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"AND THEY'RE OFF" - OUR TRIP TO THE 135TH ANNUAL KENTUCKY DERBY
By: Teresa Parrish
When you think about the Kentucky Derby, what first pops into your mind? Horse racing, beautifully designed, one-of-a-kind hats, Mint Juleps? These are just a few of the things that make Derby day so popular at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
My daughter, Samantha, and I were lucky enough (or so we thought) to get tickets to this once in a lifetime event on May 2. Our tickets were for General Admission, which includes the Infield, the paddock and betting windows. However, due to the amount of people, getting around is not easy. We tried to get to the paddock to see the horses, but it was impossible. The best part of the day was seeing all the unique hats. Our favorites were the hand made ones. The worse part, however, was there is no where you can see the track, let alone watch the race, unless you are willing to pay an additional $150 for an Infield Club ticket, where you can watch it on the big screen.
People had actually warned us, too that the Infield was pretty WILD. This was an understatement. The Infield is definitely not a place for families. It’s amazing to me that such a traditionally, up-scale event can be so trashy. One would think that after all these years the management at Churchill Downs would have come up with a better way to offer the Infield as a less-expensive choice for people to enjoy the races on Derby day. Unfortunately, it seems they actually embrace the craziness.
Being there became quite frustrating. My daughter is a horse enthusiast and it has been her dream to see the Kentucky Derby LIVE. I was so excited to surprise her with the tickets and it broke my heart to see the disappointment build up on her face throughout the day. Finally, she asked if we could go back to our hotel because she actually wanted to “watch” the Derby. We did, and ironically, we were not the only one’s doing that.
Good news though, our trip was not a total loss. We decided to go back to Churchill Downs the next morning to see those areas we missed. The clean up crews were already in force, and thanks to Kenny, the Facilities Supervisor, we got to experience what we wanted. We were able to see the paddock then actually walk the brick path down to track just like ‘Mine that Bird’ did the evening before becoming the winner of the 135th Kentucky Derby. It was quite a surreal moment to have that privately to ourselves.
Churchill Downs really is a beautiful place. It’s so rich in history and tradition that it’s worth the trip, if you’re ever in Louisville. Here are a couple of things to remember: 1) If you want to SEE the Derby – BUY A SEAT. Yes, the tickets are expensive and hard to get. Most likely you will have to go through a broker and pay even more for it. But, if you want to see the race live, this is the way. 2) Don’t pay ‘scalper’ prices for General Admission; it’s always $40 per ticket. But, you don’t need to have a ticket, you can actually pay $40 in cash to walk in the gate the day of the Derby.
Samantha and I are chalking this up to a learning experience and it’s never a loss to spend quality time with one of your children.