Churchill kicks off Derby Week with Opening Night gala

Churchill Downs will kick off Kentucky

Derby Week and its 38-day spring meet in style Saturday night with a rousing

prime-time 11-race program that begins at 6 p.m. (EDT).

Simply billed as "Opening Night," this stand-alone event (there's no live racing at Churchill

on Sunday or Monday) has quickly become "Louisville's Gala."

The prime-time program was a stirring success when

introduced in 2011 and lured an unprecedented 38,142 fans -- the largest crowd

for a Churchill Downs racing program other than Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks

or Breeders' Cup. Last year, 26,527 fans endured a 50-minute, mid-card weather

delay when a severe thunderstorm packed with significant-sized hail pelted the

track.

Saturday's National Weather Service forecast calls for

mostly cloudy skies with a high of 65 and a small chance of precipitation.

Not even a brief rain shower could dampen the enthusiasm

surrounding this year's opener, which will include the 89th running of the

Grade 3, $175,000 Derby Trial -- the last chance for a three-year-old to

earn a berth in this year's Kentucky Derby. As part of the Wild Card

series, points will be awarded to the top four finishers on a 20-8-4-2 scale.

Twenty points and sufficient earnings could land the winner in the Derby a week

later, if the connections desired. The

one-mile Derby Trial will go as the 10TH race at 10:42 p.m.

In addition to the return of horse racing to Louisville, Kentucky, for

the first time since November, the elements that make night racing at Churchill

Downs an on-track hit will be back. Plus, there's a bigger and better place for

the pulse of the party.

The Plaza, situated between the saddling paddock and Gate

1, is 30,000 square feet of open gathering space made possible by the razing of

the outdated and underutilized Paddock Pavilion last summer. The main music

stage has been positioned in that area along with vendor tents, a bar and a

giant 12' x 20' video screen with speakers that will remain in place there

throughout the spring meet.

A red, black and white color scheme will be splashed

throughout the facility. There'll be Red Carpet entrances at Gates 10 and 17,

plus paparazzi photographers and DJs inside the gates to greet guests when

admission gates open at 4 p.m.

Music at the track will be showcased throughout the

evening. To set the tone for the party, DJ Patrick Slayer will perform on

the Plaza stage from 4-7 p.m. The party will elevate to new levels at 7:30 p.m.

when the popular 10-piece band Street Dance performs popular tunes into the

night.

Meanwhile, there'll be floating entertainment including

stilt walkers, partner acrobats and a special appearance by The Rubberboy

(a.k.a. Daniel Browning Smith), who holds the Guinness World Record for the

"World's Most Flexible Man." The entertaining contortionist will perform

six-minute shows throughout the night.

The last race of the night is scheduled for 11:10 p.m., but

the party in the Plaza will continue until midnight.

The suggested evening attire is "Cocktail Chic" -- a

party/cocktail dress and headwear (i.e. fascinator or feathers) for the ladies

and sharp pants/shirt (tie optional) with headwear for the men.

Cover charge (general admission) to Opening Night is $10

and patrons must be age 18 or older or accompanied by a responsible adult to

gain admission.

Some Opening Night indoor dining packages for $59.90 and

outdoor box seats for $20 remain available. Seating can be purchased through

Churchill Downs' online box office at

ChurchillDowns.com/tickets or by visiting the historic track's on-track

box office at Gate 1, located off Central Avenue adjacent to the Kentucky Derby

Museum.

Both also offer seating and tickets for all other racing days and events

scheduled for the track's spring meet, including Kentucky Derby and Kentucky

Oaks seating packages in Section 110 -- the new area featuring tip-up,

stadium-style seats on the iconic first-turn with a view of the legendary Twin

Spires.

Churchill Downs will be open early for simulcast wagering

on the second floor of the clubhouse on Opening Night. General admission will be

its regular price of $3 from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Gate 17.

Those attending Opening Night are encouraged to arrive

early to secure on-site parking and avoid traffic delays. All on-property

parking lots will open at 3 p.m. and space is available on a first-come,

first-served basis (free in the Longfield Avenue lot). Typically, all lots are

filled to capacity before conclusion of the first few races. Churchill Downs

will offer free parking and shuttle service from Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

starting at 4 p.m. There will be free round-trip shuttle service throughout the

evening.

Following Opening Night, Churchill Downs will be dark

Sunday and Monday. Kentucky Derby week racing will resume

Tuesday and continue through Kentucky Derby Day on May 4.

Post time on April 30-May 2 will be 12:45 p.m. The first race on Kentucky Oaks

and Kentucky Derby days will be 10:30 a.m.

Night racing at Churchill Downs has been a spectacular

success while showcasing live racing with ancillary entertainment such as food,

fashion, music and parties. So far, more than 450,000 horseplayers and

entertainment-seekers have attended the 18 special nighttime programs since June

2009.

In addition to Opening Night, Churchill Downs will stage a

trio of "Downs After Dark" night racing programs during the spring meet over the

final three Saturdays in June (June 15, June 22 and June 29).

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