The surprising cost of renting a horse stall at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At Churchill Downs, wherever nan Kentucky Derby draws million-dollar horses and world attention, nan costs of stabling those prized thoroughbreds is amazingly humble — a reality that becomes clear beyond nan grandstands and distant from nan pageantry.

Here, successful what’s known arsenic nan "backside of nan Downs," nan way operates for illustration a small, self-contained community, pinch 47 barns lodging nan horses and arsenic galore arsenic 600 workers surviving and moving connected site.

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About 1,400 horses capable nan stables crossed nan sprawling grounds of Churchill Downs. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)

"Want to return a conjecture really overmuch it costs to rent 1 of these stalls astatine nan astir celebrated racetrack successful nan world?" asked Stan Bowling, lead circuit guideline astatine nan Kentucky Derby Museum.

"$7.50."

That humble regular interest stands successful stark opposition to nan high-stakes world of thoroughbred racing, wherever millions tin spell into preparing a azygous horse.

"Every morning, from mid-March done nan extremity of nan year, nan horses are going to beryllium retired connected nan way training betwixt 5:30 and 10 a.m.," Bowling said.

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A position of nan stables astatine Churchill Downs wherever nan lease for a azygous stall costs $7.50. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)

Steering a play cart astir nan backside, he added that by mid-March, astir 1,400 horses are on-site.

The grounds besides see dorms, a chapel and moreover a mini schoolhouse — portion of a world that runs parallel to nan spectacle conscionable steps away.

The backside stretches crossed rows of mostly nondescript stalls, punctuated by a fewer base nan names of famed horses and their jockeys.

Qualifying horses get successful early March to set to nan way and settee into life astatine Churchill Downs, which hosts astir 750 races each year. But nary title carries nan aforesaid weight arsenic nan Kentucky Derby, affectionately called nan "fastest 2 minutes successful sports," nan 12th successful a 14-race lineup that anchors nan day’s events.

That aforesaid high-stakes finance carries complete to nan instrumentality experience, wherever attending nan Kentucky Derby tin travel astatine a steep price.

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A position of nan Kentucky Derby grandstand astatine Churchill Downs, wherever seats tin scope from $1,000 to much than $400,000. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)

"It’s an costly ticket, I will assistance you that, but, for astir people, coming to spot nan Kentucky Derby is simply a bucket database event," Bowling told Fox News Digital.

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Ticket prices range from astir $160 for entree to nan 26-acre grassy infield, wherever fans watch nan title connected ample screens, to astir $800 for immoderate of nan cheapest grandstand seats — while luxury experiences supra nan way tin apical $400,000.