The first weekend in May is rapidly approaching and that means the Kentucky Derby is just around the corner. As the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Derby is one of the most iconic races in the sport and regularly draws not only horse racing fans from around the country, but also plenty of movie stars and famous folk.
Kentucky Derby 2015: Ticket prices averaging more than $1,000
It will cost you a pretty penny to get into Churchill Downs on Saturday afternoon.
This year marks the 141st running of the horse race -- it has been a fixture on the American sports calendar since 1875 -- and is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in recent history. The average ticket price on the secondary market at Derbybox.com is $1,028.74, with a starting price of $64, according to Forbes.com.
This is a substantial increase from last year’s event, when the average cost was $621.57, and the 2013 Kentucky Derby, which had a similar price at $743 per ticket.
What could be the reason for the high prices? Bob Ehalt, a horse racing scribe for ESPN.com, writes that “this just might be the best field ever assembled for the Run for the Roses in terms of overall quality and accomplishment.” Ehalt cites the fact that this is the only Derby since 1955 with five U.S.-based horses who are undefeated at three years old entering the race.
The Vegas betting favorite as of Tuesday afternoon is American Pharoah, who has won four of five career races and was named the best 2-year-old in the country last year. Other strong contenders include Dortmund, the son of the 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, and Carpe Diem.
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