LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Horses, not swine, were on the minds of racing fans at Saturday's 135th Kentucky Derby.

An international audience, including celebrities and famous athletes, turned up at Churchill Downs to watch the race despite the ongoing worldwide outbreak of swine flu. While some people at the track took precautions with hand sanitizers, others said they would simply be careful to wash their hands.

"I'm not worried about it. Honestly, I thought I'd see people with masks on here and stuff. But I haven't seen any of that," said Tracy Beebe, 37, of Winston-Salem, N.C. "I guess people aren't as concerned with it as you see on the news."

Across the globe, cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Mexico, Europe, Asia, Canada, New Zealand, Israel and the U.S.

Kentucky has had one confirmed and three probable cases of the swine flu. State health officials have asked people who attend the Derby to be extra vigilant about washing their hands.

"We continue to stay on top of the situation," Gov. Steve Beshear said Saturday. "We are working with Churchill Downs. They are making sure that there's plenty of places where people can wash their hands and just do the ordinary things that you do to try to prevent yourself or others from getting the flu."

Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher said track officials have been in contact with state and local health experts about any precautions they should take. Asher said track officials have installed extra hand sanitizing stations in the infield.

Department of Health spokeswoman Gwenda Bond said officials are "urging people to be cautious" at the Derby because there's always a chance of any virus spreading in such a large crowd.

Nevertheless, some Derby-goers at the Louisville track said they were not concerned.

Pat Ries and Sharon Daigneau of Stuart, Fla., said they planned to wash their hands frequently and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

In Daigneau's words: "Have Purell, will travel."

Linda Elliott, 57, of Canton, Ohio, who was in the infield, said she wasn't worried either. Elliott was attending the race with a group of friends, including a doctor, she said.

"There are germs everywhere you go," Elliott said. "What the heck."

Charles Pelley, 70, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., said he survived a bout with cancer and wasn't worried about swine flu. Pelley said he thought the strain had weakened since it entered the U.S. population.

"I think the country, everyone is panicking over something that's not as strong as they think," Pelley said.

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Associated Press writers Janet Cappiello Blake, Bruce Schreiner, and Malcolm C. Knox in Louisville contributed to this report.