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Horse racing is in the spotlight today, with two very different events. One is the premier thoroughbred race — the Kentucky Derby — dating to 1875. Some 135-thousand people are expected to jam the stands at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, for the Run for the Roses. In Virginia, in the town called The Plains, some 50-thousand fans of steeplechase racing will flock to Great Meadow for the Virginia Gold Cup. This is a severe challenge for both horse and rider, with 23 jumps along a four-mile course. Close to 38-million people attend horse races each year, betting a total of about 16-billion dollars on their favorites. Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, celebrating a century of providing the facts America needs.

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