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What is the meaning of the word "downs" in the name of most horse racing tracks, i.e. Churchill Downs?

Question #61183. Asked by Bully71.

Related Trivia Topics: Animals   World   Linguistics   Vocabulary   Name Game  
smeogalla
Answer has 2 votes
smeogalla
19 year member
59 replies

Answer has 2 votes.
my understanding is that 'downs' are a geographical feature, like plains and valleys etc....

Dec 22 2005, 8:13 PM
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satguru
Answer has 3 votes
Currently Best Answer
satguru
Moderator
21 year member
1245 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Correct, in Britain, in a contradictory way, downs are ranges of hills. It's actually related to the word 'dune', meaning an undulating feature of land, and is not related to the directional meaning of down.
Not sure why so many tracks in the US are called downs though, unless all named after Epsom Downs over here which is definitely up in the hills and has an incredible view.

Dec 22 2005, 8:21 PM
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