Kentucky Derby full winners list: Complete history of winning horses, Triple Crown winners

Taking a look at all of the Kentucky Derby winners in horse racing history in addition to the horses that went on to win the Triple Crown. 

You could certainly call putting a horse among the long list of Kentucky Derby winners among the greatest achievements in sports. Sure, horse racing is a different game than most sports, but it’s still a short list.

There have been thousands of horses who have run the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. However, only 148 winners have been crowned — talk about an exclusive club to get into.

So as the 149th Run for the Roses is set to take place at the start of May, let’s take a look all of the Kentucky Derby winners in horse racing history, in addition to the Triple Crown winners who weren’t done just winning the first leg in Louisville.

Kentucky Derby winners: Full list of winners at Churchill Downs

There have been 148 runnings of the Kentucky Derby so, starting with the most recent, let’s run down the entire list of Kentucky Derby winners in history that have donned the famous roses at Churchill Downs.

• 2022: Rich Strike
• 2021: Mandaloun
• 2020: Authentic
• 2019: Country House
• 2018: Justify
• 2017: Always Dreaming
• 2016: Nyquist
• 2015: American Pharoah
• 2014: California Chrome
• 2013: Orb
• 2012: I’ll Have Another
• 2011: Animal Kingdom
• 2010: Super Saver
• 2009: Mine That Bird
• 2008: Big Brown
• 2007: Steet Sense
• 2006: Barbaro
• 2005: Giacomo
• 2004: Smarty Jones
• 2003: Funny Cide
• 2002: War Emblem
• 2001: Monarchos
• 2000: Fusaichi Pegasus
• 1999: Charismatic
• 1998: Real Quiet
• 1997: Silver Charm
• 1996: Grindstone
• 1995: Thunder Gulch
• 1994: Go for Gin
• 1993: Sea Hero
• 1992: Lil E. Tee
• 1991: Strike the Gold
• 1990: Unbridled
• 1989: Sunday Silence
• 1988: Winning Colors
• 1987: Alysheba
• 1986: Ferdinand
• 1985: Spen A Buck
• 1984: Swale
• 1983: Sunny’s Halo
• 1982: Gato Del So
• 1981: Pleasant Colony
• 1980: Genuine Risk
• 1979: Spectacular Bid
• 1978: Affirmed
• 1977: Seattle Slew
• 1976: Bold Forbes
• 1975: Foolish Pleasure
• 1974: Cannonade
• 1973: Secretariat
• 1972: Riva Ridge
• 1971: Canonero II
• 1970: Dust Commander
• 1969: Majestic Prince
• 1968: Forward Pass
• 1967: Proud Clarion
• 1966: Kauai King
• 1965: Lucky Debonair
• 1964: Northern Dancer
• 1963: Chateaugay
• 1962: Decidedly
• 1961: Carry Back
• 1960: Venetian Way
• 1959: Tomy Lee
• 1958: Tim Tam
• 1957: Iron Liege
• 1956: Needles
• 1955: Swaps
• 1954: Determine
• 1953: Dark Star
• 1952: Hill Gail
• 1951: Count Turf
• 1950: Middleground
• 1949: Ponder
• 1948: Citation
• 1947: Jet Pilot
• 1946: Assault
• 1945: Hoop Jr.
• 1944: Pensive
• 1943: Count Fleet
• 1942: Shut Out
• 1941: Whirlaway
• 1940: Gallahadion
• 1939: Johnstown
• 1938: Lawrin
• 1937: War Admiral
• 1936: Bold Venture
• 1935: Omaha
• 1934: Cavalcade
• 1933: Brokers Tip
• 1932: Burgoo King
• 1931: Twenty Grand
• 1930: Gallant Fox
• 1929: Clyde Van Dusen
• 1928: Reigh Count
• 1927: Whiskery
• 1926: Bubbling Over
• 1925: Flying Ebony
• 1924: Black Gold
• 1923: Zev
• 1922: Morvich
• 1921: Behave Yourself
• 1920: Paul Jones
• 1919: Sir Barton
• 1918: Exterminator
• 1917: Omar Khayyam
• 1916: George Smith
• 1915: Regret
• 1914: Old Rosebud
• 1913: Donerail
• 1912: Worth
• 1911: Meridian
• 1910: Donau
• 1909: Wintergreen
• 1908: Stone Street
• 1907: Pink Star
• 1906: Sir Huon
• 1905: Agile
• 1904: Elwood
• 1903: Judge Himes
• 1902: Alan-a-Dale
• 1901: His Eminence
• 1900: Lieut. Gibson
• 1899: Manuel
• 1898: Plaudit
• 1897: Typhoon II
• 1896: Ben Brush
• 1895: Halma
• 1894: Chant
• 1893: Lookout
• 1892: Azra
• 1891: Kingman
• 1890: Riley
• 1889: Spokane
• 1888: Macbeth II
• 1887: Montrose
• 1886: Ben Ali
• 1885: Joe Cotton
• 1884: Buchanan
• 1883: Leonatus
• 1882: Apollo
• 1881: Hindoo
• 1880: Fonso
• 1879: Lord Murphy
• 1878: Day Star
• 1877: Baden-Baden
• 1876: Vagrant
• 1875: Aristides

Triple Crown winners: Kentucky Derby winners that completed the Triple Crown

Despite there being 148 Kentucky Derby winners and counting, only 13 horses have gone on to become Triple Crown winners, meaning they also won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in the same year that they won at Churchill Downs. Here’s a look at the full list of Triple Crown winners, from most recent to the first, Sir Barton.

• 2018: Justify
• 2015: American Pharoah
• 1978: Affirmed
• 1977: Seattle Slew
• 1973: Secretariat
• 1948: Citation
• 1946: Assault
• 1943: Count Fleet
• 1941: Whirlaway
• 1937: War Admiral
• 1935: Omaha
• 1930: Gallant Fox
• 1919: Sir Barton

Additionally, there have been 52 horses that have won at least two legs of the Triple Crown, 23 of which won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and 11 of which won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. It’s also worth noting that Pillory, in 1922, could’ve been the 14th winner but didn’t run at Churchill Downs as the Run for the Roses and the Preakness Stakes were held on the same day. Kind of unfair historically.

It’s wild to consider that, after not seeing a Triple Crown winner for almost 40 years, there were two in 2015 and 2018 with American Pharoah and Justify. But maybe that means we’re about to see a mini run given what we saw in the 1970s along with the 1930s/40s.