Churchill Downs Incorporated Rous and France's Vicomte Darn, vice president of the French Jockey Club. Upon his return from Europe, Clark began development of his racetrack, which would serve to showcase the Kentucky breeding industry. The track would eventually become known as Churchill Downs. The track formally opened on May 17, 1875, with four races scheduled including the day's featured race, the Kentucky Derby. Throughout the early 1900s, Churchill Downs joined with other tracks to create the Kentucky Jockey Club. With five tracks, the Club decided to dissolve in December 1927, with the purpose of re-organizing. In January 1928, the American Turf Association
Eight Belles Stakes Eight Belles Stakes The Eight Belles Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old filly sprinters run at a distance of 7 furlongs at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky each year on Kentucky Oaks Day. Raced as the Oaks Prep from 1956 to 1966, it was then renamed the La Troienne Stakes from 1967 to 2008 for one of the greatest broodmares in the United States throughout the twentieth century, La Troienne. In June 2008, Churchill Downs announced that beginning in 2009 this race would be called the Eight Belles Stakes in honor of the deceased filly,