Why do so many race tracks have the word "downs" in them?
Downs as a noun has a definition which demonstrates the English origin:
Often, downs. (used esp. in southern England) open, rolling, upland country with fairly smooth slopes usually covered with grass.
Churchill Downs: It wasn't until the Louisville Commercial newspaper used the name "Churchill Downs" on a recap of the ninth Derby that the historic track got its namesake.
There's no way possible that John and Henry Churchill could have envisioned that their family name would go down in infamy back in 1874. All they did was unload a piece of land that was part of Kentucky's declining stock farms to Col. M. Lewis Clark. Only a year after this acquisition, Clark's brand-new Louisville Jockey Club served as host to an estimated 10,000 spectators for the first Kentucky Derby on May 17, 1875, when Aristides ran to glory.
Here are some links of other "downs":
ASSINIBOIA DOWNS
BLUE RIBBON DOWNS
COLONIAL DOWNS
DELTA DOWNS
EMERALD DOWNS
EUREKA DOWNS
EVANGELINE DOWNS
GREAT LAKES DOWNS
INDIANA DOWNS
Kentucky Downs
LOUISIANA DOWNS
MANOR DOWNS
MARQUIS DOWNS (PRAIRIELAND PARK)
RIVER DOWNS
RUIDOSO DOWNS
SUFFOLK DOWNS
TAMPA BAY DOWNS
WYOMING DOWNS
YAVAPAI DOWNS
2 comments:
Don't forget the soon to be Presque Isle Downs, a replacement for Commodore Downs, in Erie PA.
And, there's Dixon Downs, which the good people of Dixon, CA will be voting on in a coupla months.
As far as I can tell the reason for Dixon Downs being so named is strictly marketing. And not for the potential patron, but marketing to the town for approval. By using "Dixon" in the name they hope to foment town pride. Also, Downs is the most well known of the options, due to Churchhill, no doubt.
Adding "Downs" instead of Park, Fields, Meadows, or even just Racecourse, also offers the literary endorsement of the initial alliteration caucus. They should not be underestimated.
Post a Comment