Kentucky Derby: The Fascinating History of America’s Most Iconic Race
Each year, on the first Saturday of May, the Kentucky Derby invites jockeys, horses, trainers, owners, and spectators to its Churchill Downs race course for a prestigious day of racing. The race has garnered a reputation for being “the most exciting two minutes in sports” and is associated with red roses, mint juleps, fascinating hats, and its double-spired grandstand. Its fame extends beyond American borders, enthralling spectators and racing enthusiasts worldwide.
The race has been ongoing since 1875, almost 150 years ago. Over this period, the Kentucky Derby has undergone many significant milestones that have endeared it to the hearts of many. Below, we will explore the fascinating history of this race just in time for its 150-year celebration.
1874: The Kentucky Derby’s Foundation is Laid
In Louisville, horse racing had been around for nearly a century before the Kentucky Derby took place. It was even seen as problematic by city officials, who wanted to see the development of a proper racecourse to discourage racing in the streets of downtown. In 1874, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. started the work to deliver just that to the region. His uncles granted him the land to build a racetrack, a track that would eventually become known as Churchill Downs.
1875: The First Official Kentucky Derby Race Day
The first official Kentucky Derby took place a year after the formation of the racetrack in 1875, with 15 racers and over 10,000 spectators. Such a large audience since the earliest days shows that the region was fascinated with horse racing and that the implementation of a formal race not only created safer streets but offered an exciting event that appealed to seemingly everyone in Louisville.
Part of the appeal was the chance to place a wager and potentially win a fortune. This aspect of the event is still an exciting draw, and it has even been made available for online betting. For those interested in the excitement of wagering but not wanting to spend cash, you can find a casino that does not require you to wager money.
1894: The Churchill Downs Grandstand Is Constructed
Every year after the inaugural race, the audience grew in size. This prompted the construction of the iconic grandstand with towering twin spires rising above the roof line to accommodate the crowd. The twin spires now symbolize the event.
1904: The Red Rose Becomes a Kentucky Derby Symbol
The twin spires aren’t the only symbols associated with the Kentucky Derby. In 1904, another symbol was born: the red rose. While a garland of more than 400 red roses had been draped over the derby winners for over a decade, the significance of the rose was formalized in 1904.
1921: Racial Discrimination Intensifies
1921 marked the start of a nearly 80-year period when Black Americans could not compete in the Kentucky Derby despite years of Black trainers and jockeys participating and winning it leading up to this point. That includes the first-ever Kentucky Derby winner, Oliver Lewis, on Aristides, a horse trained by the Black trainer Ansel Williamson. It wasn’t until 2000 that Black jockeys returned to the track.
1930: The Triple Crown Is Born
The Triple Crown title became official in 1930. The Triple Crown is awarded to the horse and jockey that win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes in the same year. The first horse and jockey to win all three races was Sir Barton and his jockey Johnny Loftus in 1919. Though the Triple Crown has been an official achievement for nearly a century, it has only been won 13 times.
1932: The Derby Goes Global
While the Derby began reaching national audiences through radio broadcasting in 1925, another significant shift happened in 1932: the radio broadcast was aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation, bringing the race overseas and playing an influential role in growing its prestige and allure on the global stage.
1939: The Mint Julep Becomes a Kentucky Derby Mainstay
Made with Kentucky bourbon, mint juleps naturally became the drink of choice for race day, and in 1939, the drink was given official status as the Derby’s signature cocktail. Every year, more than 125,000 of these drinks are served to attendees, requiring 10,000 bottles of Kentucky Bourbon.
1949: Americans Tune in Nationwide for the First Time
As televisions became commonplace in homes, the Kentucky Derby embraced the new technology by broadcasting the event. For the first few years, the race was only televised locally, but in 1949, it jumped to the national stage when the broadcast was made available across the entire country. An estimated 10 to 15 million people settled in to watch the race unfold.
1970: Women Take to the Racetrack
Unlike many other sports, the Kentucky Derby does not have separate men’s and women’s races. Instead, jockeys of all genders participate side-by-side. The first time a female jockey participated was in 1970. The jockey, Diane Crump, placed fifteenth but opened the doors for future competitors.
2020: An Unprecedented Race During an Unprecedented Time
The global pandemic interrupted many aspects of American life, and the Kentucky Derby was no exception. The event was not only postponed by months (it didn’t take place until September 2020), but it also took place without spectators in the stands. It was the first time a Kentucky Derby race took place in front of an empty grandstand, but it was a compromise that needed to be made to ensure the race still took place that year—a necessity for America’s longest-continuously held sporting event.
Conclusion
The Kentucky Derby has a long, fascinating history that spans nearly a century and a half. The event shows no signs of going anywhere, with a spectacular 150th celebration in the works for 2025. You can safely bet that the derby’s sophistication and prestige will be fully displayed, and the atmosphere will be even more enthralling than usual.
