Kentucky Derby History

Organized horse racing in the State of Kentucky dates as far back as the late 1700s. Several different race courses were built in and around the city of Louisville.  But the pivotal point came in 1872 and thus begins an insight into Kentucky Derby’s history. Col. M. Lewis Clark, grandson of explorer William Clark of the Lewis & Clark duo, traveled to England and visited the Epsom Derby, a famous race that had been running annually since 1780. From there, Clark went on to Paris, France, where in 1863 a group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club and had organized the Grand Prix de Paris, which eventually became the famous Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. So using his travels and discoveries as inspiration, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club, in June 1874, as a way to showcase the Kentucky breeding industry and for the purpose of raising money to build quality racing facilities just outside of the city. The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby named for Lewis Clark's relatives, John and Henry Churchill, who had provided the land for the racetrack. Officially, the racetrack was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937.

The Race

The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1½ miles, the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. In 1896 the distance was changed to its current 1¼ miles. On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Kentucky Derby. Under African-American jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides who was trained by future Hall of Famer, Ansel Williamson, won the inaugural Kentucky Derby. Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.

Although the first race meet proved a success, the track ran into financial difficulties and in 1894 the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated with new capitalization and improved facilities. Despite this, the business floundered until 1902 when Col. Matt Winn of Louisville organized a syndicate of businessmen to acquire the facility. Under Winn, Churchill Downs prospered and the Kentucky Derby became the preeminent thoroughbred horse race in America.

As part of gaining income, horse owners began sending their successful Kentucky Derby horses to compete a few weeks later in the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, Maryland, followed by the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York. The three races offered the largest purse and in 1919 Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three races. However, the term Triple Crown wasn’t birthed for another eleven years. In 1930, when Gallant Fox became the second horse to win all three races, sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase into American usage. Fueled by the media, public interest in the possibility of a "superhorse" that could win the Triple Crown began in the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Two years after the term was coined, the Kentucky Derby, which had been run in mid-May since inception, was changed to the first Saturday in May to allow for a specific schedule for the Triple Crown races.

Kentucky Derby History Making Moments

As expected, the Kentucky Derby’s history has had its fair share of  firsts and magical moments.

• Kentucky Derby History Moment: Between 1875 and 1902, African-American jockeys won 15 of the 28 runnings
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: On May 11, 1892, African-American jockey Alonzo "Lonnie" Clayton, age 15, became the youngest rider to win the Kentucky Derby.
•  Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: The 1904 race was won by Elwood, the first Kentucky Derby starter and winner to be owned by a woman, Laska Durnell.
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: In 1915, Regret became the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby.
•  Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: In 1917 the English bred colt "Omar Khayyam" became the first foreign-bred horse to win the race.
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: On May 3, 1952, the first national television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place.
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: In 1954, the purse exceeded $100,000 for the first time.
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: The fastest time ever run in Kentucky Derby history (at its present distance) is 1 minute 59 2/5 seconds, by the great Secretariat in 1973.
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: The 2004 Kentucky Derby marked the first time that jockeys, as a result of a court order, were allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their clothing.
• Kentucky Derby History Making Moment: In 2005, the purse distribution for the Kentucky Derby was changed, so that horses finishing fifth would henceforth receive a share of the purse; previously only the first four finishers did so.