The Kentucky Derby is a U.S. Grade I stakes race that comes with a rich history spanning 136 years. William Clark constituted the Louisville Jockey Club to raise the funds for Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby is set to be held. First inaugurated in 1875 at Churchill Downs down at Louisville, Kentucky, the Kentucky Derby could be preliminarily run at the same stretch as the Grand Prix de Paris and the Epsom Derby. This changed to a mile and a quarter in 1896.

Thought to be one of the oldest American thoroughbred horseraces, the Kentucky Derby’s first opening attracted an audience of 10,000 people and 15 3-year-old thoroughbred horse contenders. The inaugural Derby was won by Aristides, a colt trained by Ansel Williamson, and ridden by horse jockey Oliver Lewis.

Despite its seeming triumphant opening, the Kentucky Derby ran into some financial difficulties. In 1894, the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated and injected with higher capitalization and better facilities. Unfortunately, the group continued to struggle until it was acquired by a group of entrepreneurs under the leadership of Col. Matt Winn in 1902. This marked the beginning of Churchill Downs’ prosperous streak, establishing the Kentucky Derby as the foremost thoroughbred horseracing event in America.

Because of its duration, the Kentucky Derby has also been aptly named “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” and “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”. It is the first leg in the exciting Triple Crown Series, and is held annually, during the first Saturday of May, at Churchill Downs, with its 2-kilometer track, and the popular twin spire grandstand.

Also known as the “The Run for the Roses” because of the blanket of roses given to the winner, the Kentucky Derby has seen a multitude of champions, including thoroughbred Secretariat who holds the speed record for his performance in 1973. There’s also Donerail who holds the record for the longest shot to win the Derby. Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack hold the record for most wins by a jockey, and Ben A. Jones holds the record for most wins by a trainer.

From 2000 to 2011, thoroughbred winners include Fusaichi Pegasus (ridden by horse jockey Kent Desormeaux and trained by Neil Drysdale), Monarchos (ridden by horse jockey Jorge F. Chavez and trained by John T. Ward, Jr.), War Emblem (ridden by horse jockey Victor Espinoza and trained by Bob Baffert), Funny Cide (ridden by horse jockey Jose Santos and trained by Barclay Tagg), Smarty Jones (ridden by horse jockey Stewart Elliott and trained by John Servis), Giacomo (ridden by horse jockey Mike E. Smith and trained by John Shirreffs), Barbaro (ridden by horse jockey Edgar Prado and trained by Michael R. Matz), Street Sense (ridden by horse jockey Calvin Borel and trained by Carl Nafzger), Big Brown (ridden by horse jockey Kent Desormeaux and trained by Rick Dutrow), Mine That Bird (ridden by horse jockey Calvin Borel and trained by Bennie L. Woolley, Jr.), SuperSaver (ridden by jockey Calvin Borel nd trained by Todd Pletcher), Animal Kingdom (ridden by John Valasquez and trained by Graham Motion)

The Kentucky Derby continues to be one of the most attended horseracing events to this day.