With masks often on chins, Derby crowd comes back smaller, subdued but a bit of normal

It is around 10 strides from the Paddock Gate at Churchill Downs to the first program booth. On Saturday, thousands of masked people strode through that gate as the crowd returned to the Kentucky Derby for the first time since 2019.

By stride three, their masks were often at their chins. By stride five, the earloop was unhooked. By the program booth, smiles were on full display.

The mask was the newest fashion accessory — and biggest change — at this year’s slightly subdued Derby. They were bedazzled and floral, matched dresses and fascinators, came home-made and hospital-borrowed. They protected chins and dangled from ears, shading necks from the sun.

Mostly they were nowhere to be found.

They came off so people could do all of the usual Derby activities — sip on a mint julep, chomp on a cigar, pose for photos.

Staffers held signs pleading with people to wear masks but, particularly outside, the rule was haphazardly enforced. One staffer said some people just refused to listen and attendees in the infield joked that the “mask police” were outnumbered.

Matt Conahan, 30, from Nashville, said he was happy there weren’t too many masks in the infield.

“I love that things are opening up,” he said.

Still, things were a little more closed off than usual in the infield. This year a chain link fence prevented people who purchased general admission tickets from going through the tunnel to the rest of the track, where lines formed for a buffet and vendors hawked free beer and mint juleps — part of the all-inclusive package for people who sprang for a seat to watch the race.

Those in the infield made due. One person snuck in bourbon via a burrito (this newspaper refuses to spoil exactly how they did it).

Bobbie Ramsey and Jeff Van Pelt, both 59 and from Louisville, had a small table set up next to their lawn chairs where they watched the early races of the day. They had a full spread of food laid out and had purchased a $15 mint julep.

Van Pelt, who said it was his fifth Derby, liked the reduced capacity in the infield, saying he felt like this year it was a little calmer and that more people were dressed for the event. Both are vaccinated, but Ramsey made custom “KY Derby” masks for the occasion.

It didn’t stay calm. As the day wore on the Churchill Downs infield showed flashes of pre-pandemic activity. College students crowded in, drank beers, stumbled drunk and kicked souvenir cups as if they were footballs. Mask-wearing got less frequent as the area got more crowded.

Columbus, Oh., resident Paul Johnson said he felt comfortable without people wearing masks at his first Kentucky Derby.

“I’ve got my vaccine, so I feel good,” he said. He added that he enjoyed the derby but wasn’t sure how he’d feel about it at full capacity.

In Garey Faulkner’s case, a mask would have covered up his beard, which was dyed red and braided. He’s been growing the beard for 11 years, but stayed up making his until 2 a.m. making his hat, a 20 pound top hat adorned with the front half of a toy horse with a rose in its mouth and small hat of its own.

Campy costumes are a familiar Derby tradition, but even they came with a twist. One man walked around dressed as a COVID-19 virus with a hat that said “vaccinated.”

Louisville native Lewis Grant sat shirtless in the infield Saturday afternoon, wearing a hula skirt and a tiki hat as he smoked cigarettes and took photos with cops who loved his outfit.

Grant had been to the Kentucky Derby 19 times before COVID-19 prevented fans from attending last year. It was “good to be back” for his 20th time.

“It just wasn’t the same,” he said. “It kind of gives us a sense of normalcy.”

The tiki costume was part of the “normalcy” for Grant. He dresses up for the Derby every year. In previous years, he dressed up as a pirate, Fred Flinstone and “the world’s largest leprechaun.”

Long-standing Derby goers went to great lengths to return to Churchill Downs this year after missing last year. For Iowa resident Rusty Schackleford, getting to Louisville meant canceling a flight last-minute and driving nine hours to Louisville because his wife’s hat for Oaks Day was too big to fit in the overhead compartment of a plane.

This was Schackleford’s ninth derby. Compared to the previous eight, it was the “same thing, less people.”

“I probably like it this way better,” he said. He was happy with the all-inclusive style this year, which allowed him to get his drinks without having to hand over cards and cash all day.

Also inclusive — photos on the red carpet. Churchill scrapped the traditional red carpet this year, using it as another site for photo ops. Coming off of the red carpet, Kathy and David Asbery of Mt. Vernon, Ill., said it was their first Derby — they were supposed to come last year — and that they were wowed by the “Kentucky hospitality.”

It was a sentiment shared by many.

“It’s awesome that Derby is back on the first Saturday in May,” Ramsey said. “And it’s a perfect day.”