1943 Kentucky Derby

69th Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby
Grade I stakes race
Count Fleet winning the 1943 Kentucky Derby
Location	Churchill Downs
Date	May 1, 1943
Winning horse	Count Fleet
Winning time	2:04 flat
Jockey	Johnny Longden
Trainer	Gregory Duncan Cameron
Owner	Fannie Hertz
Conditions	Fast[1]
Surface	Dirt
Attendance	about 60,000[2]

The 1943 Kentucky Derby, also known as the Street-car Derby, was the 69th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 1, 1943, and was won by the heavy favorite, Count Fleet.^[3][4]

Background

Colonel Matt Winn lobbied for the Kentucky Derby to be held in 1943 despite many restrictions related to the war effort. Instead, he promised to organize a "street-car Derby", where out-of-state patrons were not allowed to travel to Louisville, and locals had to use the street-car rather than drive to the track.^[5]

Count Fleet was the winter-book favorite for the Derby after being named the champion two-year-old colt of 1942. In April 1943, he easily won the Wood Memorial Stakes but injured himself during the race. That injury was considered the major obstacle to his winning the Derby. His major contenders were considered to be Ocean Wave, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes, and Blue Swords, second in the Wood Memorial.^[5]

Race description

Despite the travel restrictions, a crowd of about 60,000 turned out for the Derby. A few hours before the race, Ocean Wave was scratched due to an injured leg, leaving Count Fleet as the 2-5 favorite – the shortest odds in Derby history. Count Fleet battled for the early lead with Gold Shower, then opened a two-length lead around the first turn and into the backstretch. On the far turn, Blue Swords closed to within a length before jockey Johnny Longden clucked to Count Fleet, who responded to win handily by three lengths.^[2]

Full results

Finished	Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time / behind
1st	5	Count Fleet	Johnny Longden	Gregory Duncan Cameron	Fannie Hertz	2:04 0/0
2nd	1	Blue Swords	Johnny Adams	Walter A. Kelley	Allen T. Simmons	3 lengths
3rd	2	Slide Rule	Conn McCreary	Cecil Wilhelm	William Boeing	6 lengths
4th	7	Amber Light	Alfred M. Robertson	Jack C. Hodgins	Dixiana	5 lengths
5th	6	Bankrupt	Ferril Zufelt	Howard Wells	Townsend B. Martin	1⁄2 lengths
6th	10	No Wrinkles	Raymond Adair	Roy Waldron	Milky Way Farm Stable	1+1⁄2 lengths
7th	4	Dove Pie	Wendell Eads	Dave Robb McDaniel	J. Warfield Rodgers	head
8th	9	Gold Shower	Ted Atkinson	James W. Healy	Vera S. Bragg	3 lengths
9th	3	Modest Lad	Charles Swain	Eddie Coates	Mrs. Henry L. Finch	10 lengths
10th	8	Burnt Cork	Manual Gonzalez	Anthony E. Silver	Eddie Anderson	8 lengths

• Scratched: Ocean Wave, Twoses^[1]
• Winning breeder: Fannie Hertz (KY)

References

1. "Kentucky Derby Chart". The New York Times. 2 May 1943. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
2. "60,000 AT CLASSIC; See Count Fleet Score by Three Lengths and Pay $2.80 to Win BLUE SWORDS IS SECOND Slide Rule Third in 'Street-Car Derby'". The New York Times. 2 May 1943. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
3. "Countdown to the Kentucky Derby | Remembering 1943 winner Count Fleet". Courier-journal.com. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
4. "1943". Kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
5. "STREET-CAR' DERBY AWAITED SATURDAY; Continuity of Kentucky Race, Begun in 1875, Unbroken by Wartime Difficulties COUNT FLEET STANDS OUT Ocean Wave and Blue Swords Chief Rivals of Favorite in $75,000 Added Race". The New York Times. 25 April 1943. Retrieved 20 October 2017.