Everything You Need to Know for the Kentucky Derby

Real tips for making the most of the Derby Day

The lowdown on Churchill Downs: everything you need to know for doing the Kentucky Derby. We’ve covered Derby week, getting tickets, and affordable lodging. Now it’s time for the insider tips on getting to the track and maneuvering around 160,000 people to have a great Derby. It’s a longer post, but if you plan on heading there, I promise it’s worth it.

(Heads up: there are a few affiliate links for staying dry during a rainy Derby. You know how it goes: at no cost to you a purchase from the link gives me a small commission. These were absolutely things I did but, regardless, transparency matters.)

Getting to Churchill Downs

If you bought a package pass directly then you will get a parking pass. Unless you have expensive seats, that pass will park you near the track and then free shuttles will take you there and back. The early you arrive and park, the shorter the shuttle line. Formal taxis have a close stand near the track. Uber and Lyft are supposed to drop you off at Louisville’s Cardinals Stadium but many will drive you through the side streets as close as possible. Last but not least, many savvy homeowners near the stadium will let you park on their yards and drives for a fee and also sell water, flip flops and BBQ. Buy the flips or bring your flats, it’s a walk from any drop off point.

Hang on to your tickets until you get your wristband

You made it in! Once you show your tickets at the outer gates HANG ON TO THEM. You will need to show them again at the entrance to your section. There they will give you a color coordinated wrist band. This will be checked throughout the day. You’re not getting in to other sections as long as they are at the doors, no matter how young and drunk and clever you think you are (observed fails all day long.) The only GA space is the infield. (After the Derby race all bets are off. There are still two more races of the day and if you hang around, the door guards leave and you can sit wherever you want.)

Deciding if the infield is right for you

The infield is something to see if you’re interested in people watching. It has food, port-a-potties, and an endless sea of drunken high-schoolers, college-age adults, and tourists that thought they might just drop in on the Derby. If you have any interest in actually seeing a race, don’t settle for the infield. The track is rimmed with high dollar tents and viewing areas so you won’t see much. If you didn’t pay $50 for an infield ticket you can still head out to the only GA section at the Downs for some fantastic people watching. Just watch out for vomit puddles and the inevitable fight between young men dressed in bright pastels.

Cash is king

Most places still do not accept credit cards and that goes for everything from the betting windows to the food and drinks. The souvenir stands accept plastic and a few of the fancy beverage stands did at the last race. The fastest way to get drinks is from the sellers walking through the stands and you’ll need cash in hand. ATMs are available, but the lines get long, so it’s best to come prepared. Racing programs are great to know what is going on and are a cheap great souvenir. But again, cash only. (Bonus tip, Bring some sharpies too! They write better on the glossy programs than regular pens.)

Derby’s famous drinks and how to get them

Talking about the Mint Julep and Oaks Lily. The traditional Mint Julep, made of simple sugar, water, bourbon, and mint sprigs, has been holding down Churchill for almost 100 years. Even though it’s polarizing, the Julep still manages to sell 120,000 a year, using 10,000 bottles of premix and 1,000 pounds of mint! I’m a bourbon fan so I find the whole thing quite tasty. The Oak Lily is your more classic vodka, triple sec, sweet and sour, and cranberry juice. It’s the “Oaks” drink for Friday but they sell both drinks both days. Each sell for about $12 at last writing and come in glass collector cups.  If you want to keep some cups, bring a plastic bags or keep some space in your purse. Expect to hear glass shattering throughout the day and “mazel tov!”

Protect your feet

As you can guess from above, by the end of the day there will be trash and broken glass (from collector cups) everywhere. Churchill Downs tries to keep up, and they do for awhile, but there are A LOT of people. Again, I strongly recommend that women bring some flats for the long walks in and out. When your heels are killing you, bare feet is a bad idea. For goodness sakes, if you listen to nothing else, please, please, please, keep your shoes on.

Bathroom survival guide

This is definitely a need to know for the Kentucky Derby: bathrooms. The Derby bathroom situation is truly amazing. Again, workers do the best they can to keep up but it’s a Sisyphean task. Hubs commented that later in the day at the last Derby half of the men’s bathroom was used by women wondering why the floor was soaked in urine. Cleanliness in women’s bathrooms tends to fare better, but the lines can be formidable (surprise, surprise.) If you are using the main level (aka you don’t have truly expensive seats) DO NOT go to the women’s restroom that is right next to the line to the infield tunnel. The lines intermingle and it is utter madness. Head a few sections further down to the restroom in the 126 area. There is hardly ever a line there.

Men, your lines are shorter and more likely to be crashed by the women. And apparently pee is everywhere.  Sometimes restrooms are closed temporarily if someone needs medical attention for over-imbibing. Complaining about all of this to the workers won’t change it; adjust expectations and relax.

Navigating the infield tunnel lines and traffic

Whether or not you are going to be in the infield, the flow of traffic through the tunnels will impact you and your attempts to do anything else. There are two, big tunnels going underneath the track in the main area of bleachers to usher people in and out of the infield (ideally one for each direction.) The lines to get in and out of the tunnel become insane later in the afternoon of Derby Day. The exiting tunnel crowd crashes into more people on each side and stops moving so both sides back up both directions.

If you’re not trying to go into the tunnel, take a wide berth around the area so you’re not trying to cross traffic 20 people wide. Watching the infield tunnel however, as we were able to do this year, is hilarious. Another set of tunnels helps those in the know in the infield get directly in and out of Churchill Downs to avoid the stadium seat traffic.

Get out to the paddock

It is easy to get complacent and just stay in your seating area for most of the day. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There are, however, a lot of interesting things to see during Derby and the paddock is worth a visit. This is where the grooms walk the horses before each race and the jockeys saddle up. It’s a fun tradition and the closest you will get to the horses. Go early before each race, directly after the last one finishes. This area quickly fills and then you’re looking at the back of people’s heads.

Plan for the weather

The first weekend in May might be sunny (bring sunscreen). But it’s just as likely to be cold and even rainy. The last year I went it rained for 8 hours straight. Literally. Churchill Downs does not allow umbrellas. Even if you snuck one in, the crowd would riot. It simply isn’t done. If rain is even remotely forecast, bring ponchos, lots of ponchos, and buy them ahead of time. The 97 cent poncho at Walmart is just as good as the $5 one sold at the track. Ponchos for you, for your bags, for your legs, to cover your seat. Ponchos, ponchos, ponchos. I even saw some clever people that had Ziploc baggies for their phones and racing programs. (I rued not having one when my phone told me its USB was wet and it was seriously considering saying goodbye.)

I invested in a cheap hat cover this year) and was very grateful I did. Not only did it protect my hat, but it allowed me to leave my now waterproof hat on, and the big brim kept my head and neck dry. All I had to do was periodically look down and dump all the water off.

Be mindful of what shoes you are wearing if rain is predicted. As we found out and as you can see, Churchill does not drain well if there is a lot of rain or a sudden downpour. Many a feet were soaked through. Some great shoes were ruined. Some of the most clever people, especially the ones heading to the infield, just said screw it and wore festive rubber boots.

Bringing your own food into Derby

If you want to save money, this Kentucky Derby tip is a must know. There are many food options and the range from standard concessions to slightly better grill fare. BUT, you can bring your own food into Churchill. There is a limit on the size of the bag and it needs to be clear, but you can bring lots of food to picnic your own meals. Do. You will save a fortune. They do forbid opened soda and water containers and all alcohol. Attempt forbidden items at your own risk as the intensity of bag checks vary.

Don’t wait too late bet on the Derby

Betting closes down for every race when all horses are loaded into the gate. If you wait to head to the betting windows until ten minutes before the race to place a bet you likely will miss the bet and you might miss the start of the race. There are at least 30 minutes between smaller races and an hour and a half break before the Derby race. Go a bit earlier, hang on to your ticket, cross your fingers, and enjoy the race!

Getting out of Churchill Downs

Here’s the tricky part. The famous race is actually the third to the last race. The VAST majority of the crowd will empty out after it, choking the streets, filling shuttles, and creating bottlenecks at taxi and Uber pick up points. In the wild west days before Uber people would party at nearby gas stations while waiting for random drivers. Your best bet is to WAIT and stay for the last two races, letting things clear out a bit. Then head out. Stopping somewhere nearby for some food or a drink is also an excellent idea; crowds will continue to disperse and the Uber inflated prices drop. Walking a bit off the main path to make it easier for an Uber to reach you also gets a shorter wait and all of these can save you up to $40 in fare.

This is a real look at Derby but don’t let it deter you; every piece of this makes it the spectacle it is. The Kentucky Derby truly is a bucket list event, and if you know these things in mind, you’ll spend more time doing what you want for the day. You’ll still find yourself in lines and when that happens, just try to relax. You’re at the historic Kentucky Derby, under the iconic twin spires. Enjoy.

(Down and Derby: get more tips on and introduction to derby, getting tickets, lodging, what to wear, and navigating the big day in the rest of the Down and Derby series.)