<P> In 1872, Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, traveled to England, visiting Epsom in Surrey where The Derby had been running annually since 1780 . From there, Clark went on to Paris, France, where in 1863, a group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club and had organized the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, which at the time was the greatest race in France . </P> <P> Returning home to Kentucky, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club for the purpose of raising money to build quality racing facilities just outside the city . The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs, named for John and Henry Churchill, who provided the land for the racetrack . Officially, the racetrack was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937 . </P> <P> The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1 1 / 2 miles (12 furlongs; 2.4 km) the same distance as the Epsom Derby . The distance was changed in 1896 to its current 1 1 / 4 miles (10 furlongs; 2 km). On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three - year - old horses contested the first Derby . Under jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides, who was trained by future Hall of Famer Ansel Williamson, won the inaugural Derby . Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second - place finish in the Belmont Stakes . </P> <P> Although the first race meeting proved a success, the track ran into financial difficulties and in 1894 the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated with new capitalization and improved facilities . Despite this, the business floundered until 1902 when Col. Matt Winn of Louisville put together a syndicate of businessmen to acquire the facility . Under Winn, Churchill Downs prospered and the Kentucky Derby then became the preeminent stakes race for three - year - old thoroughbred horses in North America . </P>

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