Kentucky Derby 151: Fun Facts To Impress Your Friends

Small talk in the city of Louisville is all about the Kentucky Derby. You don’t have to be a Wise Guy to participate. Before the 20 horses break from the starting gate, share a few of these fun facts to sound like a Wise Guy in all of your Kentucky Derby conversations.

Toby Keith has a Kentucky Derby Horse

The only thing Toby Keith loved more than his Oklahoma Sooners was his horses. A frequent flyer to Lexington, he spent time with his pal Mark Stoops and purchased plenty of horses. He saw the Winner’s Circle a few times, but never could get a horse into the Kentucky Derby. After passing away from stomach cancer last February, his legacy lives on this year at Churchill Downs.

“It was Toby’s dream… Render Judgement is going to the Kentucky Derby,” his family shared. “He worked so hard to finally have one there! Toby will have the best seat in the house to watch.”

It didn’t look like this dream would come true. The Virginia Derby runner-up finished fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes. He was on the outside looking in until a late defection. Kenny McPeek trains the last horse entered into the Kentucky Derby field.

Funny moment between Pat Kelsey and the McPeeks.

The 2024 Derby and Oaks winning trainer (a huge UK fan) with the
“L’s down” while taking a pic with Kelsey and his wife Sherri who is a Louisville fan. @WLKY pic.twitter.com/aVHbLA4PAr

— Preston Harvey (@Pharveytv) April 29, 2025

Mike Smith Looking to Make History

Few jockeys have better name recognition than Mike Smith. He guided Giacomo to a victory as a 50-1 long shot in the Kentucky Derby and was aboard Justify for his Triple Crown triumph. This year, the 59-year-old will try to become the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby while on the mount for Rodriguez. Bill Shoemaker currently holds the record, winning on Ferdinand in 1986 at 54 years old.

Horses Share a Trainer, Owner, and Running Style

Speaking of Mike Smith’s horse, Rodriguez is a frontrunner trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Starlight Racing. Just inside of Rodriguez in the No. 1 post is Citizen Bull, a frontrunner trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Starlight Racing.

This is not uncommon. Dortmund and American Pharoah had the same deal back in 2015. Baffert has used this as a tactic in the past, using one horse to set up the race for his other horse. That wasn’t necessarily the case in 2015 — Dortmund nearly went wire-to-wire — and it won’t be this year. With both horses on the inside (Rodriguez is No. 4), they’ll each be fighting for the lead when they break from the starting gate.

The Last Kentucky Derby Maiden

A horse is considered a maiden until it wins its first career race. The last horse to break its maiden in the Kentucky Derby was Brokers Tip, who won the infamous “Fighting Finish” back in 1933. Publisher will try to do that on Saturday after going winless in its first seven career starts. The horse is trained by Steve Asmussen, the winningest trainer in North America, but one victory eludes him, the Kentucky Derby.

A First Race on Dirt

Horses typically stick to one surface. The polytrack at Turfway Park can provide a bridge between dirt and turf horses, but for the most part, a horse is either bred for grass or dirt. There aren’t too many who cross over, especially at this high of a level.

When former World Series Champion Jayson Werth bought into Flying Mohawk, he hoped the horse would race on the grass at the prestigious meet at Kentucky Downs. They took a chance and ran the horse in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park. Flying Mohawk ran second to secure a spot in the Kentucky Derby, the horse’s first race on dirt.

A Cheap Horse in the Kentucky Derby

If you thought that was an improbable story to the Kentucky Derby, Chunk of Gold was only purchased for $2,500. That’s nothing compared to the $1.2 million price tag for Sandman. Chunk of Gold was cheap, but Wise Guys believe he’s a live long shot.

Pete Fornatale is one of those Wise Guys. Hear how he breaks down Kentucky Derby 151.

Two Triple Crown-Winning Brothers

Baeza is not yet in the field, listed as the lone also-eligible in post 21. If the Santa Anita Derby runner-up gets into the starting gate, it will be the third-straight year that broodmare Puca has a horse in the Kentucky Derby. In other words, Puca has been the mom to some outstanding horses.

Mage won the 2022 Kentucky Derby. His half-brother Dornoch was in last year’s race and won the Belmont. Baeza is on a path to give Puca another Triple Crown runner.

The Coach is a Kentucky Derby Veteran

American Promise will become the 51st Kentucky Derby starter for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Only his former assistant, Todd Pletcher, has fielded more Derby horses with 65 career starts. D. Wayne is 89-years-old but still going strong, looking for his fifth Kentucky Derby win, and first since 1999.

An Old Kentucky Derby Newbie

Lonnie Briley has been around horse racing for years, but the 72-year-old had never won a Graded Stakes until Coal Battle captured the Rebel Stakes. This is Briley’s first starter in the Kentucky Derby. He’s only been to Churchill Downs once for the spectacle beneath the Twin Spires, and it’s a memory he won’t forget.

“I tell you, when the horses took off running, it was like there was an airplane taking off,” Briley told Thoroughbred Daily News. “It was like a big roar, like the bleachers could come off the ground. It was the first time I’ve seen a grandstand that covers half the track, all the way down the lane and into the first turn.”

Join KSR Plus! With a KSR Plus membership, you get access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.