LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Derby fans weathered a steady late-afternoon rain as Country House captured the 145th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve over a sloppy track. Wagering from all-sources was the highest all-time on both the Kentucky Derby Day program and on the Kentucky Derby race.
Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $250.9 million, an 11 percent increase over the 2018 total and previous record of $225.7 million. Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby race increased 10 percent to $165.5 million from the previous record of $149.9 million set last year. This year’s wagering record includes $4.1 million of handle wagered in Japan with this being the first year the Kentucky Derby has ever been offered for wagering in the country.
Attendance of 150,729 decreased 4 percent compared to last year, as the threat of an all-day rain forecast kept many fans away.
This year’s Derby purse was elevated $1 million to a guaranteed $3 million making it the richest in history for America’s greatest race and first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
“We are deeply grateful to all of the fans of the Kentucky Derby around the world who once again made this an amazing and memorable experience,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”). “We expect the Kentucky Derby Week Adjusted EBITDA to reflect another record with $4.5-to-$6.0 million of growth over last year.”
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