On May 17, 1875, fifteen 3-year old horses raced in front of a crowd of 10,000 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race was won by a horse named Aristides and his African American jockey, Oliver Lewis. That day is written in the pages of history as the first Kentucky Derby.

Considered one of the most prestigious horseracing events in the country, the Kentucky Derby is held annually on the first Saturday of May. Colonel Meriwether Clark, organizer of the Louisville Jockey Club, came up with the idea of organizing the derby after he returned from his trip to Paris in 1863 where he learned about the French Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris.

Originally, the derby track was 1.50 miles long, before it was shortened to its current length of 1.25 miles in 1896. The Kentucky Derby is a 2-minute race that has since earned its reputation of being “The Most Exciting 2 Minutes in Sports.” It brings in a record number of people to the races and thousands of parties in Louisville during Derby Week.

The Kentucky Derby is also known for embracing several popular traditions. One of these is a Derby breakfast held on the day of the race. This custom was organized by Col. Clark on the first derby race. A private party, with the derby winner in attendance, was given by Churchill Downs’ president after each race. Other derby traditions include the sipping of mint julep from a special rose-decorated sterling silver cup; horse betting; and the draping of the Red Roses blanket over the winning horse.

Before the start of every race, the crowd joins together in singing the derby theme song, “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Keep up the latest news on the NewsMixer site.

Ken Mehlman is the Head of Global Public Affairs at the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts.

The Wall Street Journal has a profile, news and photos of Ken Mehlman.

The Hungarian Vizsla is pronounced “veeshla”. This tawny red dog of medium build is known for its skills as a hunting dog and its excellent trainability. However it must be trained with a certain degree of gentleness and understanding, this is a sensitive dog and will not take to harsh punishment. The Hungarian Vizsla is a dog that works “close to the gun” and will not range far, it is a silent hunter and does not scare up the game too soon. This hunter was bred mostly to go after birds but is also a good rabbit dog.

I have personally had acquaintances who own Vizslas and have come into contact with several of them at dog shows. The ones that I have known are quite active and highly intelligent. They love to play and will gladly retrieve and give chase, a large yard is a necessity. The correct temperament is one of willingness and friendliness to strangers and this does mean that the Vizsla puppy must be socialized at an early age. Without socialization a Vizsla can be overly shy and this in turn can lead to aggression. Care should be taken if the dog is to be used for hunting, that it is trained early to the sound of the gun.

The Coat is tawny red and quite short. A brisk rubbing with a towel or a soft brush is often the only care that needs to be done. Of course nails should be kept regularly trimmed. The ears, although lop, are fairly short and stay clean. The tail is usually bobbed at about 1/3 the length. The head is broad at the skull with a clean look to the muzzle. The Vizsla is a pointer and will freeze in the point with one front leg lifted when it comes on the birds. This dog is quite well balanced in looks and is a beautiful sight to see when it is “on point”.

Adult dogs should be x-rayed for hip dysplasia before being used for breeding. Epilepsy is a problem associated with this breed also and there can be skin problems and allergies. A dog which is given the chance to exercise will not become obese, but these dogs are “chow hounds” and will become overly fat quickly if allowed to eat all they want, especially if they don’t get adequate exercise.

Vizslas need a close association with people and unlike many hunting breeds they do not make a good kennel dog. These dogs are what one would call highly responsive to training that is positive in nature. They are “willing workers” and will respond well to praise. Whether it be as a show dog or an obedience dog or a hunting dog, they are best when they are not bored. If left alone for long periods of time they can get into a lot of mischief in a house and a yard is important if they can not be with their family the majority of the day.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Animals