Who won the first Kentucky Derby, held in 1875?

Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby, held in 1875.

The inaugural race took place on May 17, 1875, at the newly established Louisville Jockey Club track in Kentucky, later known as Churchill Downs. Aristides was a chestnut colt bred by Hal Price McGrath and trained by Ansel Williamson. Oliver Lewis rode him to victory.

Aristides covered the one-and-a-half-mile course in 2 minutes 37 seconds and defeated Chesapeake by one length. The race was then longer than today’s Kentucky Derby, which has been run over 1¼ miles since 1896. Aristides’ winning time reflected the track and racing conditions of the era.

A common mix-up is confusing Aristides with later Kentucky Derby legends such as Secretariat, the 1973 winner, or Justify, the 2018 winner. Aristides is significant specifically because he began the Derby’s history, not because he won the fastest or most famous renewal.