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The Best Private Jet Charters to the Kentucky Derby


If you’re a horse racing fan, travel in style with your own rented aircraft to Louisville for the 2017 Kentucky Derby and watch top thoroughbred horses compete in the country’s greatest race.

If you’re a horse racing fan, why not travel like a star to this year’s Kentucky Derby with your own private jet charter? Fly in luxury straight to Louisville International Airport, which is less than 10 minutes from the Churchill Downs Racetrack. This can be an especially convenient and affordable transport option if you’re traveling as a group. Let us arrange a quote for the best jets to the 2017 Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby

History of the Kentucky Derby

In 1872, American Meriwether Lewis Clark went to England, where he got a taste for elite horse racing at the Epsom Derby. Inspired, Clark returned to America determined to create a national horse racing event. After acquiring land from his uncles, he raised enough money to build the Churchill Downs Racetrack and the first Kentucky Derby was held on May 17th, 1875. The Derby is now America’s longest-running sporting event and one of the most prestigious grade one races in the world, often referred to as the ‘most exciting two minutes in sport’.

Over time, the Kentucky Derby race length has been reduced to one and a quarter miles, with male horses carrying 57kg and fillies 55kg. Using a points system, the 20 highest-scoring horses from 35 lead-up races get automatic entry into the Derby. Race weekend also includes the Kentucky Oaks, America’s premier grade one race for three-year-old fillies, which has a $1 million prize. Clark modelled this race on the British Epsom Oaks and also ran it for the first time in 1875.

Kentucky Derby 2017 Schedule and Contenders

The Kentucky Derby is the first race in the prestigious annual Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing and is followed later in the year by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Only 12 horses in history have conquered the Triple Crown, including Secretariat in 1973, the horse that also holds the Derby record of 1:59.4. This year’s contenders for the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown include Girvin, Always Dreaming, McCraken, Practical Joke, and Tapwrit. Here’s the schedule for the 2017 races:

  • May 5th, Kentucky Oaks – gates open at 8 a.m. and races run from 10.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Kentucky Oaks is race number 11 and will take place at 5.49 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • May 6th, Kentucky Derby – gates open at 8 a.m. and races run from 10.30 a.m. until 8.10 p.m. The Kentucky Derby is race number 12, which is scheduled for 6.46 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Kentucky Derby weekend has become a celebration of southern culture. Traditions include draping the winning horse with a garland of 400 red roses, earning the race its nickname, The Run for the Roses. Crowds sing along with a band to My Old Kentucky Home and each year almost 120,000 Mint Juleps, the traditional race beverage, are served. The Derby also provides race-goers with a chance to show off the latest spring fashions and some extravagant hats. Many rich and famous guests attend such as Jack Nicholson, Kim Kardashian, Richard Nixon, and even Queen Elizabeth II.

How to get Tickets to the 2017 Kentucky Derby

Tickets to the Kentucky Derby are available via the official race website. Grandstand seats cost between $199 and $299, while clubhouse seating ranges from $299 to $2,799. You can pick up general admission tickets for just $70 to $152. For ultimate VIP service, purchase a Derby Experience Package, which includes a luxury hotel stay as well as panoramic race-track views from an exclusive lounge with open-bar, gourmet food, and a chance to mingle with celebrities. Turf Club packages start at $4,299 and include access to the exclusive Fillies and Lilies party, while Finish Line Suites Balcony Packages start at $4,999.

So, once you’ve bought tickets to this year’s Kentucky Derby, why not find the best private jet charter and fly to Louisville in style? We can organize a private aircraft to whisk you straight to Louisville International Airport, which is less than four miles from the action at Churchill Downs Racetrack.

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