Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Colonel Martin J.
"Matt" Winn (June 30, 1861 - October 6, 1949) was a prominent
personality in American thoroughbred horse racing history and president
of Churchill Downs racetrack, home to the Kentucky Derby race that he
made famous. A Louisville, Kentucky, businessman, Matt Winn had been a
racing enthusiast since the day his father brought him to see the first
running of the Kentucky Derby in 1875. In 1902, when the Churchill Downs
racing facility was in serious financial trouble and in danger of
closing, Winn formed a syndicate of local investors to take over the
operation. A skilled marketer, in his first year running the racetrack,
his renovations to the clubhouse and promotions for the event saw the
business make its first-ever annual profit. A few years later, Winn
changed the wagering from bookmaker betting to a Parimutuel betting
system and in 1911 increased business substantially when he reduced the
wager ticket from $5 to $2.
