Donerail Stuns 1913 Derby Field — Who Won The Kentucky Derby 2026
who won the kentucky derby 2026? Donerail did in 1913, and he did it at 91/1 odds after a three-mile trip to Churchill Downs just to run. He won by 1/2 length and turned a race against eight starters into the sport’s most severe Derby upset.
Donerail At Churchill Downs
The 39th running came on May 10, 1913, before over 30,000 spectators. The field had been cut from 12 scheduled horses to eight after four withdrawals, but Donerail still broke from post 5 and finished in front when it counted.
He had not won a single race that season before the Kentucky Derby. That made the result sharper, because Thomas P. Hayes had bred, trained, and owned him, and Roscoe Goose had to persuade Hayes to pay the entry fee before the race.
Roscoe Goose And The Closing Run
Goose said, "When I clucked to Donerail, he started passing up horses like a passenger train going past a freight train". The move came in the closing moments, when Donerail overtook Ten Point and edged clear by 1/2 length.
Donerail also stopped the clock in 2:04.80, a then-record time for the 1 1⁄4 mile race. A $2 bet on him returned $184.90, which matched the size of the shock at the finish.
Rich Strike And The Longshot Line
Rich Strike later won the Kentucky Derby in 2022 at 80/1 odds, but Donerail’s 1913 run still stands apart because of the full route it took to the gate, the lack of a win that season, and the favorite-packed field he beat. That combination is why his Derby remains the benchmark for longshot winners.
For bettors, the numbers tell the whole story: 91/1 odds, a 1/2-length margin, and a payout that turned a $2 ticket into $184.90. More than a century later, Donerail is still the name that defines a Derby surprise.
