The Kentucky Derby
- A Historical Look at Horse Racing’s Finest
March
23rd, 2006
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Kentucky Derby |
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The Kentucky Derby, the premier
horse race of all horse races, has a checkered history that spans 130
years. At first, it struggled to survive, owing its success to the men
and women who created and sustained it.
The dream started with a young man,
Col. M. Lewis Clark, grandson of Gen. William Clark, the explorer. He
visited England and France in 1872 and decided that he would start a
racetrack in Kentucky to revive the state’s horse breeding industry.
Development began soon after the trip on 80 acres he obtained from his
two uncles, John and Henry Churchill. Funding was through membership
subscriptions that sold at $100 a piece. The track was officially opened
on May 17, 1875. Four races were held that day and the winner of the
featured race, the Kentucky Derby, was a horse named Aristides. Two
African Americans, Oliver Lewis and Ansel Williamson, trained and
jockeyed Aristides. Throughout the years, the Kentucky Derby became the
focal event for Churchill Downs.
Eventually, the Kentucky State
Fair held activities at Churchill Downs, but the main attraction was
then and still is today betting on that special horse to win. In
1875, the prize for winning was $2,850. The purse jumped to $5,460
in 1890 with Riley leading the pack as the thoroughbreds crossed the
finish line. The winner of the Kentucky Derby in 1896 was Ben Brush
with the first-place prize money totaling $4,850. The winner’s purse
would remain at that figure for the next 17 years.
In 1913 there was a slight increase
in prize money, but the following year the winner’s proceeds skyrocketed
to $9,125. That same year Old Rosebud won by a hefty 8 lengths, setting
a track record of 2:03 for the 2/5-mile oval. By 1915, the Derby had
developed a reputation as a premier sporting event due to a 3-year
publicity push. The Golden Jubilee Derby in 1924 featured a purse of
$52,775. Through the years, the prize money continued to grow. In 1970,
Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, with a
Derby win timed at 1 minute, 59 seconds. The net for Secretariat’s
owners was a whopping $127,800. In May of 2004 the winner of the Derby
took home a record $5,854,800.
While Churchill Downs was the hub of
betting, racing, and other activities, it went through leadership
changes quite frequently. Col. M. Lewis Clark and his Louisville Jockey
Club started the annual show in 1875. Although the first Kentucky Derby
had been a success, there were financial problems. In an attempt to
provide a more secure financial situation, the race was incorporated
under the New Louisville Jockey Club on November 24, 1894. William F.
Schulte became president and Col. M. Lewis Clark was appointed the
presiding judge.
Tragedy struck with the suicide of
Clark in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 22, 1899. Financial problems
plagued the track again and former mayor, Charles Grainger, Charlie
Price, and Matt J. Winn took over on October 1, 1902. The first sign of
profitability was in 1903. The Kentucky Jockey Club took over all 4
racetracks in Kentucky in 1918-1919. Churchill Downs-Latona became the
legal name of the track in 1937 after the sale of several of the other
racetracks. October 6,1949, marked the death of Col. Matt J. Winn, the
man credited with making the Kentucky Derby the most prestigious race in
the world. Bill Corum took over the helm and modernized the track.
The Kentucky Derby was televised for
the first time on May 3,1952. In December of 1958, Bill Corum died and
was replaced by Wathen Knebelkamp. Under new direction, Churchill Downs
underwent more renovation. Also, the City of Louisville tried to
purchase the racetrack, but the aldermen had the final word and wouldn’t
allow it. Around 1968 there was another battle for ownership of
Churchill Downs and this time the Derby Protection Group became the
highest bidder.
Lynn Stone was named the new
president in 1970. He was successful in fending off 2 more attempts to
take over the racetrack. But when financial problems arose, Stone
resigned in August 1984, to be replaced by Thomas Meeker. Through the
good leadership of Meeker, Chairman Warner Jones, and the current
Chairman William Farish, Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby have
flourished.
Besides the controversy related to
takeovers and changes in leadership, there were legal issues as well. In
1908, betting began to be a problem to the point that the Louisville
city administration was cracking down on bookmakers. A loophole made it
possible to continue the parimutuel betting that Col. Clark had imported
in 1875 from France. Problems arose again and there was a government ban
on horseracing in 1945, but VE Day changed everything and the Derby
continued on June 9th of that year.
As was noted earlier, African
Americans have played a key role since the first race and have made
major contributions throughout the derby’s history. Alonzo Lonnie
Clayton was an early jockey who, at in 1892 the age of 15, rode Azra,
making him the youngest jockey to achieve victory. Erskin Henderson was
the 6th African American to win the Kentucky Derby, riding Joe Cotton in
1885. Babe Hurd rode Appollo in 1882 and won. George Garrett Lewis,
another African American, jockeyed Fonso in the 1880 Derby. These are 4
of 15 African Americans who won the Kentucky Derby and have their names
enshrined in the Kentucky Derby Museum.
In addition, women jockeys have been
active in the Derby; the five who have run for the roses are Patti
Cooksey, Diane Crump, Julie Krone, Andrea Seefeldt, and Rosemary
Homeister. Also, It has been fairly common throughout the years that
women have been owners.
The Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs have become the hallmark of
first-class horseracing by dealing with adversity and making
adjustments. The Derby is a horserace unlike any other in terms of
prestige, excitement, and quality competitors. Those who have played an
important role in making the Derby a yearly tradition include the
jockeys, trainers, breeders, administrators, owners, and those
magnificent creatures, the horses that have run for the roses for 130
years. The brainchild of Col. M. Lewis Clark is much more than a
horserace. It is an American institution.
By
Rita R. Powers
This article was written by Rita R. Powers
sponsored by
http://www.stubhub.com. If you’re looking for horse racing tickets
or to see The Kentucky Derby live in action, look no further than
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