LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Whether you're an avid Derby fan or just looking to catch some spring racing, you'll want to shore up your plans soon. Tickets for Kentucky Derby Week and the 151st Spring Meet at Churchill Downs go on sale Thursday, Jan. 30 at noon. 


What You Need To Know

  • Tickets for Kentucky Derby Week and the 151st Spring Meet at Churchill Downs go on sale Thursday, Jan. 30 at noon

  • Derby Week kicks off Saturday, April 26 with Opening Night, featuring the post position draw for Oaks and Derby 

  • Tickets for the 151st Kentucky Oaks (Friday, May 2) and Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 3) are available online or by calling 502-636-4447

  • Tickets for the 151st Spring Meet, which spans nine weeks from April 26-June 29, are available on Churchill Downs' website 

Kentucky Derby Week special events go on sale at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/derbyweek. They include:

  • Opening Night – "The Great Gasby, A Louisville Legacy" (Saturday, April 26) — Guests are encouraged to dress in their finest 1920s attire to celebrate the 151st Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks post positions with a "Great Gatsby"-inspired evening. The celebration kicks off a week filled with excitement, tradition and celebration. 
  • Dawn at the Downs Dining (Sunday, April 27 and Monday, April 28) — A decades-long favorite, guests can watch thoroughbreds train while enjoying a delicious buffet breakfast in the Stakes Room or Millionaires Row. Gates open at 7 a.m., and there is an exclusive training window only for Derby (yellow saddle towels) and Oaks (pink saddle towels) horses from 7:30 to 7:45 a.m. Training continues for all other horses until 10 a.m.
  • 502'sDay: Celebrating Ali, Louisville's Greatest (Tuesday, April 29) — Returning for its third year, 502'sDay pays homage to Louisville's own Muhammad Ali. General admission is just $5.
  • Winsday: Great Thrills for the Greater Good (Wednesday, April 30) — New for 2025, "Winsday" debuts as a day to shine a spotlight on Louisville's nonprofit community. In partnership with the Community Foundation of Louisville, local nonprofits will be invited to fundraise and highlight the work they do to make Louisville a vibrant place to live, work and play. Guests can contribute to partner nonprofits by purchasing tickets through them, with a portion of each sale benefiting their work. 
  • Thurby x Frazier History Museum: Cool Kentucky (Thursday, May 1) — Churchill Downs will transform into a showcase of Kentucky's rich heritage in partnership with the Frazier History Museum. 
  • Taste of Derby (Thursday, May 1) – The 16th annual culinary experience features exceptional cuisine and Jackson Family Wines paired and created by nationally renowned chefs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

Derby Week general admission tickets are $24 on Opening Night and Winsday and $41 on Thurby. Reserved box seats range from $32 to $39 for Derby Week and $55 to $71 for Thurby. 

Tickets for the 151st Kentucky Oaks (Friday, May 2) and Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 3) are available at www.KentuckyDerby.com and www.DerbyExperiences.com or by calling 502-636-4447. 

In addition to Derby Week, tickets for the 151st Spring Meet, which spans nine weeks from April 26-June 29, are available on Churchill Downs' website. Some highlights include:

  • Twilight Thursdays, featuring $2 select domestic beer, live music and food trucks (every Thursday from May 8 through June 26)
  • Mother's Day (Sunday, May 11)
  • Preakness Stakes simulcast and "Downs After Dark" (Saturday, May 17)
  • Stephen Foster Preview Day (Saturday, May 31)
  • Belmont Stakes simulcast (Saturday, June 7)
  • Father's Day (Sunday, June 15)
  • "Downs After Dark" (Saturday, June 21)
  • Stephen Foster Day (Saturday, June 28) 

The Kentucky Derby is the longest continually held sporting event in the U.S. since 1875. To stay up-to-date with everything related to the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, you can visit Spectrum News 1’s special racing section.

Connor Smith - Digital Producer

Connor Smith is a digital producer for Spectrum News 1 in Louisville, Kentucky. He joined the team in November 2023 and hails from the Chicago area. In summer 2023, he received his Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School in Chicago, where he covered Super Bowl LVII, the Chicago Marathon and other stories around the city.