Secretariat set the fastest winning time in Kentucky Derby history by finishing the 1973 race in 1:59.40.
The record came at Churchill Downs over the standard 1¼-mile distance. Secretariat initially appeared to have run slightly slower because the electronic timing system malfunctioned, so officials used a hand-timed result of 1:59 2/5. Later review of video and split times supported the 1:59.40 figure.
Secretariat won the Derby after breaking from post position 10 and coming from behind early in the race. He then won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, becoming the ninth American Triple Crown winner and one of the sport’s most celebrated champions.
Monarchos was the second horse to break two minutes in the Kentucky Derby, in 2001, with a time of 1:59.97. That achievement is sometimes confused with Secretariat’s record, but Secretariat remains the only Derby winner officially credited with a time below 1:59.50.