Derby Tickets
 

Derby day this year is my 40th birthday. Spending this speicial day at a place and event, for the first timet, that I have always dreamed of would be ideal.
Any suggestions on how to get tickets for around 200-300 each (not in the in-field)?

Thanks John

Face value for most decent seats is more than that. I noticed that LeeAnn Shellman whose main duty was Derby tickets is suddenly no longer with CDI. Who the hell knows what this years ticket fiasco will be like.

It is possible I will have tickets available, I have to wait until they send out the application. Since I am a gold member for Twin Spires Club, I get first dibs on tickets so when I get the ticket application in the mail, we can talk.

Note that this year, Churchill Downs is making you purchase grandstand seats for BOTH the Oaks and the Derby, years past they allowed you to just get one of the days.

im doing the new infield barrier tix..with infield titty vision!!:tro: :D

I had to buy both last year.

Blackjacks Elgin

http://www.blackjacks.com/

They got a guy. A taste of the old world OTB BC.

When I was a young pup and going to Harper, I dated a girl that was working at Blackjacks, pretty comedy

Was she the bouncer?

when I was a pup, like 12 I remember chicken man getting chased out of Sylvia's (Jimmy D's) at gun point. That was comedy.

your story is better then mine :)

Best was as an adult he remembered me playing pinball and seeing nothing. LOL Doesn''t beat him bringing an ex heavy weight champ to Lou's bar and asking for a garbage bag to put on his seat to take hime home.

$200-300 for Derby seats? Good luck.

You can check eBay and Stub Hub starting in early April. With the economy in the tubes this year, I bet you can get Section 124-128 tickets on eBay for under $300 each.

I assume you are not interested in their new Infield Club, in which you can get Derby/Oaks tickets for $175 each (click on link below).
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2009/tickets/infield-club

I paid $120 for ours last year, we were at the 1/8th pole, perfect view of the break and the final turn and of the big screen to the left.

mine were right in front of the starting gate for $88 each derby day and $42 oaks day.

Another good place to look is Craigs list the week of or even the day of. We got great tickets for half price last year.

I think slotdirt is talking about trying to buy them from someone other then Churchill for $200-$300

If you're just deciding to go to the Derby now, your chances of paying face value for tickets are somewhere between slim and none unless you happen to know Cannon Shell.

Thanks, Habersham.

I know Cannon Shell and still think the chances are between slim and none.

I was half thinking of trying to get out to Louisville for the Derby this year as it fits in real well.

Can you see the track from the new infield club seats (without looking at the jumbotron)? Are there actaul seats in this sports club?

I would be interested in these tickets if I can see the track and there is some barrier from all the craziness. But, I don't know. I am a rookie. I don't know the trade-offs between all the ticket types. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

How did you buy your tickets

What is a decent seat? And, how much should I expect to pay? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Honestly? Any "seat" is decent enough at the 'Downs. I know some guys here swear by the infield, but I like to see some horse flesh when I roll to the track, though those guys probably see plenty of another variety of flesh. Ahem.

Anyway, I sit in Section 125, Row A, and love it. That seat will probably cost you in excess of $300 on stubhub or whatever rightnow.

I was sec 128 row F (6th row).

If you can't get tix for a price you can tolerate
 

You can go to Keeneland and watch the whole card simulcasted on the big screen. I know, not the same, but big crowd, similar atmoshere, much easier access to windows and pretty much a really great time for $3 admission. If you plan ahead there are party tents and upper scale buffet parties.

Unless I could get decent CD seats, I would do Keeneland without any remorse,

I/L

Before everyone flames me....
 

You need to go to The Derby at least once, even if it's the infield. There are semi-sane areas, but facilities get pretty gross and you can't just assume you can wait until 2 min to post and walk up and get a wager down. I went to the infield pre-9/11, so the terrorists may have made it tougher to bring in the essentials to survive for 8 hours with 100,000 close friends

I/l

us infielders have 35mph horse flesh fly by us around 10 feet away from our faces when they're on the turf. plus its a lot easier to curse out your least favorite jock when he f's you on the grass races.

To each is own though, i've swore i was gonna sit in seats one year, but the infield on derby day could be the greatest day of the year, EVERY YEAR... rain or shine

-bt-

How many do you need?

I like the 2nd Floor Grandstand (Sections 221-225) since they are elevated compared to the 1st Floor Grandstand and have their own betting lines (need a wristband for access), which are not as long as the betting lines in the first floor grandstand. However, I prefer the first 10 rows or so of the 2nd Floor Grandstand since the back rows have a ceiling over them (which is only good for shelter from the rain) which prevent you from seeing the track when the people in front of you stand up.

Note that the 1st and 2nd Floor Grandstands are bleacher seats with no seat backs.

But you would probably have to look hard (eBay, Stub Hub, Craig's List) to find 2nd Floor Grandstand seats under $300 each. However, I project weaker demand for Derby tickets this year due to the poor state of the economy and the Derby being what I would call a discretionary expenditure for most people. The last 2 years, the track has sold about 1,500 nicer seats at face value on a Saturday morning in April, where people have to line up at the track the night before to buy (the maximum that can be purchased is 2 per person)

For hotels near Churchill Downs, I am staying the next 2 weeks at the new Holiday Inn off of Crittenden Drive -- a very nice hotel and my room has a very comfortable king size bed and comes with a refrigerator and microwave. The only drawback is no free breakfast (but Cracker Barrel is just down the street).

This is what Hooves does every year and he swears by it, says it is awesome

I stay up in Indiana. The Ramada in Sellersburg (or is it Jeffersonville) does a pretty good deal with a two night minimum for a few hundred bones.

Agreed that the second floor grandstand is awesome - I saw there for the 2005 Derby - but those tickets are even harder to get than the first floor jobs.

Do you spend any time in Ireland? :D

I actually stayed at the Caesars Palace in Indiana last year, they comped me so it was too hard to pass up. It was actually nice, and really close, although the tables there were by far the coldest tables I have ever been apart of. I called the other day to see if I could get another comp and they were having NONE of it, $400 a night and that is a discount off someone regular for that weekend.....I have a hard time spending $400 a night for a hotel room, unless it comes with a stripper or three of them

That place sucks, they wont even let you have 25 comp drinks a night!

This is my third consecutive derby and I have been lucky enough to get tickets directly from Churchill Downs for the last two. My seats are on the rail and I wouldn't trade it for a seat in the place. (if it rains I might change my mind)

This year I learned a great trick regarding hotels...look to book your hotel literally the day after the Derby for the next year if you think you will be going. If you do this then the hotels don't have a chance to adjust their room rates. I am staying in Louisville this year for $89 a night, no minimum stay.

I've just filled out the form at the Ramada the day after the Derby every year since 2005. I also sit on the rail and LOVE it.

It can't hurt to call Churchill Downs Premium Seating at 502-636-4447 and see if they have any Section 122-128 PSLs still available for the 2009 Derby. Per the PSL brochure on the kentuckyderby.com website, the Section 122-128 seats with the PSL fee are under $300 each and they include the Oaks. If someone who had a PSL for the 2008 Derby did not renew their PSL, I would assume they would sell a 2009 PSL for the seats to someone else. I attached the link to the PSL brochure below.

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2009/si...l_brochure.pdf

:D