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LOUISVIILKS RACING HISTORY. "Although the Lexington racetrack was incorporated in 1826, there has been each year a race meeting, and it is generally considered the -oldest of American racetracks," says the Louisville Courier Journal. "There were races run in Market street, Louisville, in 1783. There was a Louisville Jockey Club in 1S23, and its three-day meeting of October 12, had the following program: First day, three-mile heats; second day, two-mile heats; third day, one-mile heats. The conditions were: Free for horse, mare or gelding; weights for aged horses, 121 pounds; six years, 111 pounds; five years, 103 pounds; four years, 90 pounds; three years, 75 pounds. There was no purse hung up. "In October, 1827, there took place at the farm of Major Peter Funk a mile and repeat race for six two-year-olds for a 0 purse. "In 1839 there was located at Seventh and Magnolia streets now in the hearc of Louisville the Oakland course, over which, September 30, was run the historic four-mile heat race won by the Tennessee horse Wagner against Kentuckys 5rey Eagle. "The former won in straight heats, and,, matched again, the second race took place October 5. This was the race which widened the always existing breach between the Ten-nesseean and the Eentuckian, for the champion of the former dropped the first heat and then won the race, the second being run in the remarkable time of 7:43. Since that day Wagners color, chestnut, has always been preferred in a thoroughbred horse to that of Grey Eagle, dapple gray. "At the close of the war a revival of racing was attempted, and in 1866 Woodlawh was built by breeders, six miles east of Louisville on the lint of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, but this race association was disrupted through internal dissensions. "Then followed, in 1875, Churchill Downs, over which its founder, M. Lewis Clark, presided for twenty ears. The present association was formed five years ago."
