KY Derby Winners as 2 year olds..

[Curlin]

Apart from Street Cry, I can't recall the last previous Derby winner who had either been a 2 yo champion and / or won a major (as in G1) stake as a 2 yo. Anyone care to jog my aged memory?

It used to be that quite a few Derby winners were fairly seasoned by the time they got to the 1st Saturday in May (the last 3 TC winners) but with the advent of the 2-race Derby prep season, it seems a lot of Derby hopefuls barely race as 2 year olds too. It also seems that a lot of rising 2 year old stars are actually supernovae who fizzle before the major G1 Derby preps are even run.

[Rokeby Forever]

Off the top of my head, Sea Hero won the Champagne, and Thunder Gulch won the Remsen, but that's a Gr II.

Affirmed is the last winner of The Hopeful to win the KY Derby - that's 30 years of losers since him. The Hopeful Jinx?

[bdw0617]

real quiet won the hollywood futurity

[Sam]

I need a new APR....

Funny Cide and Smarty Jones were both restricted stakes winners at two. Prior to that, every Derby winner back to Real Quiet had no black type until 3.

Real Quiet won the Hollywood Futurity (G1)

Silver Charm won the Del Mar Futurity (G2)

Grindstone was non-stakes placed until 3

Thunder Gulch and Go For Gin won the Remsen (G2)

Sea Hero won the Champagne (G1)

Lil E. Tee and Strike The Gold were non-stakes placed until 3

Unbridled only had the What A Pleasure (listed)

Sunday Silence and Winning Colors were non-stakes placed until 3

Alysheba and Ferdinand were G1 placed at 2 (Aly 2nd in the Hollywood Futurity, Ferdinand 3rd in the same race)

Spend A Buck won the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G1)

Looks like you have to go back to Swale to find the last multiple G1 winning 2yo Derby winner (wins in the Futurity and Young American).

[DDT]

Curlin

Foolish Pleasure won the Grade 1 Champagne, Hopeful and Sapling, he was Champion 2 year old and of course won the Derby as a three year old.

DDT