Kentucky Derby
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The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is over one and a quarter miles (2 km) at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57.2 kg) and fillies 121 pounds (54.9 kg).[1] The race is known in the United States as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate duration, and is also called "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the winner. It is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the US and typically draws around 155,000 fans. Norman Adams has been the designer of the Kentucky Derby Logo since 2002. On February 1, 2006, the Louisville-based fast-food company Yum! Brands, Inc. announced a corporate sponsorship deal to call the race "The Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands" [2].
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[edit] History
Kentucky has been a major center of horse breeding and racing since the late 1700s due to the Ordovician fields of the Bluegrass region, which contains higher than average amounts of calcium and thus produced superior race horses. In 1872, Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, traveled to England, visiting the Epsom Derby, a famous race that had been running annually since 1780. From there, Clark went on to Paris, France, where in 1863, a group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club and had organized the Grand Prix de Paris, which eventually became the famous Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Returning home to Kentucky, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club for the purpose of raising money to build quality racing facilities just outside of the city. The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs, named for Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.'s relatives, John and Henry Churchill, who had provided the land for the racetrack. Officially, the racetrack was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937.
The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. In 1896, the distance was changed to its current 1.25 miles (2 km). On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Derby. Under African-American jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides, who was trained by future Hall of Famer, Ansel Williamson, won the inaugural Derby. Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Although the first race meet proved a success, the track ran into financial difficulties and in 1894 the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated with new capitalization and improved facilities. Despite this, the business floundered until 1902 when Col. Matt Winn of Louisville put together a syndicate of businessmen to acquire the facility. Under Winn, Churchill Downs prospered and the Kentucky Derby became the preeminent thoroughbred horse race in America.
Between 1875 and 1902, African-American jockeys won 15 of the 28 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. On May 11, 1892, African-American jockey Alonzo "Lonnie" Clayton, age 15, became the youngest rider to win the Derby. The 1904 race was won by Elwood, the first Derby starter and winner owned by a woman, Laska Durnell. In 1915, Regret became the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby, and in 1917, the English bred colt "Omar Khayyam" became the first foreign-bred horse to win the race.
Derby participants are limited to three-year-old horses. No horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the Derby without racing at age two.
As part of gaining income, horse owners began sending their successful Derby horses to compete a few weeks later in the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, Maryland, followed by the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York. The three races offered the largest purse and in 1919 Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three races. However, the term Triple Crown didn't come into use for another eleven years. In 1930, when Gallant Fox became the second horse to win all three races, sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase into American usage. Fueled by the media, public interest in the possibility of a "superhorse" that could win the Triple Crown began in the weeks leading up to the Derby. Two years after the term was coined, the race, which had been run in mid-May since inception, was changed to the first Saturday in May to allow for a specific schedule for the Triple Crown races.
On May 3, 1952, the first national television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place. In 1954, the purse exceeded $100,000 for the first time. In 1968, Dancer's Image became the first (and to this day the only) horse to win the race and then be disqualified after traces of phenylbutazone, an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug, were found in the horse's urinalysis; ironically, the regulations at Kentucky thoroughbred race tracks were changed some years later, allowing horses to run on phenylbutazone.
The fastest time ever run in the Derby (at its present distance) was set in 1973 at 1 minute 59 2/5 seconds when Secretariat broke the record set by Northern Dancer in 1964.
The 2004 Derby marked the first time that jockeys, as a result of a court order, were allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their clothing.
In 2005, the purse distribution for the Derby was changed, so that horses finishing fifth would henceforth receive a share of the purse; previously only the first four finishers did so.
[edit] Traditions
In addition to the race itself, a number of traditions have played a large role in the Derby atmosphere. The Mint Julep, an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint and a sugar syrup is the traditional beverage of the race. The historic drink is best served in an ice-frosted silver julep cup but most Churchill Downs patrons sip theirs from a souvenir glass printed with all previous Derby winners. Over 80,000 mint juleps are typically served on Derby Day and the preceding day's event, The Kentucky Oaks stakes race, which is considered by many to be "the Derby for Fillies." Also, burgoo, a thick stew of beef, chicken, pork and vegetables, is a popular dish at the Derby.
Legal gambling on the race is done through parimutuel betting at the track. The infield, a spectator area inside the track, offers low general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race. Instead, revelers show up in the infield to party with abandon. Sobriety is not a common state in the infield on Derby Day and on some occasions even being fully clothed has been optional. By contrast, "Millionaire's Row" refers to the expensive box seats that attract the rich, the famous and the well-connected. Elegant women appear in fine outfits lavishly accessorized with large, elaborate hats. As the horses are paraded before the grandstands, the University of Louisville marching band plays Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" while the crowd stands and sings along. Native Kentuckians often surrender to tears as this traditional theme plays.
The Derby is frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses," because a lush blanket of 554 red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year. The tradition is as a result of New York socialite E. Berry Wall presenting roses to ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883 that was attended by Churchill Downs president, Col. M. Lewis Clark. This gesture is believed to have eventually led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to roses being draped on the Derby winner. The Governor of Kentucky awards the garland and the trophy. Pop vocalist Dan Fogelberg composed a song by that title for the 1980 running of the race.
[edit] See also
- Kentucky Derby Festival
- Kentucky Derby winners
- Kentucky Oaks (sister race)
- List of attractions and events in Louisville
- List of graded stakes at Churchill Downs
- The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved, a journalism piece by Hunter S. Thompson.
[edit] Kentucky Derby feature key prep races list
This list contains the current 2007 standings that leads to the Kentucky Derby race. [3] [4]
| Date | Track | Race | Grade | Distance | Purse (US$) | Surface track | Winning horse | Winning jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1st | Calder Race Course | Tropical Park Derby | 3 | 1-1/8 Miles | $100,000 | Turf | Soldier's Dancer | C. Velasquez |
| January 6th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Count Fleet Stakes | 1 Mile and 70 Yards | $70,865 | Inner Track (Dirt) | Pink Viper | N. Arroyo Jr. | |
| January 7th | Gulfstream Park | Spectacular Bid Stakes | 6 Furlongs | $80,000 | Dirt | Buffalo Man | E. Castro | |
| January 7th | Santa Anita Park | San Miguel Stakes | 6 Furlongs | $80,000 | Dirt | E. Z. Warrior | D. Flores | |
| January 13th | Santa Anita Park | San Rafael Stakes | 2 | 1 Mile | $150,000 | Dirt | Notional | C. Nakatani |
| January 13th | Fair Grounds Race Course | LeComte Stakes | 3 | 1 Mile | $98,000 | Dirt | Hard Spun | M. Pino |
| January 15th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Jimmy Winkfield Stakes | 6 Furlongs | $62,082 | Inner Track (Dirt) | Bill Place | R. Dominguez | |
| January 27th | Gulfstream Park | Sunshine Million Dash Stakes | 6 Furlongs | $250,000 | Dirt | Storm in May | M. Cruz | |
| January 27th | Tampa Bay Downs | Pasco Stakes | 7 Furlongs | $75,000 | Dirt | Barkley Sound | E. Jurado | |
| January 28th | Golden Gate Fields | California Derby | 1-1/16 Miles | $150,000 | Dirt | Bwana Bull | D. Lopez | |
| February 3rd | Gulfstream Park | Holy Bull Stakes | 3 | 1 Mile | $150,000 | Dirt | Nobiz Like Shobiz | C. Velasquez |
| February 3rd | Gulfstream Park | Swale Stakes | 2 | 6-1/2 Furlongs | $150,000 | Dirt | Adore the Gold | C. Velasquez |
| February 3rd | Santa Anita Park | Sham Stakes | 3 | 1-1/8 Miles | $101,500 | Dirt | Ravel | G. Gomez |
| February 3rd | Laurel Park | Miracle Wood Stakes | 1 Mile | $50,900 | Dirt | Crafty Bear | M. Pino | |
| February 10th | Fair Grounds Race Course | Risen Star Stakes | 3 | 1-1/16 Miles | $300,000 | Dirt | Notional | R. Albarado |
| February 10th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Whirlaway Stakes | 1-1/16 Miles | $70,070 | Inner Track (Dirt) | Summer Doldrums | M. Luzzi | |
| February 10th | Turfway Park | WEBN Stakes | 1 Mile | $50,000 | Dirt | Joe Got Even | M. Mena | |
| February 11th | Santa Anita Park | San Vicente Stakes | 2 | 7 Furlongs | $150,000 | Dirt | Noble Court | C. Nakatani |
| February 17th | Tampa Bay Downs | Sam F. Davis Stakes | 1-1/16 Miles | $150,000 | Dirt | Any Given Saturday | J. Velazquez | |
| February 17th | Turf Paradise | Turf Paradise Derby | 1-1/16 Miles | $100,000 | Dirt | Tie Rod | J. Rivera | |
| February 19th | Oaklawn Park | Southwest Stakes | 1 Mile | $250,000 | Dirt | Teufiesburg | S. Elliott | |
| February 19th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Fred Caposella Stakes | 6 Furlongs | $65,000 | Dirt | Wollaston Bay | S. Bridgmohan | |
| February 24th | Gulfstream Park | Hallandale Beach Stakes | 1-1/16 Miles | $100,000 | Turf | Twilight Meteor | E. Prado | |
| February 24th | Oaklawn Park | Mountain Valley Stakes | 6 Furlongs | $50,000 | Dirt | Sir Five Star | J. Shepherd | |
| March 3rd | Gulfstream Park | Fountain of Youth Stakes | 2 | 1-1/8 Miles | $350,000 | Dirt | Scat Daddy | J. Velazquez |
| March 3rd | Gulfstream Park | Hutchesson Stakes | 2 | 7-1/2 Furlongs | $150,000 | Dirt | King of the Roxy | E. Prado |
| March 3rd | Santa Anita Park | Robert B. Lewis Stakes | 2 | 1-1/16 Miles | $200,000 | Dirt | Great Hunter | C. Nakatani |
| March 3rd | Turfway Park | John Battaglia Memorial Stakes | 1-1/16 Miles | $200,000 | Dirt | Catman Running | W. Martinez | |
| March 10th | Aqueduct Racetrack | The Gotham Stakes | 3 | 1-1/16 Miles | $200,000 | Dirt | Cowtown Cat | R. Dominguez |
| March 10th | Fair Grounds Race Course | Louisiana Derby | 2 | 1-1/16 Miles | $594,000 | Dirt | Circular Quary | J. Velazquez |
| March 10th | Bay Meadows | El Camino Real Stakes | 3 | 1-1/16 Miles | $200,000 | Dirt | Bwana Bull | R. Baze |
| March 16th | Santa Anita Park | Pasadena Stakes | 1 Mile | $75,000 | Turf | Whatsthescript (IRE) | I. Enriquez | |
| March 17th | Oaklawn Park | The Rebel Stakes | 3 | 1-1/16 Miles | $300,000 | Dirt | Curlin | R. Albardo |
| March 17th | Santa Anita Derby | San Felipe Stakes | 2 | 1-1/16 Miles | $250,000 | Dirt | Cobalt Blue | V. Espinoza |
| March 17th | Tampa Bay Downs | Tampa Bay Derby | 3 | 1-1/16 Miles | $300,000 | Dirt | Street Sense | C. Borel |
| March 18th | Sunland Park | Winstar Derby | 1-1/8 Miles | $600,000 | Dirt | Song of Navarone | V. Espinoza | |
| March 24th | Turfway Park | Lane's End Stakes | 2 | 1-1/8 Miles | $500,000 | Dirt | Hard Spun | M. Pino |
| March 24th | Turfway Park | Rushaway Stakes | 1-1/16 Miles | $100,000 | Dirt | Dominican | ||
| March 24th | Laurel Park | Private Terms Stakes | 1 Mile | $100,000 | Dirt | |||
| March 24th | Gulfstream Park | Palm Beach Stakes | 3 | 1-1/8 Miles | $150,000 | Turf | ||
| March 31st | Gulfstream Park | Florida Derby | 1 | 1-1/8 Miles | $1,000,000 | Dirt | ||
| March 31st | Gulfstream Park | Aventura Stakes | 7 Furlongs | $175,000 | Dirt | |||
| March 31st | Nad al Sheba UAE | United Arab Emirates Derby | 2 | 1-1/8 Miles | $2,000,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 7th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Wood Memorial Stakes | 1 | 1-1/8 Miles | $750,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 7th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Bay Shore Stakes | 3 | 7 Furlongs | $150,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 7th | Santa Anita Park | Santa Anita Derby | 1 | 1-1/8 Miles | $750,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 7th | Hawthorne Racetrack | Illinois Derby | 2 | 1-1/8 Miles | $500,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 14th | Keeneland | Blue Grass Stakes | 1 | 1-1/8 Miles | $750,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 14th | Oaklawn Park | North Spur Breeders' Cup Stakes | 1 Mile | $100,000 | Dirt | |||
| April 14th | Oaklawn Park | Arkansas Derby | 2 | 1-1/8 Miles | $1,000,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 14th | Santa Anita Park | La Puente Stakes | 1 Mile | $100,000 | Turf | |||
| April 21st | Keeneland | Lexington Stakes | 2 | 1-1/16 Miles | $325,000 | Dirt | ||
| April 21st | Pimlico Race Course | Federico Tesio Stakes | 1-1/8 Miles | $125,000 | Dirt | |||
| April 28th | Churchill Downs | Derby Trail Stakes | 7-1/2 Furlongs | $100,000 | Dirt | |||
| April 28th | Aqueduct Racetrack | Whithers Stakes | 3 | 1 Mile | $150,000 | Dirt |
[edit] References
- ^ "Tenth Race Churchill May 1, 2004". May 1, 2004. Daily Racing Forum. Accessed on May 9, 2006.
- ^ Hall, Greg. 2006. "Louisville's Yum! Brands to sponsor Kentucky Derby." The Louisville Courier-Journal.
- ^ http://www.horsehats.com/DerbyPrepRaces.html
- ^ http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2007/derby-2007-prep-race-schedule
[edit] External links
- Kentucky Derby (official site)
- Kentucky Derby
- Kentucky Derby Museum
- Kentucky Derby Festival
- Hats For Kentucky Derby Winners
- Kentucky Derby Site
| The Triple Crown of Horse Racing |
| United States, Thoroughbred Horses: Kentucky Derby | Preakness Stakes | Belmont Stakes |
| United States, Harness Racing Pacers: Cane Pace | Messenger Stakes | Little Brown Jug |
| United States, Harness Racing Trotters: Hambletonian | Yonkers Trot | Kentucky Futurity |
| United Kingdom: Two Thousand Guineas Stakes | Derby Stakes (also known as Epsom Derby) | St. Leger Stakes |
| Canada, Thoroughbred Horses: Queen's Plate | Prince of Wales Stakes | Breeders' Stakes |
| See Also: Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing | Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers | Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters | Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing* |
| *Series is still under review for races. See page for details on race proposals. |
