Noting that the logistics involved with holding the Breeders' Cup at Arlington Park are unique because 35,000 temporary seats are being built, Thayer said "this is a new operational paradigm for us. We are very pleased with how things have gone. We are nearly sold out and will have between 44,000-45,000 people We thought we maybe could get to 46,000."
Arlington Park has put 500 additional seats for the Oct. 26 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on sale to the public. The seats were previously set aside as part of the allotment for large groups or sponsors, according to Breeders' Cup spokesman Damon Thayer.Costing $185 each, the tickets provide purchasers with a stadium-style seat on the clubhouse turn and lunch and beverages for the day in a dining tent. Thayer said the tickets were made available because Arlington and the Breeders' Cup have been able to accommodate the groups and sponsors' seating requests in other areas of the facility.Thayer also confirmed previous reports that Arlington and Breeders' Cup have shelved plans for a tent holding 2,000 people in the area of the track near Arlington's Trackside Off-Tracing Betting facility. Holders of the 200 tickets that were sold for $20 each have been provided the $25 per person Breeders' Cup Day admission to Trackside OTB at no additional cost. There will also be a viewing stand constructed outside Trackside OTB to afford those patrons a view of the racetrack, Thayer said.
