LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For those who aren’t able or willing to travel to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, Keeneland offers a nice Plan B.
“We have general admission tickets for just 10 dollars,” said Keeneland’s Senior Vice President of Community Relations, Kara Heissenbuttel. “You can come spend all day with us or just pop in as it gets closer to Derby. We'll have live music, food trucks, a hat contest, and children’s activities with pony rides,” she added.
Keeneland will also open the betting windows and The Hill for tailgating, allowing the track to emulate a live race day, minus the crowds, traffic, and travel time associated with the day in Louisville.
“It's amazing to look at the people who buy tickets to come here on derby day,” Heissenbuttel said. “Some come from out of state, they’ll maybe go to Churchill Downs earlier in the week, some go to a horse farm to see where these Derby contenders grew up, then come and have a relaxed day here at Keeneland,” she continued.
General Admission tickets are available online, and the facility will be open from 10 a.m. until the final race at Churchill ends. Advance ticket purchases are recommended on the Keeneland website, which can be found here: 2025 Kentucky Derby At Keeneland.
