Run Of Show

The Derby Experience, whether you have been 20 years in a row or this is your first excursion through Millionaire’s Row, has a variance of activities! A new friend of mine has attended each year with his buddies and was kind enough to give insight about his annual trip. Take this into account for your trip this year…

1. At about 8am, drive from the Holiday Inn in La Grange, Kentucky to Churchill Downs
2. Look for the best parking spot, in front of the oldest house on 3rd Street
3. Arrive to the Downs and grab an Official Program and beer #1
4. Make a loop around the infield and brush by the paddock to see what’s going on before the horses hit the track
5. Check out the vendors and booths set up in the infield from authentic cigars to Mrs. Johnson’s little league baseball fundraising booth
6. About three races before the Kentucky Derby Classic, have picks ready to place a wager
7. Wait in line and place a wager while the guy in front of me frantically tries to decide
8. Enjoy the Classic by the fence in the Infield
9. Place wagers for the last two races as everyone else is leaving the infield for the bars
10. Watch the 165,000 clear out after the race
11. Head up to 4th Street Live after
12. Hit the pillow at 10pm because it’s been a long, great day!

Another great story for you to get an idea (borrowed from Justin Dew’s Blog):

Here’s my story. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
In May of 2006, a friend of mine from work took me to my first Kentucky Oaks. He knows some people on the backside* and he goes there often. It was a beautiful day and it was exciting seeing all the horses, trainers and media personalities up close and live.
I came prepared.
I brought lots of money, my derby hat (a baseball cap with Derby pins all over it that I’ve collected for 19 years) and a magic marker – It was going to get me lots of autographs.
Now keep in mind, back then I’m 53 going on 54, but I was like a kid in a candy store seeing all the sights, sounds and smells of the Churchill Downs backside.
The first trainers autograph I got was Michael Matz who was running a very good turf horse named Barbaro.
When I spotted Matz, he was about a half furlong** away and I saw he was in a hurry to get somewhere as he was moving at a very brisk pace across the backside.
I took off in a sprint and I ran him down, though, driving. When the dust cleared I asked Matz for his autograph. He smiled that big ear-to-ear smile you’ve seen on television and said he’d be happy to sign my baseball cap. As he was signing my cap a van full of people pulled up and they all jumped out and wanted an autograph too. I felt kind of bad about delaying Mr. Matz but he stood there smiling, signing autographs and talking with the other people…
Sincerely,
Calvin Carter

Other ways you can add to your experience off the grounds of the Downs:
Check out the Kentucky Derby Festival activities, 4th Street Live, Louisville Bats baseball, Louisville Slugger Museum, Muhammed Ali Center, Historic La Grange, Speed Art Museum, Planetarium, Heine Brothers, and more.

*The Backside is the area across the Churchill Downs track from the grand stand where horses are held in stables and media can broadcast the event.
**A Furlong is the unit of length equal to 220 yards.