Smarty Jones weathered the storm in 2004 and ran away with the 130th Run For The Roses after a thunderstorm had muddied the track with nearly a half-inch of rain. Although last years race was certainly wet, Exterminator endured the wettest race in 1918, struggling to victory after more than an inch of rain fell. According to climatology, there is a 40% of rain falling on Derby Day. However, there is only a 25% of rain falling between the hours of 1 and 7PM.

Last year’s race brought afternoon temperatures that reached a very comfortable 80 degrees with lots of sunshine. Not all Derbies are that temperate though. In 1959, temperatures rose to a record 94 degrees as Tommy Lee nosed out a sweaty victory under a scorching late afternoon sun! Some 40 years after the 1959 Derby heat wave, winter returned to the Kentucky Derby. The passage of a powerful cold front on the eve of the 1989 Derby, was followed by temperatures that tumbled through the 40’s on race day. As Sunday Silence entered the starting gates for the start of the 115th running of the Kentucky Derby, the temperature had reached a bone chilling 43 degrees… the coldest post time temperature on record! Cloudy skies, light rain and a stiff northwest wind helped to produce wind chill readings near the freezing mark! A few wet snowflakes were even reported around the city late that afternoon!

The average race time temperature is a very pleasant 72 degrees. The very first Kentucky Derby was held in 1875 as Aristides rode to victory with temps in the mid 60’s under partly sunny skies. In 1973, a 65-degree day at Churchill Downs brought the fastest Derby on record as Secretariat recorded a winning time of 1:59:40. It is uncertain whether this year’s “run for the roses” will yield a record time, but at least it looks dry this time around.