Much like basketball, horse racing wasn’t invented in Kentucky, but it was refined here. And while a strong argument can be made for the undisputed greatness of hoops in the bluegrass state, it’s practically fact when it comes to horses. Kentucky’s renown for horse breeding and racing is second to none, and the numbers back it up. But first,  how did this thriving trade come to Kentucky? What makes Kentucky uniquely placed to support such a kingly industry? 

Wild horses were introduced to North America by Spanish conquistadors over 500 years ago, and as such are considered a non-native species to the continent.  However, it’s believed that long before all of this, wild horses (or a prehistoric version of the horses we know today) migrated away from North America millions of years ago,  before the continents split. So the question of whether the horse is native to America or not is a topic up for debate. 

What’s not up for debate is that once reintroduced, a large contingent of the majestic animals flourished in the area that would later become Kentucky due to its limestone just beneath the surface, which provides rich nutrients for grass, and eventually makes for strong horse bones. And though there are no wild horses left,  Kentucky remains an ideal place for horses to run, jump, and thrive.  

Like the origins of wild horses in North America, the true birth of horse racing occurred long before written history, and its various forms have spread throughout the ages. However, a recognizable version of contemporary thoroughbred racing was developed in England in the 1700s but had found its way to Kentucky by the end of the century. 

Horse racing in Kentucky started as an unsanctioned practice that could crop up,  spur-of-the-moment, anywhere there was room for horses to run. It was the olden-times equivalent of Fast and the Furious-style street racing (though I doubt they were putting spoilers and chrome rims on their horses), and was equally treacherous for bystanders.  This led the Lexington town trustees to “consider of the means which ought to be  adopted for applying a remedy to the growing evil.” In 1828, the Lexington Association  Track fundamentally changed the sport forever. While multiple unofficial tracks had sprung up around the state during the unsanctioned phase of Kentucky horse racing, this track became the first official haven for this exciting but dangerous pastime, complete with written rules and a governing body. No longer horsing around, this is how the unbridled sport of outlaws was corralled and reined into the regal, sport of kings in Kentucky.  

Forty-four years later, in 1872, a trip to Europe would chart the course for what would become the greatest event in all of horse racing. The traveler was Meriwether  Clark Jr. (grandson to famed explorer William Clark), and the course was a turn through  Europe. There, Clark was inspired by two existing horse racing events: The long-running Epsom Derby of Surrey, England, and the brand-new Grand Prix de Paris in France. Clark would return to Kentucky brimming with excitement and lease a plot of land that would become Churchill Downs (named after the uncles from whom he leased it). Soon after, on May 17, 1875, the first-ever Kentucky Derby was run.  

It can be stated with certainty that the great Kentucky Derby owes a debt of gratitude to our European brethren for inspiration, but it can be said with equal certainty that The Kentucky Derby, and Kentucky’s horse scene in general, have since become the global gold standard.  

Stay tuned for part two of this series to see just how impactful the horse industry has been on Kentucky, and in turn, how impactful Kentucky has been on the industry.