Kentucky Derby Champions 1910 to 1919
Donerail, Old Rosebud, Exterminator, Sir Barton Rose to Prominence
Apr 24, 2009
Old Rosebud, a bay gelding son of Uncle, never had the opportunity to pass along his outstanding racing genes. Instead, he started eighty times and won forty races, a winning percentage rarely earned.
In the 1914 Kentucky Derby, Old Rosebud splintered the track record set a year earlier by Donerail by a full second, finding the wire in 2:03-2/5.
Donerail and Regret in 1913 and 1915
The biggest longshot in the history of the Kentucky Derby was 1913's Donerail. He entered at 90-1.
Donerail's Derby would not be forgotten. Without a flagging stride in the stretch, Donerail outlasted the field of seven others and blasted across the wire in 2:04-4/5, a new track record.
A much-in-need-of-a-financial-boost Kentucky Derby received a three-year, life-saving shot in the arm with Donerail, then the come-to-be ancient Old Rosebud, and then, the lady, Regret. In 1915, the big chestnut filly set the scene on fire, becoming the first filly to capture the wreath of roses.
With fanfare and bred by the powerful sires Broomstick, Ben Brush, and Bramble, Regret arrived at Churchill Downs unbeaten. She left the same way. Her Derby time was 2:05-2/5. Her legacy is alive and well today in Thoroughbred circles. She remains just one of three fillies all-time to win the Kentucky Derby.
1910 to 1919 Kentucky Derby Winners
1910 --- Donau ----- trainer, G. Ham; jockey, F. Herbert
1911 --- Meridian ----- Albert Ewing --- G. Archibald
1912 --- Worth ----- F.M. Taylor --- Carroll Schilling
1913 --- Donerail ----- T.P. Hayes --- Roscoe Goose
1914 --- Old Rosebud ----- F.D. Weir --- Johnny McCabe
1915 --- Regret ----- James Rowe --- Joe Notter
1916 --- George Smith ----- Hollie Hughes --- John Loftus
1917 --- Omar Khayyam ----- C.T. Patterson --- C. Borel
1918 --- Exterminator ----- Henry McDaniel --- W. Knapp
1919 --- Sir Barton ----- H.G. Bedwell --- John Loftus
Sir Barton Stirs Up Churchill Downs
Early well-known for his bad termperment, Sir Barton was a winless entry in the 1919 Kentucky Derby. His chief competition would be the beloved Billy Kelly, who was supposed to win the roses after being set up by Sir Barton acting as his "rabbit", or front-end speed horse who would fade to a counterpart's stamina in the stretch.
Owner of both horses, J.K.L. Ross took a huge loss betting on his sure thing, Billy Kelly. Sir Barton flew to his first win by five lengths.
Exterminator The Elder
Exterminator came to the Derby unheralded, but he would become one of the sport's most popular Thoroughbreds. Exterminator went to post in 100 races, winning fifty times.
More Tales From the Derby 1910 to 1919
The foreign-bred Omar Khayyam was the first of four foreigners to wear Kentucky roses.
Geroge Smith beat his Derby rivals in 2:04, the second fastest time in twenty years.
Stumbling in the mud in deep stretch, Worth pulled it together to win the 1912 Derby by a neck.
Meridian entered the 1911 Derby with the same sire pedigree as 1915's Regret.
In 1910, Donau won the Derby already having posted in forty-one races as a juvenile.
