Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, tapped TruGreen to care for the 37 acres of turf at its facility.

Located in Louisville, Ky., Churchill Downs Racetrack holds Thoroughbred horse racing events three times a year—spring, September and fall. The racetrack spans 147 acres and features a one-mile dirt racetrack and a seven-furlong (7/8 mile) turf course for racing.

“One of the most high-profile areas we assist with is the turf track that sits right inside the dirt track,” said Mark Rollman, region commercial sales manager of the Indiana region, which also encompasses Central Illinois and Kentucky. “Churchill Downs typically runs two to three races per race day on the turf surfaces throughout the year.”

The turf at Churchill Downs is a combination of Kentucky Bluegrass and Kentucky 31 fescue, which has blended with other grasses like tall fescue over the years, Rollman said.

“We also treat the famous turf at Aristides Garden and in the Paddock, where the horses are saddled just before the Kentucky Derby and other major races,” he said. “Our team helps maintain the high-profile turf inside and outside the facility and provides vegetation control in the parking lots/cracks and crevices.”

The Kentucky Derby, which will be held May 6, is America’s oldest continuously-held sports event. The track opened in 1875, the same year of the first Kentucky Derby.

“Our team shares TruGreen’s values of first-class customer service and a strong history of giving back to its community, and Churchill Downs is excited about the opportunities with the Churchill Downs Racetrack and TruGreen partnership,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “Many of the world’s greatest and most accomplished grass stars have raced over that course and it is an important part of racing on Derby Day and every day at Churchill Downs.”