Nine things you probably didn’t know about the Kentucky Derby
You don’t have to be a betting man or woman to love the Kentucky Derby.
There are the parties, the hats, the celebrities, the food and the bourbon. Hot brown or mint julep, anyone?
The Kentucky Derby is held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
If you're not Kentucky-bound this weekend, you can still have fun. All you need are a few essentials - (did I mention bourbon earlier?), a host of friends and a big-screen TV - and you're off!
Here are nine things you probably didn’t know about “The Two Most Exciting Minutes in Sports.”
- Meriwether Lewis Clark, the grandson of William Clark – of the famed pair of explorers, Lewis and Clark – had the idea for the Derby after a trip to England, where he attended the Epsom Derby. He formed the Louisville Jockey Club and acquired land for racetrack.
- The Kentucky Derby has been held continuously since 1875.
- 10,000 people attended the first Kentucky Derby. Last year, 170,000 attended.
- Thirteen of the 15 riders in the first Derby were African-American.
- The first network radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby takes place on May 16, 1925, with nearly six million listeners tuning in to hear Flying Ebony win the Derby.
- The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown series. The other races are the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
- There have been 12 Triple Crown Winners.
- In 1970, Diane Crump became the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby. Her horse finished 15th out of 18 others in the field. Although Crump didn't win the garland of roses, she brought women to the forefront of horse racing.
- Barbaro wins the Kentucky Derby, by six and a half lengths in 2006. He had the largest victory since 1946. A fan favorite, Barbaro was injured in the Preakness Stakes and later died of complications. A bronze statue is placed above his remains at the entrance of Churchill Downs racetrack.
Source: Churchill Downs
About the Author
Shelia has worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 30 years. Previously, she worked at The Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Defender. Her beat is a bit of a mixed bag that includes religion and spirituality, culture and trends, race and aging. She earned degrees from Spelman College and Northwestern University.
