Patti C.

Fun group activity, but no vegan or healthy food options on the menu. Best to eat before and bring snacks and a water bottle in your purse. Also bring cash for entrance fee and betting and a hat or visor for outside viewing. We needed $5 a person cash only to enter, but parking was free in their large dirt lot. Betting starts at $2 minimum. We were celebrating birthdays and one person in our group brought cupcakes from a bakery. We arrived at 12:20 pm on a Sat and there was plenty of parking and the entrance line to the building was short. Some people in our party group arrived 30 min later and the line to get in was much longer. We were the first in our group to arrive. We paid $5 to enter and then took the escalator to the 2nd floor and stood in line for the hostess. Our friend had reserved 3 tables under her name. The hostess gave us 3 tickets with the reserved table numbers and directions on where to go. The indoor seating area has a great view of the track and surrounding mountains. There are menus on the table and a wait person will come around to take orders. There was no pressure to order anything so I just had water. You run a tab and pay the wait person before leaving. You can look out the window and see the race and each table had a tv monitor that shows each race. We didn't realize that our monitor was showing races from another location until a couple hours later. We fiddled with the controls but learned that only the waitress has the remote that can change the channel. Once we were on the "Turf Paradise" channel we could better follow the action. I was glad that one person in our group understood how betting worked as we needed an explanation. If desired we could walk outside to the bleacher area or down by the track. Races may only be on weekends during the months when it's not too hot outside. Overall it was a fun group activity.

Brad W.

Returned here in 2026 to see what the new owners did, which didn't appear to be much . Free admission for grandstand people, but no food, just a small bar in the middle of the infield. Probably needed to go fancier to see any changes.

Arley L.

Lots of parking but definitely a bit run down. First time at horse racing and it's definitely thrilling. However the facility is on the older side, no ac, definitely warm inside and the setting on the second level dirty with a solid later of dirt. Overall it's was a good experience

Christa M.

Attended the Turf Paradise Derby Party this past weekend and my sister and I had a pretty good time. The event was fun! The Turf Paradise building itself is pretty old and run down. This place has potential to be great but it's definitely not there. Everything is very outdated and looks like it's stuck back in the 90's. The TV screens inside are old af and not of good quality. We scoped out the bathrooms and I am glad I did not have to use them.. The bleachers are out in the sun with no shade and it's got to be one of the dumbest things ever... how can you not provide any shade, after all we are in AZ guysss -.- We spent most of them time in the VIP tent since this was the only shaded area. When the races would start, we would run out to the fence. Drinks were good and the bartenders were nice! Spent about $150.00 on drinks. The event was great (5 stars) and it was fun to see everyone's attire. This 2 star review is for the place itself, please give it a makeover! :(

Taylor W.

Visited over Derby weekend for their Derby Dayclub. Such a fun and well organized event!

Dee C.

I had a blast at the Derby Watch Party. Parking was plentiful, entry was easy, and the vibe was high! What a beautiful way to enjoy a Saturday. Dressing up was so much fun. Since COVID, my dressing game has been hit AND miss. But this was so much fun. All the hats, bow ties, fashions were a show in and of themselves, and I enjoyed people watching just as much as watching the races. If the Watch Party continues into the future, I'd love to have a table with my friends and share this experience with them.

Heidi M.

We went to check out the Stella Artois Derby Day Club 2024 tent at Turf Paradise. We loved seeing all the derby hats and attire and was happy to see there were a variety of different food trucks and activities going on. They had tents with tables set up that you could purchase so you could keep out of the sun. Parking was a little crazy but doable as there were several lots to choose from depending on your tickets. I would recommend checking this out if you this is something you might like. It's definitely a day of people watching with a horse race thrown in.

Katie D.

Really fun place! Entry fees and some things are cash only, but the bars take card. Good selection of beers drinks and snacks but not a full menu. The place is a little run down but it makes for a casual fun vibe and is still worth a visit.

HoyMay P.

Thanks to Turf Paradise and Bailey at Yelp for hooking us up at the Woodford Reserve Derby Day Club 2023 at Turf Paradise. This was the Phoenix version of the Kentucky Derby. We got to rub elbows in the VIP section. Great people watching, vendors selling hats and clothing, booze, raffle tickets for the races, betting machines. There was a DJ playing good tunes. People paraded by in their best fashions and hats. While the majority of women wore hats, some men participated as well with outrageous hats, pink and/or patterned suits. Drinks were flowing with many snacks for sale. There was another covered area where betting took place. That was very popular. Fee for parking across the street. WiFi available. Fun event!

Courtney R.

Let me start by saying I am not a race enthusiast, but when you score tickets to the Woodford Derby Dayclub , you go !! Much thanks to Yelp!!! I had a fabulous time. The vibe was really fun and inclusive and people were really overall just nice. Can we talk about the fun fashion here ? The men were dressed to the nines, and the ladies with your high fashion hats and dresses made event that much more fun. It was very nice to be included in the VIP areas and have such great access. The vendors had a variety of food options, which is always great, I was there for a special event, so I can't say if the food vendors are always there, but the food was tasty. This was definitely a party. The DJ's were there playing great music to get the crowd engaged and going ! I was also able to try a mint julep, which is the official drink of the Derby. Placing a bet was also very easy and it was also very easy to cash out after our big win of six dollars. Lol.

Joneice B.

Such a fun time out in the sun. Had a great time watching the horse race and drink in a cold beer. Races ran all day opening up at about 11 AM and ending about 4 PM. If this is your 1st time coming to horse races and you have an interest in betting to your research beforehand so you understand the difference adding slang. I'm guessing a quick YouTube video will get you right up-to-date. Please note that they have 2 different entrances they have the grand stand and they have this nicer area. I believe we pay tickets price of $3 to be in the outside area but there was a area that she could be also inside. What was nice as that she can go and see the horses before they went out to do their races. Another fun tip is that everyday is senior citizen day and I believe the ticket price for a signal citizen is only a dollar every day so that's a really good event price.

Jim Y.

Was in Phoenix for the VIP Derby party at Turf Paradise, and the party tents did not disappoint though not nearly the scale of Churchill Downs. Great music and DJs, food trucks, good drink service, great party and concierge service and attendants. I was here once before an bought a race for a friend's birthday in the Clubhouse, and this track is on par with smaller race tracks I enjoy, like Tampa Bay Downs, Indiana, Hollywood before they closed, Suffolk Downs before they closed. The missing 5th star is because of their betting machines that I couldn't get to work for the Derby itself and then the cashiers were slow so I wagered less than I planned. I also couldn't find anyone to buy a program from, as we only had one on the VIP tables and of course I seriously mark mine up! A good solid horse racing track.

Aimee B.

We always enjoy race days. It's fun to spend the day at the track BUT Why doesn't this place fix its building. Especially the bathrooms and the ceiling tiles. The entire building is in need of a renovation. We have been coming for years and it looks worse every time. The best area is the track. Is a great way to spend a day with the family and place a few bets along the way.. cheers!