Martin J. “Matt” Winn rarely took no for an answer.
In 1902, the Churchill Downs racing facility was in serious financial trouble and in danger of closing. Winn assembled a group of local investors, bought the track, and the right to the name the Kentucky Derby.
Later, he changed the wagering from bookmakers to a parimutuel betting system. In 1911, he changed racing forever by introducing the $2 minimum bet: In the past, the minimum pari-mutuel bet had been $5, beyond the reach of most working people.
Churchill Downs’ impresario’s greatest coup may have been when he persuaded Manhattan mogul owner Harry Payne Whitney to enter his filly Regret in the 1915 run for the roses. The muscular chestnut led from start to finish and came home a 2-length winner. Regret became the first filly to triumph in the Derby.
As Winn had envisioned, Regret’s victory brought an avalanche of newspaper coverage to Churchill Downs’ signature race. Her…
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