Kentucky Derby 2017 Weather Forecast

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So far, so good - the Kentucky Derby 2017 weather forecast is looking up!

The 10-day forecasts are calling for a great Derby weekend with a Kentucky Oaks day on Friday, May 5 with a very pleasant high of 73-degrees, mostly sunny with a 20% chance of precipitation and a trace of rain in the forecast. 

For Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 6, 2017 the forecast is for a lovely high of 72-degrees, partly cloudy with also a 20% chance of precipitation, but no rain specifically in the forecast. 

Looking at past Kentucky Derby history weather, there has been a fast track for the last three years and only three of the last 10 Kentucky Derby races have been competed over a sloppy track. 

Since 1980, the warmest Kentucky Derby was when Alysheba won in 1987 and the high was 87-degrees.  The coldest Kentucky Derby day in the last 37 years was in 1989 when fans braved 51-degree temperatures and sleet and watched Sunday Silence prevail over Easy Goer on a muddy track.

There has been a fast track for Kentucky Derby in 30 of the last 37 runnings.

Five horses won over a sloppy track: Go For Gin (1994), Smarty Jones (2004), Mine That Bird (2009), Super Saver (2010) and Orb (2013).  Unbridled won over a good track in 1990, and Sunday Silence won on that muddy track in 1989. 

Weather Forecast courtesy of: The Weather Network

Date High Low 24-Hour Precip 1pm-7pm Precip Weather Winner Track
May 7, 2016 85 59 0.38" 0.38" Mostly Sunny Nyquist Fast
May 2, 2015 79 52 0 0 Mostly Sunny American Pharoah Fast
May 3, 2014 73 45 0 0 Mostly Sunny California Chrome Fast
May 4, 2013 64 53 0.87" 0.44" Rain Orb Sloppy
May 5, 2012 83 65 1.46" 0 Partly Sunny I'll Have Another Fast
May 7, 2011 72 51 Trace Trace Mostly Cloudy Animal Kingdom Fast
May 1, 2010 75 63 1.32" 0.13" Thunderstorms Super Saver Sloppy
May 2, 2009 62 51 0.07" 0 Cloudy Mine That Bird Sloppy
May 3, 2008 75 50 0.69" 0 Partly Cloudy Big Brown Fast
May 5, 2007 78 62 Trace Trace Partly Sunny Street Sense Fast
May 6, 2006 68 52 0 0 Partly Sunny Barbaro Fast
May 7, 2005 80 48 0 0 Mostly Sunny Giacomo Fast
May 1, 2004 78 55 0.65" 0.29" Thunderstorms Smarty Jones Sloppy
May 3, 2003 65 52 0 0 Partly Sunny Funny Cide Fast
May 4, 2002 71 49 0 0 Mostly Sunny War Emblem Fast
May 5, 2001 86 58 0 0 Mostly Sunny Monarchos Fast
May 6, 2000 86 63 Trace Trace Mostly Sunny Fusaichi Pegasus Fast
May 1, 1999 75 46 0 0 Sunny Charismatic Fast
May 2, 1998 75 49 0.03" 0 Thunderstorms Real Quiet Fast
May 3, 1997 60 47 0.22" 0.01" Showers Silver Charm Fast
May 4, 1996 81 62 0.55" 0.55" Thunderstorms Grindstone Fast
May 6, 1995 74 46 0 0 Partly Cloudy Thunder Gulch Fast
May 7, 1994 70 50 0.63" 0.27" Thunderstorms Go for Gin Sloppy
May 1, 1993 76 57 0.02" 0.02" Cloudy Sea Hero Fast
May 2, 1992 81 65 0.83" 0.35" Thunderstorms Lil E. Tee Fast
May 4, 1991 80 64 0.06" 0.06" Thunderstorms Strike the Gold Fast
May 5, 1990 73 48 Trace Trace Mostly Cloudy Unbridled Good
May 6, 1989 51 39 0.09" 0.01" Sleet Sunday Silence Muddy
May 7, 1988 81 50 0 0 Clear Winning Colors Fast
May 2, 1987 87 61 0 0 Mostly Cloudy Alysheba Fast
May 3, 1986 63 40 0 0 Partly Cloudy Ferdinand Fast
May 4, 1985 74 46 0 0 partly Cloudy Spend a Buck Fast
May 5, 1984 71 46 0.09" Trace Cloudy Swale Fast
May 7, 1983 81 58 0.54" 0.10" Thunderstorms Sunny's Halo Fast
May 1, 1982 75 55 Trace 0 Partly Cloudy Gato Del Sol Fast
May 2, 1981 68 45 0 0 Clear Pleasant Colony Fast
May 3, 1980 75 54 0 0 Clear Genuine Risk Fast
May 5, 1979 65 39 0 0 Clear Spectacular Bid Fast
May 6, 1978 67 43 0 0 Clear Affirmed Fast
May 7, 1977 77 61 0.03" 0 Partly Cloudy Seattle Slew Fast
May 1, 1976 73 52 0.15" 0.15" Cloudy Bold Forbes Fast
May 3, 1975 72 56 0.23" 0.23" Cloudy Foolish Pleasure Fast
May 4, 1974 66 44 0 0 Partly Cloudy Cannonade Fast
May 5, 1973 67 39 0 0 Partly Cloudy Secretariat Fast
May 6, 1972 81 51 0 0 Partly Cloudy Riva Ridge Fast
May 1, 1971 73 37 0.01" 0 Partly Cloudy Canonero II Fast
May 2, 1970 64 48 0.28" 0 Partly Cloudy Dust Commander Good
May 3, 1969 81 53 0 0 Partly Cloudy Majestic Prince Fast
May 4, 1968 72 56 0 0 Partly Cloudy Forward pass Fast
May 6, 1967 63 57 0.78" 0.31" Thunderstorms Proud Clarion Fast
May 7, 1966 80 46 0 0 Partly Cloudy Kauai King Fast
May 1, 1965 84 60 0 0 Clear Lucky Debonair Fast
May 2, 1964 76 49 0 0 Cloudy Northern Dancer Fast
May 4, 1963 80 49 0 0 Partly Cloudy Chateaugay Fast
May 5, 1962 81 47 0 0 Partly Cloudy Decidedly Fast
May 6, 1961 81 52 0.25" Trace Thunderstorms Carry Back Good
May 7, 1960 64 40 0.20" 0 Partly Cloudy Venetian Way Good
May 2, 1959 94 58 0 0 Partly Cloudy Tomy Lee Fast
May 3, 1958 86 64 0.11" 0 Partly Cloudy Tim Tam Muddy
May 4, 1957 47 36 0 0 Cloudy Iron Liege Fast
May 5, 1956 82 48 0 0 Clear Needles Fast
May 7, 1955 85 57 0.01" 0.01" Thunderstorms Swaps Fast
May 1, 1954 84 66 0.15" 0.01" Thunderstorms Determine Fast
May 2, 1953 76 55 0 0 Clear Dark Star Fast
May 3, 1952 79 55 0 0 Clear Hill Gail Fast
May 5, 1951 67 51 0.02" 0 partly Cloudy Count Turf Fast
May 6, 1950 70 51 0.11" 0 Thunderstorms Middleground Fast
May 7, 1949 75 57 0 0 Partly Cloudy Ponder Fast
May 1, 1948 72 51 0.80" Trace Thunderstorms Citation Sloppy
May 3, 1947 57 47 0.02" 0 Cloudy Jet Pilot Slow
May 4, 1946 68 45 0.01" Trace Cloudy Assault Slow
June 9, 1945 77 63 0.50" 0.03" Thunderstorms Hoop, Jr. Muddy
May 6, 1944 51 40 0 0 Partly Cloudy Pensive Good
May 1, 1943 58 39 0 0 Clear Count Fleet Fast
May 2, 1942 87 67 0 0 Partly Cloudy Shut Out Fast
May 3, 1941 76 54 0 0 Partly Cloudy Whirlaway Fast
May 4, 1940 62 36 0 0 Clear Gallahadion Fast
May 6, 1939 83 56 0 0 Clear Johnstown Fast
May 7, 1938 80 57 0 0 Partly Cloudy Lawrin Fast
May 8, 1937 71 48 0 0 Clear War Admiral Fast
May 2, 1936 78 64 0.34" 0 Thunderstorms Bold Venture Fast
May 4, 1935 47 40 0.14" 0.10" Cloudy Omaha Good
May 5, 1934 76 65 0.04" 0 Partly Cloudy Cavalcade Fast
May 6, 1933 59 53 0.09" 0 Partly Cloudy Brokers Tip Good
May 7, 1932 83 68 0 0 Partly Cloudy Burgoo King Fast
May 16, 1931 84 61 0 0 Partly Cloudy Twenty Grand Fast
May 17, 1930 69 59 0.11" 0.11" Cloudy Gallant Fox Good
May 18, 1929 77 54 1.19" 0.66" Thunderstorms Clyde Van Dusen Muddy
May 19, 1928 75 61 0.62" 0.39" Thunderstorms Reigh Count Heavy
May 14, 1927 64 49 0.35" 0.22" Thunderstorms Whiskery Slow
May 15, 1926 64 46 Trace 0 Partly Cloudy Bubbling Over Fast
May 16, 1925 86 60 0.14" 0.12" Thunderstorms Flying Ebony Sloppy
May 17, 1924 74 55 0 0 Partly Cloudy Black Gold Fast
May 19, 1923 85 60 0 0 Partly Cloudy Zev Fast
May 13, 1922 77 64 0 0 Clear Morvich Fast
May 7, 1921 73 48 0 0 Clear Behave Yourself Fast
May 8, 1920 72 53 0 0 Clear Paul Jones Slow
May 10, 1919 57 48 0.09" 0 Cloudy Sir Barton Heavy
May 11, 1918 68 49 2.31" 1.00" Thunderstorms Exterminator Muddy
May 12, 1917 60 40 0 0 Cloudy Omar Khayyam Fast
May 13, 1916 83 54 Trace 0 Partly Cloudy George Smith Fast
May 8, 1915 71 51 Trace Trace Clear Regret Fast
May 9, 1914 72 49 0 0 Clear Old Rosebud Fast
May 10, 1913 61 46 0 0 Clear Donerail Fast
May 11, 1912 77 60 1.04" 0.45" Cloudy Worth Muddy
May 13, 1911 82 60 0 0 Clear Meridian Fast
May 10, 1910 82 61 0 0 Clear Donau Fast
May 3, 1909 57 43 0.21" Trace Cloudy Wintergreen Slow
May 5, 1908 72 52 0.72" 0 Thunderstorms Stone Street Heavy
May 6, 1907 67 56 0.67" 0 Cloudy Pink Star Heavy
May 2, 1906 83 63 0.25" 0.24"  Thunderstorms  Sir Huron  Fast
May 10, 1905 89 63 0.58" 0 Thunderstorms Agile Heavy
May 2, 1904 73 55 0 0 Partly Cloudy Elwood Fast
May 2, 1903 74 40 0 0 Clear Judge Himes Fast
May 3, 1902 89 65 0 0 Clear Alan-a-Dale Fast
April 29, 1901 83 52 0 0 Clear His Eminence Fast
May 3, 1900 66 46 0 0 Partly Cloudy Lieutenant Gibson Fast
May 4, 1899 80 60 Trace Trace Cloudy Manuel Fast
May 4, 1898 62 57 0.35" 0.35" Cloudy Plaudit Good
May 12, 1897 76 61 0.82" 0 Cloudy Typhoon II Heavy
May 6, 1896 84 60 0 0 Clear Ben Brush Dusty
May 6, 1895 82 66 0 0 Partly Cloudy Halma Fast
May 15, 1894 87 66 0.04" 0.04" Partly Cloudy Chant Fast
May 10, 1893 79 54 0 0 Clear Lookout Fast
May 11, 1892 55 51 Trace Trace Cloudy Azra Heavy
May 13, 1891 71 53 0 0 Cloudy Kingman Slow
May 14, 1890 63 54 0.31" 0 Cloudy Riley Muddy
May 9, 1889 90 66 0 0 Partly Cloudy Spokane Fast
May 14, 1888 56 42 0 0 Cloudy Macbeth II Fast
May 11, 1887 79 59 Trace Trace Partly Cloudy Montrose Fast
May 14, 1886 85 72 0 0 Partly Cloudy Ben Ali Fast
May 14, 1885 73 50 0 0 Partly Cloudy Joe Cotton Good
May 16, 1884 68 55 0 0 Clear Buchanan Good
May 23, 1883 67 44 0 0 Clear Leonatus Heavy
May 16, 1882 63 44 0 0 Clear Apollo Good
May 17, 1881 75 55 0 0 Clear Hindoo Fast
May 18, 1880 86 62 0 0 Clear Fonso Dusty
May 20, 1879 90 63 0 0 Clear Lord Murphy Fast
May 21, 1878 76 64 0 0 Clear Day Star Dusty
 May 22, 1877  81  63  0  0  Clear  Baden-Baden Fast
May 15, 1876 86 65 0 0 Partly Cloudy Vagrant Fast
May 17, 1875 68 46 0 0 Clear Aristides Fast

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