Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, is a historic horse racing venue in Kentucky. It attracts large crowds, especially during the Derby, which occurs on the first Saturday of May.
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Where is Churchill Downs? Location, capacity and more about Kentucky Derby track details originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The sports world fixates on Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May each year, for a race that lasts all of two minutes.
Outside of those two minutes, Churchill Downs is still a busy place. More of a horse racing complex than a simple track, the venue brings in a crowd of six figures each May.
The iconic track has been open for a century and a half, and it's been the home of the Kentucky Derby since it opened.
Here's what you need to know about Churchill Downs, including its location, capacity and track details.
MORE:How much does a trip to the Kentucky Derby cost?
Churchill Downs is in Louisville, Kentucky, just south of downtown.
The track is only a few minutes from Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport, so it's easy to reach for anyone flying into the city. In 2023, more than 900 private jets flew into Louisville just before the Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs is also a short walk away from L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, the home of University of Louisville football. The university's main campus is just to the north, so the track is in close proximity to some major hubs.
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Churchill Downs is located in Louisville, Kentucky.
Churchill Downs has a seating capacity that accommodates over 50,000 spectators.
The Kentucky Derby race lasts approximately two minutes.
The Kentucky Derby is held on the first Saturday of May each year.
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Churchill Downs map
Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs is still owned and operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated, which founded the racetrack in 1875.
The company was founded by Meriweather Lewis Clark Jr., the grandson of famous explorer William Clark. Clark opened the track in May of 1875, and Churchill Downs Incorporated has since grown into a publicly traded company that owns numerous tracks and casinos across the United States.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO William Carstanjen, who earned the role in 2014, said at the Global Gaming Expo in 2023 that being able to adapt has allowed the company to stay successful for a century-and-a-half.
"Our sport has had to be resilient, had to change with the times, had to take what we've learned from horseracing and from our experiences and apply them to new things available," Carstanjen said. "That's part of the history and the evolution of our company. And not only is the event, the Kentucky Derby, 150 years old, but our company is 150 years old.”
The Kentucky Derby is run on a flat dirt track. Churchill Downs also has a shorter turf track closer to the infield.
The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles, or 10 furlongs. A furlong is 1/8 of a mile. The winning horse typically finishes the race in just over two minutes; only two races have run the Kentucky Derby in less than two minutes.
Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs can fit about 170,000 fans on Kentucky Derby day. The record attendance for the Kentucky Derby is 170,513, set in 2015. The derby has brought in between 150,000 and 171,000 fans each year since 2005, with the exception of the two races impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of the fans attending the Kentucky Derby aren't actually seated. The infield at Churchill Downs is open to general admission, and hordes of fans pack the section on race day. Fans in the infield don't actually see much of the race, though. Because the section isn't elevated and fans aren't allowed to go right up to the edge of the track, it's difficult to see much of the action.
Millionaires Row is quite the contrast. The section near the finish line is known for its glitzy dining room and terrific view of the track. "Millionaires Row" isn't just a nickname, either. That's the actual name Churchill Downs uses to describe the section, which is where you might find some of the many celebrities who attend the Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs also has regular sections of seats and boxes that fans can purchase. Here is a seating chart for Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs.
Churchill Downs is known for hosting the Kentucky Derby, but it also hosts other races throughout the season. Churchill Downs says it hosts more than 70 live racing days during the year, and more than 40 graded events are run at the iconic track annually.
A graded race is any race that meets the standards of the American Graded Stakes Committee, which divides races into Grade I, Grade II or Grade III. A graded race typically involves an entry fee and a payout. There are more than 350 graded events each year between the U.S. and Canada.
The Kentucky Derby itself is preceded by a handful of undercard events leading up to the big race. Here are the undercard races on the current slate:
Naturally, a venue that was built in 1875 has been touched up a few times over the years.
The track's most iconic sight, the Twin Spires, weren't actually part of the original design. They were added in 1895, giving Churchill Downs the look that often defines it to this day.
Churchill Downs twin spires
Churchill Downs underwent a sizable renovation from 2001-05, with 79 new luxury suites added to the venue and the Twin Spires refreshed. The project cost $121 million. The track added permanent lights in 2010, and a massive video board called "Big Board" was added in 2014 to give fans a better view of the action on the track.
The track revealed a $900 million planned renovation, which would include changes to the infield, in early 2025, but the plans were paused shortly after the announcement.