The Kentucky Derby is one of the most awaited horse races in the US and it goes by several names. It is known as “Most Exciting 2 Minutes in Sports” as well as “Fastest 2 Minutes in Sports” for its obvious approximate race duration. It is also known as “The Run for the Roses” because a garland of roses is placed over the winner when the race is finished. The Derby is the first race of the US Triple Crown, in which Preakness Stakes run second and Belmont Stakes follows as the third.
The Derby is held annually in Louisville, Kentucky US every first Saturday of May culminating the 2 week long festival of the Kentucky Derby. This stakes race is ranked Grade I for 3 year old Thoroughbred horses and runs 2 Km in Churchill Downs. The geldings and colts should carry 57.2 kg (126 pounds) and the fillies 54.9 kg (121 pounds). The winning horse should win in all the three races in order to have the Triple Crown. The Derby races attracts the most attendees than other horse races like the Preakness Stakes, Breeder's Cup and Belmont Stakes.
Backtracking on the Kentucky Derby History
The Derby is among the oldest of the USA Thoroughbred horse stakes races (the oldest being the Phoenix Stakes dating back to 1831). The concept of the Derby was built by Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. He is William Clark's grandson, the head of Lewis And Clark Expedition. In 1872, Clark visisted the Epsom Derby which was during that time the most famous race being run yearly since 1780. He then went to Paris, France in 1863 where he met racing enthusiasts that organized the famous Grand Prix de Paris and formed French Jockey Club.
Upon his return to Kentucky, he formed the Louiville Jockey Club in order to raise funds in building quality racing facilities located outside the city. This race track was later called Churchill Downs which was named after his relatives Henry and John Churchill. These men provided the land where the racetrack was built. In 1937, the racetrack was incorporated officially as Churchill Downs.
The very first Kentucky Derby race happened on May 17, 1875 before an approximate crowd of 10,000. On the field 15 of the 3 year old horses ran the 2.4km race track (which is the same length of distance like the Epsom Derby). Aristides, a colt that was riden by its jockey Oliver Lewis, won this inaugural Derby. It was later that same year, Aristides and its rider Lewis won 2nd place in the Belmont Stakes. In 1896, the race track distance was revised to the current 2 km run that is used today.
Though the initial races were successful, the race track underwent financial difficulties prompting the incorporation of a New Louisville Jockey club in 1894. Even with improved facilities, the business flopped and in 1902, Col. Matt Winn took over with a new group of businessmen in acquiring the facility. Under the wing of Winn, The Churchill Downs race track prospered and saw the rise of the Kentucky Derby as the prominent stakes races for the 3 year old throughbreds in North America.
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