The Run for the Roses

On Tuesdays, we share historical tidbits here on Stitches Thru Time. This Saturday is the first Saturday in May. To horse racing fans around the globe that means only one thing:

The Kentucky Derby

The Iconic "Run for the Roses" will happen for the 145th consecutive time on May 4th, 2019. It is the longest non-interrupted sporting event in our country. Since we're talking history today, here's some trivia:

Churchill Downs was conceived and built by Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., the grandson of General William Clark from the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

The track opened on May 17, 1875.

The first winner of the Kentucky Derby - in 1875 - was a chestnut colt named Aristides. A statue of Aristides stands between the saddling paddock and the back of the grandstands today.

Aristides

The winning trainers in two of the first three Derbys were former slaves - Ansel Williamson (Aristides-1875) and Ed Brown (Baden-Baden-1877).

The well-known "twin spires" were built in 1895. They still stand today but are now overshadowed by the hulking structures on each side that house the luxury suites.

One of the first recorded airplane flights took off from the infield at Churchills Downs in 1910.

Neither WWI or WWII stopped the Kentucky Derby from running, although 1945's Derby was run on June 9th.

On Derby Day, the infield at Churchill Downs will hold 80,000 people, making it Kentucky's third-largest city, behind Lexington and Louisville.

If you've never been to Churchill Downs, it's worth putting on your bucket list. The history, the tradition, and the horses all make it a wonderful day. While we've never been on Kentucky Derby Day - way too crowded then for me - we have been many times. For less than the cost of a movie ticket and popcorn, you get a full day of racing, generally 10 - 12 races per day. It's a great place to take the whole family!

Mike and Pegg Thomas at Churchill Downs

Pegg Thomas is an author and editor, but also a fiber artist of some *mumble* years. She raises sheep and spins their wool to create one-of-a-kind shawls and other useful items. While she mostly uses a modern-day production spinning wheel, she occasionally spins on a 200-year-old Great Wheel, a true piece of American history.