Contact Info
Below are the cell numbers of our staff on the grounds for your convenience:
Jeff Lifson: (502) 376-5158
Tom Bellhouse: (856) 655-8430
Erin Finley: (609) 238-1009
We recommend printing out this Facility Map to assist you in locating the places referenced in this document:
Ticketing
If you haven’t yet locked in ticketing for Oaks and/or Derby we suggest you act quickly.
Quint Events offers a number of different ticket packages for the Derby. To discuss the option, reach out to Loren Hebel-Osborne at lhosborne@quintevents.com or 704.790.2171
If you’re interested in buying tickets to some of the Derby week parties, including Fillies and Lilies and Taste of the Derby, etc. click here for more info.
Timeline:
Wednesday
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Post position draw 5-6 pm
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This event is held in Secretariat Lounge on 2nd floor of Clubhouse.
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If you’re in town on Wednesday, we highly recommend attending. The anticipation and the excitement in the air is pretty amazing.
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The event will be televised live nationally on NBC Sports Network.
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The Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw is a traditional “pill pull” where horses’ entry blanks are pulled simultaneously with a numbered pill to determine what stall a horse will break from in the starting gate.
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If attending, meet Jeff Lifson and Tom Bellhouse at the entrance to the Secretariat Lounge on the second floor of the clubhouse at 4:00 pm. We recommend entering the track through gate 17.
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Thursday
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Backstretch tour 7:30 am
- Meeting spot: The Longfield Lot (enter through Gate 10 then find section 14) at the end of the one mile chute (highlighted by red box). If you’re staring at the racetrack from the grandstand, this area is on your far right toward the backstretch.
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Farm visits in Lexington area
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Lunch at Wallace Station at 11:15 am
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3854 Old Frankfort Pike, Versailles KY
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Tour at Gainesway Farm at 12:00 pm
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3750 Paris Pike, Lexington, KY
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Tour at Darby Dan Farm at 2:30 pm
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3225 Old Frankfort Pike, Lexington, KY
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Many people attending indicated they prefer to use their own vehicle to attend the farm tours, so the plan is for everyone to meet at Wallace Station. If you need transportation, please let us know.
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Cocktails and appetizers with WPT team & Partners at Bluegrass Brewing Company 6:30-8:30 pm
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660 South 4th Street (502-668-2224)
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The Bluegrass Brewing Company is located on 4th Street across from Brown Hotel
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You’re welcome to bring friends, family, and colleagues as we all get pumped up and REALLY get Derby Fever.
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IMPORTANT: Follow the directions below to avoid being stuck in Pegasus Parade traffic:
From Lexington: Take I 64 downtown to 3rd Street exit, go southbound on 3rd and then make a right onto Mohammed Ali Boulevard and and then left on 4th street.
From the track: Take Central Avenue to I-65 N to Muhammad Ali Blvd exit westbound to 4th Street. Make a left on 4th Street.
Friday
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There are no backstretch tours planned for West Point Partners Kentucky Oaks Day.
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Gates open at 8:00 am, first post is around 10:30 am, and post time for the Oaks is 5:45 pm ET.
Saturday
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There are absolutely NO barn visits on Saturday. We ask Partners not to visit with horses on any raceday, but it’s particularly important the morning of the Kentucky Derby.
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Gates open at 8:00 am, first post is around 10:30 am, and post time for the Derby is 6:24 pm ET.
Sunday
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Backstretch tour 9:00am
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We invite you to come back and visit your horse after the Run for the Roses.
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Meeting location: Wagner's Parking Lot (located on the corner of Central and 4th near stable gate 5)
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Paddock/Winner’s Circle
The Kentucky Derby walkover is an amazing, emotional, experience. There’s also nothing like hearing the call for riders up in the paddock and seeing the jockey climb aboard YOUR horse. We will do everything we can to make this process as smooth as possible for you. Historically, access to the walkover is less strict than the paddock.
Paddock passes will be distributed in an equitable manner. We never get as many as we want, but will try until the last hour to get as many as we can.
Post time for the Kentucky Derby is 6:24 ET.
IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DERBY WALKOVER: Meet the WPT team OUTSIDE OF GATE 10 (designated by red box below) at 4:00 pm.
BEST PRACTICE: Ladies wishing to participate in the walkover…bring an extra pair of shoes….they will get dirty.
If you DO NOT wish to participate in the walkover, we’ll have a representative to meet you at the HORSEMAN’S SERVICE CENTER near gate 17 at 5:00 pm. This is located across from the glass doors leading out of the lobby at gate 17. If you’re looking at the paddock from the grandstand, the horseman’s service center is on your left hand side.
WHERE TO WATCH THE RACE: Our experience shows that it’s not viablefor the entire ownership group to watch the race together.
We recommend that if you’re in the paddock, you stay in the paddock to watch the race on the big screen.
The paddock empties out very slowly after the horses are saddled. If you’re dead set on watching the race from your seats, just know that it will likely take you the bulk of the post parade to get back to them.
You can also watch the race on ground level near the rail if you walk out of the paddock tunnel (will be very crowded).
Jeff Lifson will be leading a group that breaks off toward the end of the walkover and does not proceed to the paddock. This group will consist of those without paddock passes or those wishing to see the post parade and not have to hurry to their seats.
WINNER’S CIRCLE: If we get the job done, there will be a WPT representative at the rail at the end of the paddock tunnel to assist you in crossing over the racetrack to the infield. We recommend you stay as close as possible to this area. Here’s a photo of the tunnel leading from the paddock.
If we win, there is reception at the Kentucky Derby Museum after we get our picture taken. The museum is designated with a number 3 on this map.
Raceday Parking
Here’s a link to Oaks & Derby Parking and Transportation Information.
Ways to get to the track:
1. See if your hotel offers a shuttle to the track.
2. Drive your own car, pull up to a yard close to the racetrack, pay $15 or $20, and be on your way. This is a simple and time tested way of being close to the track.
3. Drive to Papa John’s Stadium or the Fair and Exposition Center. There will be shuttles from those places to the track. More info found by clicking the link above.
4. Take a taxi (could be tough to get one close to first post). The taxi drop off location is shown on the Parking and Transportation link.
Security
Click here for a list of modified security measures for the Oaks and Derby this year. It lists the items that are permitted for carry-in into the track.
Some things worth noting: No coolers, camcorders, cameras with detachable lenses, purses larger than 12” any dimension (especially important for ladies), briefcases, umbrellas (even if it rains).
Memorabilia
We are working to get hats and pins ordered for each horse. More to come.
Click here to order official KY Derby memorabilia.
Pink Out
The Kentucky Oaks is a “Pink Out” to support breast cancer awareness. Click here to learn more.
You can wear any color you want, as long as it’s pink! Plan on wearing a hat to Oaks and Derby, it’s tradition for the ladies. Men, don’t be afraid to to wear color! Here’s a link to the Kentucky Derby ties.
Other Things to Do While in Town
When: Thursday, May 1
Where: Downtown Louisville, on Broadway
First held in 1956, the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade is the oldest Kentucky Derby Festival event. With marching bands, decked-out floats, inflatables, horses and celebrities, it's an event for the whole family to enjoy.
2) Kentucky Derby Museum located at Churchill Downs — we highly recommend visiting the museum during Derby week (keep in mind it is not open Friday or Saturday). The video they show is magical.
3) 4th Street in Downtown Louisville — lots of restaurants, bars, and fun things to do. It’s the Louisville hotspot.
