The Indiana Derby is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Indiana. It is the racetrack's signature event offering its current highest purse at $300,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 7 October 1995 at Hoosier Park and was won by Dogwood Stable's Peruvian who was the second part of trainer Peter Vestal's entry in a time of 1:43 flat on a fast track.

The event was upgraded to Grade III in 2002 and in 2004 to Grade II. It held this classification until 2017 when the event was downgraded back to Grade III.

The dead heat in the 2006 running was the first dead heat for the Indiana Derby. The result was contested by the owners of Star Dabbler who came out of the race injured. They believed he won the race so took the issue to arbitration but the result was upheld.

The 2009 win by Misremembered set a new track record. 2010 marked a groundbreaking year for the Indiana Derby and racing in the state of Indiana when Lookin At Lucky became the first winner of a Triple Crown race ever to race in the state of Indiana. Sent off at odds of 2–5, Lookin At Lucky won the race by 1 lengths in last-to-first fashion much to the delight of the ontrack crowd.

In 2013 the event was moved to Indiana Grand, now known as Horseshoe Indianapolis. Since 2015, the race has been held in July.

Bob Baffert became the first trainer to win the race two years in a row in 2009 and 2010 with Misremembered and Lookin At Lucky. He won his third Indiana Derby with Power Broker in 2013, and his fourth with Cupid in 2016.

In 2020 the event was run over the miles distance however the following year this distance was reverted to miles.

Records Speed record:

1:40.80 - Misremembered (2009, at Hoosier Park) 1:41.15 - Tip Top Thomas (2025, at the Indiana Grand Race Course)

Margins: 5 lengths – Irap (2017)

Most wins by a jockey: 3 - Robby Albarado (1998, 2001, 2007) 3 - Florent Geroux (2018, 2020, 2024)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 - Bob Baffert (2009, 2010, 2013, 2016) 4 - Brad H. Cox (2020, 2023, 2024, 2026)

Most wins by an owner: 2 - Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor (2016, 2023)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Horseshoe Indianapolis (Indiana Grand Race Course)2026Leading ChangeIrad Ortiz Jr.Brad H. CoxWathnan Racing miles1:41.36$300,000III2025Tip Top ThomasJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherJames J. Bakke & Gerald Isbister miles1:41.15$300,000III2024Dragoon Guard Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxJuddmonte Farms miles1:42.26 $300,000III 2023Verifying Marcelino Pedroza Jr.Brad H. CoxDerrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Jonathan Poulin & Westerburg miles1:43.15$300,000III 2022ActuatorJames GrahamMichael W. McCarthyBlack Type Thoroughbreds, Rags Racing Stables, Rick Howard & Gavin O'Connor miles1:44.48$300,000III 2021Mr. Wireless Ramon VazquezW. Bret CalhounJon Lapczenski & JIL Stable miles1:42.84$300,000III 2020Shared Sense Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxGodolphin Racing miles1:49.46$300,000III 2019Mr. MoneyGabriel SaezW. Bret CalhounAllied Racing Stable miles1:41.80$500,000III2018AxelrodFlorent GerouxMichael W. McCarthySlam Dunk Racing miles1:43.00$500,000III2017IrapMario GutierrezDoug F. O'NeillReddam Racing miles1:42.21$500,000III2016CupidRafael BejaranoBob BaffertMichael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith miles1:43.02$512,000II2015Tiz Shea DJose LezcanoWilliam I. MottBrous Stable, Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber miles1:43.02$508,000II2014East HallLuis SaezWilliam A. KaplanJack H. Hendricks & Roger Justice miles1:42.24$507,100II2013Power BrokerMartin GarciaBob BaffertGary & Mary West miles1:41.95$514,000IIAt Hoosier Park2012Neck 'n NeckBrian Hernandez Jr.Ian R. WilkesA. Stevens Miles Jr. miles1:42.71$513,600II2011WilburnJulien R. LeparouxStonestreet Stables miles1:43.60$510,900II2010Lookin at LuckyMartin GarciaBob BaffertMike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman miles1:43.40$510,900II2009MisrememberedVictor EspinozaBob BaffertJill Baffert & George Jacobs miles1:40.80$512,600II2008Tin Cup ChalicePedro A. RodriguezMichael A. LeCesseMichael A. Lecesse & Scott van Laer miles1:45.00$514,100II2007ZanjeroRobby AlbaradoSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds miles1:43.95$510,600II2006Cielo GoldBrian Hernandez Jr.Hal R. WigginsHillcrest Farm Racing miles1:42.84$513,200IIDHStar DabblerRichard MiglioreMichael E. HushionBarry K. Schwartz2005Don't Get MadBrice BlancRonald W. EllisB. Wayne Hughes miles1:42.71$511,300II2004Brass HatWillie MartinezWilliam B. BradleyFred F. Bradley miles1:44.04$511,300II2003ExcessivepleasureJon CourtDoug F. O'NeillLee & Ty Leatherman miles1:43.48$411,800III2002Perfect DriftJon CourtMurray W. JohnsonStonecrest Farm miles1:43.50$414,700III2001OrientateRobby AlbaradoD. Wayne LukasBob & Beverly Lewis miles1:42.22$314,100 Listed 2000Mister DevilleLuis S. QuinonezWilson L. BrownDarwin Olson miles1:41.80$307,500 Listed 1999Forty One CaratsJorge F. ChavezDavid FawkesWalter L. New & Jack T. Hammer miles1:42.24$313,500 Listed 1998One Bold StrokeRobby AlbaradoJames E. BakerLandon Knight & Mary Lu Noon miles1:43.14$314,500 Listed 1997Dubai DustD. Wayne LukasGonzalo B. Torrealba miles1:44.00$212,400 Listed 1996Canyon RunFrancisco C. TorresSteven L. MorguelanMarco Bommarito miles1:41.40$107,600 Listed 1995§ PeruvianDean KutzPeter M. VestalDogwood Stable miles1:43.00$111,500 Listed

Notes:

§ Ran as part of an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links Hoosier Park's official site

References