Derby City Classic 2025 January 17-26, 2025

[ALT_ESV]

Tickets/entries go on sale in about a month. Make sure you get your hotel reserved NOW if you are going to go. No one likes that long drive to Lousiville every night at 2 am.

Looks like they have added an extra day to learn from the past, however, the “Event Info” page still has 2024 schedule posted.

See the link for all the details https://derbycityclassic.com/

 

[sjm]

Thanks for the gentle nudge. I booked my room today for all 10 days.

To others who book, use the caesars.com website, indicate Caesar's Indiana Horseshoe, and make sure to enter the group code indicated on the derbycityclassic.com website. For a 9-day reservation or more, the discounted rate is a very reasonable $128 per night.

If you call the hotel reservation desk instead, you won't get the discounted group rate, so don't waste your time trying.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

Yes thank you for the reminder!

 

[Bob Jewett]

For those of you with a car (or willing to try Uber/Lyft in a semi-rural area), I found the following rates at the two nearest hotels in New Albany. Prices include all taxes and fees for 10 nights.

$95/night -- Holiday Inn Express -- non-refundable, breakfast included

$110/night -- Hampton Inn -- non-refundable, breakfast included

I also checked the Horseshoe online. Through booking.com as above, they wanted $4000 total or $400/night. But online with the code, as sjm suggests above:

$160/night -- includes all taxes and resort fee, refundable, no breakfast, but the room does have a refrigerator and coffee machine unlike most casino hotels. This requires at least a 9-night stay. 9-NIGHT MINIMUM FULL EVENT STAY CODE: S01DIA9

Note that I checked using the 9-night stay code. If you use the single night code, only some of the nights are available at the discounted rate, and the other nights are at the full rate of $400 plus fees. SINGLE NIGHT RESERVATION CODE: S01DIAP

For those who enjoy fine dining, there is a Waffle House AND a White Castle in New Albany! But seriously, there are several nice restaurants in New Albany, including the Exchange Pub & Kitchen very near the hotels, along with all the usual chains.

The difference between the Horseshoe and the HI Express totals is $650 which might pay for your car rental (if you're flying), and then you have more flexibility.

 

[Bob Jewett]

If you are flying, earlier reservations are usually cheaper. I just checked Southwest from California and round trip is as low as $320. (Southwest has no cancel, change or baggage fees.)

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

For those of you with a car (or willing to try Uber/Lyft in a semi-rural area), I found the following rates at the two nearest hotels in New Albany. Prices include all taxes and fees for 10 nights.

$95/night -- Holiday Inn Express -- non-refundable, breakfast included

$110/night -- Hampton Inn -- non-refundable, breakfast included

I also checked the Horseshoe online. Through booking.com as above, they wanted $4000 total or $400/night. But online with the code, as sjm suggests above:

$160/night -- includes all taxes and resort fee, refundable, no breakfast, but the room does have a refrigerator and coffee machine unlike most casino hotels. This requires at least a 9-night stay. 9-NIGHT MINIMUM FULL EVENT STAY CODE: S01DIA9

Note that I checked using the 9-night stay code. If you use the single night code, only some of the nights are available at the discounted rate, and the other nights are at the full rate of $400 plus fees. SINGLE NIGHT RESERVATION CODE: S01DIAP

For those who enjoy fine dining, there is a Waffle House AND a White Castle in New Albany! But seriously, there are several nice restaurants in New Albany, including the Exchange Pub & Kitchen very near the hotels, along with all the usual chains.

The difference between the Horseshoe and the HI Express totals is $650 which might pay for your car rental (if you're flying), and then you have more flexibility.

La Catrina and The Dragon King's Daughter are both great spots as well.

We usually have the dogs with us so staying at Caesars isn't really an option. New Albany isn't that far away, not bad at all.

 

[sjm]

If you are flying, earlier reservations are usually cheaper. I just checked Southwest from California and round trip is as low as $320. (Southwest has no cancel, change or baggage fees.)

Yup, book early and save. Flying from New York City, I got a roundtrip air fare on Delta of $208. Very happy with that.