Indiana Derby
Horse race
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The Indiana Derby is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the dirt held annually in July at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Indiana. It is the racetrack's signature event offering its current highest purse at $300,000.
| Class | Grade III |
|---|---|
| Location | Horseshoe Indianapolis Shelbyville, Indiana, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1995 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | 124 lbs with allowances |
| Purse | $300,000 (since 2020)[1] |
History
The event was inaugurated on 7 October 1995 at Hoosier Park and was won by Dogwood Stable's Peruvian who was the second part of trainer Peter Vestal's entry in a time of 1:43 flat on a fast track.[2]
The event was upgraded to Grade III in 2002 and in 2004 to Grade II. It held this classification until 2017 when the event was downgraded back to Grade III.[1]
The dead heat in the 2006 running was the first dead heat for the Indiana Derby. The result was contested by the owners of Star Dabbler who came out of the race injured. They believed he won the race so took the issue to arbitration but the result was upheld.[3]
The 2009 win by Misremembered set a new track record.[4] 2010 marked a groundbreaking year for the Indiana Derby and racing in the state of Indiana when Lookin At Lucky became the first winner of a Triple Crown race ever to race in the state of Indiana. Sent off at odds of 2–5, Lookin At Lucky won the race by 11⁄4 lengths in last-to-first fashion much to the delight of the ontrack crowd.[5]
In 2013 the event was moved to Indiana Grand,[6] now known as Horseshoe Indianapolis. Since 2015, the race has been held in July.[1]
Bob Baffert became the first trainer to win the race two years in a row in 2009 and 2010 with Misremembered and Lookin At Lucky. He won his third Indiana Derby with Power Broker in 2013, and his fourth with Cupid in 2016.
In 2020 the event was run over the 1+1⁄8 miles distance however the following year this distance was reverted to 1+1⁄16 miles.[6]
Records
Speed record:
- 1:40.80 - Misremembered (2009, at Hoosier Park)
- 1:41.15 - Tip Top Thomas (2025, at the Indiana Grand Race Course)
Margins:
- 5 lengths – Irap (2017)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 - Robby Albarado (1998, 2001, 2007)
- 3 - Florent Geroux (2018, 2020, 2024)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 - Bob Baffert (2009, 2010, 2013, 2016)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 - Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor (2016, 2023)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Horseshoe Indianapolis (Indiana Grand Race Course) | ||||||||||
| 2025 | Tip Top Thomas | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | James J. Bakke & Gerald Isbister | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.15 | $300,000 | III | [7] | |
| 2024 | Dragoon Guard | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Juddmonte Farms | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.26 | $300,000 | III | [8] | |
| 2023 | Verifying | Marcelino Pedroza Jr. | Brad H. Cox | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Jonathan Poulin & Westerburg | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.15 | $300,000 | III | [9] | |
| 2022 | Actuator | James Graham | Michael W. McCarthy | Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rags Racing Stables, Rick Howard & Gavin O'Connor | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.48 | $300,000 | III | [10] | |
| 2021 | Mr. Wireless | Ramon Vazquez | W. Bret Calhoun | Jon Lapczenski & JIL Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.84 | $300,000 | III | [11] | |
| 2020 | Shared Sense | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Godolphin Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.46 | $300,000 | III | [12] | |
| 2019 | Mr. Money | Gabriel Saez | W. Bret Calhoun | Allied Racing Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.80 | $500,000 | III | [13] | |
| 2018 | Axelrod | Florent Geroux | Michael W. McCarthy | Slam Dunk Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.00 | $500,000 | III | [14] | |
| 2017 | Irap | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.21 | $500,000 | III | [15] | |
| 2016 | Cupid | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.02 | $512,000 | II | [16] | |
| 2015 | Tiz Shea D | Jose Lezcano | William I. Mott | Brous Stable, Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.02 | $508,000 | II | [17] | |
| 2014 | East Hall | Luis Saez | William A. Kaplan | Jack H. Hendricks & Roger Justice | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.24 | $507,100 | II | [18] | |
| 2013 | Power Broker | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Gary & Mary West | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.95 | $514,000 | II | [19] | |
| At Hoosier Park | ||||||||||
| 2012 | Neck 'n Neck | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | A. Stevens Miles Jr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.71 | $513,600 | II | [20] | |
| 2011 | Wilburn | Julien R. Leparoux | Steven M. Asmussen | Stonestreet Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.60 | $510,900 | II | [21] | |
| 2010 | Lookin at Lucky | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.40 | $510,900 | II | [22] | |
| 2009 | Misremembered | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Jill Baffert & George Jacobs | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.80 | $512,600 | II | [23] | |
| 2008 | Tin Cup Chalice | Pedro A. Rodriguez | Michael A. LeCesse | Michael A. Lecesse & Scott van Laer | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.00 | $514,100 | II | [24] | |
| 2007 | Zanjero | Robby Albarado | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.95 | $510,600 | II | [25] | |
| 2006 | Cielo Gold | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Hal R. Wiggins | Hillcrest Farm Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.84 | $513,200 | II | DH[26] | |
| Star Dabbler | Richard Migliore | Michael E. Hushion | Barry K. Schwartz | |||||||
| 2005 | Don't Get Mad | Brice Blanc | Ronald W. Ellis | B. Wayne Hughes | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.71 | $511,300 | II | [27] | |
| 2004 | Brass Hat | Willie Martinez | William B. Bradley | Fred F. Bradley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.04 | $511,300 | II | [28] | |
| 2003 | Excessivepleasure | Jon Court | Doug F. O'Neill | Lee & Ty Leatherman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.48 | $411,800 | III | [29] | |
| 2002 | Perfect Drift | Jon Court | Murray W. Johnson | Stonecrest Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.50 | $414,700 | III | [30] | |
| 2001 | Orientate | Robby Albarado | D. Wayne Lukas | Bob & Beverly Lewis | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.22 | $314,100 | Listed | [31] | |
| 2000 | Mister Deville | Luis S. Quinonez | Wilson L. Brown | Darwin Olson | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.80 | $307,500 | Listed | [32] | |
| 1999 | Forty One Carats | Jorge F. Chavez | David Fawkes | Walter L. New & Jack T. Hammer | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.24 | $313,500 | Listed | [33] | |
| 1998 | One Bold Stroke | Robby Albarado | James E. Baker | Landon Knight & Mary Lu Noon | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.14 | $314,500 | Listed | [34] | |
| 1997 | Dubai Dust | Sidney P. LeJeune Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Gonzalo B. Torrealba | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.00 | $212,400 | Listed | [35] | |
| 1996 | Canyon Run | Francisco C. Torres | Steven L. Morguelan | Marco Bommarito | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.40 | $107,600 | Listed | [36] | |
| 1995 | § Peruvian | Dean Kutz | Peter M. Vestal | Dogwood Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.00 | $111,500 | Listed | [2] | |
Notes:
§ Ran as part of an entry