Gender Equality at the Kentucky Derby
Discover how both male and female horses compete in the prestigious Kentucky Derby.
What Gender of Horse Races in the Kentucky Derby
Both male and female horses race in the Kentucky Derby. However, only three female horses, also known as fillies, have won the race. There have been several female racehorses over the years that have beaten the boys. Look up Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, Ruffian, and Regret, the last of which was the first filly to win.
That lineup is usually stacked with colts, those are male horses, but once every few years, a filly, a female horse, will earn a spot in the starting gate.
The Kentucky Derby is an American Grade I stakes race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1 1/4 miles (2 km) on the first Saturday in May. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, which also includes the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
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