LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Brad Huesgen is a self-proclaimed “infield person.”
The St. Louis resident has made the pilgrimage to Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby weekend around half a dozen times and each year he’s chosen the ambiance of the infield, where folding chairs are more plentiful than frilly hats.
“It’s mostly the atmosphere,” Huesgen said, explaining that he likes the more accessible, and more affordable, environs of the infield.
But there’s something different about life on the infield this year. Huesgen, and his fellow “infield people,” cannot venture to the front-side of Churchill Downs. That means they can’t see the horses on the paddock, venture into the grandstands, or just “check out the scene,” as Huesgen remembers doing in the past.
The policy was first introduced last year, when the Oaks and Derby were held at reduced capacity because of the pandemic. To reduce physical contact, all reserved front-side tickets came with all-inclusive access to food and drink. In the infield, concessions still cost.
This year, capacity restrictions are gone, but the all-inclusive package for those in reserved seats remains. “An all-inclusive option allows us to improve your experience,” Churchill Downs said in its 2022 Kentucky Derby guide.
But the improved experience for those with reserved seats comes at a cost for Huesgen, who said the decision makes it seem like the track is trying to separate the haves from the have nots.
“I think they’re fiscally separating the different parties,” he said. Infield tickets for the Oaks ranged from $45 to $65 this year, while reserved seats started at $130.
On Oaks day, as a light rain fell on the infield, he said he’s glad he could venture over to the front-side when it was allowed. But now, he’s disappointed for others.
“If this was your first experience, to not be able to see the horses, the grandstands, the whole front central area and the courtyard — it’s a real shame,” he said.