By Andrew Blankenship

The horses were only visible via simulcast, but the Derby spirit was alive at Keeneland’s annual Derby party on Saturday.

The crowd of 18,506 was only a fraction of the 150,000-plus people at Churchill Downs watching Mine That Bird win the Kentucky Derby, but the atmosphere was festive, with the smell of charcoal and sound of bean bags slapping against plywood cornhole boards outside of the gate and a fair-like atmosphere of live music and vendors in the paddock area.

“It’s a Keeneland tailgate without the crowd,” communications senior Casey Smith said.

Not everyone was at Keeneland for the tailgating and the atmosphere. Hillary Blumthal, a dietetics senior, was at Keeneland to watch the race.

“When I’m in the infield, I can’t see the Derby anyway. This is the same experience, but I don’t have to deal with all of those people,” Blumthal said.

She wasn’t surprised to see Mine That Bird win the Derby since she was at Churchill Downs in 2007 when the horse’s jockey, Calvin Borel, won the Derby on Street Sense.

“I really wanted to bet on I Want Revenge, but he was scratched. Jeff Mullins is a good trainer,” Blumthal said.