The Kentucky Derby: The Beginning

     Since I moved to Louisville, KY I have grown to love the Kentucky Derby and all the festivities that come with it.  I enrolled in a class called The Kentucky Derby and the Media this semester and I couldn't be more excited.  My professor William "Billy" Reed, sports writer for Sports Illustrated and sports editor for The Courier Journal.  In this blog I am going to tell you what I have learned thus far.  The years we have covered are 1875-1910.

     The book Mr. Reed assigned for this class is titled, "The Kentucky Derby: How The Run for the Roses Became America's Premier Sporting Event." by James C. Nicholson.  http://amzn.to/1mNBHRj  He said it is the best book he has read on the Kentucky Derby and goes into great detail.

     The Kentucky Derby hasn't always been what it is today.  According to Wikipedia in 1872 Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. visited England to watch the Epsom Derby which is what the Kentucky Derby is modeled after. http://bit.ly/1hp4fwq  Lewis Clark eventually came back to Louisville, KY and created The Louisville Jockey Club.  Clark was able to purchase land, with help, from his uncles, John and Henry Churchill and The Louisville Jockey Club would eventually be known as Churchill Downs.  The first Kentucky Derby was in 1875.  The winner was Aristides, ridden by Oliver Lewis. 

     Gambling would end up being the reason the Kentucky Derby almost didn't survive.  The Louisville Jockey Club originally didn't allow gambling.  When a wealthy owner threatened to not come because he couldn't bet on his horse they changed their decision and allowed him to bring his own bookmaker.  Once they realized they were getting cheated they refused to allow bookmakers at Churchill Downs.  When this happened the wealthy owners stopped bringing their horses to the race.  That is why one of the races was ran with only 4 horses.  After new ownership and the closing of the competitor race, The American Derby, Churchill Downs adopted a pari-mutual way of wagering which is what is still used today.

     We also discussed a bit about the jockeys in class, but I will go into more detail about that in my next update on the Kentucky Derby.

 (From Wikipedia Churchill Downs 1901)