Churchill Downs one week before the Derby and continues until early July. The Kentucky Derby is held the first Saturday in May and the Kentucky Oaks is run on the Friday before the Derby. A fall meet picks up in late October and closes Thanksgiving weekend in late November. A third meet in September was added in 2013. In addition to the track, clubhouse and stables, Churchill Downs also contains the Kentucky Derby Museum which focuses on the history of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs. The museum also contains a number of exhibits exploring the training and racing of thoroughbred horses.
Louisville Downs site for $6 million, using the grandstand for simulcast racing and racetrack for training thoroughbreds. The grandstand was razed in 2015 and in September 2018, Churchill Downs, Inc. used the site for Derby City Gaming, an historical race wagering facility. Harness racing may return to the former Louisville Downs site; in September 2018, Churchill Downs and Keeneland Association filed an application with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to hold 10 days of harness meets in 2019. Louisville Downs Louisville Downs was a half-mile Standardbred harness race track located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It opened in 1966 and held over