Kentucky Derby Fast Facts

Interested in knowing more about the The Kentucky Derby? Sure, you can find tons of statistics and gorgeous pictures of horses like we did - or you can just keep reading for some pretty interesting facts. Beyond the hats and Mint Juleps, it is the most exciting two minutes in sports - although Triple Crown winner Secretariat holds the record for completing the 1 ¼ mile race in 1:59.40 in 1973. Did you also know that the post-time favorite has won the race each of the last five years? This year, expected favorite Justify will try to emulate Orb (2013), California Chrome (2014), American Pharoah (2015), Nyquist (2016) and Always Dreaming (2017). And although Super Bowl tickets could fetch as much as $7,000, "Mansion" seating at the Derby will cost nearly $15,000 per person. Finally - and perhaps our most who-keeps-up-with-this-stuff statistic - horses whose first initial is “A” have won the race 11 times from 96 tries, including Always Dreaming’s win last year. In fact, the 11.5% success rate is higher than any other initial. Now you know - tally ho!