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Kentucky Derby History
Kentucky has been a major center of horse breeding and racing since the late 1700s due to the Ordivician fields of the Bluegrass Region, which contains higher than average amounts of calcium and thus produced superior race horses. In 1872, Col. M. Lewis Clark, traveled to England, visiting the Epsom Derby, a famous race that had been running annually since 1780. From there, Clark went on to Paris, France, where in 1863 a group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club and had organized the Grand Prix de Paris, which eventually became the famous Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Returning home to Kentucky, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club for the purpose of raising money to build quality racing facilities just outside of the city. The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs, named for Lewis Clark's relatives, John and Henry Churchill, who had provided the land for the racetrack. Officially, the racetrack was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937.
The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1½ miles, the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. In 1896 the distance was changed to its current 1¼ miles. On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Derby. Under African-American jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides who was trained by future Hall of Famer, Ansel Williamson, won the inaugural Derby. Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Although the first race meet proved a success, the track ran into financial difficulties and in 1894 the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated with new capitalization and improved facilities. Despite this, the business floundered until 1902 when Col. Matt Winn of Louisville put together a syndicate of businessmen to acquire the facility. Under Winn, Churchill Downs prospered and the Kentucky Derby became the preeminent thoroughbred horse race in America.
Between 1875 and 1902, African-American jockeys won 15 of the 28 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. On May 11, 1892, African-American jockey Alonzo "Lonnie" Clayton, age 15, became the youngest rider to win the Derby. The 1904 race was won by Elwood , the first Derby starter and winner to be owned by a woman, Laska Durnell. In 1915, Regret became the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby, and in 1917 the English bred colt "Omar Khayyam" became the first foreign-bred horse to win the race.
As part of gaining income, horse owners began sending their successful Derby horses to compete a few weeks later in the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, Maryland, followed by the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York. The three races offered the largest purse and in 1919 Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three races. However, the term Triple Crown didn't come into use until for another eleven years. In 1930, when Gallant Fox became the second horse to win all three races, sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase into American usage. Fueled by the media, public interest in the possibility of a "superhorse" that could win the Triple Crown began in the weeks leading up to the Derby. Two years after the term was coined, the race, which had been run in mid-May since inception, was changed to the first Saturday in May to allow for a specific schedule for the Triple Crown races.
On May 3, 1952, the first national television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place. In 1954, the purse exceeded $100,000 for the first time. The fastest time ever run in the Derby (at its present distance) is 1 minute 59 2/5 seconds, by Secretariat in 1973.
The 2004 Derby marked the first time that jockeys, as a result of a court order, were allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their clothing.
In 2005, the purse distribution for the Derby was changed, so that horses finishing fifth would henceforth receive a share of the purse; previously only the first four finishers did so.
On February 1, 2006, the Louisville-based fast-food company Yum! Brands, Inc. announced a corporate sponsorship deal to officially name the race "The Kentucky Derby, presented by Yum! Brands"
On 2007 Churchill Downs announced a record $11.3 million stakes schedule for its 2007 Spring and Fall racing meets, including purse increases for 13 individual stakes events... 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized on Jan. 29 at the New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania following an injury in the 2006 Preakness Stakes and a lengthy battle with laminitis...
In March 2007, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced a series of agreements with Magna Entertainment Corp., including the launching of joint simulcast distribution platform TrackNet Media and the purchase of a 50-percent interest in horse racing TV channel HRTV... An on-site quarantine and isolation facility was created in the Churchill Downs stable area in March to benefit foreign horsemen wishing to ship their Thoroughbreds in to compete in the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and other races at Churchill Downs... An estimated 7,000 Boy Scouts, parents and visitors were welcomed to the Churchill Downs infield in late March for the 50th anniversary celebration of the three-day "Scout-O-Rama" event, the 22nd consecutive year that the event had been held at Churchill Downs... The sale of the Company's remaining 62-percent ownership interest in Anderson, Ind., racetrack Hoosier Park was completed...
On April 14, Churchill Downs hosted a first-ever public drawing for reserved seats to the Kentucky Derby, making 1,000 seats in the grandstand and clubhouse available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis... The Company launched a new advance deposit wagering service, www.twinspires.com... Churchill Downs Incorporated President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Evans ceremoniously opened the NASDAQ Stock Market in New York City on April 25, commemorating the Company's 14th anniversary of trading on the exchange as well as the kickoff of Kentucky Derby week festivities... Churchill Downs set new records for on-track, off-track and all-sources wagering on Kentucky Oaks 133, which was witnessed by the eighth-largest crowd in history and won by post-time favorite and eventual Belmont Stakes (Grade I) winner Rags to Riches... James Tafel's Street Sense rallied from 19th under jockey Calvin Borel to capture the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) for trainer Carl Nafzger before a crowd of 156,635, the third-largest in history... Among the honored guests at Kentucky Derby 133 were Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip in their first visit to the track... Wagering on the Kentucky Derby matched the previous year's records for on-track, off-track and total wagering... Julien Leparoux and Calvin Borel each scored six wins on a single day at Churchill Downs during the Spring Meet, becoming the fifth and sixth riders, respectively, to reach that milestone... Leparoux swept the 2007 riding titles at Churchill Downs, capturing both the Spring and Fall Meet titles, while trainer Steve Asmussen swept the 2007 leading trainer honors and established a record for total victories in the Spring Meet, with 46 wins in the 52-day session... Churchill Downs Incorporated announced the acquisition of AmericaTAB, Bloodstock Research Information Services, and the Thoroughbred Sports Network, including ADW platforms Winticket.com, BrisBET.com and TsnBET.com... Churchill Downs hosted The Police in concert on July 14 in its second major concert event following a successful visit by the Rolling Stones in 2006... Viewers across the country enjoyed a daily televised preview of the Churchill Downs Fall Meet races through "Churchill Downs Today," a new 30-minute show that aired daily during the 21-day Fall Meet and was available on the New York City OTB cable channel, HRTV, and through live streaming on the Churchill Downs Web site... Churchill Downs officials announced that Champions Lounge, the only indoor facility at the track in which smoking had been allowed since the completion of renovations in 2005, would go smoke-free on Nov. 25.
Kentucky Derby News
Big Brown a step away from Triple Crown
Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown romped to victory in Saturday's 133rd Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.... Full Story...
