Happy Derby Week! The city of Louisville is buzzing ahead of the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. Before the handicapping begins with the post position draw this afternoon, become the smartest person at your Derby party with a few fun facts about the biggest day in horse racing.
The First Kentucky Derby
You can thank Lewis and Clark for your weekend of Mint Juleps. A grandson of the famous explorer and Missouri governor, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., is responsible for the creation of Churchill Downs at the Kentucky Derby. The land was donated by his uncles, John and Henry Churchill, who invested in Clark’s dream, bringing about 10,000 spectators to the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.