| The classic American horse race, the Kentucky | | | | |
| Derby is the oldest consecutively held | | | | Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr who built Churchill |
| Thoroughbred race in America. It is run | | | | Downs in Louisville, wanted his track to have |
| annually on the first Saturday in May at | | | | a race that would rival England's Epsom |
| Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. | | | | Derby. After visiting England to study both |
| Along with the Preakness in mid-May, and | | | | its tracks and its races, he established the |
| Belmont in early June, it is the first jewel | | | | Kentucky Derby, which was first run on May |
| of the coveted Triple Crown of Thoroughbred | | | | 17, 1875. |
| racing, which has been won by only eleven | | | | |
| horses since 1919. Triple Crown winners | | | | However, the Derby was just another regional |
| include memorable names such as Secretariat, | | | | race until 1902, when Colonel Matt J. Winn |
| Seattle Slew, Whirlaway, and Affirmed. | | | | took over the track. Although he had seen |
| | | | every Derby since the beginning, Winn know |
| The first Kentucky Derby was held May 17, | | | | little about horse racing or running tracks. |
| 1875, before a crowd of 10,000 from around | | | | But he was a very good promoter. |
| the city, state and surrounding areas. In | | | | |
| that race, a field of 15 three-year-olds ran | | | | After rising money to same Churchill Downs |
| a 1.5 mile course which was won by H.P. | | | | from bankruptcy, Winn began making frequent |
| McGrath's Aristides. Although the first Derby | | | | trips to New York, then the center of |
| was held at 1.5 miles, the distance was | | | | American racing to persuade owners to enter |
| changed to the current 1.25 miles in 1896. | | | | their horses in the Kentucky Derby. His |
| The Derby field is limited to | | | | persistence paid off. By 1920, the Derby had |
| three-year-olds; fillies carry 121 pounds and | | | | become the best-known race in the North |
| colts 126 pounds. So far, only three fillies | | | | America and it was attracting the top |
| have won the Derby: Regret in 1915, Genuine | | | | three-year-olds from all over the country. |
| Risk in 1980, and Winning Colors in 1988. The | | | | |
| Kentucky Derby has also produced countless | | | | The first race in the Triple Crown, The Derby |
| statistics and bits of trivia over the course | | | | is run on the first Saturday in May. A whole |
| of its history. The largest field was during | | | | week of festivities know as The Kentucky |
| the 100th running in 1974 when 23 horses ran. | | | | Derby Festival is built around the race |
| The smallest fields were in 1892 and 1905, | | | | which, like the Indianapolis 500, has become |
| with only three horses in each race. | | | | as much a happening as a sporting event. It |
| | | | attracts crowds of well over 150,000 |
| The fastest Derby was run by the legendary | | | | spectators and is watched on television by |
| Secretariat, who covered the 1 1/4 miles in | | | | millions more, many of who are otherwise not |
| 1:59 2/5, the only Derby winner to finish | | | | interested in Thoroughbred racing. |
| under two minutes. | | | | |