The horses in the Kentucky Derby are three-year-old Thoroughbreds, primarily bred and raised in the United States, with many descending from legendary bloodlines such as Secretariat and other prominent sires like the Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian lines
. The race is held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, a track established in 1875 by Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., who was inspired by European races like the Epsom Derby in England and the Grand Prix de Paris in France
. While most horses come from established breeding farms in Kentucky and other parts of the U.S., some competitors can be raised elsewhere; for example, in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, one horse named Flying Mohawk was raised by a woman from Massachusetts before competing at Churchill Downs
. In summary, Kentucky Derby horses are predominantly American-bred Thoroughbreds, often with pedigrees tracing back to famous racehorses, and they are trained and raised at various farms primarily in Kentucky but occasionally from other states as well
