Churchill Downs: The History behind the Twin Spires

When you talk with people about Churchill Downs, one thing comes to mind – the twin spires. Even people who don’t watch horseracing know about Churchill Downs and its twin spires due to the popularity of races such as the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks. The track has also hosted the Breeders’ Cup races on six occasions. What most people don’t know is the history behind the track and how the twin spires came to be.

The track is named after John and Henry Churchill. The two leased eighty acres of land to their nephew Colonel Meriweather Lewis Clark, Jr. Clark was actually grandson of famous explorer William Clark. He was also the president of the Louisville Jockey Club and Driving Park Association. Richard Ten Broeck was a horse breeder and trainer and Clark’s father-in-law. Broek was an accomplished trainer, regularly attending the English Derby at Epsom Downs in London. He was the man that introduced Clark to the world of horse racing.

Louisville had always had a love affair with horseracing. After all, it was home to Oakland racecourse as well as Woodlawn. When these two tracks closed, there was a void in Louisville that needed filling. Churchill Downs would do just that.

For quite some time, Churchill had a reputation as a gambling hall. Some changes needed to be made and in 1893 the track was sold to a syndicate that was led by William Applegate. New changes were implemented including shortening the track and the commissioning of the twin spire grandstand in 1895. A new tradition would also be implemented that year – the adorning of the Kentucky Derby winner in a garland of roses.

The twin spires are the most recognizable feature of Churchill Downs. They have been standing since 1895 and were designed by architect Joseph Dominic Baldez. Since the spires were built, several renovations have been made to the track itself. Today, the Churchill Downs complex covers over 147 acres, nearly double its original size. The dirt oval main track is a mile while the turf track is 7/8 of a mile. From 2001 to 2005, the grandstand underwent a $121 million renovation. The renovation replaced the clubhouse and added 79 luxury suites and the twin spires were refurbished.

Another unique addition to Churchill Downs was the adding of a mural that depicted the 96 jockeys that had won the Kentucky Derby from 1875 to 2004. The mural was painted by Pierre Bellocq, who updated the mural in 2008 to reflect all of the winning jockeys and trainers to date. The renovation was somewhat of a controversy since the new grandstand suites block full view of the twin spires, although they are still the highest points of the facility.

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