re: Headed up for the Kentucky Derby for the first time

The paddock is brand new. This year 2 of it post rebuild. Highly encourage you to spend some time there during the early part of the undercard.

Avoid the infield Fri and Sat.

Download a betting app in the event lines at the window are long.

Grab a pre race bite of breakfast and a Daily Racing Form at Wagner’s. It across the street from Churchill.

There are some nice restaurants in the highlands area if you want to get away from downtown.

Was planning on betting via sports apps to avoid the lines.

Is cell reception/usage manageable there with the crowd?

We have a couple airb&b in Bardstown. No clue what the area is like. One of our crew set it up.

Heading there as well for the first time with a group. We have an Airbnb in Louisville and a van lined up to drive us around both days. We are in a Clubhouse Box section. Supposedly our seats include food and booze - they better based on the price of each seat and also the drink pricelist posted earlier!

My buddy is an investor in Sandman, so I'll have to place a wager on him, although the 17 post position is a bad omen. Except they really want him to run on edge of the pack so he can close, so maybe just maybe.....

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We have a couple airb&b in Bardstown. No clue what the area is like. One of our crew set it up.

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So last race goes off at 7:02 on Derby. 6:47 pm on Oaks. So you'll probably do a fair amount of eating at the tracking throughout the day. You can try Wagner's for breakfast but it's going to be packed on those days.

- Con Huevos Multiple locations - website

- Wild Eggs Multiple locations

I was going to suggest House of Marigold out in St. Matthews (off 64) but they looked to be pretty booked up for the times you'd want on those mornings.

Bardstown is going to be limited on some evening dining options by the time you get back to Bardstown (about an hour drive WITHOUT traffic). I'd suggest finding places in the city to eat for dinner if possible.

Some places will be pretty busy or may have Derby specific events, so you might want to consider possible reservations. Especially if you have a bigger group of folks going. I'd head down to NuLu/Main/Market area of downtown Louisville.

- NAMI Korean Steakhouse (and with four or more people you can get a grill table). Website for reservations/menu

- La Bodeguita de Mima Cuban Restaurant. Has a Cigar Bar as well if that's your jam.

- Mayan Cafe (maybe one of my favorites Downtown) Website for reservations/menu

- Most of the big steakhouses look pretty much booked up for Oaks/Derby. Otherwise I'd tell you try Repeal, Le Moo, or Jeff Ruby's. That said, it looks like Jack Fry's down in the Highlands (Bardstown Road) has some later in the evening availability that might suit you depending on what time you leave the track.

- If you want a Hot Brown you can do The Brown Hotel but they have Derby specific stuff and will likely be booked up at this point. The Brown Hotel

Probably fine. I just really hate twin spires

Also, I haven’t done much eating out in louisville, but I second belle’s Jack fry rec if there’s availability.

louisville is ok, it's a cluster frick there with all of those people, and the track is a shite hole, seriously, it lives off the derby and tradition. It's not even in my top10 tracks i've been to.

Do you guys do trips to sporting events occasionally? Next trip for ponies, i'd go to Saratoga. Walking some of the old civil war battle sights, you get chills, you can feel the energy from the souls that still live there. I thought i heard something, wife freaked and we moved on.

Keeneland would be next, just an amazing track, and you feel like you in the country, while literally a minute from back to suburb of lexington. Red Mile is down the strreet, you can get all your sports and casino action there.

Del Mar, if you can stomache fake people and super simp, hispters, then you will love it. Across the street from the Ocean, has a cool design, and just a cool atmosphere.

This will probably be our only get together at the horses. Although, when we were all stationed out in California we hit Hollywood Park and Del Mar.

RIP to HP.

Churchill took Arlington off my list before I could get there