LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A celebration to kick-off Kentucky Derby week started under the lights on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The historic horse racing track in Louisville hosted thousands of people for 10 races and the post draws for the 150th running for the roses. This year's opening night theme was "Derby Through the Decades." 

IMAGES | Churchill Downs hosts Opening Night to kick-off Kentucky Derby week

Kentucky Derby post positions drawn on Saturday

The post positions for the 150th Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks were drawn on Saturday evening on the new Paddock Terrace. The positions were drawn by a traditional "pill pull" where horses' entry blanks are pulled simultaneously to determine what stall a horse will break from at the starting gate. 

Favored Fierceness drew the No. 17 post position. No horse in the No. 17 post has won the Derby. Sierra Leone, who has the second best odds, drew the No. 2 post which hasn't had a winner since 1978.

Visitors get first look at $200M paddock expansion

After two years of work on a $200 million paddock expansion project, Churchill Downs is ready for the 150th Kentucky Derby. 

"We love Louisville and this is an exciting event," Shane Nearman, who moved to Louisville a couple of years ago, said.

Just two years ago, the paddock was 5,000 square feet, a similar layout to what it'd been just inside the main gates for decades. Now it will be more than 12,000 square feet, a massive project that'll be debuted ahead of a historic Derby week.

"It's really cool. I had not been in there until today and to see the amount of work that's been put into just next level," Michael Clemons, who grew up by Churchill Downs, said. "It really puts Louisville on the map when we're talking about premier sports being used in our country and really in the world."

The work to develop the state-of-the-art paddock began well before Kentucky Derby 149, where a temporary paddock took its place. Following Derby 149, that paddock was removed and relocated to the first turn as work began.

There are four new giant LED screens, a new Woodford Reserve Paddock Club and Club SI, which is lined by Sports Illustrated magazines with Kentucky Derby covers. Both clubs are a mix of vintage and modern, accented with original brick from the late 1800s.

"I love all the fashion and oh this is just awesome," Bonnie Key, who's from Maryland, said.

For Key, strolling the historic grounds was a surreal experience.

"This is amazing," Key said. "It's just no words for this."

Visitors will now walk into a paddock with a horseshoe shaped area that surrounds the stalls where Kentucky Derby connections will prepare for the race. Observation decks will allow people to look down where the horses will be paraded on their way to the track. 

Opening Night set the stage for a week filled with excitement, tradition and celebration.

"I bet on the first race and I won," Jennifer Pizer, who was visiting from Texas, said.

If you missed the opening event, Churchill Downs will be open free-of-charge, daily from 7 to 10 a.m. until May 1st for Dawn at the Downs. That's the perfect way to see the horses train, ahead of the big day.

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