Derby Tickets

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by Storm Cadet

I was just at Churchill Downs on Wednesday taking a tour.

I asked them about tickets and they said there are NO seat tickets available. There are race day general admission tickets for $40 but that is standing only either in the infield or the grandstand/paddock area.

Now the bad news, they go on sale at 8AM, no limit to tickets sold, no folding seats allowed in grandstand/paddock area. So if you go that route, your standing till 6 PM Derby.

I went on the site that ATRAB advertises, very, very pricey for DERBY tickets.

Good luck!

you have to put in ticket requests pretty much the day afer the derby is run...then i believe it's a lotto type system for the regular people...I'm sure the method is different for the top floor types.

[Storm Cadet]

The lottery for seat tickets is ONLY for Twin Spires members. I checked that angle also! The more points you acquire through Twin Spires, the better your chances for winning the lottery for tickets.

..

Churchill has a new plan in place this year, even for grandstand seats, which are bleacher seats. You have to pay up front, around $1,000 for the right to purchase the seats that you want for a period of 5 years. You pay this upfront figure for the privlege of having those seats available to you for 5 years. Reserved. This is in addition to the annual costs of the seats, which in grandstand areas, I believe are now $168.00 per seat-between the 1/8th and 16th poles. Not positive about that exact figure. But close. Now, if you want a box, you pay something like $50K for the "license to sit" as I term it, plus the price of each seat in the box.

This pricing plan was just instituted a few weeks ago. Churchill is at a point that it is reliant on 2 days of racing for their profit line for the year--Oaks and Derby Day. They will do whatever it takes to meet that, obviously.

And this will deter people that have been going for many, many years. People have already spoken to this effect.

Its a shame. Its still just one day in the calendar year of racing, though its one that we all enjoy, greatly.

****I had to edit: my figure was wrong.

[Storm Cadet]

The people at my Hilton Hotel in Louisville said the best thing is go to KEENELAND on Derby day. People get all dressed up, nicer facilities, great food, smaller crowds. Not the same, but sure beats paying big bucks for 2 minutes of racing.

Originally Posted by Storm Cadet

The people at my Hilton Hotel in Louisville said the best thing is go to KEENELAND on Derby day. People get all dressed up, nicer facilities, great food, smaller crowds. Not the same, but sure beats paying big bucks for 2 minutes of racing.

It is a wonderful day at Keeneland, I've done this...many times.

One doesn't have the traffic nightmare either.

[ddthetide]

Originally Posted by Storm Cadet

The people at my Hilton Hotel in Louisville said the best thing is go to KEENELAND on Derby day. People get all dressed up, nicer facilities, great food, smaller crowds. Not the same, but sure beats paying big bucks for 2 minutes of racing.

wife and i did this 2years ago. the buffet is awesome ! plenty of tellers it was a great time !