For the first time in track history, Churchill Downs will start its 2011
Spring Meet and Kentucky Derby Week in prime time. The first day of Churchill
Downs’ 39-day Spring Meet on Saturday, April 30, will take place at night under
the lights with the first of 11 live races scheduled for 6 p.m. (EDT). The
unique, first-time event is simply billed as “Opening Night.”
“We created this new stand-alone event to help properly kickoff and celebrate
Kentucky Derby Week and the return of live racing to Churchill Downs for the
Spring Meet,” Churchill Downs racetrack president Kevin Flanery said. “Over the
past two years, we’ve had exciting results by presenting special and unique
nighttime racing experiences for our core customers, casual patrons and
entertainment-seekers. This exciting new ‘Opening Night’ event is truly
Louisville’s gala. The people of Louisville and the entire Kentuckiana region
love the Derby, they love to dress up and they love a good party. We intend to
deliver that to them.”
Many of the elements that made the eight previous night racing programs at
Churchill Downs an on-track hit will be showcased with added twists. E! News
anchor Giuliana Rancic and her husband, first-year Apprentice winner Bill Rancic,
will be on hand for Red Carpet arrival interviews and to emcee the evening’s
festivities. World-renowned DJ Clinton Sparks will spin tunes in the paddock and
perform his hit single “My Favorite DJ is.” Also, Kentucky’s born and raised
designer to the stars, Bradley Picklesimer, will set the mood with the evening’s
décor. His design portfolio includes the Elton John Oscar Party and events for
Sharon and Ozzy Osborne, Barbara Streisand and Billie Jean King.
Local NBC affiliate WAVE-3 has planned a live one-hour broadcast around the
event from 9-10 p.m., and will televise two races, including the featured
$200,000-added The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (G3) (Race 8 at 9:39 p.m.) — the
final race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby that could produce a starter in the
Run for the Roses on the following Saturday.
“The suggested wardrobe for ‘Opening Night’ is cocktail chic and fashionable
headwear, much like Oaks and Derby, is encouraged,” said Casey Cook, Churchill
Downs’ vice president of Brand Development and Marketing.
Churchill Downs successfully experimented with night racing in 2009 and
permanent lights were added to the 147-acre facility in 2010. Its eight
nighttime programs over the last two years — the perfect blend of an upscale
night on the town with the excitement of Thoroughbred racing — have essentially
tripled the on-track attendance and doubled the on-track wagering handle
compared to afternoon programs previously staged on those dates.
In addition to Opening Night, Churchill Downs will stage four “Downs After
Dark” night racing programs in 2011 — three over the final three Fridays of the
Spring Meet on June 17, June 24 and July 1 and one date during the fall meet on
Friday, November 19.
A dramatic red glass chandelier structure will apex over the Aristides Garden
on Opening Night to give the Churchill Downs paddock area the look and feel of
an upscale night club. Also, there will be comfortable free-seating options,
specialty bars and food stations, colorful buntings, mood lighting, spotlights
and seasonal greenery.
There’ll be Red Carpet entrances at Gates 10 and 17, plus paparazzi
photographers, Hollywood-style lights 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, musicians Off The Hook will perform on the paddock stage between
live races from 4-9 p.m. ET. Also, there will be music for VIP guests on the
Clubhouse “Bubble Balconies,” a private party that will showcase champagne
cocktails and an atmosphere accented by bubble machines.
The party will elevate to new levels at 9 p.m. when world-renowned DJ Clinton
Sparks takes over turntable on the paddock stage until closing time at midnight.
Sparks is the E! News music correspondent; creator, host and DJ of the No.
1-rated worldwide syndicated terrestrial radio show “Smash Time Radio;” and host
and DJ of the “Sirius XM Shade 45 Satellite Radio” uncensored Hip Hop show of
the same name. He might be best known as the multi-platinum producer/songwriter
for Akon, Pitbull, Ludacris, Tyrese, Rick Ross, The Game, Bun B, Soulja Boy,
Leighton Meester, Plies, T-Pain and The Notorious B.I.G.
Cover charge (general admission) to Opening Night and all Downs After Dark
events is $10. Holders of shareholders passes or horsemen licenses, as well as
select Twin Spires Club members (Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze members only)
and children age 12 and under (when accompanied by an adult) will be admitted
free of charge.
Reserved ticket packages for Opening Night and all Spring Meet events are
available for purchase online at
Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com — Churchill Downs’ convenient online box office
platform. Customers also can call the Churchill Downs switchboard at (502)
636-4400.
Limited dining packages in Skye Terrace 6 remain available for $59.50 and
include a Chef Table dinner, a climate-controlled indoor reserved seat, viewing
balcony and an official program. Meanwhile, the outdoor third-floor box seats
are going fast. They are on sale for $20 and include general admission, a box
seat in the third-floor clubhouse and an official program.
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 by post
time for the second race. 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 with drop off and pick up at
Gate 1.
Following Opening Night, Churchill Downs will be dark Sunday, May 1, and
Monday, May 2. Kentucky Derby week racing will resume Tuesday, May 3, and
continue through Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday, May 7. Post time on May 3-5
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 210,000 horseplayers and entertainment-seekers
have attended the eight special nighttime programs since June 2009. Just less
than 90,000 fans attended three “experimental” programs under temporary lights
in 2009, and an average of 27,139 attended four night racing programs under
permanent lights last spring.