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The Kentucky Derby History

The Kentucky Derby is one of the most famous and prestigous horse races in the world. It is the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of horse racing. Churchill Downs where the race is held the first Saturday in May reach year, was started by a group headed by a man named M. Lewis Clark in 1874. The group built the racetrack on land owned by the Churchill family of Louisville, Kentucky. The track officially opened on May 17, 1875 and that was the day of the first Kentucky Derby won by Aristides.

The races from 1875-1895 were modeled after the English Derby and were 1.5 miles long. In 1896 they changed the length of the Kentucky Derby to 1.25 miles, and this is the current length of the dirt surface track.

However, the Derby was just another regional race until 1902, when Colonel Matt J. Winn took over the track. Although he had seen every Kentucky Derby since the beginning, Winn knew little about horse racing or running tracks. But he was a very good promoter.

After raising money to save Churchill Downs from bankruptcy, Winn began making frequent trips to New York, then the center of American racing, to persuade owners to enter their horses in the Kentucky Derby. His persistence paid off. By 1920, the Derby had become the best-known race in North America and it was attracting the top three-year-olds from all over the country.

Today as the first leg in the pursuit of Triple Crown the Kentucky Derby is viewed by many as the most exciting two minutes in sports. The twin spires atop the homestretch grandstands were added in 1895 and remain one of the most recognized structures in all of sports.

Kentucky Derby 134 Contenders

Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Owner	Breeder	Graded Earnings
Anak Nakal	Nick Zito	Julien Leparoux	Four Roses Thoroughbreds LLC	Buckram Oak Farm	$189,716
Blackberry Road	David Carroll	Calvin Borel	Dogwood Stable	Payson Stud Inc.	$93,417
Court Vision	Bill Mott	Julien Leparoux	WinStar Farm LLC	Farish & Kilroy	$221,872
Cowboy Cal	Todd Pletcher	John Velazquez	Stonerside Stable	Stonerside Stable	$57,660
El Gato Malo	Craig Dollase	David Flores	West Point Thoroughbreds	Kenneth C. Roberts	$90,000
Etched	Kiaran McLaughlin	Alan Garcia	Darley Stables	Darley Stables	$64,680
Majestic Warrior	Bill Mott	Garrett Gomez	Kinsman Farm, Smith, Tabor & Magnier	Kinsman Farm	$158,000
Pyro	Steve Asmussen	Shaun Bridgmohan	Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC	Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC	$480,000
War Pass	Nick Zito	Cornelio Velasquez	Robert V. LaPenta	Cherry Valley Farm, LLC	$1,320,000

Big Brown wins the 2008 Kentucky Derby

The $2 million Kentucky Derby (G1), the first leg of the Triple Crown and the ultimate target for every horse owner, was contested at Churchill Downs on Saturday before a crowd of 157,770. Sunny skies were a welcome change from the wet conditions on Friday. A maximum field size of 20 went to post, with Florida Derby winner Big Brown sent off as the 5-2 favorite, attempting to become the first horse to win the Derby off of just 3 prep races. Colonel John was the 9-2 second choice, exiting a win in the Santa Anita Derby and making his first start on a dirt track after racing on synthetics so far.

Louisiana Derby winner Pyro was the 6-1 third choice, but he was well beaten in the Blue Grass last time out. Fantasy Stakes winner Eight Belles, the 13-1 fourth choice, was the only filly in the race, the first to run in the Derby in 9 years.

When the gate opened, Santa Anita Derby runner-up and 6 furlong world record holder Bob Black Jack went right to the front to set the pace, joined on the front end by 39-1 Cowboy Cal and 49-1 Recapturetheglory. He set fractions of 23.30, 47.04, and 1:11.14, while favorite Big Brown, who broke from the far outside 20 post, angled in and settled four wide most of the way around, away from traffic.

Turning for home, Kent Desormeaux asked Big Brown to make his way to the front, and he did this easily, cruising to the lead at the 1/4 pole after a mile in 1:36.56. Pacesetters Bob Black Jack and Recapturetheglory tired and faded, allowing Big Brown to open up a 2 1/2 length lead at the 1/8 pole, with Eight Belles coming through between horses to challenge. However, she was no match for Big Brown, who pulled away in the final eighth mile to win by 4 3/4 lengths in 2:01.82 over a fast track. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to late-running 27-1 Denis of Cork third.

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