What does downs mean when referring to horse racing?

Question

What does downs mean when referring to horse racing?

Answer 1

The downs are where horses are galloped or exercised

Answer 2

downs is were the horse is exercised or gallopped

Answer 3

ginoguar gets my vote-basically any grassy area where horses are exercised.

Answer 4

A downs is a grassy area, it's an English term.  So racecourses are sometimes called downs...Churchill Downs, Scioto Downs, etc.

Answer 5

Downs is an old English term refering to rolling hilly countyside, ie South Downs. The term Downs has been adopted by several American racecourses, ie Churchill Downs.