The Associated Press

KENTUCKY DERBY

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PRIOR COVERAGE

Sunday Dirty little secret Adding to grief are debts Jockey moving, but lacking in context Monday VIP guests moved to infield Castledale, St Averil committed to Derby Tuesday Layoff could be a benefit Wednesday Off the beaten track Jockeys hopeful of logo OK Thursday Hard times paved Derby road The Cliff's Edge made favorite Friday Success a quick climb Limited sight doesn't limit horse Photo gallery: Friday at Churchill Downs  Saturday 'Smarty' wins with sentimental journey Just a race - but a big one A crowd at home track Good things in the future A place in their hearts Renovations make for a contrasting infield 'Tasteful' ads raise no fuss They Said It | Celebrities Race recap | Chart The Numbers | Winners

LOUISVILLE - Separated by a chain-link fence, two very different Kentucky Derby crowds shared Churchill Downs' sopping wet infield Saturday.

Ralph Delsardo, a 22-year-old college student, was standing at the gate that separated the two worlds. He opened his wallet to illustrate one of the big differences.

"They have more than $35 in their pocket," he said. That, and "a lot nicer clothes, a lot less flashing and a lot more manners."

A $121 million renovation project meant some patrons, used to watching from prime clubhouse seats, were moved instead to a tent village across the track, leaving less grassy real estate for the $40 general-admission crowd in the infield.

Patrons in the VIP tent said they paid $250 to $400, many of them through their companies.

The well-heeled had to negotiate a concrete tunnel under the track to get to their relocated seats. The less well-heeled used a separate tunnel to get to the infield and carried in their folding chairs and tarps.

When heavy rain sent fans scurrying about two hours before the Derby went off, some of the tarps proved useless, flapping around in the wind that accompanied the downpour. Within minutes, a waist-deep lake materialized in the infield and already-soaked spectators took turns jumping in.

"All the cops tried to get everybody out, but people kept running and jumping into the mud," said 19-year-old Chris Davis of Louisville. "No one cared."

Those in the high-priced seats got wet, too, when part of the tent canopy gave way. But they seemed to take it in stride.

"We were drinking mint juleps when it started flooding, and a wall of water came down," said Kathy Dotzler of California.

Rain seeped under the doors in the exclusive Jockey Club Suites, where celebrities and politicians hang out. Floor mats were used to push back the water.

The renovation project will leave the historic track's famous Twin Spires intact but will reshape and modernize much of the rest of it.

The facelift started last July and won't be done until next year's Derby. The finished product will have a larger grandstand and new dining rooms and will be about 400,000 square feet larger.

Unfinished parts of the clubhouse were being used anyway Saturday, despite bare drywall, exposed pipes and ductwork around concession stands and betting windows.

Some fans were forgiving of the under-construction look.

"We haven't gone around to see everything, but I think it's going to look really nice," said Warren Pierce of Chicago.

Those with access to the infield tent wore color-coded wristbands and could mix with the regular infield crowd if they chose.

Lisa Wimsatt, 43, said she didn't plan to.

"They can have fun in the mud," she said. "I'm staying right here."