| 115th Kentucky Derby | |
| Class: | Grade I stakes race |
| Horse Race: | Kentucky Derby |
| Location: | Churchill Downs |
| Date: | May 6, 1989 |
| Winning Horse: | Sunday Silence |
| Winning Jockey: | Pat Valenzuela |
| Winning Trainer: | Charles E. Whittingham |
| Winning Owner: | Hancock III, Gaillard & Whittingham |
| Conditions: | Muddy |
| Surface: | Dirt |
| Attendance: | 122,653 |
| Previous: | 1988 |
| Next: | 1990 |
The 1989 Kentucky Derby was the 115th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 6, 1989,[1] with 122,653 people in attendance.[2] The race took place on a track that was listed as muddy but was drying out very well. The time on the -mile was the slowest time since Tim Tam rode to victory at the same length at also the same time of 2:05. Sunday Silence took the win with a 2 1/2 length victory over the favorite to win, Easy Goer.[3]
| Finished | Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time / behind | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10 | Sunday Silence | Pat Valenzuela | Charlie Whittingham | Hancock III, Gaillard & Whittingham | 2:05 | |
| 2nd | 13 | Easy Goer | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | ||
| 3rd | 12 | Awe Inspiring | Craig Perret | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Mills Phipps | ||
| 4th | 7 | Dansil | Larry Snyder | Frank L. Brothers | John A. Franks | ||
| 5th | 4 | Hawkster | Marco Castaneda | Ron McAnally | Mr. & Mrs. J. S. Meredith | ||
| 6th | 15 | Northern Wolf | Clarence Ladner III | Hank Allen | Deep Silver Stable | ||
| 7th | 11 | Irish Actor | Don Howard | LeRoy Jolley | Tiffany Farms | ||
| 8th | 6 | Houston | Laffit Pincay Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Beal, French Jr. & Lukas | ||
| 9th | 9 | Triple Buck | José A. Santos | John J. Lenzini Jr. | Gary Marano | ||
| 10th | 5 | Shy Tom | Chris Antley | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | ||
| 11th | 14 | Wind Splitter | Donnie Miller Jr. | Dale Capuano | Randall Williams Jr. | ||
| 12th | 2 | Flying Continental | Corey Black | Jay M. Robbins | Jack Kent Cooke | ||
| 13th | 1 | Clever Trevor | Don Pettinger | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Cheri & Don McNeill | ||
| 14th | 8 | Faultless Ensign | Chris DeCarlo | Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. | Anthony Tornettam et al. | ||
| 15th | 3 | Western Playboy | Randy Romero | Harvey L. Vanier | Nancy Vanier & Raymond Roncari |
| Post | Horse | Win | Place | Show | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Sunday Silence | US$8.20 | 3.00 | 3.60 | |
| 2b | Easy Goer | 2.60 | 3.40 | ||
| 2 | Awe Inspiring | 3.40 |
Sunday Silence was an unlikely winner as a youngster, but he grew into a true champion. He sported crooked hind legs and barely survived a virus as a weanling.[5] Sunday Silence was not an attractive youngster and his owner, Arthur B. Hancock III, attempted to sell him at the 1987 Keeneland yearling sale. Hancock ended up buying the colt back for only $17,000.[6] Sunday Silence completed his two-year-old season with only one victory from three starts and was described as looking like a "skinny teenager" from Hancock. Between two and three years old, the colt matured and began his three-year-old season as a front runner for the Kentucky Derby.[7] Sunday Silence won both the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby and anticipation built for the confrontation between Sunday Silence and his competition for the Kentucky Derby, Easy Goer. Sunday Silence's win at the Derby was largely attributed to the muddy track, which Easy Goer was claimed to have not liked. Sunday Silence bested Easy Goer by a win of 2 1/2 lengths.