Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets
May 6, 1782, Lexington is formally chartered by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. The act provided a board of seven Lexington trustees and 710 acres. The Squire’s Sketches of Lexington by J. Winston Coleman, Jr.; pg: 17
May 6, 1865, the 1st Kentucky Brigade surrendered at Washington, Georgia, receiving generous parole terms. Those in mounted units kept their horses or mules, and every seventh man was allowed to retain his musket for the journey home.
Monday, May 6, 1895, Halma won the 21st Kentucky Derby for Lexington native, owner, and trainer Byron McClelland. This would be the last year the race ran at one mile and a half; the new distance would be one mile and a quarter. Churchill Downs President William F. Schulte debuted the Twin Spires and a $100,000 grandstand on the backside. Jockey James Perkins guided Halma home in 2:37 ½ to win $2,970.
By Charles Christian Cook Saddling Up For the Kentucky Derby; Photo By Ki Longfellow Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Taylorsville native Cliff Carlisle , born in 1903. The country music pioneer and yodeler 1st played at radio station WHAS-AM in 1930, which made him a local star. Later that year, they recorded for Gennett Records and Champion Records.
Monday, May 6, 1907, Pink Star won the 33rd Kentucky Derby easily , the only entry with blinkers on. J. Hal Woodford owned and bred the colt, William H. Fizer trained, and Andy Minder received a leg up. The heavy track caused the slow winning time of 2:12 3/5. The $6,000 purse gave $4,850 to the winner, $700 for 2nd and $300 for 3rd .
Pink Star and jockey Andy Minder after their win; Photo by Unknown On May 6, 1926, the family of President Zachary Taylor interred his remains on the family’s Springfield home . On July 4, 1850, Taylor participated in Independence Day ceremonies at the Washington Monument. Upon returning to the White House, he ate a large quantity of iced milk and cherries. He died five days later, possibly from the contaminated desert; however, rumors spread someone had poisoned him.
May 6, 1928, Deputy Constable James H. Bush, Floyd County Constable’s Office , died from a gunshot in Ligon while attempting to arrest a man at a dance hall after a shooting.
May 6, 1933, Brokers Tip won the 59th Kentucky Derby by a nose with 18-year-old jockey Don Meade in the saddle. Second-place jockey, 22-year-old Herb Fisher, was sure he and Head Play had won the race and got fouled. Without cameras, the stewards decided on Brokers Tip, and they threw out his claim, which left Herb in tears. Owner Edward R. Bradley and trainer Herbert J. Thompson hooked up for their 4th and final Derby win. The winning time of 2:06 4/5 on a good track earned $48,925.
May 6, 1933, Deputy Sheriff Henry Adams Owens, Bell County Sheriff’s Department , died from a gunshot while attempting to arrest a man who was creating a disturbance at a church revival at Edgewood.
On May 6, 1937, the Denhardt jury in New Castle hung in one of Kentucky’s most famous murder trials . Former Lt. Gov. Brig. General Henry H. Denhardt walked away from the courthouse. However, 137 days later, the victim’s brother shot him dead in Shelbyville a day before the 2nd trial.
On May 6, 1939, Johnstown won the 65th Kentucky Derby for Belair Stud , their 3rd Derby. Samuel Ogle, a Provincial Governor of Maryland, established Belair Stud in 1747. In 1898, James T. Woodward bought the property and built large new stables in 1907. James left the property to his nephew, William Woodward, Sr., who made Belair Stud a major racing and breeding operation from 1930 to the 1950s Johnstown won in 2:03 2/5 and earned $46,350. James E. Fitzsimmons gave James Stout a leg up.
On May 6, 1942, UK inaugurated Herman Lee Donavon as its 6th president . The day began with a student reception in the Student Union Building, followed by the ceremony on Stoll Field, and back to Union for a luncheon.
On May 6, 1944, Warren Wright’s Calumet Farm homebred, Pensive, won the 70th Kentucky Derby . The winning time for Calumet’s 2nd Derby was 2:04 1/5, which earned $64,675. Trainer Ben A. Jones notched his 3rd of six Derbies. Jockey Conn McCreary won his 1st of two. Pensive became the 1st Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner to lose the Belmont. It proved the beginning of an eight-race losing streak before Pensive retired to stud. He died 13 days after his son Ponder won the 1949 Kentucky Derby. Ponder’s son Needles, in 1956, made it three generations of Derby winners.
On May 6, 1945, over 400,000 Nazi troops surrendered , and America announced they would discharge 2,000,000 men, leaving more than enough to fight the Japanese; all the while, many Europeans faced starvation. Meanwhile, a Harrodsburg family learned the Germans captured their son, Capt. Burford Davis, and then rescued by the Allied Troops.
On May 6, 1950, Texas-bred Middleground won the 76th Kentucky Derby for King Ranch , 16-year-old jockey William Boland, and trainer Max Hirsch. The race went in 2:01 3/5, and the winner earned $92,640. Middleground finished 2nd in the Preakness after a rough trip, but he bounced back to win the Belmont. WHAS-TV broadcasted their 1st Kentucky Derby for locals only. The 1st national showing occurred in 1952.
May 6, 1953, Army PFC William Benson from Harlan County died in the Korean War.
Kentucky Trivia: Today, out of 14 dams on the Kentucky River, dams 1-4, the first four built in 1842 are the only ones that remain open. They help control the river from Carrollton to Frankfort. Unfortunately, the Fort Boonesboro dam closed 1st in 1994, and in 2006, the last three, #5, #6, & #7 (High Bridge), closed.
May 6, 1961, Carry Back won the 87th Kentucky Derby for Katherine Price; her husband Jack trained the Florida bred colt. Jockey Johnny Sellers achieved his only Derby during an illustrious career. The winning time of 2:04 over a good track earned $120,500. Carry Back raced twenty-one times as a two-year-old.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Lexington native George Clooney , born in 1961.
May 6, 1966, Army PFC Harvey W. Prater from Louisville and Army SP4 Stephen E. Thomas from Glasgow in Barren County died in the Vietnam War.
On May 6, 1962, the Lexington Kennel Club held its 21st All Breed Dog Show at the Keeneland Race Course . The tickets cost .50 cents for adults, and children entered free. More than 500 dogs representing 125 breeds participated.
May 6, 1967, Proud Clarion won the 93rd Kentucky Derby for Darby Dan Farm, jockey Bobby Ussery, and trainer Loyd Gentry Jr. in 2:00 3/5 and earned $119,700. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a significant impact on this Derby. Dr. King, fearing a Derby protest would bring too much violence and do more harm than good, made a speech in Louisville declaring the race would be left alone and called off any organized demonstrations at Churchill Downs.
May 6, 1968, Marine Corps LCPL Kenneth R. Newsome from Ashland in Boyd County died in the Vietnam War.
May 6, 1970, Army MAJ Billy J. Williams from Marion in Crittenden County died in the Vietnam War.
On May 6, 1972, Meadow Stable’s Kentucky homebred Riva Ridge won the 98th Kentucky Derby . The Bluegrass Stakes winner and Secretariat’s older stablemate went in 2:01 4/5 to earn $140,300. Jockey Ron Turcotte and trainer Lucien Laurin hooked up for their 1st Derby of two in a row. Riva Ridge finished 4th in the Preakness but returned to take the Belmont.
May 6, 1972, Deputy Sheriff William Raffo Wimsett, Sr., Nelson County Sheriff’s Office , died in an automobile accident while en route to the sheriff’s office.
May 6, 1978, Affirmed won the 104th Kentucky Derby for Harbor View Farm, Walton native Steve Cauthen, and Laz Barrera in 2:01 1/5 for $186,900. Florida bred Affirmed was the 11th Triple Crown Winner.
On May 6, 1981, the UK Board of Trustees approved a tuition hike and a 12.9% hike in room and board . Tuition went from $341 to $370 for a semester for undergraduates. Around 65% of students chose a meal plan that offered two meals a day, five days a week, and that cost went from $1,596 to $1,802.
Friday, May 6, 1983, the Madden Derby Eve Bash displayed the “Earth Star,” a coffee-colored pearl-shaped 111.59-carat diamond that hung on a necklace studded with 20 more carats. A New York firm shipped it to Lexington via USPS with $1.5 million in insurance. It stayed in a bank, and they delivered it to the party in an armored car. Anita wore it for a few minutes, but Kentucky 1st Lady Phyllis George Brown had the privilege for an entire evening in 1977 for a Texas event.
May 6, 1989, Sunday Silence won the 115th Kentucky Derby for H-G-W Partners . The partnership included Arthur B. Hancock III, who bred the colt and Charlie Whittingham, trainer. Charlie sold part of his interest to Ernest Gaillard to complete H-G-W. Pat Valenzuela guided Sunday Silence home in 2:05 over a muddy track for his only Derby win. The winning connections earned $574,200.
May 6, 1991, Corporate America continued to have their way to the detriment of America . AT&T and NCR Corp reached a $7.4 billion merger. The deal capped the biggest takeover in 1991 and one of the biggest since the 1980s merger mania. Meanwhile, privately insured patients paid more for prescription drugs because pharmaceutical companies raised their prices by 20%.
May 6, 1995, Thunder Gulch won the 121st Kentucky Derby for Michael Tabor, Gary Stevens, and D. Wayne Lukas in 2:01.27 which earned $707,400. It was the 1st time the number 16 post won.
May 6, 1996, historical papers, some from the Cassius Clay estate, remained locked up in the basement of Richmond’s City Hall . A dispute started when the county clerk sent several boxes of papers to the city recycler. The Richmond mayor refused to dispose of them and filed a restraining order until a court decided ownership. One of the documents was an original deed for an enslaved person.
May 6, 1997, Rick Pitino announced his resignation at Kentucky to take the Boston Celtics head coaching position.
May 6, 2000, Fusaichi Pegasus won the 126th Kentucky Derby for Fusao Sekiguchi, Kent Desormeaux, and Neil Drysdale in 2:01.12. This was the last Derby broadcast on ABC, ending a 25-year association; NBC now provides coverage. The winning time of 2:01.12 earned $1,038,400.
On May 6, 2004, President George Bush told the world he was sorry for American soldiers’ abuse of Iraqi prisoners ; however, he confirmed his criminal partner, Donald Rumsfeld, would remain Defense Secretary. The next day, Americans woke up to see the now infamous picture of Ashland native Lynndie England holding a leash around the neck of an Iraqi prisoner lying on the floor.
By U.S. Government Copyright May 6, 2006, Barbaro won the 132nd Kentucky Derby for Roy and Gretchen Jackson of Lael Stable in 2:01.36 and earned $1,453,200 . Jockey Edgar Prado and trainer Michael Matz get their only Derby win to date. There are two horse statues on Churchill Grounds property. One is of Aristides, winner of the 1st Kentucky Derby; the other is Barbaro. The colt’s death in 2007 captured the attention of a nation. Yum! Brands sponsored the race for the 1st time.
May 6, 2011, according to the Guinness Book of World Records , the Portland Promise Center in Louisville created the largest tape ball weighing 2,000 pounds with a circumference of 12’ 9″.
May 6, 2017, Always Dreaming won the 143rd Kentucky Derby for Brooklyn Boyz Stable, MeB Racing, St Elias Stable, and Teresa Viola Racing. John Velazquez and Todd Pletcher each won their 2nd Derby. The winning time of 2:03.59 earned $1,635,800.
May 6, 2020, Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner, referring to the coronavirus pandemic, “We’ve hadn’t seen a stress on the American food supply system since WWII.” Kentucky, which produces more cattle than any other east of the Mississippi, couldn’t butcher them fast enough .
May 6, 2021, Governor A. Beshear announced indoor and outdoor businesses in Kentucky, serving fewer than 1,000 customers could increase their capacity to 75% by the end of the month . He also said fully vaccinated people gathering indoors no longer needed to wear masks.
May 6, 2022, the governor and the legislature continued to bicker like school children , this time over who sat on the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. The governor hand-picked the commission members until the Assembly passed a bill that changed that; therefore, Governor A. Beshear filed a lawsuit.
