American thoroughbred racing top attended events
This is a listing of the top attended stakes races for thoroughbred racing in North America by year.
The chart lists the paid attendance of the eight top average attended races including the Kentucky Derby Kentucky Oaks Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky ; the Preakness Stakes George E. Mitchell Stakes Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland ; the Belmont Stakes Elmont, New York ; the Travers Stakes Saratoga Springs, New York and the Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Distaff [ 1]
Notes:* – Indicates the largest crowd for that event.** – In 2015, NYRA announced that all future Belmont Stakes' attendances would be limited to 90,000 due to overcrowding concerns at Belmont Park.# – The Maryland Jockey Club banned the infield's BYOB policy beginning in 2009. There was a significant decrease in attendance in 2009.[ 2] + – Attendance was limited by COVID-19 Restrictions.
Year
Kentucky Preakness Kentucky George E. Belmont Travers Breeders' Cup
Classic Distaff
2024
156,710
2023
-
-
-
-
48,089
48,292
-
-
2022
-
-
-
-
46,301
49,672
-
-
2021
51,838 +
10,000 +
41,472 +
10,000 +
11,000 +
44,507
-
-
2020
All races listed held behind closed doors + [ a]
2019
150,729
131,256
105,719
51,573 *
56,217
48,213
68,811
41,243
2018
157,813
134,487
113,510
48,265
90,327
49,418
70,423
42,249
2017
158,070
140,327 *
105,100
50,339
57,729
47,725
37,692
32,278
2016
167,227
135,256
124,589 *
47,956
60,114
48,630
72,811
45,673 *
2015
170,513 *
131,680
123,763
42,700
90,000**
50,000
50,155
44,947
2014
164,906
123,469
113,071
34,736
102,199
46,577
61,114
37,105
2013
151,616
117,203
113,280
39,957
47,562
47,597
58,795
35,833
2012
165,307
121,309
112,552
32,473
85,811
46,528
55,123
34,619
2011
164,858
118,356
110,122
27,966
55,779
43,050
65,143
40,677
2010
155,804
96,760
116,046
27,609
45,243
45,764
72,739
41,614
2009
153,563
77,850#
110,336
18,407#
52,861
34,221
58,845
37,651
2008
157,770
121,876
100,046
23,819
94,476
40,723
55,331
31,237
2007
156,635
132,221
100,175
25,167
46,870
38,909
69,584
27,803
2006
157,536
128,643
108,065
24,429
61,168
44,199
75,132
not run
2005
156,435
125,687
111,243
23,994
62,274
42,841
54,289
not run
2004
140,054
124,351
98,445
21,876
120,139 *
48,894
53,717
not run
2003
148,530
109,931
100,523
n/a
101,864
66,122 *
51,486
not run
2002
145,033
117,055
101,932
n/a
103,222
n/a
46,118
not run
2001
154,210
118,926
102,904
n/a
73,857
60,486
52,987
not run
2000
153,204
111,821
106,156
n/a
67,810
n/a
76,043
not run
1999
151,051
116,526
101,034
n/a
85,818
n/a
45,124
not run
1998
143,215
103,269
94,415
n/a
80,162
n/a
80,452 *
not run
1997
141,981
102,118
92,547
n/a
70,682
n/a
51,161
not run
1996
142,668
97,751
91,830
n/a
40,797
n/a
42,243
not run
1995
144,110
100,818
87,383
n/a
37,171
48,773
37,246
not run
1994
130,594
99,834
80,321
n/a
42,695
n/a
71,671
not run
1993
136,817
97,641
81,882
n/a
45,037
n/a
55,130
not run
1992
132,543
96,865
79,824
n/a
50,204
n/a
45,415
not run
1991
135,554
96,695
73,785
n/a
51,766
n/a
66,204
not run
1990
128,257
96,106
67,483
n/a
50,123
n/a
51,236
not run
1989
122,653
98,896
67,115
n/a
64,949
n/a
51,342
not run
1988
137,694
88,654
64,735
n/a
56,223
n/a
71,237
not run
1987
130,532
87,945
62,689
n/a
64,772
n/a
57,734
not run
1986
123,819
87,652
58,893
n/a
42,555
n/a
69,155
not run
1985
108,573
81,235
52,865
n/a
43,446
n/a
42,568
not run
1984
126,453
80,566
53,402
n/a
56,677
n/a
64,254
not run
1983
134,444
71,768
54,601
n/a
56,677
n/a
not run
not run
1982
141,009
80,724
52,430
n/a
46,050
n/a
not run
not run
1981
139,195
84,133
51,918
n/a
61,200
n/a
not run
not run
1980
131,859
83,455
49,556
n/a
58,883
n/a
not run
not run
1979
128,488
72,607
47,000
n/a
59,073
n/a
not run
not run
1978
131,004
81,261
n/a
n/a
65,417
50,359
not run
not run
1977
124,038
77,346
n/a
n/a
71,026
n/a
not run
not run
1976
115,387
62,256
n/a
n/a
58,788
n/a
not run
not run
1975
113,324
75,216
n/a
n/a
60,611
n/a
not run
not run
1974
163,628
54,911
n/a
n/a
52,153
n/a
not run
not run
1973
134,476
61,657
n/a
n/a
67,605
n/a
not run
not run
1972
130,564
48,721
n/a
n/a
54,635
n/a
not run
not run
1971
123,284
47,221
n/a
n/a
82,694
n/a
not run
not run
1970
105,087
42,474
n/a
n/a
54,299
n/a
not run
not run
1969
113,200
42,258
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1968
122,600
40,247
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1967
119,700
38,371
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1966
120,500
36,114
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1965
112,000
38,108
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1964
114,300
35,975
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1963
108,900
35,263
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1962
119,650
33,854
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1961
120,500
32,211
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1960
114,850
30,659
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1959
119,650
31,506
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1958
116,400
36,912
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1957
107,950
32,856
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
1956
112,000
30,744
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
not run
not run
Notes
^ Churchill Downs opened the Fall Meet to spectators. Opening Day drew 1,534 spectators. Prior to the pandemic start, the Pegasus World Cup drew 9,000 spectators.[ 3]
References
