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 on Saturday and its companion race the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky; the Preakness Stakes on Saturday and its companion race the George E. Mitchell Stakes on Friday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland; the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York; the Travers Stakes in Saratoga Springs, New York and the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday and its companion race the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Friday those locations rotates annually.2009 The Original Racing Almanac, page 140 for Kentucky Derby, page 156 for the Preakness Stakes, page 241 for Kentucky Oaks, page 167 for Belmont Stakes, page 184 Breeders' Cup, June 26, 2008.
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. + – Attendance was limited by COVID-19 Restrictions.
Year Kentucky Derby Saturday Preakness Stakes Saturday Kentucky Oaks Friday George E.Mitchell Stakes Friday Belmont Stakes Saturday Travers Stakes Saturday Breeders' Cup Classic SaturdayDistaff Friday 2024156,710 46,163 - - 50,000 47,844 - -2023 - 46,999 - -48,08948,292 - -2022 - 42,055 - -46,30149,672 - -202151,838 +10,000 +41,472 +10,000 +11,000 +44,507 - -2020 All races listed held behind closed doors+ 2019150,729131,256105,71951,573*56,21748,21368,81141,2432018157,813134,487113,51048,26590,32749,41870,42342,2492017158,070140,327*105,10050,33957,72947,72537,69232,2782016167,227135,256124,589*47,95660,11448,63072,81145,673*2015170,513*131,680123,76342,70090,000**50,00050,15544,9472014164,906123,469113,07134,736102,19946,57761,11437,1052013151,616117,203 113,28039,95747,56247,59758,79535,8332012165,307121,309 112,55232,47385,81146,52855,12334,6192011164,858118,356 110,12227,96655,77943,050 65,14340,6772010155,804 96,760 116,04627,60945,24345,764 72,739 41,6142009 153,56377,850#110,33618,407#52,86134,221 58,84537,6512008 157,770121,876100,04623,81994,47640,723 55,33131,2372007 156,635132,221100,17525,16746,87038,90969,58427,8032006 157,536128,643108,06524,42961,16844,19975,132not run2005 156,435125,687111,24323,99462,27442,841 54,289not run2004140,054124,35198,44521,876120,139*48,894 53,717not run2003 148,530109,931100,523n/a101,86466,122*51,486not run2002 145,033117,055101,932n/a103,222n/a46,118not run2001154,210118,926102,904n/a73,85760,48652,987not run2000 153,204111,821106,156n/a67,810n/a76,043not run1999 151,051116,526101,034n/a85,818n/a45,124not run1998143,215103,26994,415n/a80,162n/a80,452*not run1997 141,981102,11892,547n/a70,682n/a51,161not run1996 142,66897,75191,830n/a40,797n/a42,243not run1995144,110100,81887,383n/a37,17148,77337,246not run1994 130,59499,83480,321n/a42,695n/a71,671not run1993 136,81797,64181,882n/a45,037n/a55,130not run1992132,54396,86579,824n/a50,204n/a45,415not run1991 135,55496,69573,785n/a51,766n/a66,204not run1990128,25796,10667,483n/a50,123n/a51,236not run1989122,65398,89667,115n/a64,949n/a51,342not run1988137,69488,65464,735n/a56,223n/a71,237not run1987 130,53287,94562,689n/a64,772n/a57,734not run1986 123,81987,65258,893n/a42,555n/a69,155not run1985108,57381,23552,865n/a43,446n/a42,568not run1984 126,45380,56653,402n/a56,677n/a64,254not run1983 134,44471,76854,601n/a56,677n/anot runnot run1982141,00980,72452,430n/a46,050n/anot runnot run1981 139,19584,13351,918n/a61,200n/anot runnot run1980 131,85983,45549,556n/a58,883n/anot runnot run1979128,48872,60747,000n/a59,073n/anot runnot run1978 131,00481,261n/an/a65,41750,359not runnot run1977124,03877,346n/an/a71,026n/anot runnot run1976 115,38762,256n/an/a58,788n/anot runnot run1975113,32475,216n/an/a60,611n/anot runnot run1974 163,62854,911n/an/a52,153n/anot runnot run1973134,47661,657n/an/a67,605n/anot runnot run1972130,56448,721n/an/a54,635n/anot runnot run1971 123,28447,221n/an/a82,694n/anot runnot run1970105,08742,474n/an/a54,299n/anot runnot run1969113,20042,258n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1968122,60040,247n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1967119,70038,371n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1966120,50036,114n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1965112,00038,108n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1964114,30035,975n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1963108,90035,263n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1962119,65033,854n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1961120,50032,211n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1960114,85030,659n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1959119,65031,506n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1958116,40036,912n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1957107,95032,856n/an/an/an/anot runnot run1956112,00030,744n/an/an/an/anot runnot run
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