Learn about these historic venues ahead of the final 2022 Triple Crown race.
The Triple Crown comprises three of the most significant races in professional horse racing: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. Each spring and summer, thousands of fans visit some of the United States’ most historic race tracks to watch the best of the best in the equine world compete for the much sought-after title of Triple Crown Winner.
In honor of the running of this year’s Belmont Stakes on June 11, read on for some surprising facts about each of the three race tracks.
Churchill Downs
As the home of the Kentucky Derby, the name Churchill Downs is one of the most recognizable names associated with horse racing — second only, perhaps, to the famous 1973 Triple Crown Winner, Secretariat.
The idea for Churchill Downs was originally conceived when Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark (grandson of explorer General William Clark) attended the Epsom Derby in England in 1873 and was inspired to create a spectacle horse racing event in America. The track was constructed on eighty acres of land that Colonel Clark leased from his uncles, John and Henry Churchill. Churchill Downs held its first official race day nearly 150 years ago on May 17, 1875.
Pimlico
Home to the second jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness, Pimlico is located on 70 acres in northwest Baltimore. Opened in 1870, Pimlico has the distinction of being the second oldest race track in the country after the Saratoga Racetrack in Saratoga Springs, New York.
On October 24, 1877, Pimlico became the only racetrack to be honored by the adjournment of the U.S. House of Representatives to watch a race between Parole, Ten Broeck, and Tom Ochiltree, which became known as “The Great Race.”
Belmont Park
The third and final Triple Crown race is the Belmont Stakes at Long Island’s Belmont Park. The first Belmont Stakes was run at the Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx in 1867, making it the oldest of the Triple Crown races. A Japanese White Pine, planted on the grounds in 1826, is a part of today’s Belmont Park logo.
In 1910, Belmont Park took a brief hiatus from horse racing when it hosted Wilbur and Orville Wright’s International Aviation Tournament airshow. It featured an air race to the Statue of Liberty and back.
If you’re looking to experience one of these storied race tracks for yourself in 2023, look no further than Superior Executive Services! Our expert team is ready to help you plan an unforgettable trip to any of the 2023 Triple Crown races. Contact us today at (608) 665-9070, or send us a message online to get started!
