One of the cool things that people can do that is actually related to the Kentucky Derby is watch the horses work out early in the mornings. Many locals will go out before they go to work to get a glimpse of the horses they will otherwise only see on TV Saturday. This event is known as Dawn at the Downs.
For the price of your good looks and $10 for parking, visitors can get right up to the rail and watch the practices, the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the race. Churchill Downs also hosts a breakfast buffet on Millionaires Row, or the 4th floor suites on Tuesday and Wednesday. For an additional fee, you can get access to limited seats to enjoy the breakfast, listen to a guest speaker let you know what’s happening on the track and of course watch some of the Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses work out.
Other horses work out before and after the Oaks and Derby contenders who have a 15 minute window.
Horses may just walk around the track, they may take a light jog around the track or they may have a full-out workout.
Now that you now what Dawn at the Downs is, this morning was one of our two planned trips to the morning workouts. Today, we purchased the buffet and at least for a couple of hours, we were treated like millionaires. Four women from Louisville were also sitting at our table along with my wife and mother-in-law.
After the breakfast was over, it was time to head outside and watch the Derby contenders work out. Some of the fillies working out to prepare for the Kentucky Oaks (the Oaks is a girls only race) included:
- Rosalind
- My Miss Sophia
- Sugar Shock
And the horses running at the Kentucky Derby included:
- Candy Boy
- Uncle Sigh
- Ride on Curlin
- Commanding Curve
- Big Bazinga
- Wildcat Red
- Wicked Strong
Tomorrow we return, skipping the breakfast to just go watch the horses work out (and take photos of course) before we head to the river for our race — The Great Steamboat Race.