Churchill Downs

High atop the edifice peering down on the stands, the grounds and sand and loam and grass below, rests not only the most visible symbol in American racing but a pair of steeples known as the Twin Spires, making Churchill Downs of Louisville, Kentucky a Thoroughbred racing capital recognizable throughout the world.

For two consecutive days each year, traditionally the first Friday and Saturday in May, a quarter-million fans, gamblers, and “beautiful people” gather to witness arguably the world’s most famous horse race. If the Kentucky Derby is not, then surely “America’s Race” could give France’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe or Australia’s Melbourne Cup a run for their money.

History

To earn its lofty status, Churchill Downs needed the best horses in the country and they began to arrive by rail in 1895, 20 years after the inaugural running and the same year the Twin Spires were commissioned. But it took a brilliant marketer, Colonel Matt Winn, to make that a reality. A man of vision and passion, he fulfilled his mission and helped create one of the world’s great sporting events.

To accomplish that, Colonel Winn paid stakeholders to come to Louisville. He paid for the rail transportation of the best sophomore runners from America’s most prominent stables and made sure the entire town welcomed visitors with the kind hospitality for which the South is known. Today, the Derby is Louisville; Louisville is the Derby.

The Kentucky Derby

The Derby became such an institution that, with its female compliment Kentucky Oaks, limits needed to be placed on field size a century later. By the turn of the 21st Century a unique gate large enough to house 20 wide-eyed, nostril-flaring, thousand-pound beasts was imported to give all runners an equal chance to finish first at the end of an arduous 10-furlong journey.

The “Run for the Roses” begins at the top of the homestretch of a one-mile oval such that Derby horses pass beneath the Twin Spires twice. The Oaks is one furlong shorter and limited 14 runners. Because the Oaks begins Derby weekend, it has morphed into most coveted prize in America for owners of top class three-year-old fillies.

The Oaks-Derby double has crowned more champions than any other event in their divisions, making legends of their human connections, no more so that Bob Baffert, who won his sixth Derby in 2020 with Authentic, tying master Ben Jones who dominated the race from 1938 to 1962 as trainer of the legendary Calumet string. Woody Stephens earned five Kentucky Oaks trophies, Darrell Wayne Lukas four.

The Track

The one-mile circumference of the main track, with a seven furlong turf course inside the dirt oval, also features a one-mile chute so that races at that distance are, by definition, elongated sprints and are extremely competitive. The dirt track is remarkably fast-drying after becoming wet and remains relatively bias free so that horses can win from virtually anywhere, dynamics dependent, of course.

Race shapes are relatively consistent. The pace of Churchill’s races, whether fast or slow, are almost always highly contested and often rewards riders who handle mounts mindfully, needing to save ground at some juncture. This is particularly true of the Derby given that most three-year-olds are unfamiliar with its demanding trip.

As is the case at racetracks everywhere, winning riders are those whose strengths fit the dynamics that each race or surface demands. Saving horse is always paramount, especially on turf where ground loss is especially punishing.

Top Jockeys and Trainers

Historically, patient riders and those who save ground—Pat Day and Calvin Borel leap to mind, were dominant players. Today, regulars such as Corey Lanerie and B J Hernandez, and a newcomer, Tyler Gaffalione, have won their share of titles.

Some of the trainers who have led Churchill’s race meets, whether it be Derby season, the brief Holiday stand, or the traditional Fall session, reads like a Midwest backstretch roster of Who’s Who: former record holder Bill Mott, Louisville’s own Dale Romans, Mark Casse, and now latter-day titans Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox have at times dominated.

Feature Races

In addition to Derby-Oaks weekend, the track plays host to prestigious national events such as Churchill’s Stephen Foster and Clark Stakes, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, and has hosted the prestigious Breeders’ Cup World Championships no fewer than nine times, second only to Santa Anita Park.