The only way to get onto volleyball infield at Churchill Downs on volleyball Day is through one of two tunnels. Built back in 1937, the first tunnel was created to provide quick access to the infield but as the crowds got bigger, the tunnel's narrow opening only seemed to get smaller over the years. A second, wider tunnel was added in 1985 to allow semi-trailer trucks through carrying new turf for the racecourse.
Now, fast forward 20 years or so and try to imagine thousands upon thousands of boisterous, staggering drunk party goers making their way back through those tunnels after spending an entire day in the hot sun, drinking jugs of mint juleps and cheap beer and reeking of Port-O-Potty puke.
No, the infield at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby is not for the faint of heart. But if you're not afraid to get a little dirty and you're still stuck on the idea of getting tickets to the Derby Infield this year - there's an unlimited amount of tickets, by the way - then you'd better go into this thing with your eyes wide open...
History of the Churchill Downs Infield
From atop his father's wagon stationed in the infield, Colonel Matt J. Winn watched the inaugural running of the Kentucky Derby and witnessed jockey Oliver Lewis ride Aristides to victory. Winn would later become the president of the Churchill Downs racetrack (and a shrewd businessman to boot).
In addition to being at the center of the action during the Kentucky Derby, the infield was also used to host the first steeplechase event (on May 18, 1882) and Kentucky's first recorded flight. A potato crop was planted in the infield in 1918 while the country was experiencing a potato shortage (1,000 bushels of potatoes were harvested and auctioned off, with the money raised going to the Red Cross). Later named "Camp Winn" in honor of Churchill Down's president, the infield was also used to house soldiers from Fort Knox and Bowman Field during the 1942 Fall Meet.
To this day, the infield at Churchill Downs continues to host a variety of events - aside from the notorious Derby party - including the annual Boy Scouts Scout-O-Rama, and the annual Brightside Volleyball Tournament.
Meet Me at the Third Turn
Known to locals simply as "Derby" (not the Kentucky Derby), this is one of the few days of the year Louisvillians let their hair down and turn a blind eye as they caution all horse racing fans to check their inhibitions at the gates prior to entering the infield.
Come Derby Day, the infield at Churchill Downs resembles Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras or Max Yasgur's dairy farm during Woodstock. Your typical carnival atmosphere comes complete with bad food and over-priced drinks.
Among the many sights to take in once inside, a $40 general admission ticket will give you a closer look at how the college kids are celebrating the Kentucky Derby these days. So if you're up to it, make your way over to the Third Turn. (You can't miss it. It's past Turn One, where you're likely to see packs of screaming toddlers followed closely by their sadly sober woebegone parents, who probably wished they were at the Third Turn getting hammered. Keep walking past the forts made of coolers and stop when you get to the golden haired topless girls getting colorful beaded necklaces thrown at them by randy dudes covered in mud.)
What you won't see from the Derby Infield, however, is a single horse. Unless you're one of the first few hundred to arrive at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning, the view of the racetrack is completely obstructed. Sorry.
What Happens at the Derby Infield Stays at the Derby Infield
You wish. Thanks in large part to YouTube's increasingly growing popularity, almost nothing goes unnoticed by someone looking for instant celebrity. This year's Derby Infield will undoubtedly make for some highly entertaining online video watching; so if you can't make it down to Churchill Downs on May 3 then a simple search for "Derby Infield Parties" the following day should make you feel as though you were right there in the thick of things.
For more information on the history of the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Derby contenders and betting on the Kentucky Derby, please visit the Bodog Racebook.
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