What To Expect from Kentucky Derby in 2012

The Kentucky Derby remains as the most significant and popular horse race for casual fans and the mainstream public.

The 2012 Kentucky Derby will be its 137th running and superstar jockey Calvin Borel will be looking to continue his mastery of the dirt track at Churchill Downs and extend his unprecedented run of success in the race.

As you may already know, Borel won the 2010 Derby aboard his horse Super Saver and won three of the last four races. He also won aboard Mine That Bird in 2009 and Street Sense in 2007 and is the only jockey in history to win three out of four Kentucky Derby races.

Popularly called ‘The Run for the Roses’, the Kentucky Derby is held annually on the first weekend in May at Louisville’s Churchill Downs. It is also a big social event in the region and the live attendance at the Kentucky Derby surpasses that of any other major stakes race in the United States.

The Kentucky Derby is one of the oldest major races in the sport of horse racing and is the first leg of the historic ‘Triple Crown’ races.

The Kentucky Derby dates back to 1875 and was the brainchild of Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, who was the grandson of William Clark of ‘Lewis and Clark’ fame. Clark traveled to Europe and was particularly impressed by England’s Epsom Derby horse race. Upon returning to Kentucky, he founded the Louisville Jockey Club with the goal of creating a world class horse racing facility in Central Kentucky.

Source: http://www.kentuckyderby.org.