Every Kentucky Derby-winning horse

Breaking down the jargon and strategy of horse betting

Placing bets on horse racing isn't the same as a football or basketball game. You can pick a winner (win), who will come in second (place), and even third (show). And all the bets placed on a race are pooled together and divided among the winners. This Top Ten Picks video teaches the mechanics behind each bet, and shares insider tips that can lead to more informed betting choices.

The economics of horse racing

The Triple Crown races last less than three minutes, but the training and resources needed to create a winning thoroughbred are extensive. This Fox Business article dives into the costs associated with owning and training a racehorse, which can range from $1K to over $1M. It also discusses the extent to which the horse racing industry contributes to the economy.

The curious history of the Kentucky Derby's hats

The Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world, but it's also known for its iconic hats. This Garden and Gun article explores the historical significance of the hats at the Kentucky Derby, which began in 1875. See photos of the famous Derby hats through the years, and learn why they remain a central part of Derby culture to this day.

The Triple Crown, explained

Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown—one of the most elusive titles in American sports. This explainer breaks down how the series works, why it's so difficult to win, and the legendary horses that defied the odds across the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.

The long shot victory of Rich Strike at the Derby

Thanks to a last-minute scratch by Ethereal Road, Rich Strike made the 2022 Kentucky Derby field. He only had one win out of six races prior, and was listed as an 80-1 long shot. This USA Today article lays out the favorable draw and strategic ride that led to the biggest upset since 1913. Watch the wire-to-wire replay of his historic comeback and listen to the call by Larry Collmus.

What it takes to become a professional jockey

This short documentary follows a young, amateur jockey through early mornings and exhaustive gym sessions, where she rides a simulator made to look like real horses. It's a peek into a highly specialized (and highly unusual) athletic pursuit.

What made Secretariat, one of racing's most dominant horses, so exceptional

No horse had won the Belmont, the "Test of the Champion," by 31-lengths prior to 1973 when Secretariat did it, and no one has done it since. In this New York Race Association article, jockey Ron Turcotte recounts his iconic race and provides his unique bond with his horse. He also reflects on Secretariat's post-Triple Crown career, noting how he matured later on.

Horse racing's most notorious trainer

Few names are as synonymous with American horse racing as Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He has trained seven Kentucky Derby winners and two Triple Crown winners. But he also amassed over 30 drug violations in his career. This LA Times article dives into the suspensions and bans, and gives Baffert a space to defend his complex legacy in horse racing. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

How US horse breeders sourced animals from the Syrian desert

Alexander Keene Richards was a pioneer in thoroughbred racing in the US in the 1800s, a time when every town with a few thousand people had a horse track. This interview highlights how Richards went to great lengths to perfect horse breeding.

How Seabiscuit's DNA made him a winner

Seabiscuit's sudden success in the sport has been framed as a classic against-the-odds sports story. One Binghamton University molecular physiologist wanted to go a bit deeper, though, to see how much genetics played a role in the horse's legendary career. Using the horse's silvered hooves, his research team discovered that Seabiscuit's genotype was typically associated with late bloomers, a finding confirmed by the horse's track record.

F1 driving requires intense strategy, endurance, and strength

Formula 1 cars are the peak of human engineering, and the humans driving them must have exceptional skills to master their cars. This Wired video talks to former performance coach Clayton Green to uncover what makes Formula 1 drivers such unique athletes. Learn why drivers focus on neck strength to combat extreme g-forces, and what those forces do to a driver's body over a race.

‘The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved’ signaled the birth of Gonzo Journalism

The 1970 essay opens with a crude conversation between Hunter S. Thompson, the author, and a man at an airport bar. Thompson’s first-person account places him as an active participant. Instead of focusing on the race itself, Thompson paints vivid details of his experience with the hedonistic scene surrounding it.

Each person on a racing pit crew has a specific task

No matter what track a NASCAR driver is on, they will eventually need a pit stop to change tires and add fuel. When the cars skid into their pit box, every millisecond counts. This long-form documentary from Joe Gibbs Racing shows the training each pit crew member goes through.

Inside the pigeon race with $50K at stake

More than 1,000 pigeons are released each year at the American Racing Pigeon Union convention as owners wait to see which of the birds arrives home first. This essay unwraps the niche activity's paradoxical love for the birds despite its at times utilitarian treatment of them.

Wikiracing involves moving between two articles in the fewest clicks

The quirky pastime has evolved into a competitive event at yearly Wikimedia conferences, highlighting the interconnectedness of human knowledge. Neuroscientific research suggests lateral thinking is a crucial skill found in successful Wikiracers.

Chess can be played at lightning-fast or classical speeds

Time controls shape how the game is played—from bullet matches under three minutes, to blitz games under 10, to classical contests lasting over an hour. Each format demands different skills, from rapid intuition to deep calculation.

Horses can—and sometimes should—drink beer

Despite its reputation, beer is a good source of nutrition. In fact, it's a fairly common practice for horse owners to give beer to their horses. Beer is rich in skin-healing B vitamins, gut-stabilizing yeast, and hydration-encouraging barley. Plus, horse livers come prepared with special enzymes that break down alcohol, making inebriation nearly impossible.

Active investors try to 'beat' the stock market's performance

There are two primary types of investment strategies that professional investors use: active investing and passive investing. While active investors try to "beat" the stock market's performance, passive investors have a bit more faith in the system.

A 1986 Supreme Court ruling prohibited race-based jury strikes, but racial imbalance in jury selection persists

Batson v. Kentucky banned prosecutors from excluding jurors on the basis of race, but critics say it backfired. Prosecutors often use race-neutral pretexts to remove potential jurors that judges rarely reject, and some courts have never found a violation of the ruling.

Athletes are captured in moments of victory and defeat in 6 powerful sports images

See shots like Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston in 1965, or Brandi Chastain after winning the World Cup final in 1999.

Behind the Ryder Cup, the tournament that features golfers playing for their home countries

Established in 1927, the Ryder Cup is unlike any other tournament. The scoring includes a mix of fourball, foursomes, and singles, with half-points for ties. Explore the rich history of the Ryder Cup in this detailed interactive. Each era of history includes detailed accounts of the match, historic photos, and the final score for each team.

Why one runner believes Stoic philosophy is important for marathoners

There's plenty of time for thinking while training for a marathon, and Matt Fitzgerald suggests it'd be wise to study the Stoic philosophers to navigate the many frustrations that come with that training. Fitzgerald may be talking about running, but his advice can apply to any seemingly impossible goal.

One ethnic group in Kenya is responsible for most of the country’s running success

Both the men’s and women’s world record holders in the marathon hail from the same region in Kenya. They’re Kalenjins, a minority ethnic group responsible for nearly 73% of the country’s Olympic gold medals in running. Studies have determined that the success is thanks to high-altitude training, a healthy diet, and a tradition of excellence.

Clever Hans was a 1900s horse that was believed to be able to solve math equations, tell time, and read and comprehend German, until a psychology student discovered how he got his answers.

Seven early retirement lessons

After one year of retirement under his belt, financial publication Kiplinger's former editor has learned some lessons. Specifically, in this article, he shares his best early retirement advice, from when it makes sense to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth in early retirement, to how to prepare for retirement from a psychological perspective. Read more here.

Stress affects different animals in different, but useful, ways

Animals feel stress when they experience actual dangers—such as a zebra chased by a lion. Humans often feel stress from worries, memories, or even thoughts about problems that may occur in the future. For this reason, animals tend to experience stress in short, intense bursts. Conversely, people can feel stressed for long periods, which can eventually be harmful to their health.

Hedge funds, the private investment firms that trade a wide swath of financial assets, make money by imposing steep fees on investors and from the fund's investment performance.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

Exploring the Larry Bird punch that almost changed March Madness

Watch how algorithms can be designed to train themselves and self-improve without human input, to the point where the optimized code is too complex for programmers to understand.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

Brandi Chastain, the star of the 1999 US victory over China in the 1999 Women's World Cup, was a last-second choice to take the penalty kick that sealed the victory.

Explore an interactive map of battles from the American Revolution, along with detailed summaries of each engagement

Before humans, the Soviet Union and the United States sent animals—including apes, dogs, and cats—to space during the Space Race.

Chaos theory—informally known as the butterfly effect—is the reason why weather forecasts are presented with probabilities rather than certainties.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

SpongeBob exemplifies Aristotle's philosophy for living well because he understands that happiness doesn't come from external factors like money, recognition, or power.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

Search a massive database of over 4 decades of clues from the TV quiz show 'Jeopardy!'

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.

A Yale student wrote a profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on elite college students that was published in a book of her writing after she died in a post-graduation car accident.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

The deadliest aspect of volcanic eruptions is often not lava, but pyroclastic flows—avalanches of ash, gas, and rock that can move more than half the speed of sound.

Georgia O'Keeffe's flower paintings are often assumed to be sexual, though the artist claimed she was simply interested in highlighting the beauty of flowers that most people neglect

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'

This poison ivy knowledge quiz—accompanied by photos of the plant's varied forms—may help you identify this common rash-inducing growth.

The Great Salt Lake's distinct dual coloration results from high-salinity organisms that only live in the northern portion and produce a purple protein.