Counting Kentucky Derby wins by trainer or jockey sounds like simple arithmetic until a disqualification gets in the way. Bob Baffert's horses have crossed the Derby finish line first seven times, but only six of those wins still count: Medina Spirit's 2021 victory was stripped after the colt tested positive for betamethasone, a banned race-day substance, with the race awarded instead to runner-up Mandaloun. Applying that correction, Baffert sits at six official wins, tied with Ben Jones rather than standing alone above him.

Most wins by a trainer

Kentucky Derby wins by trainer, officially recognized

2 rows
TrainerWinsHorses
Bob Baffert6Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002), American Pharoah (2015), Justify (2018), Authentic (2020)
Ben Jones61938-1952, per kentuckyderby.com's own trainer records

Baffert's 2021 win with Medina Spirit is not counted here: it was disqualified, and the race was awarded to Mandaloun. Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner with Golden Tempo in 2026.

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Most wins by a jockey

Kentucky Derby wins by jockey, officially recognized

2 rows
JockeyWins
Eddie Arcaro5
Bill Hartack5

No disqualification affects either jockey's total. Diane Crump became the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 1970, finishing 15th aboard Fathom.

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Jose Ortiz, who rode 2026 winner Golden Tempo, is well short of either record, and no active rider is within sight of five Derby wins as of this writing. Records like these move rarely: a jockey or trainer needs both a long career at the top and a steady run of live Derby mounts to even approach them, which is why the same handful of names have occupied the top of this list for decades.