2018 Kentucky Derby 2018 Kentucky Derby The 2018 Kentucky Derby (officially, the 2018 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve) was the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby, and took place on Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Louisville, Kentucky. The field was open to 20 horses, with a purse of million. The Derby is held annually in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, at the end of the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. It is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of , and has been run at Churchill Downs racetrack since its inception in 1875. The race was
The Downs at Santa Fe but closed it only one year later after heavy losses. Today the property is used as an outdoor event venue for concerts and flea markets. The Downs at Santa Fe The Downs at Santa Fe was a horse racing facility near Santa Fe, New Mexico, running thoroughbred and American quarter horse events. Originally named Santa Fe Downs, the $5.5 million mile oval track opened in June 1971 with a crowd of 11,000 people, causing traffic jams in the area. Although the track enjoyed good attendance and handle, the heavy debt load to build the track became unmanageable when interest rates