1995

World History

O.J. Simpson acquitted of double murder charges.

Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing shocks the nation.

Budget impasse leads to U. S. Federal Government shutdown.

Churchill Downs History

For the first time in history, Kentucky Derby wagering was offered in state on race day to intertrack and OTB sources with $1,618,608 reported.

The Derby notched another first in its history as Ski Captain, 14th, became the first Japanese trained and ridden contestant.

Derby Week at Churchill served as the background for the filming of the ABC-TV movie “Derby,” which aired nationally, June 17.

The Kentucky Derby purse was increased to $1 million guaranteed minimum gross and the Kentucky Oaks to $500,000 guaranteed following a June 15 announcement by the board of directors.

An agreement is reached to move the Kentucky Derby post position draw in 1996 from its traditional Thursday date to Wednesday to facilitate national coverage on ESPN.

The Triple Crown received a new sponsor on August 17 as VISA-USA replaced Chrysler. The series was retitled The Visa Triple Crown Challenge.

The largest Pick Six payoff in Churchill history, $417,389.80, was paid out on May 10.

On-track, wholecard wagering made its Churchill debut on June 9.

Churchill Downs and ODS Technologies announced an agreement on June 20 to test the nation’s first interactive home wagering system in select homes in the Louisville market.

The Churchill Downs Management Company continued to expand the Churchill market in Indiana as the subsidiary opened off-track wagering centers in Merrillville, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

Hoosier Park at Anderson followed its success with Standardbred racing with the opening of Indiana’s first pari-mutuel Thoroughbred meet on September 1. On October 7, Hoosier Park held the Indiana Derby.

Indiana riverboat gaming made its Ohio River debut in Evansville on December 7.