Most settlements had a "Race Street" that was a long, flat stretch, suitable for racing horses down. By 1832, Lexington and Louisville both boasted mile-long racetracks. However, the Louisville track, the Oakland Race Course, eventually shut down due to an inconvenient location. Its successor, the Woodlawn Race Course, suffered the same problem. In 1875, the Louisville Jockey Club and Driving Association opened. Although the new racetrack was run by Lutie Clark, and had been originally envisioned by him, it was financially supported by Henry and John Churchill. Clark was not a well-liked man, and locals began to derisively refer to the racetrack as "Churchill's downs," as a way to poke fun at Clark and remind him who was really in charge of the track. In 1883, the press began to use the name, and Churchill Downs is probably the most famous racetrack in the United States today.
In 1665, the first horse racetrack was constructed on Long Island.
Aristides [1872 - 1893] was the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby. With 14 competitors, Aristides covered the 1.5 mile dirt racetrack in 2:37.75 minutes. The racetrack was decreased to its current size of 1 1/4 miles [2 kilometers] in 1896.
Churchill Downs is the name of the racetrack at which the Kentucky Derby is held. Louisville is the name of the big city in Kentucky where the racetrack is located. The original name of the racetrack was the Louisville Jockey Club Course.
A distance of 1-1/4 miles is the total distance of the Kentucky Derby racetrack. That translates to 2 kilometers, or to 10 furlongs. The dirt track to 'The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports' is left-handed. The world-famous horse race on the world-famous racetrack takes place annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
A distance of 1-1/2 miles was the original length of the Kentucky Derby racetrack. That was the distance for the first 20 years, 1875-1895. As of 1896, the distance was shortened to 1-1/4 miles.
It's in Louisville, Kentucky that the Kentucky Derby is held. Louisville isn't a town. It's a big city. It always has been the location of the Derby, for 136 years straight since May 17, 1875.
Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby back in 1875.
The first gray horse to win the Kentucky Derby was Determine in 1954.
Churchill Downs
go d yourself
The Louisville Jockey Club Course was where the first Kentucky Derby was held. That was the original name of the Churchill Downs racetrack, where the Derby still is being held. Whatever the name, the world-famous grounds are located in Louisville, Kentucky.
Aristides