Has anyone ever been on the infield at the Kentucky Derby? I want to go and I hear it's a blast?

Question

Has anyone ever been on the infield at the Kentucky Derby? I want to go and I hear it's a blast?

Answer 1

I was there in 2004! It rained cats and dogs and I had a blast of a time. It can get quite adventurous as well. In field people don't go for watching the race but to watch the horses and distribute beads. Familiarize yourself about the infield demeanor before you land there!

Answer 2

No, I haven't been there, and I have NO desire to go there at all, largely because of the horrendous way people act at that place. The infield is the site of an enormous amount of wild partying and lewd behavior, as well as a fair amount of criminal activity ( mostly, a lot of drug dealing, with some sexual assualts thrown in for flavor) and that's the last place I'd want to watch the race from. Churchill Downs has become notorious for allowing this kind of thing to happen- the infield at every other major track in the country is closed to the public, so you never see this kind of thing anywhere else. Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore has its paddock in the infield, and that alone prohibits the kind of trashy behavior one typically sees at Churchill from ever going on there.  There are good reasons why the infields elsewhere are closed most of the time- and one of these has to do with safety for all concerned, but especially for the horses and their riders. There have been cases where fans who were drunk or high have actually thrown things at the horses on the track at Churchill, so I am glad they prohibit the wild partying from happening anywhere else.  If ever get to go to the Derby, I will make sure I can see the race from the stands.  

Churchill Downs' infield is NOT my favorite place, that's for sure.

Answer 3

I went in 2005 and had a pretty good time despite some moron puking on me. I agree, everyone should go at least once!

Answer 4

been going for the last 7 years.  this past year it rained and it was still a blast. if you have any interest at all i recommend you try it at least once in your life. very memorable experience.

Answer 5

It's amazing. I went in 1997 and 2002-2006 (had to skip this year because I had a five month old). It's like Mardi Gras (b***s, beads, booze).

By far the most fun was 2004 (even though Smarty Jones won, and I despise that name with a passion, so stupid!!!)with the horrible downpour. A little lake formed in the infield and most of us were swimming in it. My friend and I even made it on Yahoo photos and ESPN swimming and dunking each other.

To the guy down there who said people have thrown things at the horses, I seriously doubt that. There is a fence the whole way around, a SWAT team in the infield, and a grassy area before the turf course even begins.  I don't see a drunk having that good of a pitching arm, nor the guts to do it with the SWAT teams in the infield.

Answer 6

I've been going to the Derby all of my life,  but never the infield.  If you want to actually watch the races, the infield is probably not the place to do it.  On the other hand, if you want to get drunk in public, roll in the mud and generally act a fool on a national stage, there's probably not a better place to do it.