Kentucky Derby Updates | Trump appears at Churchill Downs

May 7, 2022, 12:32 PM | Updated: 4:15 pm

Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the K...

Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Latest on the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby (all times EDT):

___

6:50 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump arrived at Churchill Downs for his $75,000-per-person fundraiser around 6 p.m. His entrance was shielded from the general public and the press. He was ushered into the track through a side hallway that had been used by caterers and staff, where his entourage erected an American flag and a Kentucky flag to greet him. Before he arrived, staff pulled curtains to corral the press and public away, guarded by FBI agents in camouflage with automatic rifles.

Whispers of Trump’s arrival passed through the crowd that backed up for twenty minutes. Some shouted his name, “Trump, Trump, Trump.” Others seemed irritated at the delay.

“This is ridiculous,” one woman grumbled.

Some got a glimpse of the former President through a short break in the curtains and a rumbled passed through the crowd.

Some cheered, some booed as the former president was whisked up to the high-priced clubhouses on the upper floors.

Then the curtains parted and everyone went on their way.

The details of Trump’s event, including who is in attendance were not made public.

___

5:40 p.m.

Bettors are throwing their money behind Epicenter and Taiba, toppling Zandon as Kentucky Derby favorite less than 75 minutes before the scheduled 6:57 p.m. post time.

Both colts are listed as 5-1 choices, with Messier at 6-1 and Zandon now at 7-1. Taiba made the biggest jump after drawing 12-1 odds on Monday, getting $3.181 million in wagers. That’s just behind Epicenter at $3.380 million, who began as the 7-2 second choice behind Zandon.

Zandon, the 3-1 morning line favorite on Monday, has $2.698 million in wagers while Messier has $2.864 million.

___

3:30 p.m.

Spectators have crammed in to the first full Kentucky Derby since the coronavirus pandemic began, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in lines to place their bets and buy mint juleps.

Churchill Downs was packed by early afternoon, hours before the biggest race of the day.

For two years, the pandemic upended the typical extravagance of Derby Day. The 2020 running was delayed until Labor Day weekend and held without spectators. Last year’s race strictly limited the number of tickets sold. This year, Churchill Downs hoped to again surpass 150,000, its pre-pandemic numbers.

“It feels like we have a normal life again,” said Michelle Conforto, a milliner from California arriving for her 12th Derby who was delighted to have to wade through thick crowds again. “It’s a milestone for us to move forward.”

Her husband, Joe, wore goggles and a stuffed horse named Miss Fancy on his head, decorated in yellow and olive to match his wife’s elaborate feathered hat, which encircled her head a foot in every direction. They are Derby fixtures and people stop them to take pictures.

“We get to spend time with people and enjoy our lives,” Michelle Conforto said. “Today we feel free.”

___

1:45 p.m.

Spectators are returning in droves for the 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, which aims for close to full capacity beneath the Twin Spires for the first time since 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

Zandon is the 3-1 morning line favorite and will start from the No. 10 post. Epicenter is the 7-2 second choice from the No. 3 post, with Messier the 8-1 third choice from the No. 6 post. He and stablemate Taiba (12-1, No. 12) are being guided by Tim Yakteen, who took over training for suspended Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.

At a press briefing Saturday, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear brushed off a question about former President Donald Trump’s rumored appearance at Churchill Downs, noting that Derby Day is “a day of festivity, where hopefully we put any divisions aside.”

“Hopefully, we focus more on the race in front of us than any races in our future,” Beshear added. “It’s a chance for everybody to see that Kentucky is welcoming to anyone who wants to come to this track, former president included.”

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Graphic shows horses in the Kentucky Derby with post positions, silks and odds; with related stories; 6c x 3 7/8 inches
            
              A race fan looks at his program before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Racing fans talk before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Josh Cito, of Denver, cheers on his horse in the fifth race of the day at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
            
              Red roses are displayed in the Churchill Downs plaza before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
            
              Speak of the Devil, with Flavien Prat aboard, wins the fifth race of the day at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
            
              Fans stand at betting windows in the infield before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
            
              A race fan walks to the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
            
              Fans stand at betting windows in the infield before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
            
              A woman wears a decorative hat as she walks through the infield before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

AP

FILE - U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz listens during a news conference, Jan. 5, 2023, in Washi...

Associated Press

US Border Patrol chief is retiring after seeing through end of Title 42 immigration restrictions

The head of the U.S. Border Patrol announced Tuesday that he was retiring, after seeing through a major policy shift that seeks to clamp down on illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border following the end of Title 42 pandemic restrictions.

24 hours ago

FILE - President Joe Biden talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., on the House steps as...

Associated Press

House OKs debt ceiling bill to avoid default, sends Biden-McCarthy deal to Senate

The House approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package late Wednesday, as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assembled a bipartisan coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans against fierce conservative blowback and progressive dissent.

24 hours ago

Sean Bickings (Family Photo via city of Tempe)...

Associated Press

Family of man who drowned last year in Tempe Town Lake files wrongful death lawsuit

The family of a man who drowned in Tempe Town Lake a year ago filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city Wednesday, noting that its police department doesn't have a policy requiring officers to go into the water to save someone.

24 hours ago

(Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS...

Associated Press

Florida police search for 3 gunmen who wounded 9 at crowded beach on Memorial Day

Police are responding to a shooting near the beach broadwalk in Hollywood, Florida.

3 days ago

Crew members assemble the main stage ahead of the 2023 Scripps Nations Spelling Bee on Sunday, May ...

Associated Press

Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion

As the final pre-competition meeting of the Scripps National Spelling Bee's word selection panel stretches into its seventh hour, the pronouncers no longer seem to care.

3 days ago

FILE - Gabby Petito's mother Nichole Schmidt, wipes a tear from her face during a news conference o...

Associated Press

Mother of man who killed Gabby Petito said in letter she would help son ‘dispose of a body’

The mother of the man who killed Gabby Petito told her son in an undated letter that she would “dispose of a body” if needed because she loved him so much, according to copies of the note shared publicly for the first time this week by attorneys for Petito's parents.

6 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

(Photo: OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center)...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

Here’s what you need to know about OCD and where to find help

It's fair to say that most people know what obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders generally are, but there's a lot more information than meets the eye about a mental health diagnosis that affects about one in every 100 adults in the United States.

Kentucky Derby Updates | Trump appears at Churchill Downs