Infield: The Real Kentucky Derby

While the Kentucky Derby is known for fashion in the grandstands, infield regulars say the real action happens in the less glamorous but more accessible area. Louis Grant, an infield regular for two decades, noted: 'That's not what made the Kentucky Derby. This is what made it. This infield environment with all the local people and the visitors who come here and mingle.' playerbros.org

The infield offers a different Derby experience at a fraction of the cost, with general admission tickets starting at $136 compared to $2,200 for Starting Gate Box seats and $12,000 for Millionaires Row passes. First-time Derby attendee Debbie Allen from New York said, 'I almost prefer this, because you feel so much closer to it,' while the Reider family, who watched from the stands as children, has returned to the infield, calling it 'the circle of life.'