See how fans experienced the Kentucky Derby on a day they couldn’t go to the race
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2020 Kentucky Derby coverage
The Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com produced numerous stories, photos and videos out of Saturday’s 146th Kentucky Derby won by Bob Baffert trainee Authentic at Churchill Downs. Click below to read all of our coverage.
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For the second year in a row, the Thoroughbred racing industry’s marquee event will occupy a unique spot in the sport’s storied history.
Last year’s Kentucky Derby was odd enough, as Country House was declared the winner after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interference. In the aftermath of that result, few could have predicted that 2020 would see an even more surreal Run for the Roses, yet here we are.
The 146th Kentucky Derby was run at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday amid a bizarre atmosphere. Because of various circumstances — including the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and social unrest in the wake of the deaths of multiple Black citizens at the hands of police — fans were not allowed to attend. Instead of the typical swarm of some 150,000 spectators, Churchill hosted a small crowd of track personnel, media members and law enforcement officials.
Here’s a look at how some folks who couldn’t watch the race in person experienced Derby Day 2020, which wrapped up with an upset victory by Authentic:
TV and internet
The NBC TV presentation of the Kentucky Derby was reinvented to resemble much of the sports coverage we’ve seen in the wake of COVID-19. The network had far fewer analysts than usual on the ground at Churchill Downs, opting instead to station personalities at remote work stations around the country and weave them into the coverage via satellite.
Experts offered analysis and wagering tips for most of the 14 races on Saturday’s card. While fans couldn’t place wagers in person at Churchill Downs, in Lexington drive-through betting was available at Keeneland and Red Mile.
Also, apropos of our digital age, wagering was available via computers and smartphone apps. Fans could absorb the analysis of industry experts then place bets via Twinspires.com, the official wagering partner of Churchill Downs. Several other wagering platforms were accessible to fans, including Keeneland Select — which is affiliated with the famed Lexington track which will host the Breeders’ Cup in November.
The Kentucky Derby also had a large social media presence. Fans were able to follow the accounts @KentuckyDerby and @ChurchillDowns on Twitter to get behind-the-scenes looks at all the action at the track and remain updated on all the latest developments and race winners.
Fans were able to use the hashtag #kyderby on Twitter to get even more insight and also share photos of their own unique Derby Day celebrations, activities and outfits.
On the ground
The aura in the neighborhood surrounding Churchill Downs was even more eerie than the one inside the facility. There was a heightened law enforcement presence at every entrance, cordoning off the vast parking lot from the general public. At several homes near Churchill, often within a couple dozen steps of police officers and vehicles, folks sat on their porches apparently imbibing the race-day atmosphere.
A bit further from Churchill on the corners of feeder roads leading to the facility, small groups of protesters — some openly carrying firearms — began gathering in the late stages of the morning. By Derby post time, hundreds of marchers had gathered on the streets surrounding the racetrack.
At Tim Page’s Cornerstore — a Black-owned business near Churchill Downs which has drawn rave reviews for its barbecue and other homestyle food — owner Tremaine Cary and members of his staff were busy grilling outside as foot traffic around Churchill Downs began to pick up.
Cary, who named Tim Page’s after his late father, called Saturday “a bittersweet day.”
“We’re always going to be open to serve the community, but we’re out here advocating for Breonna Taylor today,” Cary told the Herald-Leader, referencing the 26-year-old Louisville EMT who in March while sleeping in her home was killed by police.
Cary said he believes good food can help bring people together, and he planned to play music over outdoor speakers and give free meals to protesters and pedestrians alike throughout Derby Day.
“With what we’ve got going on now, we’re thinking about Breonna Taylor. We need justice,” Cary said. “We’re trying to do what we do and show our support to the community and to her family. We all need to come together on this. It’s not just one color, it’s all colors.”
Cary said business through the early part of the afternoon was certainly slower than a typical Derby Day, but was still steady.
“It’s not what we’d normally get on Derby Day in May, but it’s still pretty good. Every little bit helps, and we’ve got other stuff on our minds today.”
Restaurants and bars
At one historic Louisville institution, business was expected to be much slower than usual.
Normally, the restaurants and bar at the Brown Hotel — which is credited as the inventor of the famous Kentucky hot brown — are bustling during Derby weekend. But with the lack of out-of-towners booking rooms and social-distancing protocols in place, that wasn’t the case this year.
“I think most people will be enjoying their mint juleps and Derby experience at home,” Roger Huff, manager of the English Grill at the Brown Hotel, said. “It’s business as normal today, but it’s definitely not a normal Derby Day.”
On the other hand, one of Louisville’s newest watering holes was already doing a brisk business around lunchtime. The Gallant Fox — a micro brewery named after the Thoroughbred who in 1930 became the sport’s second Triple Crown winner — opened this summer amid the pandemic. Co-owner Roger Huff said patrons began filing in during the morning, ready to enjoy a full day of racing on the bar’s big-screen televisions.
“We normally don’t open until 3 but we opened at 10:30 today and I didn’t know what to expect. Our regulars are here in their hats and bow ties and everybody is having a great time,” Huff said. “We’re still doing our same COVID protocols, 50-percent capacity and spacing, but that shouldn’t keep us from celebrating the Derby. We plan to have the best celebration we can.”
This story was originally published September 5, 2020 at 7:44 PM.
