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Dimensions of Churchill Downs Track LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 1. — The Churchill Downs racing strip, on which the Kentucky Derby has its decision annually, is regarded by turfmen as one of the safest tracks in the country. The course is a one-mile oval with a one-mile chute extending south from the back stretch in which all races of six furlongs to one mile start. The length of the front stretch, from the last turn to the judges stand is 1,23-M-j feet, and the distance from the finish to the first turn is 113 ■ feet. The width of the front stretch is 80 feet, and the width of the back stretch is 79 feet. The track at the Derby start is 120 feet wide and is just 1,320 feet from the finish. The Derby track is given excellent care the year around and general superintendent Thomas Young, of Churchill Downs, uses unique methods to keep it in top shape. Young has this to say regarding the care of the famous course: "Each autumn we cover the track with a mixture of manure and straw. In the spring we work the strip over, the footing is then soft and spongy and resembles a well-kept garden plot. A good cushion is then produced. Final result of work on the track is that a break-down of a thoroughbred at Churchill Downs is a rarity."
