| The popular Kentucky Derby is source of great | | | | man who established the Louisville Jockey Club for |
| entertaining enjoyment for its exciting spectators. | | | | generating money to build a high quality racing facilities |
| Actually, It is a Grade I stakes race with three-year-old | | | | just outside of the city. He was lucky enough that the |
| thoroughbred horses which is being held annually in | | | | track was later known as Churchill Downs, named for |
| Louisville, Kentucky always on the first Saturday in | | | | Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.'s relatives, John and Henry |
| May, covering the two-week-long Kentucky Derby | | | | Churchill, who had supplied the land for the racetrack. |
| Festival. The distance of of the race is one and | | | | Formally in 1937, the racetrack was incorporated as |
| one-quarter miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs. The | | | | Churchill Downs. |
| colts as well as geldings of the race weigh about 126 | | | | The First race of The Kentucky Derby was run at 1.5 |
| pounds (57 kg), fillies 121 pounds (55 kg). The Race is | | | | miles (2.4 km), similar distance as the Epsom Derby |
| popularly known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in | | | | and the Grand Prix de Paris. Later, this distance was |
| as well as "The Run for the Roses" . The reason of | | | | altered to its present 1.25 miles (2.01 km) in 1896. On |
| the first given name is "its estimated time length" and | | | | May 17, 1875, the race loving crowd of 10,000 people |
| for the second name is "the blanket of roses awarded | | | | witnessed a field of in total 15 three-year-old horses |
| to the winner". Its popularity can be judged by the | | | | contested the first Derby. |
| jubilation and excitement of its 155,000 fans. | | | | From 1875 to 1902, African-American jockeys won 15 |
| The Horse breeding and racing has been one of | | | | out of 28 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. On May 11, |
| Kentucky's specialty tradition since the late 1700s. | | | | 1892, African-American jockey Alonzo "Lonnie" |
| Kentucky thrives on the Ordovician fields of the | | | | Clayton, age 15 became the youngest rider to win the |
| Bluegrass region that produces higher amounts of | | | | Derby on 11th May, 1892. Elwood won the race, the |
| calcium which results in the production of superior race | | | | first Derby starter plus winner to be owned by a |
| horses. Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of | | | | woman, Laska Durnell in 1904. Regret was the first filly |
| William Clark were the greatest lover of the horse | | | | to win the Kentucky Derbyin 1915 whereas and in 1917, |
| racing.They used to travel ( ) to Paris, France and | | | | the English bred colt "Omar Khayyam" was the first |
| enjoyed watching thrilling horse racings organised by | | | | foreign-bred horse to win the race. |
| the the French Jockey Club. Clark was that leading | | | | |