Kentucky Horse Racing Events: Experience the Thrill of the Finest Races
Updated November 2026 · BourbonTown Tours
Kentucky’s biggest racing dates are the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, on the Friday and the first Saturday in May, and Keeneland’s race meets in Lexington in April and October. BourbonTown Tours drives private groups to the track, and on Keeneland days can add a distillery morning. On Derby, we provide transportation only. Derby week needs 4 to 6 months of notice.
692 five-star reviews · Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice 2024, 2025, 2026 · 3,000+ private tours since 2012
Race Day Quick Facts
- Kentucky Derby: the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, Louisville. The Kentucky Oaks runs the Friday before.
- Keeneland: race meets in April and October, in Lexington.
- Derby week booking: 4 to 6 months ahead.
- Derby transportation: priced per vehicle, with tax and gratuity included and the 3% booking fee on top. The rates print on our cost page.
- Vehicles: Audi A8 sedan up to 3 guests, GMC Yukon Denali SUV 1 to 5, Ford Transit vans seat 14, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van seats 14. See our fleet.
- Race-day pattern: at Keeneland, distilleries in the morning and the track after. On Derby, transportation to and from Churchill Downs.
- Pickup: your hotel or door in Louisville, Bardstown or Lexington.
Kentucky Oaks and Derby
Take your group to the most iconic horse racing events in style. With private chauffeured transportation, you can relax and enjoy the excitement of the Kentucky Oaks and Derby without worrying about parking or logistics. Derby week needs 4 to 6 months of notice, and Kentucky Derby transportation covers how race days run. For the track itself, see a Churchill Downs tour.
Keeneland’s Spring and Fall Meets
Keeneland races in April and October. Our private transportation ensures your group arrives on time and ready to enjoy the thrilling races and the timeless charm of one of Kentucky’s most beloved tracks. Keeneland race days covers how the track and the distilleries share a day.
How we run a race day
A race day is a distillery morning and a track afternoon, and the order never flips. Distilleries run on fixed tour slots, so we book the morning stops first and set the drop-off at the track from them. For Keeneland, a central Lexington pickup puts Versailles about 15 to 20 minutes away, so Woodford Reserve fits before the races. Derby is different: BourbonTown Tours does not run Derby tours, so on Derby our vehicles run as transportation to and from Churchill Downs, with pickup set earlier because roads around the track slow down that week. The same vehicle and driver stay with your group all day, so jackets, bags and race-day shoes ride along. Closed-toe shoes are required at the distilleries, so pack the track shoes and change in the vehicle. For a Keeneland day, start with our private bourbon tours from Lexington.
Plan Your Day at the Races
Contact BourbonTown Tours to arrange private transportation for your group. Whether it’s the Kentucky Derby, the Oaks, or Keeneland, we’ll help you create a hassle-free and memorable outing to these events.
Derby transportation is priced per vehicle
Derby transportation is priced per vehicle rather than per person. The rates include tax and gratuity, and the 3% booking fee applies on top. Derby rates are on our cost page.
Add a distillery morning
A Keeneland race day works as a morning at the distilleries and then the track. On Derby, we provide transportation only.
What a distillery day includes
- Distillery tickets and tasting fees for the morning stops
- The private vehicle and driver, with your group from the distilleries to the track
- A professional guide who drives the tour and leads the distillery stops
- A lunch table between the morning stops and the races, booked and confirmed by us; the meal is on your tab, or a box lunch can go into your quote on request
- Whichever distillery experience you choose, the ticket is covered, and bottles are yours to buy
On a distillery day, the rate covers everything except lunch and driver gratuity.
If a Buffalo Trace visit matters to your group, reach out at least 10 weeks ahead.
A deposit reserves your date. Your quote includes the full details.
- Runs any day of the week, so a distillery morning can sit before a Keeneland race afternoon
- Pickup at your hotel or door in Louisville, Bardstown or Lexington
- A Bourbon Experience Coordinator builds the race-day itinerary with you and confirms each reservation
- Suits race-day birthdays, client outings and bachelor or bachelorette groups
Derby and racing
Frequently asked questions
Can we tour distilleries and go to the races on the same day?
Yes for Keeneland, when the distilleries take the morning and the track takes the rest of the day. We start at distilleries close to the track, keep the stops to what the morning holds, and deliver your group to the races. Derby is the exception: on Derby we provide transportation to and from Churchill Downs only, and a distillery day goes the week before or after.
How is Derby transportation priced?
Derby transportation is priced per vehicle, not per person. BourbonTown Tours does not run Derby tours; on Derby, our vehicles take your group to and from Churchill Downs. The rates include tax and gratuity, and the 3% booking fee applies on top. Our cost page shows the Derby rates. For Derby, any party of up to 14 guests can book the van at the van rate.
How far ahead should we book for the Derby or Keeneland?
Book Derby week 4 to 6 months ahead. Keeneland's April and October meets fall in two of our three peak months, so book those dates early, ahead of the usual 2 to 4 months. Book the room early too: Lexington hotel rates on Keeneland race days run two to four times normal, and four to six months out is the practical minimum.
Where do you pick up on a race day?
Pickup is wherever you are staying in Louisville, Bardstown or Lexington, at the hotel or your door. Churchill Downs is in Louisville and Keeneland is in Lexington, so your base sets the morning drive. From downtown Louisville, Bardstown is about 50 minutes and the Frankfort and Versailles cluster about 60. From central Lexington, Versailles is about 15 to 20 minutes out.
What does the distillery part of the day include?
On a distillery day, the per-person rate covers everything except lunch and driver gratuity: distillery tickets and tasting fees, trip planning by a Bourbon Experience Coordinator, and the private vehicle with a professional guide who drives the tour. We book and confirm a lunch table that fits between the morning stops and post time, and the meal goes on your tab. Water is stocked in every vehicle. Private tours run $275 to $425 per person depending on group size, plus 6% KY sales tax and a 3% booking fee.
Is there an age limit or dress code?
Guests must be 21 to consume alcohol, and some experiences may require all attendees to be 21. Distilleries require closed-toe shoes, which matters when you plan a race-day outfit. The same vehicle stays with your group all day, so you can pack a second pair of shoes for the track. No firearms of any kind are allowed on a tour.
Plan your private bourbon day
BourbonTown Tours has run 3,000+ private tours since 2012. On a race day that means your group alone in the vehicle, from the distillery morning to the track gate. Distillery tickets are included.
Please drink responsibly.
