Churchill has a new plan in place this year, even for grandstand seats, which are bleacher seats. You have to pay up front, around $1,000 for the right to purchase the seats that you want for a period of 5 years. You pay this upfront figure for the privlege of having those seats available to you for 5 years. Reserved. This is in addition to the annual costs of the seats, which in grandstand areas, I believe are now $168.00 per seat-between the 1/8th and 16th poles. Not positive about that exact figure. But close. Now, if you want a box, you pay something like $50K for the "license to sit" as I term it, plus the price of each seat in the box.

This pricing plan was just instituted a few weeks ago. Churchill is at a point that it is reliant on 2 days of racing for their profit line for the year--Oaks and Derby Day. They will do whatever it takes to meet that, obviously.

And this will deter people that have been going for many, many years. People have already spoken to this effect.

Its a shame. Its still just one day in the calendar year of racing, though its one that we all enjoy, greatly.

****I had to edit: my figure was wrong.