🎩 Churchill Downs Made Its Debut in 1875

On May 18th:

1875 A Racing Tradition Begins at Churchill Downs

On May 17, 1875, the gates flew open at Churchill Downs for the very first Kentucky Derby! Aristides, with jockey Oliver Lewis aboard, galloped into history with a winning time of 2:37.75. Hats, hooves, and heritage—it all started here. Click below and trot through more iconic firsts!

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Catch up on what else went down in history today!

1954 A Gavel Falls—and History Shifts

2000 The Zip Code That Defined a Decade

2004 A First Step Toward Forever

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