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
Caressing (horse) without ever looking likely to win and finished second, beaten two and three quarter lengths. John Velazquez took over the ride from the injured Kuntzweiler when Caressing contested the seventeenth edition of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, run that year at Churchill Downs on November 4. Before the race Vance commented "She deserves to get into the race," he said at the time. "We're taking a shot, but so are a lot of other people. Nobody is scared of anyone in this race. She knows the track at Churchill. She works well over it, and it's her home base." Raging