The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs delivered a historic outcome on the track, even as wagering figures for the main event narrowly missed a new record.
Golden Tempo surged to victory by a neck over Renegade, securing a monumental win for Cherie DeVaux, who became the first female trainer in history to saddle a Derby winner.
Derby Day Figures Remain Historically High
Churchill Downs officials announced that the first leg of the Triple Crown attracted $225 million in wagers. While this stands as the second-highest handle in the race’s history, it represents a 3.8% decline from the $234 million record set last year. The overall handle for the 14-race Derby Day card also reached its second-highest level at $340 million, down from $349 million in 2025.
A crowd of 150,415 fans witnessed the historic race in person. Analysts suggest the slight dip in betting volume was partially influenced by the late scratch of Great White, who flipped in the starting gate just before post time. This forced millions in refunds for a horse with odds similar to the winner, and many bettors likely lacked the window to re-wager before the start.
Primetime Shift Shatters Kentucky Oaks Records
While the Derby handle stayed steady, the Kentucky Oaks card on Friday set a massive new record with an $88.5 million handle for its 13 races. This marked a 17.5% increase from 2024. The surge is attributed to moving the Oaks to a primetime 8:40 p.m. ET post time, which allowed for a larger national television audience despite some pushback from local Louisville restaurants regarding traditional dinner service.
Record-Breaking Derby Week Performance
The combined strength of the Oaks and a newly added Sunday racing card propelled Churchill Downs to a record-breaking $487 million total handle for Derby Week, a $13 million jump from the previous year. Other digital and financial highlights include:
- TwinSpires Growth: Churchill’s online platform saw a record $129 million in wagering during Derby Week, up $7 million from last year.
- Mobile Dominance: Of that digital total, $89 million was wagered on Derby Day, with $57 million coming in on the main race alone.
- Earnings Forecast: Churchill Downs expects Derby Week to produce a record EBITDA, with an increase of up to $18 million from 2025.
Regulatory and Market Victories
Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs also successfully defended its intellectual property and market exclusivity this week. On Friday, the company successfully pressured Polymarket to shut down Derby-related contracts on its prediction market platform.
Additionally, the sweepstakes sports betting exchange Novig canceled its Derby markets and issued refunds following internal discussions, though Churchill Downs noted it did not directly contact the firm.
