As Kentucky Derby Becomes a Bigger Business, Locals Feel Left Behind

Scritto il 01/05/2026
da Joe Drape

Locals say rising ticket prices and a late start time for the Oaks race on Friday are hurting residents and restaurants. “The only thing I see is greed,” one steakhouse owner said.Pat Francis, whose family has owned Pat’s Steakhouse since 1958, is closing his doors on both Friday and Saturday to protest how Churchill Downs Inc. has transformed the Kentucky Derby business.