Inside the Numbers: 2020 Santa Anita Derby

Racing
The connections of Justify celebrate with the horse in the winner’s circle after he captured the 2018 Santa Anita Derby en route to winning the Triple Crown. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve makes its first-ever stop in June this Saturday, with points up for grabs in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Kentucky Derby has been rescheduled for Sept. 5 and qualifying races are now slated for this summer.

Read on for a rundown on this year’s Santa Anita Derby by the numbers.

1 1/8 miles- The distance of the Santa Anita Derby.

1:47- The fastest time the race has been completed in. Three winners share this record: Lucky Debonair in 1965, Sham in 1973, and Indian Charlie in 1998.

$2.40- The winning payout on 1950 winner Your Host. No victor has ever been sent off at shorter odds.

5- The number of times the race has been decided by a nose, the last such occasion coming in 2012 when I’ll Have Another defeated Creative Cause.

9- Trainer Bob Baffert has a record nine wins in the race, including the last two years. This year he’ll have one of the top choices in Authentic.

11 lengths- The record margin of victory when Sunday Silence defeated Flying Continental and four others in the 1989 edition of the race.

15- The number of times a Santa Anita Derby runner was named champion 3-year-old male or 3-year-old filly, most recently 2018 winner Justify.

17 years old- Jockey Pat Valenzuela’s age when he won the 1980 edition aboard Codex.

I’ll Have Another (left) defeats Creative Cause in 2012. (Eclipse Sportswire)

18- The total number of Santa Anita Derby runners who later won the Kentucky Derby, including Justify, 2014 winner California Chrome, and 2012 winner I’ll Have Another.

83rd- This year is the 83rd edition of the historic race first run in 1935.

$89.70- Payoff for a $2 ticket on 1974 winner Destroyer, the longest shot ever to triumph in the race.

170 points- The total Kentucky Derby qualifying points at stake this Saturday, with the winner’s 100-point share virtually guaranteeing him a place in the starting gate.

2000- The year Jenine Sahadi trained the winner of the race, becoming the first, and to date only, woman to do so. Sahadi trained 2.40-1 second choice The Deputy to victory.

63,130- Total fans in attendance at Santa Anita for the 1984 Santa Anita Derby, a record. This year’s race will have zero fans as the track isn’t open to spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions.

$400,000- Total purse of this year’s race.

$25,789,265- Record dollars bet on Santa Anita Derby day races, occurring in the year 2000.

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