It’s the biggest show annually in horse racing, Kentucky Derby day, with Churchill Downs overflowing with people, pageantry and of course thoroughbreds.
But you don’t have to make the four-hour or so drive from the Arch to Louisville on Saturday in order to plunk down a few bucks on the race or to take in that kind of festive atmosphere on Derby day. If you want to do so locally, FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing is the place to be. The track in Collinsville, still known to most of its customers by its legal name of Fairmount Park, is gearing up for a huge day.
It will have eight races of its own, most so far in one day in this meet, and track president and general manager Melissa Helton thinks more than 8,000 fans could jam the facility — which drew about 5,000 for its recent season opener and had nearly 7,200 for Derby day last year. So she is imploring race fans to be patient.
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“My big message is to get here as soon as you can,†Helton said. “Plan ahead. Be prepared for lines to get food, programs and to place bets.â€
Just like at Churchill. But unlike at that famed track, admission and parking at Fairmount are free. Although dining packages are sold out, concession stands will be open.
Many people annually make their way to the track to place their Derby wagers before leaving to watch it elsewhere after taking in some of the live races there. Winning tickets can be redeemed throughout the summer.
Helton said 43 clerks are set to man the betting windows and wagering also will be available on 58 kiosks. The track is scheduled to open at 9 a.m., with the local live racing card beginning at 1 p.m. The last race is set for approximately 4:30, leaving plenty of time before the Derby’s post time of nearly an hour and a half later. For those sticking around, simulcast wagering on races from around the country will be available throughout the day and evening, and the Derby is to be shown on the track’s Jumbotron.
For those who want to bet the big race but avoid the hubbub and crowds at the track, wagers also will be accepted at its three off-track betting parlors in southern Illinois — in Sauget (at gas station on Route 3 just south of the Poplar Steet Bridge), in Alton (at Mac’s restaurant and bar downtown) and in Springfield (1766 Wabash Avenue) Those facilities also open at 9 o’clock.
Alton is scheduled to have five clerks and two kiosks in operation, with four clerks and four kiosks in Sauget. It’s to be five and five in Springfield.
Just like at the track, Helton is urging those betting at the satellite locations to place their Derby wagers early to avoid possibly being shut out by waiting too long. She expects business to be brisk at those facilities, too.
“The earlier the better,†she said.
Scratch fallout
The field for the Derby remains at 20 horses barring any late scratches, but it’s not the same 20 that were set to run when the post positions were assigned last weekend.
Encino, a horse that was said to be “off†in a workout Tuesday, was scratched from the field. Epic Ride moved up from the “also eligible†list and into the field for the 150th edition of the “Run for the Roses.â€
That creates a situation in which the program (betting) numbers don’t correlate to all the post positions. Encino was supposed to start from the No. 9 slot in the gate, so all horses that had drawn posts 10-20 will now break from the gate one spot closer to rail. Epic Ride will be in the 20th slot but No. 21 on the betting program.
City’s back
City SC returns to action Saturday after having a week off in its Major League Soccer schedule and is the underdog for its game in Houston.
The most favorable price on City among the area’s three legal walk-in sportsbooks as of Friday afternoon was at Argosy (casino in Alton), where City was +270. That means a successful $100 wager would return a profit of $270. That’s using the three-way line, in which selecting the match to end in a tie as well as picking either team to win is an option.
Given City SC’s recent history, some bettors will want to wager that the contest ends up a draw. (The club has tied six of its nine outings this season.) The best three-way line price on a draw at those shops as of Friday afternoon was +265, at DraftKings (Casino Queen, in East ºüÀêÊÓƵ.).
Battle on
The Battlehawks have won four games in a row and are tied for the United Football League’s XFL Division lead and are a double-digit favorite in their game at home Saturday afternoon against Houston. The Roughnecks are 1-4 and have been outscored 116-76. The B-hawks are coming off a 32-point victory on the road over D.C.
As of Friday afternoon, the Battlehawks were a 12-point favorite at DraftKings, with a spread of 11½ at FanDuel and 10½ at Argosy.