Like any Louisvillian would know, the annual Kentucky Derby came to a close this past weekend. There are a million ways to celebrate the local holiday, such as going to a Derby party and pooling bets among friends, or simply watching it on television. This year, like many years before, hundreds of high schoolers flocked to the infield of the track at Churchill Downs to see the action up close. But like any assembly of high schoolers, debauchery followed.

I attended the festivities at the track on Oaks day, and I saw what I expected. Many people, some even younger than me, were performing some illicit activities. I won’t delve into any details, but to sum it up if their parents saw them that afternoon they would be quite upset.

I know that this is high school, and almost no one is going to follow all of the rules. My only problem with what happened this past weekend was that it could’ve been prevented. The security staff almost out-populated the guests at the track that day, yet I saw most of them simply lounging and enjoying the festivities. Despite the security forces there, I still saw a couple attendants being carted out of the track by stretcher. I’m not sure if they were all of drinking age; but if not, that is a consequence that could’ve been avoided.

I am in no way disregarding the festivities of the Derby. It is one of the best things to happen to this town every year and I never fail to celebrate it annually. However, in the case of the actual track, a lot more could have been done to make it a safer and more responsible area.