The Kentucky Derby. The Run for the Roses. The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports. This spectacular horse-racing event is called by many names, but in the early days it was not the prestigious event that it is today. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of the famous Clark in Lewis and Clark, is known as the founder of the Derby. In 1872, inspired by visits to famous horse tracks in England and Paris, Meriwether returned to Louisville and organized the Louisville Jockey Club to raise money to construct a quality horse racing venue. Meriwether’s relatives, John and Henry Churchill, provided the land for the venture; hence the name Churchill Downs. The first Derby was held on May 17, 1875 and was set at 1 ½ miles. Jockey Oliver Lewis won with Aristides in front of a crowd of 10,000 fans. However, the track was fraught with financial problems and was not profitable until 1903, four years after Meriwether’s suicide and a year after Col. Matt Winn took the track over. Winn is credited with saving the race from bankruptcy and transforming it into the respected event we call the Kentucky Derby.
There are several important milestones of the Derby. The youngest winner ever was Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton, an African-American who won in 1892 at age fifteen. In 1896 the race was changed to 1 ¼ miles, its current distance. The race track was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937. The fastest run was in 1973 by Secretariat with a time of 1:59:40, and that record still stands today.
The traditional beverage of the Derby is the mint julep - a concoction of bourbon, mint and syrup. Also popular is a dish called burgoo – a thick meaty stew. Other Derby traditions include singing “My Old Kentucky Home” and the fashion statements made by ladies in their beautiful and sometimes outrageous headwear.
Whatever your interest, a good time is sure to be had by all at the Kentucky Derby in 2011 and you’re going to want to be there!
