LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Derby week continues with more and more festivities and the crowds continue to grow in numbers.

What You Need To Know

  •  The stands were packed at Churchill Downs for Thurby

  •  Angela Garnett says this is the first time she's enjoyed Derby week racing

  •  Not all visitors were first timers, but they had an equally good time

502esday, Tuesday, May 2, saw a crowd of 15,000 and Champion’s Day, Wednesday, May 3 saw close to 20,000 in attendance.

On Thurby, a record 48,513 people packed Churchill Downs to see another day of races. 

“Baby, I won. I won money. I’m good, yes. I’m loving it. We all bet for the first time and we having us a great time,” said Angela Garnett, a Louisville woman attending Derby events for the first time.

Growing up in Louisville, Garnett said she didn’t go to Derby events. But this week she took in the trifecta of 502uesday, Champion’s Day, and Thurby.

“And my first bet that I placed, I was a winner, Caramel Chip. And I’m just so excited. It’s so fun. It’s exciting, and it’s so friendly and it’s just a great time,” Garnett said.

Garnett says she chose now to visit the Downs because Churchill Downs made it more accessible for fans.

“Years ago we used to experience our Derby on Broadway, and then when they canceled that,” Garnett said. “We just continue to watch it at home, and now we’re deciding to come to Churchill Downs because they made it more accessible for us. And like 502uesday, we came. That was really nice. We really did enjoy that and so it lets us experience derby during Derby week,” Garnett said.

Vanique Brock, on the other hand, is no stranger to the fun of Churchill Downs.

Brock told Spectrum News 1, “We’ve been doing this for about 11 years now. This whole group of us, we have 46 people in this section.”

Now, the only task left for Garnett is to count her winnings.

“I don’t know how much I won yet," Garnett said.

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