbred horse racing’s Triple Crown. The first Saturday in May is one of the most cherished afternoon’s on the sporting calendar, a spectacle in the stands and on the infield every bit as much as on the track.

No horse has managed to complete the Triple Crown (which includes the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes) since Affirmed turned the trick back in 1978. Last year, Big Brown won the first two races before, as one cynic put it, “moseying in last” at the Belmont.

Here’s a list of Derby winners since Affirmed, with the winning jockey:

2009: Mine That Bird (Calvin Borel)
2008: Big Brown ( K. Desormeaux)
2007: Street Sense (C. Borel)
2006: Barbaro (E. Prado)
2005: Giacomo (M. Smith)
2004: Smarty Jones (S. Elliott)
2003: Funny Cide (J. Santos)
2002: War Emblem (V. Espinoza)
2001: Monarchos (J. Chavez)
2000: Fusaichi Pegasus (K. Desormeaux)
1999: Charismatic (C. Antley)
1998: Real Quiet ( K. Desormeaux)
1997: Silver Charm (G. Stevens)
1996: Grindstone ( J. Bailey)
1995: Thunder Gulch (G. Stevens)
1994: Go for Gin (C. McCarron)
1993: Sea Hero ( J. Bailey)
1992: Lil E. Tee ( P. Day)
1991: Strike the Gold (C. Antley)
1990: Unbridled (C. Perret)
1989: Sunday Silence (P. Valenzuela)
1988: Winning Colors (G. Stevens)
1987: Alysheba (C. McCarron)
1986: Ferdinand (W. Shoemaker)
1985: Spend a Buck (A. Cordero Jr.)
1984: Swale (L. Pincay Jr.)
1983: Sunny’s Halo (E. Delahoussaye)
1982: Gato Del Sol (E. Delahoussaye)
1981: Pleasant Colony (J. Velasquez)
1980: Genuine Risk ( J. Vasquez)
1979: Spectacular Bid ( R. Franklin)
1978: Affirmed (S. Cauthen)