The 1968 Kentucky Derby was the 94th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 4, 1968.[1]
| Kentucky Derby | |
| Grade I stakes race | |
| Location | Churchill Downs |
|---|---|
| Date | May 4, 1968 |
| Winning horse | Forward Pass[note 1] |
| Jockey | Ismael Valenzuela |
| Trainer | Henry Forrest |
| Owner | Calumet Farm |
| Surface | Dirt |
The race was the first Kentucky Derby in which the winning horse was subsequently disqualified. Dancer's Image won the race, but was disqualified to last after traces of phenylbutazone were discovered in the mandatory post-race urinalysis.[2] Second-place finisher Forward Pass was declared the winner. The controversy filled the sporting news of media outlets in North America and was a cover story for Sports Illustrated,[3] which referred to it as "the year's major sports story."[4]
Full results
edit| Finished | Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time / behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10 | Forward Pass[note 1] | Ismael Valenzuela | Henry Forrest | Calumet Farm | 2:02 1/5 |
| 2nd | 7 | Francie's Hat | Earlie Fires | James P. Conway | Saddle Rock Farm | |
| 3rd | 2 | T V Commercial | Howard Grant | Anthony L. Basile | Bwamazon Farm | |
| 4th | 12 | Kentucky Sherry | Jimmy Combest | Alcee J. Richard | Dorothy D. Brown | |
| 5th | 3 | Jig Time | Ray Broussard | MacKenzie Miller | Cragwood Stables | |
| 6th | 4 | Don B. | Donald R. Pierce | Lester Holt | Don B. Wood | |
| 7th | 13 | Trouble Brewing | Buck Thornburg | William Sterling | Coventry Rock Farm | |
| 8th | 8 | Proper Proof | Johnny Sellers | J. Lee Mosbacher | Mrs. Montgomery R. Fisher | |
| 9th | 14 | Te Vega | Mike Manganello | George C. Berthold | Brunswick Farm (Frank C. Sullivan) | |
| 10th | 6 | Captain's Gig | Manuel Ycaza | William Ward Stephens | Cain Hoy Stable | |
| 11th | 1 | Iron Ruler | Braulio Baeza | Edward J. Yowell | October House Farm | |
| 12th | 5 | Verbatim | Angel Cordero Jr. | Jerry C. Meyer | Elmendorf Farm | |
| 13th | 11 | Gleaming Sword | Eddie Belmonte | Robert L. Wheeler | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | |
| 14th | 9 | Dancer's Image[note 1] | Bobby Ussery | Lou Cavalaris Jr. | Peter D. Fuller |
- Winning Breeder: Calumet Farm; (KY)
Race Description
editStarting off out of the gates Dancers Image had a bad break out of the gate, leading the horse to fall behind very quickly being in last. Then Dancers Image started to make a comeback and getting all the way back to the front and by the 8th pole passed the favorite, Forward Pass, Leading Dancers image to victory. This was the 5th time a Horse had gone from last to first. This was short-lived as Dancers Image failed its urinalysis,[2] this put Dancers Image back into last place. Runner-up Forward Pass was deemed the winner. [5]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "1968". Kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
- ^ a b "THE 1968 KENTUCKY DERBY : THE VICTORY THAT WASN'T : Dancer's Image, Who Finished First, Was Disqualified After Positive Test for Illegal Medication". Los Angeles Times. 1988-05-01. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
- ^ "May 20, 1968 Issue". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ^ Tower, Whitney (May 20, 1968). "It Was a Bitter Pill". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 5, 2019 – via si.com/vault.
- ^ Maese, Rick (May 3, 2018). "Dancer's Image, drugs and MLK: The enduring mystery of the 1968 Kentucky Derby". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
Further reading
edit- "Disqualifications, Inquiries & Foul Claims" (PDF). kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
External links
edit
 | This article related to the Kentucky Derby is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |