INTERNACIONAL
Inside the Kentucky Derby: What fans don’t see at Churchill Downs on race day
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Saturday, more than 150,000 spectators are expected to descend on the famed Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, but the story of race day begins long before the crowd arrives.
For those behind the scenes, Derby Day on May 2 isn’t about crisp mint juleps and eye-catching hats. It’s the culmination of years of training, millions in investment and the final hours when it all comes together.
And spectators willing to spend a pretty penny for the elite experience could dole out approximately $16,800 for a seat at a table above the track, while costs listed on the website for private turf suites start at $280,000.
«It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these horses,» Stan Bowling, lead tour guide at the Kentucky Derby Museum, told Fox News Digital. And some fans feel the same way.
KENTUCKY DERBY MINT JULEP: MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN MAKING THIS ICONIC COCKTAIL
The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs is referred to as the «fastest two minutes in sports.» This year the race falls on Saturday, May 2, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Only 3-year-old thoroughbreds can qualify for the race, with training that begins early and intensifies in the years leading up to the Kentucky Derby, affectionately called the «fastest two minutes in sports.»
«A lot is riding on that two minutes and a little bit of change for all these owners, trainers and jockeys,» said Bowling, a Kentucky native who has attended the race 28 times. «There are no do-overs on this track.»
While the race itself is quick, the road to Churchill Downs is anything but. Along the way, horses earn points through qualifying races, while trainers manage every detail to ensure the thoroughbreds peak at precisely the right moment.
Qualifying horses arrive in early March to adjust to the track and settle into life at Churchill Downs, which hosts roughly 750 races each year. But no other race on that track carries the same weight of the Kentucky Derby, the 12th in a 14-race lineup that anchors the day’s events.
«Every morning, from mid-March through the end of the year, the horses are going to be out on the track training between 5:30 and 10 a.m.,» Bowling said as he steered a golf cart beneath the famed track toward what’s known as the backside.
He noted that, by mid-March, approximately 1,400 horses arrive at the stalls.
A qualifying horse during an early morning training session on the track at Churchill Downs. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It’s here, beyond the grandstands and away from the pageantry, that Churchill Downs takes on a different identity. The backside operates like a small, self-contained community, with 47 barns housing the horses and as many as 600 workers living and working on site.
The grounds include a chapel and even a small school, part of a self-contained world that runs parallel to the spectacle just steps away.
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The backside stretches across rows of mostly nondescript stalls, punctuated by a few bearing the names of famed horses and their jockeys.
«Want to take a guess how much it costs to rent one of these stalls at the most famous racetrack in the world?» Bowling asked.
«$7.50.»
About 1,400 horses fill the stables across the sprawling grounds of Churchill Downs. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
That modest fee is just a starting point, a small figure compared to the millions that can go into preparing a single horse over the course of its training and care.
That level of investment is mirrored in the fan experience, where attending the Derby comes at a steep price.
«It’s an expensive ticket, I will grant you that, but, for most people, coming to see the Kentucky Derby is a bucket list event,» Bowling said.
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Tickets range from about $160 for access to the 26-acre grassy infield, where the race is watched on large screens, to about $800 for one of the cheapest seats in the grandstand.
For grandstand ticket holders, food, alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price, along with entry to races held on both Friday and Saturday.
«Among the 60,000 grandstand seats, those closer to the track and farther from the finish line tend to be the least expensive,» he added.
At the higher end, prices climb steeply.
A view of the Kentucky Derby grandstand at Churchill Downs, where seats can range from $1,000 to more than $16,000. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
«If you want to be in the Woodford Reserve Paddock Club for a very unique, elite experience, a table on the glass for six would cost you $16,800 a seat,» Darren Rogers of Churchill Downs told Fox News Digital.
«We have a number of different levels of packages to suit the experience guests are looking for, especially out-of-towners and bucket-list visitors.»
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Meanwhile, tickets on a typical non-Kentucky Derby race day can cost as little as $10.
But, for many, the lofty price is worth paying for a fleeting moment — two minutes that carry years of work, millions of dollars and a lifetime of ambition.
events, museums exhibits, sports, horse racing, kentucky
INTERNACIONAL
Blue city gang bangers slapped with multiple charges after massive sex trafficking crackdown
Tom Homan: These politicians are ‘nuts’
ICE arrested Giovana Mercedes Moreno Ochompy, a former Illinois high school teacher and illegal immigrant, in connection with a triple murder involving the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. Chicago police initially released her due to sanctuary city policies, without notifying ICE. Tom Homan, former acting ICE director, criticizes these policies, arguing they hinder federal law enforcement and endanger public safety.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it had carried out 20 federal warrants and 10 arrests last Wednesday in connection with sex trafficking operations in Los Angeles by the Hoover Criminals Gang (HCG), a group known for its human exploitation.
Officials identified 51 victims in connection with the arrests, some of whom were as young as 14.
«[Homeland Security Investigations] remains steadfast in our mission to protect victims and pursue justice against human traffickers,» Special Agent Eddy Wang said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
DOJ SAYS 11 MIGRANTS INDICTED IN MULTI-STATE SEX TRAFFICKING, DRUG, FIREARMS CASE
The 10 suspects arrested as a part of Operation Broken Blade on July 1 (Department of Homeland Security)
The arrests are a part of Operation Broken Blade, an effort to target trafficking in Los Angeles’ Figueroa Corridor, a strip of neighborhoods south of the city, according to the agency. They also highlight the continued threats law enforcement face, even as illegal border crossings have plummeted during the second Trump administration.
Since the end of 2024, border crossings have fallen precipitously, going from over 144,000 encounters in December 2024 to just 13,500 in May — a 90% reduction.
Even so, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other federal agencies remain engaged in intercepting more organized smuggling operations that threaten to bring drugs, weapons and people illegally into the country.
In April, for example, CBP announced it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 16 AK rifles, 24 rifle magazines, 16 rifle stocks, 20 pistol grips, and other weapon parts from crossing the border.
As a part of those continued efforts, Acting Assistant DHS Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis said that DHS has made disrupting sex trafficking rings a priority.
«Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is dismantling human and sex trafficking rings,» Bis told Fox News Digital.
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Caleed Mouton, a suspect, arrives to the Federal Building after his arrest. (Department of Homeland Security)
Bis noted that the suspects arrested last week will also face charges that go well beyond their human exploitation.
«This operation in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of ten gang members, who now face federal racketeering charges including sex trafficking, money laundering, firearms offenses and narcotics offenses,» Bis said.
The agency described many of the suspects as «career criminals» with histories that include robbery, kidnapping and burglary.
Wednesday’s operation is the second round of arrests made under Broken Blade, an initiative originally launched in August 2025 by Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles in cooperation with CBP, the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.
FEDS DISMANTLE ALLEGED GUN TRAFFICKING RING THAT FUNNELED DOZENS OF FIREARMS FROM GEORGIA TO CHICAGO GANGS
Nakahli Miller, a suspect, being prepared for transport after his arrest by a Homeland Security Investigation agent. (Department of Homeland Security)
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The 10 suspects are expected to stand trial in March 2027, according to DHS.
«The actions taken today by HSI are another decisive blow against those who have exploited the vulnerable people of our community, and they will now face the consequences of those actions,» Wang said.
crime, politics, los angeles, homeland security
INTERNACIONAL
Tras fallo sobre el TPS, Defensoría llama a hondureños a fortalecer trámites consulares
La doble nacionalidad de hijos de hondureños nacidos en Estados Unidos puede facilitar trámites si las familias deben regresar a Honduras.
La coordinadora de la Defensoría de Movilidad Humana del CONADEH, Elsy Reyes, pidió acudir a los consulados para hacer el registro correspondiente y obtener ese reconocimiento.
Según explicó, este procedimiento puede facilitar diversos trámites en caso de que las familias deban regresar al país y evitar complicaciones legales relacionadas con la documentación de los niños.
La funcionaria señaló que ya se han conocido casos de padres que enfrentan dificultades durante procesos de retorno porque sus hijos no cuentan con la documentación necesaria para viajar o establecerse en Honduras.
El llamado surgió después de que la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos determinara que las decisiones del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional relacionadas con la terminación del TPS no pueden ser revisadas por tribunales federales.
Aunque el caso analizado correspondía a ciudadanos de Haití y Siria, el criterio adoptado por el máximo tribunal también alcanza a las demás designaciones vigentes del programa, incluida la de Honduras.
Para el CONADEH, este escenario reduce las alternativas legales disponibles para quienes buscan mantener esa protección migratoria.
Ante este panorama, la institución nacional de derechos humanos solicitó al Gobierno hondureño reforzar la atención que brindan los consulados en Estados Unidos.
Entre las acciones planteadas figuran agilizar la emisión de pasaportes, facilitar el registro civil de menores nacidos en territorio estadounidense y ampliar la orientación legal para las familias que enfrentan procesos migratorios.
El organismo considera que una respuesta oportuna permitirá reducir el impacto que podrían enfrentar miles de connacionales en caso de cambios en su estatus migratorio.
Además de fortalecer la red consular, el CONADEH recomendó que el Estado prepare estrategias de reintegración para los hondureños que eventualmente retornen al país.
La institución señaló que estas personas podrían requerir oportunidades de empleo, acceso a programas sociales, acompañamiento comunitario y atención psicológica para enfrentar las consecuencias derivadas de la migración y la separación familiar.
Dicha organización indicó que no todos los hondureños beneficiarios del TPS tienen previsto regresar a Honduras; sin embargo, considera necesario que el país cuente con mecanismos de respuesta ante cualquier eventualidad.
También advirtió que la incertidumbre migratoria no solo tiene implicaciones legales, sino también emocionales y económicas para miles de familias que durante años han construido su vida en Estados Unidos.
Así mismo, el acompañamiento consular cobra especial relevancia en momentos de cambios en las políticas migratorias, ya que las oficinas diplomáticas pueden orientar a los connacionales sobre la renovación de documentos, asistencia legal básica y protección de sus derechos.
La institución asegura que todos los connacionales deben mantenerse informado a través de canales oficiales es fundamental para evitar fraudes o desinformación relacionada con el TPS y otros procesos migratorios.
No obstante, el registro de doble nacionalidad también facilita el acceso de los menores a derechos como la identidad, la educación y los servicios públicos en Honduras, en caso de que la familia decida establecerse en el país. Además, permite realizar trámites migratorios y administrativos con mayor agilidad, reduciendo obstáculos legales durante procesos de reunificación familiar o retorno.
viaje internacional,menores de edad,autorización de viaje,aeropuerto,Perú,migraciones
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An island-wide blackout plunged Cuba into darkness Monday as the country’s deepening energy crisis continues to strain its fragile power system.
The outage affected roughly 10 million people before limited electricity service was restored in some areas.
«A total disconnection of the National Electric Power System is occurring,» Cuba’s state-run Electric Union said Monday morning. «The causes are being investigated.»
Cuba has faced increasingly frequent power outages in recent years as the country struggles with chronic fuel shortages and deteriorating electrical grids. The crisis worsened when President Donald Trump imposed additional sanctions in January and threatened tariffs on countries that provide oil to the island.
MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS
People walk on the street during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Ramon Espinosa)
During Monday’s blackout, public transportation was largely halted, and officials said tens of thousands of surgeries were canceled nationwide, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Authorities later said one generating unit had resumed operations roughly two hours after the collapse.
«Microsystems are already operational throughout the country, to ensure protection for vital services,» the Electric Union said.
RUSSIAN ‘DARK FLEET’ TANKER BELIEVED TO BE DELIVERING OIL TO CUBA, DETECTED OFF US COAST AMID TRUMP BAN
A child walks with a bottle of oil past a solar panel set up on the street to charge batteries during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Ramon Espinosa)
The energy minister said officials were working to restore power while accusing the U.S. of contributing to Cuba’s energy struggles.
«Vital services continue to be protected, amidst this complex situation exacerbated by the energy blockade we face,» Vicente de la O Levy said.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also blamed U.S. policies, describing the energy blockade as a «genocidal» measure imposed by Washington.
«While the U.S. tries to induce a social explosion through asphyxiation by blocking fuel access to #Cuba, the UNE mobilizes to reverse the SEN outage,» Díaz-Canel said, referring to Cuba’s National Electric Power System.
«What the electrical workers are doing in the midst of a genocidal energy blockade is heroic.»
A woman with her son signals a car on a dark street during a blackout in Bauta municipality, Artemisa province, Cuba, on March 18, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Cuba’s energy crisis intensified earlier this year after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and halted Venezuelan oil exports, cutting off a key source of fuel for the island.
While Cuba produces only about 40% of the fuel it needs, a Russian tanker delivered roughly 730,000 barrels of oil to the country in March, supplies that were depleted by the end of April, according to The AP.
To conserve fuel, the Cuban government has imposed scheduled power outages that have lasted more than 24 consecutive hours in some areas, the outlet said.
A blackout in early March affected Cuba’s western provinces, while a separate outage in mid-March plunged the entire island into darkness.
cuba, energy, sanctions
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