LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Churchill Downs informed ticketholders for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday that the track is still in discussions over what to do about the world’s most famous horse race, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, in light of the novel coronavirus threat facing the U.S.
This much appears clear: Whether it is run on the first Saturday in May or some other time, the track appears set on doing whatever it can to make sure there is a Kentucky Derby this year, which is good news after recent cancellations of sporting events.
"We thank you for your patience and are committed to providing regular communication and transparency as we move forward," track officials said in a news release Saturday. "This is not a decision we take lightly, and we expect to have an update about the Kentucky Derby and additional information on our upcoming Spring Meet in the coming week."
Later Saturday, after his colt Charlatan won an allowance race by an impressive 10½ lengths at Santa Anita Park, putting himself into Kentucky Derby contention, legendary horse trainer Bob Baffert speculated on where the Derby might land, according to HorseRacingNation.com’s Jonathan Lintner.
“Nobody’s really sure when anything is going to happen,” Baffert said. “Churchill is saying they’re not going to run the Derby without the people there, so I’m hearing maybe June or in September. ... Whenever they cancel the Masters, that’s like the Derby. ... I’ve never seen anything like this; it’s kind of scary. Hopefully they can get everything under control.”
The track itself didn’t rule out the possibility of an alternate date, but it may be a bit early to identify when such a date might be.
“With the event still seven weeks away, a decision will be made closer to that date, with respect to postponing the event until later in the year, using the most recent information while working with and seeking guidance from public health experts and authorities," track officials said in a news release Thursday.
Meanwhile on Saturday, Churchill announced a two-week delay in the opening of its stable areas, which were scheduled to open March 17. Now, they won't open until March 31.
More information on the Derby, and the spring meet in general, is expected in the coming week.
In Derby prep races on Saturday, the Baffert-trained Nadal won the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. In the Jeff Ruby Stakes, at Turfway, the Mike Maker-trained Field Pass beat favored Invader. Both races were run without fans in attendance.
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