It’s Kentucky Derby Day: Horses, Spectacle and Romance
The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously held sporting event in the United States. American Pharoah won the 2015 race.
Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. created the first horse racing spectacle in the United States on May 17, 1875. Churchill Downs, now on the register of National Historic Landmarks, opened on 80 acres leased from John and Henry Churchill. Matt Winn took over the event in 1902 and transformed it into the sport’s No. 1 event.
The race at Churchill Downs is the climax of a weeklong horse-themed party. Highlights include the Taste of the Derby, Unbridled Eve, a traditional gala at the Galt House Hotel and the celebrity-filled Barnstable Brown party hosted by the Wrigley’s Doublemint twins Patricia Barnstom Brown and Priscilla Barnestom.
Horses are seen at the backside of Churchill Downs each morning. Owners, trainers, news media members, employees and friends watch the horses. Visitors belly up to the rail or enjoy breakfast in Millionaires Row. Bucolic farms where the horse's owners work hold open houses throughout the week.
The Kentucky Derby is run each spring. Sir Barton became the first horse to sweep the Triple Crown in 1919. Before the Derby, every trainer, owner, jockey and bettor hopes for the winner.
