LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Every major American sports event has this in common — it’s not just a game, it’s a TV show.
That Tony Kornheiser line about Monday Night Football (and the Super Bowl, and the Olympics) will be hard to forget next year, when the Kentucky Oaks — the second-biggest day on Churchill Downs' calendar — moves to prime time for the first time in its history, with an expected post time of between 8-9 p.m. as the final race of the program.
I remember wondering — and even writing in The Courier-Journal — back in 2010, when Churchill installed permanent lighting, how long it would be before we saw a Kentucky Derby under the lights.
In the case of the Oaks, the answer was 16 years. And the Derby, surely, won’t be far behind if the Oaks proves a success.
As a journalist, of course, it's a nightmare — tighter turnarounds, later deadlines, scrambled TV shows. It's a logistical tangle for everyone involved.
It will also further rankle local restaurants and party hosts, who've already seen their Oaks night traffic dip as the race's post time has crept later and later. What used to be a prime evening for Derby-week galas now collides with the main event. That pinch will only intensify.
If you're one of those rare Louisvillians who goes to both races, the alarm clock will feel a little earlier on Derby morning after a night at the track.
Make no mistake — this is a lifestyle change for Louisville. And it's a business decision for Churchill Downs, which will capture more of that Oaks night income for itself. But it will also need to rethink race-day menus, party dynamics, and post-race traffic for a prime-time crowd.
That’s the logistical view. The lifestyle impact. The media headache. The fine print beneath the glow.
But here's the truth — Churchill Downs under the lights is a different place. It is stunning. The best night of Derby week, for me, has become Opening Night, which is run after sundown. The atmosphere changes. The visuals dazzle.
The Oaks, in full daylight, is already a feast for the senses. At night, it could become something even more grand — and, in all likelihood, seen by more people around the country.
To show that image to the nation, in a prime-time network broadcast, only boosts Churchill Downs’ bid to become one of American sports’ top bucket-list destinations.
The story of Churchill Downs has been one of consistent change. The track has grown over the decades, with technology, with architecture, with the media. There were people who thought pari-mutuel wagering was the end, who called the luxury suites garish, who claimed the infield was too debaucherous — and now, not debaucherous enough. That massive video board? You can see it all the way downtown from the 800 Building.
So much new. And none of it slowing down.
The new paddock transformed the facility. Churchill’s plans for a permanent infield structure will change it again. Likely when its next round of renovations is complete, the Derby itself will be ready for prime time.
The Derby and Churchill Downs face a familiar challenge: Their mystique is rooted in history, but their survival depends on the present. And if you look around, not many institutions manage that very well.
Jessica Whitehead, the curator of collections for the Kentucky Derby Museum, which is housed in Churchill Downs but is a separate organization, put that into a workable context during an interview before Kentucky Derby 150.
“There has been a lot of outcry as Churchill Downs was sort of building up and out and those massive white walls that were coming up all around the racetrack," Whitehead said. "... People said, 'You're obscuring the Twin Spires. That's the history. That's the thing.' But, of course, a racetrack has to be a balance between those two things. There has to be a balance, especially here at Churchill Downs, because of how iconic and long-lasting this history is. You have to have a balance of showcasing that history and being able to accommodate the people who are able to keep that history running.”
And thoroughbred racing, like it or not, is running as profitably and successfully under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs as it is anywhere in the world. Some may feel like it’s racing away from them — especially with changes to the Oaks and Derby. And that’s something Churchill would be wise to consider, too. But you can’t make changes that are as different as night and day without some discomfort. You can’t grow without some discomfort, either.
In the end, for all the challenges Oaks at night will bring — and there will be plenty, including for the track itself (especially the lighting for TV alone) — it’s likely to make for one heck of a TV show.
And, for that matter, perhaps a well-lit dress rehearsal for a Derby after dark.
Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
