Maiden Derby winners

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by jman5581

Young Jock was a maiden. He had two other starts, best he had done was second prior to the Kentucky Derby.

He only won one other race after the Derby.

You're wrong. Giacomo broke his maiden on October 23, 2004 by 10 lengths at Santa Anita. This race was also his first 2 turn race.

Okay, yeah, I just did a quick search. He had 7 starts prior to the Derby. Won by 10 in his second.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by jman5581

Okay, yeah, I just did a quick search. He had 7 starts prior to the Derby. Won by 10 in his second.

I still don't know who the 3rd horse was.

Buchanan, Sir Barton, Broker's Tip

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by jman5581

Buchanan, Sir Barton, Broker's Tip

So it was Buchanan?

[brockguy]

Dragon Dancer nearly won the Epsom Derby this year as a maiden. he finished 2nd beaten a nose.. Still is a maiden I believe!

[Linny]

remember though, the difference between the best and the worst was far closer then than now. When 4000 TB's were registered every year the range of talents was small and going from non entity to star while rare was not unheard of.
First of all, even as late as Broker's Tip's win, the Derby was not the "be all and end all" of American racing. There was not a "race to the Derby or (forgive me Steve) a "Derby Trail." Winter racing was a rarity and as such most 3yo's were making their first or second start of the season when they ran in Louisville. Many were being pointed for important fixtures like the Belmont the American Derby or the Dwyer! Since the Derby was not the focus of the first 1/2 of the season, the race was rarely if ever overfilled. Running rabbits was popular and easy as the Derby was just another race.
The Triple Crown had not co-alesced at the time and when Gallant Fox won the TC, the Preakness was before the Derby. The schedule that we know as the TC was what it was because it followed the path from northward from farms in KY to MD to NY, geographically.
Even today though we see horses who are G1 placed maidens, Patriot Act and Nolan's Cat stand out from a few years ago. Both have turned out to be useful, but hardly stars. In fact Nolan's Cat is quite rare as he was a G1 placed maiden at 3, not 2. This ties to the "range argument" in that for 2yo's there are fewer running than the older population and the difference between a MSW at Belmont and a race like the Champagne or the Lane's End is relatively small.