When you buy Kentucky Derby tickets, I think it's important to understand the history that comes with this race. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., who built Churchill Downs in Louisville, wanted this track to boast races that would rival England's Epsom Derby. After visiting England to scrutinize its tracks and races, he established the Kentucky Derby, which was first run on May 17, 1875.

However, the Kentucky Derby was just another regional race until 1902, when Colonel Matt J. Winn took over the track. He wanted Kentucky Derby tickets to be worth more than they were. Although he had seen every Kentucky Derby since the beginning, Winn knew very little about horse racing or running tracks. However, he was an excellent promoter.

More Valuable Kentucky Derby Tickets Save the Race

After raising money to save Churchill Downs from bankruptcy, Winn began making frequent trips to New York, then the center of American racing, to persuade owners to enter their horses in the Kentucky Derby. His persistence paid off. By 1920, the Derby had become the best-known race in North America and it was attracting the top three-year-olds from all over the country.

The first race in the Triple Crown, the Derby is run on the first Saturday in May. A whole week of festivities is built around the race which, like the Indianapolis 500, has become as much a happening as a sporting event. It attracts crowds of well over 100,000 spectators and is watched on television by millions more, many of whom are otherwise not interested in thoroughbred racing. Kentucky Derby tickets, much like Indy 500 tickets, have a broader appeal than most realize.