How to do the Derby, whether at Churchill, Keeneland, at home or on your phone
Why do we make such a fuss over a sporting event that takes two minutes to complete?
Because there’s nothing else quite like it.
Months of preparation and a full week of pageantry reduce to 20 horses and the commonwealth’s annual moment of truth at 6:57 p.m. Saturday.
That’s when the Kentucky Derby will be run at Churchill Downs in Louisville for the 149th time — the longest-running continuous sporting event in our nation.
We’ve been doing this every year since 1875, only 10 years after the end of America’s Civil War.
That’s 148 years in a row without a break — not for rain, not for snow, not for war, labor strife, disease or any of the multitude of other reasons that have sidetracked other sports traditions at one point or another.
The occasion of the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday will once again attract more than 150,000 revelers to the renowned racetrack.
In addition to what’s expected in Louisville, fans will be celebrating at Keeneland in Lexington as well.
Visitors will have access to more than 1,000 TVs, wagering, food and drink, children’s activities and live music.
Visit Keeneland.com for additional operating procedures and wagering instructions on Derby Day.
Derby Day logistics
What you need to know, whether you’re heading to Churchill Downs, staying in Lexington or watching on TV:
IF YOU GO TO THE DOWNS
General admission: $82 (gets you in the infield). Reserved grandstand and bleacher seating are available at higher prices at Ticketmaster.com. Capacity is no longer limited because of COVID-19.
Gates open: 9 a.m.
First post time: 10:30 a.m.
Derby post time: 6:57 p.m. (12th race)
Weather forecast: Chance of a few showers early in the day, giving way to cloudy skies by afternoon. High of 71. At Derby post time, look for cloudy skies and 69 degrees.
Parking: If your ticket includes reserved parking, check the color on your hang tag to find your specific lot. If your ticket does not include reserved parking, you have two options: Park at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium ($40 for cars and trucks) and walk to Churchill Downs or park in one of the neighborhoods near the track.
What you can bring: Amid a weather forecast calling for warming temperatures, it’s important to note that visitors are allowed to bring in bottled water — limit of two 24-ounce unopened plastic bottles per person. Each guest is permitted one bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches. Be sure yours includes sunscreen, even though the forecast calls for clouds. Banned items of note include coolers, backpacks, umbrellas, alcoholic beverages, tents, selfie sticks, thermoses and pets (except service animals). Visit KentuckyDerby.com to view a complete list of items that are permitted or banned.
The crowd: The two biggest crowds in Derby history attended recently — 170,513 in 2015 and 167,227 in 2016. Now that the pandemic capacity limits of 2020 and 2021 have been retired, there’s no telling how vast a sea of people will descend on the Downs if the weather holds up. A crowd of 147,294 witnessed last year’s race.
The national anthem: Singer-songwriter Carly Pearce of Taylor Mill, Kentucky, will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” shortly after 5 p.m. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs will make the annual “Riders Up” command for Kentucky Derby jockeys to mount their horses.
Broadcast coverage
TV: WLEX-18 (8 a.m.-noon); NBC (noon-7:30 p.m.), Universo (6:30-7:30 p.m.). Note: FS2 and FanDuel TV will also provide horse racing coverage at various points throughout the day.
Streaming: Peacock (Noon-8 p.m.)
Radio: Pre-race coverage, undercard races and live race coverage available on Sirius XM Channel 85.
TVG: Coverage throughout the day
Online coverage
Twitter: Follow our main Herald-Leader accounts: @HeraldLeader and @KentuckySports. Additionally, follow our entire reporting team: John Clay (@johnclayiv), Ben Roberts (@BenRobertsHL), Mark Story (@markcstory), Cameron Drummond (@cdrummond97), Caroline Makauskas (@cmakauskas), Taylor Six (@TaylorSixHL), Monica Kast (@monica_kast), Andrew Henderson (@andrwfhenderson), Silas Walker (@sigh_las) and Ryan Hermens (@ryanhermens).
Facebook: Kentucky.com and KentuckySports.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/kentuckycom
NBC Sports: Live stream available at nbcsports.com/live in addition to the Peacock app.
Local wagering locations
KEENELAND
4201 Versailles Road, Lexington
General admission: $7 in advance, $10 race day, free for ages 12 and under. Tickets must be purchased in advance and do not include reserved grandstand areas.
Drive-through opens: 7:30 a.m.
Gates open: 10 a.m.
Grandstand mutuel windows open: 10 a.m.
Activities: Live music, food, drink specials
Information: (859) 254-3412; www.keeneland.com
RED MILE
1200 Red Mile Road, Lexington
Clubhouse opens: 11:30 a.m.
Information: (859) 255-0752; RedMileKy.com
ONLINE BETTING
All three of these services are similar, so personal taste and comfort level with the various features will probably be the biggest factor when deciding which to use:
▪ TwinSpires is billed as the “official online wagering home of the Kentucky Derby.” You can sign up by visiting Twinspires.com on your computer or searching for TwinSpires in the app store on your smartphone.
▪ Cable television station FanDuel TV also has a website and smartphone app that facilitates wagering. Sign up at FanDuel.com or search for FanDuel in the app store.
▪ Another good option is Keeneland Select, which is affiliated with the legendary Lexington racetrack. Sign up at Keeneland.com/select or search for Keeneland Select in the app store.
