Access to tickets very limited for Kentucky Derby and Oaks days

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With no fans being allowed to attend Churchill Downs this week because of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been fervent interest in exactly who is being allowed to attend the Oaks and Derby.

The basic breakdown for those connected to an Oaks or Derby horse is this: owner, 16 tickets; trainer, six tickets; jockey, two tickets. The tickets are good only for the day of the race in which the horse is competing, and tickets can be given to whomever the owner/trainer/jockey wishes. All ticket recipients must be registered in a central database being maintained by the track.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Employees of the track and from the backstretch also are being granted access, along with other “essential” personnel and invited media. Seating arrangements have been designed throughout the spacious Churchill plant so as to maximize social distancing.

Owners and trainers with horses in undercard stakes on Derby or Oaks days are being allotted four tickets each. Numerous other stipulations apply.

The barring of fans obviously will disrupt streaks by some who have attended the Derby for many years, including local racegoer Bob Weihe, whose 73-year streak apparently will end Saturday – unless someone gets him in – and whose story of regret was printed last weekend in The Washington Post. Weihe’s first Derby was the 1947 running won by Jet Pilot.

Weihe told the Post that after Churchill announced Aug. 21 that no fans could attend that he felt “kind of disappointed.”

“I felt, for myself, disappointed, but I felt disappointed for everybody,” he said.

◗ In an effort to attract bigger fields during the Derby week portion of the 14-day September meet, Churchill racing officials have raised purses for certain races.

For instance, an allowance that will be worth as much as $79,000 during the second half of this split meet (Sept. 17-27) is worth as much as $103,000 this week (including bonuses for registered Kentucky-breds). Maiden specials worth $75,000 in the second half go for $97,000 this week.