Home of the Kentucky Derby

1. Front of stadium/1/3 of the whole
2. One of the historic steeples
3. Larry playing jockey
4. Larry at the starting gate





July 13, Sunday: We slept in this morning but woke to rain on our roof. Golfers were still teeing off. They are a hardy group here. We packed up and headed to Sheperdsville. Traveled on Hwy 62w actually a country road. We passed the Jim Beam Distillery the world's largest bourbon brewery. It is a very large plant in the middle of nowhere. Sheperdsville is about 35 miles from here. It is approximately 20 miles from Louisville. Very convenient without being right in the city. Set up and drove to Churchill Downs, the "Home of the Kentucky Derby".


I must say it is very impressive. There is something to be said about actually being in a place you have always heard about. We went through the museum. It is very hands on. Before we finished all the exhibits we were called to go on a tour of the grounds. The grounds are very large. Funny they don't show that on TV. Our guide said that on Derby Day it takes a hour to walk through the tunnel to get to the grandstands. It is about 200 yards. Took us 2 minutes!


For 2008 approximately 154,000 people attended the Derby. 100,000 of those are in the center of the track and cannot see the race. These tickets are about $182.00. Apparently, people just buy them to party hardy and say they have been to the Kentucky Derby. The grandstands tickets start at $300.00. But even if you wanted them there is a waiting list of 3 to 5 years. There are 150 betting windows that are only used on Derby Day the rest of the year they are closed. The other windows are in another area and they are used all racing season. Larry thought it was interesting that on Derby Day THE Kentucky Derby Race is the 10th race of the day. That means there are 9 races before and 2 after.


After our tour, we headed back inside to see the rest of the museum. Larry thought because of his size he would play jockey on a simulated race. However, sitting on a horse like a jockey he could not make it through the whole race. He said his upper thighs were killing him. Of course, he would of caught the lead horse if he didn't have to quit. Jo was the trainer and did not attempt the feat.


Very nicely done. Very interesting even for non-horse racing people like us.


Well, to bed because we signed up for a 7am tour of the backside of Churchill Downs. We get to see the stables and watch them exercise the houses.


Larry and Jo