First Saturday in May: It's a Date

With the 2015 Kentucky Derby just over two months henceforth, the May 2nd date has been circled on this year's calendar by most, if not all, North American horse racing fans. Yes, we've had our eyes set on the 141st "Run for the Roses" for quite some time. However, America's premier horse racing event has not always been held on the first Saturday in May. The very first running in 1875, won by Aristides, was held on Monday, May 17th. The latest the Derby has been held in May was Wednesday the 23rd in 1883, when Leonatus won the 9th edition. The Kentucky Derby in 1901 (27th running), won by His Eminence, wasn't even held in the month of May, but rather, its running is officially recorded as April 29th.

For more than a quarter-century, beginning with its inception, it was common for the Derby to be held on a weekday and all five days were utilized during that time frame. It wasn't until 1902 when a horse named Alan-a-Dale won the Kentucky Derby the first time the event was held on the first Saturday in May. The first Saturday feat was repeated the following year when Judge Himes was the Derby winner. However, just once over the next thirty years did Kentuckians see their famous race held on the first Saturday. It occurred in 1921 when Behave Yourself won the 47th running. Most of the Kentucky Derbys run during that three decade period were either held during the week or on the second Saturday of May.

Beginning in 1932, when Burgoo King won the 58th edition, the Kentucky Derby, with a couple of noted exceptions*, was entrenched on the first Saturday in May.

*1937 saw War Admiral take the 63rd running on the second Saturday of the month. *In 1945, WWII was just ending, but because of travel restrictions under wartime conditions, the Derby was rescheduled for June 9th. The winner was Hoop Jr.

Due to the calendar placement in its younger days, plus leap year factoring into the equation every four years, the total amount of times the previous 140 Kentucky Derbys have actually been held on May 2nd, has been fourteen. Of that number, a dozen have been campaigned on the first Saturday in May.

In honor of this years May 2nd running, let's look back at preceding Derbys with the same date.

1903--Judge Himes: This colt was the beneficiary of a premature move and overconfident riding by the great jockey Jimmy Winkfield aboard the race favorite, a horse aptly named Early. Winkfield, who had won the previous two running's and was gunning for three consecutive wins in the big race, moved his mount to the lead at the three-quarter pole and increased his lead into the stretch. Judge Himes with jockey Harold Booker riding, was in a battle for position with a couple of other runners behind the leader as the field turned into the straightaway. Booker took advantage of an opening along the rail as Winkfield on a two-length lead appeared on his way to victory. At the eighth-pole, Booker went to work on the Judge, and the lead quickly disappeared. When the self-assured Winkfield finally realized Judge Himes was bearing down on him, he asked his mount for more, but it was too late. Judge Himes prevailed by three-quarters of a length.

1904--Elwood: Trainer Charles "Boots" Durnell was one of the best of his time, but he had absolutely no faith in his horse to win the Derby. However, Durnell's wife was the breeder of Elwood and truly believed in the colt. After the couple debated about their difference of opinions, it was obvious that SHE yielded the most clout, bringing the horse from Missouri as her husband stayed back. Sent off as the longest shot on the odds board at 15-1 against four opponents, who were all in the single digit odds range, Elwood came from last place and battled with three rivals through the stretch. Those opponents, one by one, began to tire, but Elwood did not and won the 30th running by a half-length.

1906--Sir Huon: In the most unconventional manner, this bay colt wasn't given a single three-year-old race leading up to the Kentucky Derby. However, he certainly had breeding worthy of attention: His sire was Falsetto, who sired two previous winners: Chant (1894) and His Eminence (1901). In this running, Sir Huon  faced five opponents, with the strongest competitor being a filly named Lady Navarre. Once the field swung into the stretch, Sir Huon, full of run with jockey Roscoe Troxler aboard, whizzed by race leader Hyperion II. Lady Navarre, in fourth place much of the race, moved into second and gave a courageous effort through the stretch, but could not make up the two-length deficit that was held by Sir Huon at the finish.

1936--Bold Venture: When the gates sprung open, Bold Venture, leaving from post five, was bumped into from the right side by Bien Joli in post six. Both horses then slammed against Grandville in post four. As Grandville went to his knees and lost his rider, the rest of the jockeys did the best they could to get their mounts straightened away and continue on. Apprentice rider Ira Hanford was sitting atop Bold Venture, and after shaking off the skirmish at the beginning, moved his mount from eighth-place at the half-mile marker into the lead as they turned into the Churchill Downs stretch. Moving up from the back of the pack after getting knocked to his knees during the scrum at the start, was race favorite Brevity, ridden by Wayne Wright. The jockey/horse combo were closing in on Bold Venture, narrowing the lead with every furious stride. In the final quarter-mile, both riders and horses were all out, giving every ounce of energy they had right to the finish line. At the wire, Bold Venture had deservedly earned a head victory.

1942--Shut Out: Heading into this Derby, rider Eddie Arcaro had his choice of riding two outstanding Greentree Stable runners, Devil Diver or Shut Out. The former runner had missed some training time due to a minor injury, but that didn't deter Arcaro from selecting the colt. Why not? Devil Diver had finished in front of Shut Out in four of five previous meetings. Wayne Wright was the rider of Shut Out and gave the horse a good ride, sitting just behind the leaders. In the last eighth of a mile, Wright gave the "go" signal to Shut Out and the chestnut colt responded by forging ahead of the others and winning by two-lengths. Arcaro and Devil Diver were forwardly placed throughout, but did not threaten and finished sixth. 

1953--Dark Star: Facing the unbeaten Native Dancer, it would take a colossal effort and maybe some luck to pull off an upset. The ominously named Dark Star benefited from both. Going past the Churchill grandstand the first time, 24-1 longshot Dark Star showed the way as Native Dancer, a.k.a. the "Gray Ghost", raced toward the back of the pack. Entering the first turn, Native Dancer, under jockey Eric Guerin, began to move up when, abruptly, he was bumped by Money Broker. This mishap caused Native Dancer to lose his momentum, but the horse quickly recovered and once again began to improve his position as the horses raced down the backstretch. Nearing the top of the stretch, with Dark Star still in front, Native Dancer made a run and was gaining on the leader with every stride. Midway through the lane, Native Dancer had dead aim on the frontrunner. Hank Moreno, aboard Dark Star sensed trepidation and went to the whip. The Ghost continued to gain, but just couldn't pass Dark Star, who registered a stunning finish by a head and handed the only career defeat that Native Dancer ever suffered.

1959--Tomy Lee: Jockey Bill Shoemaker had committed to trainer Elliot Burch to ride Sword Dancer in the Kentucky Derby, but Shoemaker's agent committed to trainer Frank Childs that "Shoe" would be aboard Tomy Lee in the Derby. Guess who won out? The agent. The decision angered Shoemaker so much that he boldly predicted to his agent that Sword Dancer would win. Trainer Burch was also upset, but he had to find another rider. The call on Sword Dancer went to Bill Boland, who had won the 1950 Derby. On a hot 94-degree afternoon, the Derby crowd was treated to a hot battle. Tomy Lee, breaking from post nine and Sword Dancer, leaving from post fourteen, were both prominent from the outset. With a quarter-mile left to go, the two contestants were running one-two, with Sword Dancer slightly in front by a half-length. Tomy Lee closed in on the leader down the stretch and now was just a head behind. Both horses raced in tandem to the wire and bumped repeatedly. At the finish, Tomy Lee won by a mere nose. Boland lodged a foul against Shoemaker. The judges deliberated for 17 minutes before disallowing the claim of foul. The race film showed that both riders had bumped each other. Therefore, Tomy Lee's  number stayed up. So much for predictions Shoe.

1964--Northern Dancer: This edition marked my very first watching of the Kentucky Derby. Up until 2008, when I attended my first Derby, my viewing of the race was strictly home television set or in later years, on the big screen at the local simulcast center. Northern Dancer had won his first race at my home track of Fort Erie the previous year. I was not in attendance that day, but my father sure was. So when Northern Dancer made it to Louisville for the race, of course my Dad rooted for the Canadian-bred colt, so it became a no-brainer as to who I would cheer for. When Northern Dancer won the Derby by a neck in a then track-record time of 2 minutes flat under Bill Hartack, holding off a late surge from West coast invader and Derby favorite, Hill Rise, under Bill Shoemaker, Pops and I both yelled out our excitement. And I was hooked.

1970--Dust Commander: I take a back seat for this Derby. In case you missed it, I recently interviewed former jockey Mike Manganello, the winning rider aboard Dust Commander. He's the best person to give you an accurate description of the entire race from gate-to-wire. Click the link below.

The 1970 Derby with Mike Manganello

1981--Pleasant Colony: The human connection was the focal point of this Derby. In the springtime of the year, the owner of Pleasant Colony was unhappy with the progress of his promising 3-year old colt under the tutelage of trainer Odie Lee, so the owner switched the runner over to the hands of Johnny Campo. Under Campo's training, Pleasant Colony won the Wood Memorial, upsetting 1-5 favorite, Cure The Blues. In the weeks leading up to first Saturday in May, Campo was assuredly telling everyone within earshot that Pleasant Colony would win the Derby, and in the process, belittled the other horses. Campo's choice of words about the competition certainly were not meant for socialization. After the gates opened, Pleasant Colony lagged toward the rear of the 21-horse field, no better than 15th after three-quarters of a mile. But after a mile and a quarter was run, Pleasant Colony was in front with three-quarters of a length to the good against Woodchooper, a 34-1 longshot who was trapped in the oversized field. After the race, ABC sports host Jim McKay asked Campo why he was so confident the horse would win, Campo replied "I'm a good horse trainer pal, don't ever forget it".

1987--Alysheba: In an attempt to secure good racing position coming out of the gate, Alysheba, with jockey Chris McCarron riding, was involved in the usual chaos of getting banged around and went into the first turn racing in fourteenth place. On the backside, he moved up, sailing past about a dozen rivals. By the time Alysheba was entering the far turn, he was among a quartet of leaders looking for glory. On the Line had the inside spot secured, Bet Twice next to him, and Avie's Copy was also in the mix. The four horses turned into the long Churchill stretch, the place where Derby dreams turn real or get extinguished. Alysheba continued his strong run on the outside as On The Line began to tire down at the rail. Bet Twice was still moving well and now held the lead past the eighth pole, looking as though he would go onto victory. And then...Alysheba stumbled badly, and nearly fell after clipping heels with the swerving Bet Twice. But he didn't. By virtue of a magnificent display of skill and athleticism from both horse and rider, Alysheba recovered quickly from the incident and despite being almost out of stretch room, went on to register a three-quarter length win.

1992--Lil E.Tee: All eyes were on Arazi, the colt who shipped over from France six months earlier, and on the very same Churchill Downs surface had won the B.C. Juvenile with an explosive move that the racing world still talks about today. Would history repeat itself?  As the 4-5 favorite, Arazi, showcased another dazzling move down the backstretch, flying by one rival after another and midway through the final bend swept in to third place with his sights set on the leaders. However, approaching the home stretch, Arazi tired badly. Jockey Pat Day, blanked in nine previous Derby attempts, was aboard Lil E. Tee sent off at 17-1. Day and his mount broke sharply and settled in tenth place after a half-mile had been run. When Arazi whizzed by on the backside, Day asked Lil E. Tee to move also. Lil E. Tee responded to his riders asking and proceeded to advance up to fifth place. As Arazi was running out of gas, Day and Lil E. Tee pressed on and soon collared the leader, Casual Lies, just past the eighth pole. Riding relentlessly to the wire, Day got his horse home first by a length, and the most popular jockey in the history of Churchill Downs finally had his Derby winner.

1998--Real Quiet: Arriving in Louisville with just two wins from a dozen starts, Real Quiet did possess one major plus: He was conditioned by Bob Baffert who won the Derby one year earlier and had just missed winning it two years prior. Even with the trainer element going for him, Real Quiet wasn't the most popular 3-year old in the Baffert barn, that honor was reserved for the undefeated Indian Charlie. Despite finishing 2nd to his star stablemate in the Santa Anita Derby, there was little media demand for Baffert's "other" horse. Real Quiet basically went unnoticed all of Derby week, but his strong morning workouts over the Churchill Downs surface gave signs he was about to make some noise. Behind a quick pace, Real Quiet and jockey Kent Desormeaux settled in mid-pack along the rail, racing freely all the way down the backside. With a half-mile remaining, Real Quiet was in sixth-place, and Desormeaux sensed the horses in front of him were starting to labor from their early exertions. So he swung his mount to the outside, following Indian Charlie who was also on the move. At that point, the colt delivered a surge of power and speed. As the field turned for home, Real Quiet overtook his popular barn mate and came bounding home to win by a half-length over Victory Gallop who split the Baffert runners.

2009--Mine That Bird: Improbable, Insane, Unreal. Three adjectives that best describe the results of Derby 135. Who Was THAT? Three words asked the instant the winner crossed under the finish line. Programs and racing forms gave the stunned crowd of over 150,000 their answer. THAT was Mine That Bird, a 50-1 longshot. Entrusted to handle the gelding's day to day regimen was trainer Bennie "Chip" Woolley, who loaded Mine That Bird in a van and hauled him behind his truck from New Mexico to Kentucky and hoped his horse would just be competitive. Be careful what you hope for. Mine That Bird got squeezed coming out of the starting gate and with the ever popular Calvin Borel riding, was in last place along the rail, far, far behind in the 19-horse field. They bided their time while hugging the inside before surging powerfully over the muddy surface. The duo was 12th and moving strongly with just a quarter-mile remaining. Borel maneuvered Mine That Bird around a tiring rival, then steered him immediately back to the rail and propelled him through the tightest of openings approaching the eighth pole. Once free, Mine That Bird accelerated into a huge lead that resulted in the largest margin of victory (6 3/4 lengths) since 1946.

The first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, framed by the hexagonal Twin Spires, one of the most identifiable features of any sporting venue in the world. There's no place I'd rather be. See ya in LOO-A VUL folks.