Kentucky Real Estate Business

Posts Tagged ‘Derby’

If America has the Kentucky derby as their main horse racing event then Italy has the Palio di Siena. It is Italy’s most famous horse race and is held two times a year. In fact, it is probably more important or prestigious than the Kentucky derby as it is the oldest horse race in the world, and is more important to the locals of Siena.

The Palio is run to celebrate the miraculous apparition of the Virgin Mary near the old houses that belonged to Provenzano Salvani. The apparition was called “Madonna di Provenzano”, which the first Palio was honouring.

The race involves 10 riders that each represent a city neighbourhood, though not all are represented in order to make it fair, as there are 17 wards in total. The seven neighbourhoods that did not take part in the month of the previous year are automatically added, and then three more are added by draw.

The draw occurs twice a year at the end of May and the Beginning of July. They all wear colours of their neighbourhood. The Palio di Siena is where people the of Siena show their pride and passion, there are alliances and rivalries.

The race consists of three complete laps of the Piazza del Campo on which thick dirt is laid. The jockeys ride bareback, so you shouldn’t be surprised to see anyone thrown off their horses and horses finishing without a rider, and funnily enough The Palio can be won by an unmounted horse. Races generally last about 90 seconds.

Recently though, there has been a split decision in whether it should still be held. The Italian Minister of Tourism had this to say: “There are too many events, too many legacies that include the exploitation of animals. If Catalonia has renounced bullfight, we can cancel some Palio,”That is just one of the reasons why people are against the Palios, another reason can be because some people feel that the horses are victims of abuse – they suffer not only physical but verbal abuse, especially as some people are so passionate about this traditional race. Earlier this year it was exposed that eight horses were under the suspicion of doping but they weren’t used for the race.

There is also another celebration that is similar to the main one in San Giuseppe and is a variation of the Palios di Siena called the ‘Palio dei Somari’. The twist with this is that they use donkeys rather than horses and it isn’t exactly as important as the main one. It is fairly new as it only began in 1966, and while it isn’t considered as important as the Palios di Siena there are still high emotions and a sense of competitiveness.  

Siena is a fantastic city where you will find brilliant Tuscany villas, it really is a beautiful medieval city. There is loads to do in this city as it has many attractions, such as historic buildings or you could go and visit the local football team that plays in the Serie A.

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Shackleford – game 2nd place finish in the Florida Derby where he ran on the front and put away the other early speed in To Honor and Serve and Soldat, narrowly missing holding off Dialed In by a head. He won his maiden over the Churchill Downs surface in his maiden last year, so he is proven over the surface. With odds that are likely to be 15-1 or higher, he could be a very inviting value play. Strongly consider.

Stay Thirsty – ran a stinker in the Florida Derby with no excuses after climbing his way up the ladder by winning the Gotham at Aqueduct. His high Beyer Speed figure of 89 is not even close to what it will take to win the Derby. Regal breeding out of Bernardini makes him eligible to run all day long. Still, would have to take a giant step forward off a horrible race. Can’t see it happening.

Derby Kitten – snuck in the race at the last minute due to the defection of Toby’s Corner. Last seen running a close 2nd in the Grade II Lexington at Keeneland. Improving Beyer Speed figures are an encouraging sign. On the not so bright side, his lone dirt start was beyond dismal, and runners coming over from the poly track at Keeneland have made no mark on the Derby since the track switched over from dirt. Likely 50-1 shot and deservedly so.

Soldat – Fountain of Youth winner decided not to show up in the Florida Derby while trying to stalk the early pace, and hated having dirt thrown in his face. His early speed which was earlier thought to be a detriment may however work to his advantage with the defection of several early speed types such as The Factor and J.P.’s Gusto. Has shown that he relishes running in the slop, and with rain forecast for Saturday, he may get a chance to prove it again. Interesting.

Brilliant Speed – last seen in the Blue Grass at Keeneland where he showed a brilliant late turn of foot to capture the race. Yet another with poor dirt form that will make him a likely long-shot. Consider as an underlay in your exotics, and maybe a win bet if his odds soar over 20-1.

Twice the Appeal – tries to take the Mine That Bird route of Sunland Derby to the Run for the Roses. Unlike Mine That Bird, Twice the Appeal won the race over heavily favored Astrology. The dark bay 3 year-old son of Successful Appeal also has one other distinct advantage that Mine That Bird had, jockey Calvin Borel at the reigns, who has won 3 out of the last 4 Derbies. The 89 last race Beyer Speed figure he earned would make him a 50-1 longshot in almost any other Derby year, but with likely favorite’s Dialed In only running to a 94 Beyer last out and Borel in the irons, look for his odds to drop from the morning line. If he get a good post position, you can almost assure yourself that Borel will give him a clean and efficient trip. Intriguing.

Decisive Moment – this dark bay 3 year-old sired by With Distinction is a consistent sort of fellow. He’s proven he likes the slop at Churchill Downs when he drilled a 47.40 4-furlong workout on April 17th. He was last seen at the Grade III Spiral at Turfway where he ran a credible 2nd earning an 88 Beyer Speed figure on the poly track. Does not have the pedigree top or bottom to get the classic distances, but if he gets a favorable post and a clean trip he probably has as good of a chance as any of the others, especially if the early speed is drawn wide of him. But take note of his great-great grand-sire, Secretariat, who most certainly could get the classic distances and a helluva lot more. At 50-1 or over, why not give it a short dollar try? If he channels his great-great grandaddy he could come home a winner on the first Saturday in May.

Visit http://www.TheOnlinewire.com to get the latest horse racing articles of Roger Mayflower and the latest news on the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

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There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, horses that end up winning the Kentucky Derby come from sires that were able to go that distance effective as well.

Maria’s Mon has been a highly effective sire having produced two Kentucky Derby winners; Monarchos in 2001 and most recently, Super Saver in 2010. According to the Thoroughbred Sports Network book of Sire Stats, the average winning distance for progeny of Maria’s Mon is seven furlongs, which indicates his progeny do best at middle distance races, which makes it all the more remarkable that he would have not one but two sons that have captured the Kentucky Derby.

A.P. Indy is known for being a sire of long distance runners, and his AWD is about a furlong and a half greater than Maria’s Mon.

He has never sired a Kentucky Derby winner although he has come close. In 2000, his son Aptitude came in second to Fusaichi Pegasus in that year’s Derby. Attswhatimtalkinbout was a fast closing fourth in the 2003 Kentucky Derby and might have won if he had another six seconds to run them down. Steppenwolfer finished third to Barbaro in the 2006 edition, and Pulpit finished fourth in the 1997 Kentucky Derby.

Dynaformer is also is a highly successful sire, especially at the longer distances. He is the sire of the afore-mentioned Barbaro, and is the sire of 2002 third place finisher in the Derby, Perfect Drift. He is actually more known as a turf sire but many of his offspring do tend to perform just as well on the dirt.

Another sire whose progeny you might want to put on your watch list is El Prado, who sired Paddy O’ Prado, the third place finisher in the 2010 Derby, as well as Medaglia D’oro, who finished fourth in the 2002 Derby after a troubled trip.

The sire of beloved 2004 Kentucky Derby winner, Smarty Jones was Elusive Quality who is not known for producing horses that can go particularly long distances. The average winning distance for his progeny is about 6 ½ furlongs, which indicates he is primarily a sire of sprinters.

The horse that finished runner up to Smarty Jones was Lion Heart, and his sire Tale of the Cat was likewise primarily a sire of sprinters, which makes him somewhat an anomaly as well.

The most famous exception to the rule was probably Secretariat, who was out of the great sire Bold Ruler. Because Bold Ruler was generally a sire of middle distance runners, some questioned whether Secretariat had the stamina to go the 1 ¼ mile distance of the Kentucky Derby after finishing a distant third in the 1 1/8 mile Wood Memorial. Of course, history shows that he could have run all day if it was needed.

When following this year’s two year old crop, other horses to pay attention to are those who are by Smart Strike, Distorted Humor, Giant’s Causeway, Mineshaft, and Candy Ride.

The Triple Crown racing season begins with the Kentucky Derby. It is horse racing’s premier event for 3-year-old horses. When you think of the Kentucky Derby, you think of the best thoroughbreds that have ever competed.

Now imagine building your own virtual Kentucky Derby with Derby winners from previous years. Horse Racing Simulation has a program that offers the opportunity to match up over a hundred past Kentucky Derby champions in simulated races using stunning 3D game graphics. Using a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence program that looks at over 300 traits and attributes of the real horses, users are able to simulate these fantasy races with previous champions with amazing accuracy.

Wouldn’t it be great to see Kentucky Derby winners from the early-1900s compete with some of the more recent champions like Big Brown, Secretariat, Seattle Slew and so many others? This amazing program has over 150 features including a handicapping component that converts the sophisticated past performance data of any race horse into a rich, 3D virtual experience. If you’re not into betting horses, or if you’re not an historian of racing, but you are into social games, consider this the best of all 3D racing games available. Breed, train and race your horses against thousands of other players for real prizes. Truly the best of all online 3D racing games.

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Kentucky has a very unique and special history of horse racing.  It dates all the way back to the late eighteenth century when Lexington got its very first race course.  From that time in 1789 to 1875 when the Churchill Downs first officially opened, there were races held in different courses throughout the country.  Once the Churchill Downs opened, it became the home of the Kentucky Derby and has been most widely known as that.

To give a little history on the Churchill Downs is to go back to 1872 when Col. M Lewis Clark created a Louisville Jockey Club to hold racing meets.  Clark then went on to visit a number of other racing leaders in Europe and learn from the best.  When he returned to America he began the development of a new Kentucky racetrack to house the best horses in the breeding industry.  This new track would become known as the Churchill Downs by 1883 when a news article posted an excerpt about the track.  The name stuck and was finally incorporated into the Churchill Downs name in 1937.

The first time that the track was publicly established was in May of 1874 and it was posted in the edition of the Courier-Journal.  The construction of the truck was debated by a few different organizations but it was finally funded and construction was started.  Clark rose over ,000 dollar by selling membership subscriptions.  He sold the subscriptions at 0 a pop and leased over 80 acres of land.  The whole track, when it was completed, had a clubhouse, porter’s lodge, grandstand, and a number of different stables that all were complete for the opening race of the track.

Clark designed three different major races, the Clark Handicap, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Kentucky Derby.  This mimicked the three main races in England and was thought to bring prestige and class to the US version of it.  Ever since the Kentucky Derby, Clark Handicap, and Kentucky Oaks debuted in 1875, they have continued to be held at the Churchill Downs.

Over the course of the years some of the best horses and jockeys have raced on the Churchill Downs and it has become one of the most prestigious racing venues in all of horse racing.  There have been a lot of different renovations over the years, the biggest and most recent in 2002.  The track went through a 1 million renovation.  This phase of the renovation would include large new balconies, an updated grandstand with meeting areas and suites.  This phase was finished by 2003 and the second phase expanded the Turf Club and added even more boxes, seats and suites.  The whole renovation added 404,000 square feet to the stadium and increased seating by over 50,000.

The Churchill Downs racetrack continues to be one of the best tracks on the horse racing circuit will continue to showcase some of the best horses in the world.  It has had a long history of incredible races, and will continue to add to that history as time goes on.

If you are alive and live on planet earth, you have heard of the Kentucky Derby. You may not know a lot about it, but you have heard about it. It has been called the most exciting two minutes in sports since that is about how long the race lasts.

It is only natural that the great state of Kentucky holds the honor of this auspicious race since thoroughbred horses have been bred and raced in Kentucky since late in the eighteenth century.

For people that are into dates, it was the year nineteen thirty-seven when Churchill Downs acquired that name after John and Henry Churchill who supplied the land where the track is located. It was on May 17th in the year eighteen seventy-five when the first official race was run here featuring a lineup of fifteen three year old horses in front a whopping ten thousand race fans.

The race was financially in bad shape until it was purchased in 1902 by a group of Louisville businessmen and it has flourished ever since that time.

To make things more competitive and fair to the horses, jockeys and fans, the Kentucky Derby limits the participants to three years olds and is officially run the first Sunday in May.

Back in 1931 the Kentucky Derby moved into the number one spot in the running of the Triple Crown then the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

In the fifties the Kentucky Derby really began to come into it’s own. In 1952 on May the third, the public at large could sit in front of the television at home and watch the very first televised running of the Kentucky Derby then a scant two years later in 1954, for the very first time in history, the purse at the Kentucky Derby topped one hundred thousand dollars.

There has been some tarnish marks along the way in the history of the Kentucky Derby with Dancers Image becoming the first horse in history – in fact the ONLY horse in history – to be disqualified from winning the Kentucky Derby in 1968 after traces of an anti-inflammatory analgesic drug known as phenylbutazone was found in the analysis of the horses urine. A few years later the rules at the Kentucky Derby were changed to allow horses to run the race while using phenylbutazone.

In 1973 the horse Secretariat broke the two-minute mark and came in at one minute and fifty-nine point five seconds making it the fasted Kentucky Derby ever.

In the year 2004, for the first time in history the jockeys were allowed to sport advertising logos on the outfits they wore. They won that right through legalities that ended in a court order forcing the Kentucky Derby to allow it.

Up until the year 2005 only the top four horses took home a share of the purse. In that year it was changed to include the top five finishers all getting a slice of the proverbial winning pie that is known as the Kentucky Derby’s purse.

Nick Zito is convinced he can win this year’s Kentucky Derby as he did twice in 1991 with Strike Gold and in 1994 with Go for Gin. Now; he is 0 for 16, but this is no prove of lack of effort. Over the past two years he didn’t have a horse participating in the race.

But now Zito has a serious steady Derby contender starting with top horse War Pass and Fountain of Youth winner Cool Coal Man; both owned by Robert La Penta. Also; he has Stakes winner Fierce Wind which is property of Sam F. Davies.

After a front-running 4 3/4-length race in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; War Pass has been the first Derby prospect since completing a perfect 2-year-old campaign. The amazing colt opened this season with win No. 5, a 7 1/2-length romp over lightly regarded opponents at Gulfstream Park on February 24. That same day, Cool Coal Man won for the fourth time in five starts in the Fountain of Youth.

With the 1 1/4-mile Derby in seven weeks, War Pass moves into the final stages of his preparing season when he takes on six challengers in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby. A final race is set for the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 5, and then it’s on to Churchill Downs and the Derby on May 3rd.

“There’s nobody better at preparing a horse for a Derby than Nick Zito,” LaPenta said. “What we were looking to do (after the BC Juvenile) is just rest him and then slowly bring him back and condition him up to that mile-and-a-quarter.”

With this preparation everybody feels War Pass should be in very good shape for the Derby. The same feeling is for Cool Coal Man that started this year season with an amazing victory in the Fountain of Youth. His final preparation race would be the Blue Grass at Keenland on April 12th.

LaPenta also said Nick Zito has always been a consistent trainer on his Derby preparations, and he always makes good choices with the race selection on the preparation stage for the Derby.War Pass, ridden by jockey Cornelio Velasquez, has proven to be a very good opponent, with the biggest question whether the colt has the preparation to maintain his speed over 1 1/4 miles.

LaPenta bought War Pass for 0,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale. The next spring, the son of 1994 BC Sprint winner Cherokee Run was up for sale but was pulled out with ankle chips. Cool Coal Man brought 0,000 at the Keeneland sale, but failed to meet the owner’s reserve bid of 0,000 at another sale.

“We haven’t won another Derby (since 1994), and we had all those chances in 2005,” Zito said. “Great expectations bring great disappointments….I would like to have peace. I would like to win another Derby.”

Kentucky horse racing can be traced back to 1783 when races were being held in the middle of Kentucky streets and on a number of private tracks located on farms throughout the area.

Several concerned citizens complained about safety issues, and eventually the first race track was built in Lexington in 1789.

Almost one hundred years later in 1872, a young entrepreneur named Col. M. Lewis Clark traveled in England and France visiting a number of prominent racing leaders. Upon his return, he devised a plan to create a Louisville Jockey Club to showcase the Kentucky breeding industry.

The track formally opened May 17, 1875 when over 10,000 excited fans witnessed four spectacular races. The winner of the first race was Bonaventure, however the winner of the day’s featured race, the Kentucky Derby, was a three-year-old chestnut colt named Aristides.

Eventually the track became known as “Churchill Downs-Home of the Kentucky Derby” because Clark leased the land from his uncles, John and Henry Churchill.

Over the years, several improvements have been made to the property, including the addition of the now famous spires on the top of the main building, making Churchill Downs the most well known horse racing venue in the United States.

This year, the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place on May 3, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Take this opportunity to officially welcome Spring and plan a Kentucky Derby party. I’ve given you a few of my favorite recipes to help get you started.

Appetizer–Warm Vidalia Onion Dip

Made with the sweetest onions and served warm with your favorite crackers, get ready to hand out this recipe. Our Aunt Diane first made this dip and since then it has become a family favorite.

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese Assorted crackers

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Stir in cheese and spoon mixture into shallow baking dish.

Bake for 40 minutes or until dip is bubbly. Serve warm with crackers.

Main Course–Benedictine (Cucumber Sandwiches)

Served regularly at the Kentucky Derby, Benedictine is made with cucumber and cream cheese and is named after the restaurant that first created it. The most common way to eat it is to make finger sandwiches by spreading the mixture on cocktail bread. You can also thin it out with sour cream to make a dip for vegetables.

1 large cucumber Grated

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons onion

1/4 tsp salt

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Dash green food coloring (optional)

Cocktail bread (pumpernickel is good) or vegetables

To make it, start by paring, grating and draining the cucumber. Combine with remaining ingredients in food processor and pulse until well combined.

Dessert–Kentucky Derby Pie

There are a million recipes for Kentucky Derby Pie but I like this one because it’s made with chocolate and walnuts. It’s rich and gooey.

1/2 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs

1 tablespoon bourbon

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 prepared 8 inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread chocolate chips and nuts in bottom of prepared pie shell.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in flour. Beat the eggs slightly, and stir into the creamed mixture. Add bourbon.

Pour filling into pie shell (over chips and nuts) and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Cocktail–Limoncello Mint Lemonade

Limoncello Mint Lemonade is a new wave cocktail made with fresh mint leaves.

1/2 cup lemonade concentrate

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Ice cubes

1/4 cup Limoncello (lemon liqueur)

1/2 cup club soda

In a small pitcher, “muddle” mint leaves together with lemonade concentrate and lemon juice. Muddle means to bruise the leaves so they release their flavor. I use the end of a wooden spoon.

Stir in ice cubes, Limoncello and club soda and pour into 4 glasses. Top them off with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint.

Makes 4-10 oz. drinks.

Invite some friends over, make some great food and watch the Kentucky Derby together. Hopefully I’ve given you some recipes to start with.

For most horse racing enthusiasts, the Kentucky Derby is one of the most awaited thoroughbred horse racing of all times. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious thoroughbred horse racing in the United States. Moreover, this is also one of the oldest thoroughbred horse races as well. The first run of this superior horserace officially started in 1875.

The Kentucky Derby was founded by Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. who was then a horse racing enthusiasts and had traveled to many places to witness various horse derbies in Europe. Practically, the prestigious Epsom Derby in England, and the Grand Prix de Paris inspired Col. Clark, Jr. into organizing one as well.

Upon returning to Kentucky, Col. Clark, Jr. organized the Louisville Jockey Club in order to raise money for building quality racing facilities just outside the city of Kentucky. This track was later on named Churchill Downs after Col. Clark, Jr.’s relatives who provided the land for the racetrack. This was then the home of Kentucky Derby.

Originally, the Kentucky Derby was run at 1 1/2 miles, which is the same distance ran at the Epsom Derby. However, this was later changed to 1 1/4 miles, and has been carried on until today. In 1875, in front of approximately 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Kentucky Derby. This first race was an instant success. From henceforth, the Kentucky Derby has been observed annually.

Today, although a lot of people would want to witness the Kentucky Derby, others cannot. This does not mean though that there are no other means of being on the Kentucky Derby aside from being there yourself. With the advances in technology, almost everything is possible including being able to bet in the Kentucky Derby.

Online gambling sites provide many opportunities for horse race betting. In fact there are a number of exciting horse racing bets that you can make online such as the Quinella, Superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 6, and Straight Bets. Although online betting is not really the same as the actual betting where the real action is; many online gambling sites provide features which allow you to feel the excitement of the real race as well.

In order to make wise wagers though, you have to carefully choose the specific type of bet that you would like to engage in. Furthermore, before making any bet, you need to understand the mechanics of the bet and how it is done. Moreover, it is also important to consider the physical condition and appearance of the horses before choosing the horse on which you place your bet on. Finally, you also need to check on the jockey, most especially his track record.

The best place to have the Kentucky derby Tickets and Kentucky Derby Travel packages to thoroughbred racing fans all over the world is DerbyBox.com. It is a Local Louisville area travel company that is the recognized leader in all-inclusive Kentucky Derby travel packagers and preferred Kentucky Derby Seating. The company take great pride in providing information, seat and accommodations of your choice and the finest customer service.

If you wish to reward the client, partners or employees, gift them with a trip of Dream Kentucky Derby Package. The company promises to take care of all the arrangements with a guaranteed tickets and an experience you’ll never forget.

Most of the large ticket brokers are based in major league cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago and the Derby to them is small time event. DerbyBox.com is a local company with offices right across the river in Jeffersonville Indiana. We have Kentucky Derby Ticket experience that is over 25 year now. The company urge you to shop around for the best tickets and prices but they are confident that there is no other full-time company that devotes 365 days a year to Kentucky Derby tickets. In fact, they provide most of the ticketing inventory for the major national Ticket brokers.

To provide additional service to their customers with a Kentucky Derby ticket, the company has made a commitment to assist in any other aspect of your Derby travel plans at no additional up charge.

The company has more in store for their customers from 2010. They assure to take care of the hotel, restaurant, parking sightseeing etc., will be taken care off, so that you can have the experience of a lifetime. They are sure that no other company can match their service levels.

Another company that has its beginning rooted  in the history of Kentucky derby is the Churchill Downs. It started on a leased property of 80 acres in 1873. They sold membership subscriptions to fund the construction of the horse racing company. It started as Kentucky Corporation and in 1942 became Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Over the next few decades, the quality of the racing and the condition of the property at Churchill Downs slowly declined and only around mid 1980s under the leadership of then President and CEO Thomas H. Meeker, saw Churchill Downs expansion and capital improvements that culminated in April 2005 with the completion of the track’s 1 million renovation of its grandstand and clubhouse areas. In the year 2004 they company acquired Fair Grounds Race Course, the company added alternative gaming to its entertainment options

In 2007, the company also acquired the industry-leading data and pedigree information provider, Bloodstock Research Information Services (“BRIS”) and continues to operate the data business under the BRIS brand.

Churchill Downs is a publicly traded company and is listed on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol CHDN.

A famous feature of the Churchill Downs is the Clubhouse 320 ticket. The holder of this ticket has access to the entire 3rd floor clubhouse, the paddock area to view the horses prior to each race, the Churchill Downs gift shop, premium betting windows, and 2nd Floor concessions.

To book ticket call 1.866.337.2926 or visit them at www.derbybax.com.

Kentucky has a very unique and special history of horse racing.  It dates all the way back to the late eighteenth century when Lexington got its very first race course.  From that time in 1789 to 1875 when the Churchill Downs first officially opened, there were races held in different courses throughout the country.  Once the Churchill Downs opened, it became the home of the Kentucky Derby and has been most widely known as that.

To give a little history on the Churchill Downs is to go back to 1872 when Col. M Lewis Clark created a Louisville Jockey Club to hold racing meets.  Clark then went on to visit a number of other racing leaders in Europe and learn from the best.  When he returned to America he began the development of a new Kentucky racetrack to house the best horses in the breeding industry.  This new track would become known as the Churchill Downs by 1883 when a news article posted an excerpt about the track.  The name stuck and was finally incorporated into the Churchill Downs name in 1937.

The first time that the track was publicly established was in May of 1874 and it was posted in the edition of the Courier-Journal.  The construction of the truck was debated by a few different organizations but it was finally funded and construction was started.  Clark rose over $30,000 dollar by selling membership subscriptions.  He sold the subscriptions at $100 a pop and leased over 80 acres of land.  The whole track, when it was completed, had a clubhouse, porter’s lodge, grandstand, and a number of different stables that all were complete for the opening race of the track.

Clark designed three different major races, the Clark Handicap, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Kentucky Derby.  This mimicked the three main races in England and was thought to bring prestige and class to the US version of it.  Ever since the Kentucky Derby, Clark Handicap, and Kentucky Oaks debuted in 1875, they have continued to be held at the Churchill Downs.

Over the course of the years some of the best horses and jockeys have raced on the Churchill Downs and it has become one of the most prestigious racing venues in all of horse racing.  There have been a lot of different renovations over the years, the biggest and most recent in 2002.  The track went through a $121 million renovation.  This phase of the renovation would include large new balconies, an updated grandstand with meeting areas and suites.  This phase was finished by 2003 and the second phase expanded the Turf Club and added even more boxes, seats and suites.  The whole renovation added 404,000 square feet to the stadium and increased seating by over 50,000.

The Churchill Downs racetrack continues to be one of the best tracks on the horse racing circuit will continue to showcase some of the best horses in the world.  It has had a long history of incredible races, and will continue to add to that history as time goes on.

If you are alive and live on planet earth, you have heard of the Kentucky Derby. You may not know a lot about it, but you have heard about it. It has been called the most exciting two minutes in sports since that is about how long the race lasts.

It is only natural that the great state of Kentucky holds the honor of this auspicious race since thoroughbred horses have been bred and raced in Kentucky since late in the eighteenth century.

For people that are into dates, it was the year nineteen thirty-seven when Churchill Downs acquired that name after John and Henry Churchill who supplied the land where the track is located. It was on May 17th in the year eighteen seventy-five when the first official race was run here featuring a lineup of fifteen three year old horses in front a whopping ten thousand race fans.

The race was financially in bad shape until it was purchased in 1902 by a group of Louisville businessmen and it has flourished ever since that time.

To make things more competitive and fair to the horses, jockeys and fans, the Kentucky Derby limits the participants to three years olds and is officially run the first Sunday in May.

Back in 1931 the Kentucky Derby moved into the number one spot in the running of the Triple Crown then the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

In the fifties the Kentucky Derby really began to come into it’s own. In 1952 on May the third, the public at large could sit in front of the television at home and watch the very first televised running of the Kentucky Derby then a scant two years later in 1954, for the very first time in history, the purse at the Kentucky Derby topped one hundred thousand dollars.

There has been some tarnish marks along the way in the history of the Kentucky Derby with Dancers Image becoming the first horse in history – in fact the ONLY horse in history – to be disqualified from winning the Kentucky Derby in 1968 after traces of an anti-inflammatory analgesic drug known as phenylbutazone was found in the analysis of the horses urine. A few years later the rules at the Kentucky Derby were changed to allow horses to run the race while using phenylbutazone.

In 1973 the horse Secretariat broke the two-minute mark and came in at one minute and fifty-nine point five seconds making it the fasted Kentucky Derby ever.

In the year 2004, for the first time in history the jockeys were allowed to sport advertising logos on the outfits they wore. They won that right through legalities that ended in a court order forcing the Kentucky Derby to allow it.

Up until the year 2005 only the top four horses took home a share of the purse. In that year it was changed to include the top five finishers all getting a slice of the proverbial winning pie that is known as the Kentucky Derby’s purse.