American thoroughbred racing top attended events on Saturday and its companion race the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Friday those locations rotates annually. Notes: American thoroughbred racing top attended events This is a listing of the top attended stakes races for thoroughbred racing in North America by year. The chart lists the paid attendance of the eight top average attended races including the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and its companion race the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky; the Preakness Stakes on Saturday and its companion race the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Friday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland; the Belmont Stakes
Louisville Handicap first female to win this race. † In 2002, Two Point Two Mill won but was disqualified after an incident in the stretch and set back to eighth place. The disqualification resulted in the Dead Heat. Louisville Handicap The Louisville Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the latter part of May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Raced on turf, it is open to horses age three and older and since 2006 has been contested at a distance of miles (12 furlongs). The Grade III Louisville Handicap currently carries a purse of $100,000. Since its inauguration