Churchill Downs 2

A few more pics of Churchill Downs. I didn't take any photos inside the museum because it was relatively crowded. However, they had a GREAT exhibit featuring Secretariat. The exhibit was in honor of the 50th anniversary of his triple crown victory in 1973. Back in the day of three channels of TV, this was a big deal and I remember watching the races with family. His story made horse racing fans out of most people in the US (at least short term). His speed records still stand to this day! Those were different and much more simple times than the overload of channels and information today. An interesting fact learned was that it is common for these horses undergo necropsies after their death. The doctor that performed his procedure reported the largest heart ever seen at a whopping 22 lbs - compared to an average thoroughbred's 8.5 lbs. It was even 1/3 larger than anything he had ever seen. This large heart plus a massive chest cavity provided the blood supply and lung capacity to sustain those record setting paces. Interesting, Sham was the 2nd place horse in that Kentucky Derby and finished in record time - had Secretariat not finished 2-1/2 lengths ahead. His necropsy recorded a heart size of 16 lbs! His KD time remains the 2nd fastest in history (I think I have that right). Barbaro (second photo) ran a huge KD race (2006) and was a big odds-on favorite to become a triple crown contender but fractured three bones in his leg at the start of the Preakness. Surgery was performed but months later he developed laminitis and was euthanized in 2007. His is buried under his statue in front of the starting gate entrance. Enough trivia for the day.

The first photo is the finish line and millionaire's club entrance. The third photo is an odd group of tourists doing tourist things.



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