The Kentucky Derby Alphabet

Pop Culture
Always Dreaming (2017) is the most recent horse with the first initial of A to have won the Kentucky Derby.
Always Dreaming (2017) is the most recent horse with the first initial of A to have won the Kentucky Derby. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The Kentucky Derby has a long and storied 145-year history. Throughout those 145 years, a total of 1,904 horses have raced for the roses and their names have been quite varied, from Aristides to Shut Out to Justify.

In fact, every letter except X has served as the first initial for a Derby runner. No horse whose name started with Q, X, or Y has won, but horses beginning with S have won a remarkable 19 times, more than any other letter. Find out the stats on every letter of the alphabet in the table below, courtesy of the Kentucky Derby Media Guide.

Letter

Wins

Starters

Last Winner

Year

A

11

97

Always Dreaming

2017

B

13

190

Big Brown

2008

C

12

146

California Chrome

2014

D

7

109

Dust Commander

1970

E

2

50

Exterminator

1918

F

7

92

Funny Cide

2003

G

8

85

Giacomo

2005

H

5

84

Hill Gail

1952

I

2

40

I’ll Have Another

2012

J

5

47

Justify

2018

K

2

34

Kauai King

1966

L

7

80

Lil E. Tee

1992

M

9

115

Mine That Bird

2009

N

3

40

Nyquist

2016

O

4

45

Orb

2013

P

7

113

Pleasant Colony

1981

Q

0

7

R

5

93

Real Quiet

1998

S

19

202

Super Saver

2010

T

5

107

Thunder Gulch

1995

U

1

16

Unbridled

1990

V

2

35

Venetian Way

1960

W

7

67

War Emblem

2002

X

0

0

Y

0

3

Z

1

7

Zev

1923

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