KENTUCKY DERBY
MAY 3, 2008

BIG BROWN

Date of Inception
The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continually held sporting event in the U.S., started in 1875.

Rose
The floral arrangement for the Kentucky Derby winner has been called a wreath, a blanket, and a garland since the first presentation in the 1890s.

Run For The Roses
It was in 1925 that the late Bill Corum, a New York sports columnist, dubbed the race the "RUN FOR THE ROSES." Corum later served as president of Churchill Downs from 1950-1958.

Kentucky Derby
Colonel Lewis Clark visited England in 1872 and decided to model the Kentucky Derby after the great classic race of England, known as the Epsom Derby. In 1875, Louisville became the "home of the Kentucky Derby." It was developed to showcase Kentucky's breeding history.

Churchill Downs
Construction of the grandstand and Twin Spires began in the early fall of 1894 and continued until the start of winter weather precluded further work. The spires, which have been referred to as towers, cupolas, and even steeples in the past, stand atop the 1895 grandstand that now serves as the core of the sprawling 48,500-seat complex, stretching from the top of the homestretch to around the clubhouse turn.

The Derby Trophy
Last year, for the 125th running of the Kentucky Derby, a new trophy was unveiled. The horseshoe trophy was turned upside down so that "luck does not run out." There will be diamonds inside the horseshoe along with a bed of roses made of rubies.