LOUISVILLE WOMAN WINS 2ND miniMARATHON
NEW FLAME LIGHTING CEREMONY STARTS ANNUAL ROAD RACES

April 25, 2026. Louisville, KY. – Kentucky Derby Festival’s Race Weekend drew 12,000 participants for the Festival 5K Presented by First Urology last night and today’s Humana miniMarathon and Marathon. This year marks the 53rd annual miniMarathon and the 25th run of the Marathon. Runners from all 50 states and 10 countries participated in Kentucky’s largest day of road racing.

Runners set off this morning under foggy, cloudy and humid conditions, creating a comfortable start for the race. The Runner’s Flame Presented by Humana was lit at the start line just before the race got underway and then moved to the finish for runners to see. The flame ceremony will be a new tradition at the race to symbolize the perseverance and determination of all the participants.

Caroline Gosser of Louisville participated in the races for the fifth year in a row and won her second miniMarathon in the Women’s Division. She also won in 2022 and took third place in 2023. In between her mini wins, she also ran and won the Marathon Women’s Division in 2024 and was second place in 2025 Marathon. A Presentation Academy and University of Louisville alum, Gosser said, “It’s so fun to be in the Louisville hometown crowd.”

James Quattlebaum of Greenville, SC, won the half marathon in the Men’s Division in his first time participating and said he set a new PR with a time of 1:02:12. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also ran the half marathon with his son, Daniel.

Derek Steele of Huntington, WV, won the full Marathon in the Men’s Division with a time of 2:26:51. Erica Hopper of Maryville, TN, was the top finisher in the Women’s Division with a time of 3:01:05.

Jose Pulido of Flowery Branch, GA, won his fourth miniMarathon in the Men’s Wheelchair Division, with a time of 53:22. Pulido previously won in 2015, 2017, and 2019. He placed second in 2018 and third in 2013.

The Humana Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon set off at 7 a.m. on Main Street, near Louisville Slugger Field, and finished just outside of the Waterfront at Preston and Witherspoon Streets. Runners in the miniMarathon and Marathon experienced a tour of some of Louisville’s most iconic sights. The course went through downtown, the historic Old Louisville neighborhood and parts of the picturesque Olmsted Parks System. Participants also ran a lap inside Churchill Downs just one week before the running of the Kentucky Derby. For the second year in a row, Marathoners raced along a stretch of Southern Parkway and through Iroquois Park.

The top finishers include:

miniMarathon MEN’s WHEELCHAIR Division

First: Jose Pulido – 0:53:22 – Flowery Branch, GA
Second: Matthew Porterfield – 0:57:39 – Knoxville, TN
Third: Chad Johnson – 0:59:12 – Corydon, IN

miniMarathon MEN’s Division

First: James Quattlebaum – 1:02:12 – Greenville, SC
Second: Johnnie Guy – 1:03:37 – Leopold, IN
Third: Dylan Allen – 1:06:29 – Louisville, KY

miniMarathon WOMEN’S Division

First: Caroline Gosser – 1:16:10 – Louisville, KY
Second: Becca Richtman – 1:19:17 – West Lafayette, IN
Third: Page Voss – 1:21:15 – Prospect, KY

Marathon MEN’s Division

First: Derek Steele – 2:26:51 – Huntington, WV
Second: Brandon Knieja – 2:31:29 – St. Augustine, FL
Third: Brendan Cairney – 2:32:17 – Roseville, MI

Marathon WOMEN’s Division

First: Erica Hopper – 3:01:05 – Maryville, TN
Second: Whitney Heins – 3:03:32 – Knoxville, TN
Third: Kelley Moyer – 3:03:43 – Pennsboro, WV

Humana is the Title Sponsor of the miniMarathon and Marathon. Official Medical Provider & Training Partner: Norton Sports Health. Contributing Sponsors: Churchill Downs, Kentucky Department of Tourism, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Louisville Water Company, Powerade and TEN20 Craft Brewery. Official Nutrition Partner: Publix Super Markets. Official Refuel Partner: Prairie Farms. Official Pace Team Sponsor: Ken Combs Running Store. Official Bourbon: Hartfield & Co. Official Hotel: The Galt House Hotel. Official Timing Partner: Rumpke Waste & Recycling. Official Broadcast Partner: WLKY. Media Sponsor: 99.7 DJX.

About Kentucky Derby Festival
2026 marks the 71st year for the Kentucky Derby Festival, a month-long celebration packed with 70+ events leading up to the first Saturday in May. As an independent community organization, it’s supported by 4,000 volunteers, more than 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people every spring and has a local economic impact of more than $200 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.