Evening star., 1941-03-09
BY KEN WHITE,
Associated Press Sports Writer,

after the DERBY ana lne WINS WOl
with him. Each time he beat the
favored Proctor Knott. Next time
out the Wins switched and Proctor
Knott finally beat Spokane. Again
they won.
Introduces Mrs. Winn to Racing.
So the Spokane year of 1889, the
year Col. Winn's judgment Of
horsefiesh came through with flying
colors and the year Mrs. Winn who
died several years ago. saw her
first Derby, occupies a very special
place among the memories OF the
man who still. at the age of 70, does
a two-fisted job of running one of
the worlds biggest sporting enter
prises.
Col. Winn saw his first Derby in
1875 from the rear OF a little grocery
wagon in the center field
He was l3 and he might have at
tended earlier Derbies. except for
the fact that there weren't any
Derbies before that.
He hasn't missed one since that
first year. the Aristides year. and
the race this May 3 will be the sixty
seventh.
The presented claim that
Winn is the only man now living
who has seen them all has met no
challengers.
Il was a bug on the horses-bet
on them quite bit and knew all
about the horses and trainers" Winn
said II was making $50 a month
working from to in a grocery
store. Later I sold groceries on the
road and I came to know nearly
every one in Kentucky connected
with the game.
Winn and a group of friends took
over Churchill Downs and the Derby
in 1902 Until then it never had
made money under any manage
ment. Since then the track never
has lost money. 1t was payer
right from the start. and 1t had
come to them at a bargain-basement
price
The Colonels eyes narrowed as
tie lOleu IL up.
Forty thousand the first year for
the plant A hundred and fifty
for the next year for the land
The whole thing didn't cost us over
5000 900"
Has Handled Dozen Tracks.
Col. Winn has managed dozen
or so race tracks. but his heart
belongs to Churchill Downs and the
Derby. which really was just fair
country horse race when he took
over to make it the international
attraction it is.
He-and his associates say 1t was
virtually single handed job-has
built it from a $4,000 race to one
with s75 1000 added money.
He took Churchill Downs when
there was nothing much there but
a track, few stables and a grand
stand ating a few hundred people;
last year some IS 900 or more people
iammed what is now the biggest
track in the country 1and saw
Bimelech loSe).
He has set off a big section fol
5O-cent admissions and an exclusive
"millionaires' room" for-weI, mil
lionaires.
He has built every year. Car
penters and painters and landscap-
! ers swarm antlike over the rambling
plant every spring. putting up new
| bleachers here. new terraces there
adding box seats and flower gardens
and stables.
All this, of course, has cost
great deal of money.
The Colonel toted that up, too.
"In the last 10 years, about
hundred thousand a year" Befor
that he couldn't estimate. "Abou
a million in the last 10 years D..
on a plant that cost 100000.
There's no rear-view mirror o.
this Kentucky Colonel's thinkin
cap.
AS you talk to him you thin
suddenly that here is man VIII
probably is worrying already abou
where he's going to put every on
who wants to see the Tooth Derby
in 1874.
A 20O-Pound Healthy Specimen.
You know he won't be there, bu
YOU nave to dc that with arith
metic, because he certainly appear
as If he'd make it.
He weighs about 200 pounds ant
smilingly acknowledges that SOM
of that has been added in recen
years.
His eyes are clear. He had SOM
bi-focals made a few years ago, bu
said he couldn't get used to tn
things" So he wears glasses onl,
for close reading.
His health?
Ruddy still is the word for hi
complexion.
The Colonel seemed a little sur
prised to hear the question.
"Why-good, I guess" he said
"I haven't spent 5000 for doctors il
the last 80 years.
"A few years ago I found m,
blood pressure was getting littl
high. So I don't climb steps like
used to.
"I still eat, I still drink and
still smoke" He laughed. Il gues
I do smoke more of these than
should" a cigar.
Another concession to mounting
blood pressure is lighter lunch
usually just a sandwich and drink
But hearty breakfasts and dinners
Country ham aplenty.