Louisville's Churchill Downs is best known as the home of the Kentucky Derby. The track was created in the late 1800s by Colonel M. Lewis Clark, though it was not officially incorporated as Churchill Downs until 1937. The first Kentucky Derby occurred at Churchill Downs in 1875. Close to 10,000 people watched as 15 thoroughbred horses ran what was then a 1.5 mile course. In 1876, the length of the race was changed to 1.25 miles.
Today, the Kentucky Derby is Louisville’s biggest annual event. It is a 1.25 mile race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses that is held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby draws an average of 150,000 visitors each year, including residents, out-of-towners, celebrities, presidents, and even members of royal families. Churchill Downs has also held the Breeders' Cup more than a half-dozen times and will host it again in 2010.
Churchill Downs is open for a spring and fall meet each year. However, the Kentucky Derby Museum, adjacent to Churchill Downs, is open year-round. The Kentucky Derby Museum houses pieces that reflect the history of the Kentucky Derby as well as the history of thoroughbred racing. Visitors to the museum can watch a documentary about the Kentucky Derby called The Greatest Race in its 360 degree theater.
