Stepping Stone Purse Stepping Stone Purse The Stepping Stone Purse was an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the latter part of April at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, it was, along with the Derby Trial Stakes, one of two final prep races hosted by Churchill Downs running up to the Kentucky Derby. In 1959, Sword Dancer won the Stepping Stone Purse, then ran second in the Kentucky Derby before winning the Belmont Stakes. The following year, Bally Ache won this race then ran second in the Derby but won the Preakness Stakes. In 1969, future U.S. Racing
Epsom Downs Racecourse Epsom Downs Racecourse Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse located in Epsom, Surrey, England which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. The "Downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course, which has a crowd capacity of 130,000 when taking into account people watching from the Epsom Downs, an area freely available to the public, is best known for hosting the Derby Stakes which has come to be widely referred to as The Derby (note, 'Epsom' is not part of the title of the race), the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old