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Churchill Downs Racetrack: Home of the Kentucky Derby

Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky is home to the oldest consecutively held Thoroughbred race in America: The Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs was founded by 26-year-old Col. M. Lewis Clark, who in May of 1874 created the Louisville Jockey Club in an attempt to raise money for the construction of quality racing facilities. At $100 a pop, Clark's efforts attracted 32 members and $32,000 in funds. He then leased the 80 acres of land from his uncles, John and Henry Churchill, on which a clubhouse, grandstand, porter's lodge, and six stables were built. The inaugural race, which took place a year later on May 17, 1875, included the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks and the Clark Handicap.

Although the first Kentucky Derby was considered a success, in the years that followed Churchill Downs faced numerous financial hurdles and at the turn of the 20th century the track changed hands. Under the new administration, Churchill Downs Racetrack showed its first profit by 1903 and in 1937 the racetrack was officially incorporated and has since continued to draw huge crowds and tremendous betting action.

Kentucky Derby Day wagering, both on track and nationally, increased from $26 million in 1985 to more than $123 million in 2002. In that same year, crowds of more than 100,000 showed up for the Kentucky Oaks and more than 150,000 spectators gathered to watch the Kentucky Derby.

Despite its beauty, its rich championship history is what makes Belmont Park one of the most important tracks in horse racing.

As the first jewel of the Triple Crown, which also includes the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Derby is a high-stakes race for 3-year-old Thoroughbred horses and has come to be known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports."

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