The police presence was not taken lightly at this year’s Carolina Cup, South Carolina’s 83rd annual outdoor party.
About 250 police officers were inside of the Springdale Race Course in Camden, South Carolina, on Saturday, according to The State. Another 70 were located outside the race grounds, patrolling the roads for DUIs and accidents.
There were upwards of 40 undercover officers located inside the racetrack, as well.
In an effort to deter underage drinking, Carolina Cup received its biggest police presence compared to the Cups in years past.
But the increased police activity didn’t stop the fun. 50,000 people were expected to attend the race, nicknamed the world’s largest cocktail party,with most in attendance frequenting College Park, the tailgating spot for most college students.
“The amount of cops at Carolina Cup ruined my last time going because of the amount of times I had to get asked for ID,” third-year early childhood education major Cathy Johnson said. “I had to worry that if I danced outside of my tent that I was going to be pulled out and asked for my identification.”
Johnson was not alone in her worry — tickets for underage drinking could run upwards of $440 in some cases.
As with any large public event, the police were not the only emergency personnel on scene for the race. Firefighters, medics and jail staff were also present to assist with any other problems the race attendees might have encountered.
The racetrack had two large tents where people could be assessed by medical staff and there were also two helicopters on site for the race, ready to fly someone to medical help, should the situation arise.
“We want everyone to have a fun time, but a safe time as well,” Carolina Cup spokeswoman Maggie Davis said.
However, while most people go to cup for the food and drinks, some do attend for the race.
Diplomat, a horse owned by Daybreak Stables, won his first American start Saturday, winning a $75,000 prize.