Two-Year-Old Champions in the Kentucky Derby

As 2018 Eclipse Champion Two Year Old Game Winner prepares for his 2019 bow, expected to come in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) on March 9, it is worth examining how previous champions fared in their respective runs for the Roses. 

The Eclipse Champion is not to be confused with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, as there are some years where the Breeders’ Cup victor was not named champion, such as 2013 when Shared Belief was unable to contest the Breeders’ Cup but was named champion anyway.

In the last 20 years, Champions have had a somewhat abysmal record in the Derby. Only three have won (Nyquist, American Pharoah, and Street Sense), while nine didn’t even make it to the first Saturday in May. The rest consist of one second place effort (Good Magic last year), a fourth (Classic Empire the year before), and two sixths (Lookin At Lucky in 2010 and Action This Day in 2004).

But if you look at just the last few years, it appears much better. Good Magic, Classic Empire, Nyquist, and American Pharoah are the last four juvenile champions to contest the Derby, and all ran well at Churchill. Unbeaten Game Winner will be looking to match them, and already has a grade 1 victory over the Churchill Downs racing strip.

Here are the last 20 Two Year Old Champions and how they ran in the Kentucky Derby (year is the year of the Derby, not the year of their championship):

2018 Good Magic – 2nd

2017 Classic Empire – 4th

2016 Nyquist – WON!

2015 American Pharoah – WON!

2014 Shared Belief – Did not race

2013 Shanghai Bobby – Did not race

2012 Hansen – 9th

2011 Uncle Mo – – Did not race, scratched the day before the Derby

2010 Lookin At Lucky – 6^th, won Preakness Stakes

2009 Midshipman – – Did not race, injured after Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

2008 War Pass – – Did not race, injured after Wood Memorial

2007 Street Sense – WON!

2006 Stevie Wonderboy – – Did not race, injured after first start at 3

2005 Declan’s Moon – – Did not race, injured when unbeaten in 5 starts

2004 Action This Day – 6th

2003 Vindication – – Did not race, retired after Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

2002 Johannesburg – 8^thin Derby off one prep in Ireland at the Curragh

2001 Macho Uno – – Did not race, declared out of the race in February

2000 Anees – 13^th, the Derby proved to be his final start

1999 Answer Lively – 10th