Talk:Kentucky Derby

Invite to join the Derby 150 article development and backlog drive (relevant article)

WikiProject Louisville		Derby 150 article development and backlog drive
		Help WikiProject Louisville commemorate and celebrate the 150th Kentucky Derby! Join our article development and backlog drive taking place during the period of the Kentucky Derby Festival, April 20 – May 5, 2024. The purpose of this drive is to improve a corner of the Wikipedia related to and timed for this special rare anniversary, as a part of improving the whole encyclopedia. Barnstars will be awarded for participation. Tag your edit summary with [[WP:DERBY150]], both to advertise the event and tally edits for milestone tracking and a possible leaderboard. Interested in helping out? Sign up here. (We're also looking for technical assistance.) Join our festive international Derby party! Mint julep, anyone?

Stefen Tower_{s among the rest!} ^{Gab • Gruntwerk} 17:08, 15 April 2024 (UTC)

Lead development

I am confused by the line in the lead, "The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1 +1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs; 2,012 metres), the first time horses in the field race that distance." I don't know enough about this statement to make a change, but it looks like they are saying no 3 year old would have ever raced a distance of 1 1/4 miles. How would you guarantee that? StarHOG (Talk) 00:58, 22 April 2024 (UTC)

I have reviewed this. During a rework of the lead in May 2023, that clause was added but no citation was given for it. Without support from a reliable source, I have removed it. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Stefen Tower_{s among the rest!} ^{Gab • Gruntwerk} 18:10, 23 April 2024 (UTC)

Dates

The horseraces infobox that's used on this article should include spaces for the last race and the upcoming race, like they have for seasons in the sports league infobox. And it should include spaces for the dates of the last race and the upcoming race, like they have in the holiday infobox. I suggest we put the dates with the links to the articles for the last and upcoming races. I'd make that change myself, but it's extended-confirmed-protected. - Burner89751654 (talk) 18:44, 4 May 2024 (UTC)

This has crossed my mind as well. I have endorsed your idea over there, and if there are no objections there , I have the access and knowledge to implement the ideas. Let's see if there are any other responses for a while and then I'll proceed. Stefen Tower_{s among the rest!} ^{Gab • Gruntwerk} 19:14, 4 May 2024 (UTC)

Most Exciting Two Minutes or Fastest Two Minutes?

There is reference to both of these titles in the introduction.

It seems the references stem from legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice's description of the event: "In 1935, legendary Tennessee-born sports writer Grantland Rice described the race. "Those two minutes and a second or so of derby running carry more emotional thrills, per second, than anything sport can show," he said. That phrase has since been shortened to describe the Kentucky Derby as 'the most exciting two minutes in sports.'" (trying to find original source)

I think "Fastest Two Minutes" references may just be incorrect nods to the "Most Exciting Two Minutes." "Fasest.." to me doesn't make sense, since 120 seconds is 120 seconds. The quote is meant to capture how much action is packed into that small window, I think. I'd like to consider removing the latter reference, or at least trying to better source its provenance. Sawitontwitter (talk) 15:12, 7 May 2024 (UTC)

Oldest track?

Most everybody knows that's Saratoga, which opened in 1863 at the Oklahoma Track and 1864 for the current grandstand track. It has never moved since 1864 and is a thoroughbred track, unlike some tracks in the US which are even older but which are harness tracks. Making the statement that the Kentucky Derby is the oldest track or oldest sporting event is just so far from true, it's embarrassing to find it here. MorganDWright (talk) 05:25, 22 May 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for bringing this to talk. What is in the article does not say that the Derby is the oldest track (Churchill Downs) or oldest sporting event. What it is talking about is that it's the oldest continuous, that it has been run every year without fail (only a couple postponements) since 1875. Unless you can contest this with a countervailing source, I see nothing to be embarrassed about. Stefen Tower_{s among the rest!} ^{Gab • Gruntwerk} 05:37, 22 May 2024 (UTC)

Note that in the Saratoga Race Course article, it says "The course was closed in 1896 due to increasing competition among thoroughbred tracks, making the meet at Saratoga not viable that season. Anti-gambling legislation, which had passed in New York, resulted in a cessation in all thoroughbred racing in that state during 1911 and 1912." According to that, it missed 3 years. The Kentucky Derby missed zero years. Stefen Tower_{s among the rest!} ^{Gab • Gruntwerk} 05:46, 22 May 2024 (UTC)