The Kentucky Derby began with Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.'s transformative European travels in 1872.¹ Witnessing both the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris, Clark returned to Louisville with a vision for creating an American equivalent to these prestigious races.²

Churchill Downs began modestly. When the first Derby ran in 1875, the track consisted of a simple grandstand, a clubhouse, a porter's lodge, and a few wooden outbuildings.¹ The original grandstand held just 1,000 spectators, with tickets selling for $1.50.²