Saturday April 9, 2011

 

 

Churchill Downs

Home of the Kentucky Derby

Sunday, April 3 – Part 1

 

 

After seeing that Churchill Downs was just five minutes from our motel, we knew what we were wanted to do with part of our Sunday.  After three very busy days, it was a luxury to relax and enjoy church via a TV preacher (we were not familiar with any churches in the area, and needed a quiet morning.) 

 

 

I enjoy hearing about the procedure of raising race horses and watching the race if we are home, so thought it would be interesting to go on a tour of the grounds.

 

 

There is a beautiful statue of Barbaro in the main entrance area. You may remember that Barbaro was a thoroughbred who won the 2006 Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we waited for the museum to open, we read some of the inscriptions on the bricks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This large screen video of horses coming out of the gate gets your attention when you enter the museum.

 

 

I came in last in this race.

 

 

We enjoyed a short video (the screen surrounded the room). I was fascinated to learn that when a potential race horse foal is born, it is harnessed the next day and walked with its mother.

A video of race day was fun to watch.

 

 

Our guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a plaque stating the year and name of each Derby winner somewhere on the grounds.

   

 

Only triple crown winners get gold lettering. Sir Barton was the first to win a triple crown by finishing first in the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont. There are only eleven triple crown winners. The last time that happened was in 1978.

 

 

The grounds are beautiful.

 

 

Our tour group. It was a glorious day in Louisville.

 

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More tomorrow evening

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