McLean: Churchill Downs aims to begin racing in mid-May

According to multiple sources, Churchill Downs — which had to delay opening its stabling areas this spring to either horse or man due to the COVID-19 pandemic — is making final preparations to meet its goal date of Tuesday.

Over the past couple of weeks, Churchill Downs has been developing and implementing protocols and testing procedures that will allow one of the world’s foremost leaders in Thoroughbred racing to transition in a new horse population, the first such move during the spread of the coronavirus.

Ongoing meets have continued with some new horses shipped in, but with much of the same personnel on site to prevent COVID-19's spread. If all goes well, the track is looking at a possible resumption of racing on or around May 15.

Testing stretched all the way to New Orleans at the end of last week. Trainers and backside workers at the Fair Grounds — which is also owned by Churchill Downs Inc. and had to end its meet prematurely due to the outbreak — were required to go through a screening process.

The individuals were tested for temperature and for COVID-19. All the information was passed along to track officials in Louisville and inserted into a data base.

Most of those trainers that are currently stabled at the Fair Grounds are people that have traditionally travelled North by this time of year and have established stables at Churchill Downs.

If trainers who are currently stabled in other jurisdictions are interested in relocating to Louisville and Churchill Downs, they and their staffs will have to be tested and approved as well, according to information received by The Pressbox.

According to sources, Churchill Downs has been working to develop a plan in conjunction with an international consulting firm which specializes in these types of possible contamination issues and containment plans.

The sources all confirmed that the plan has been shared with both the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and with the office of Gov. Andy Beshear.

Churchill Downs is waiting final approval from the Governor’s office and the KHRC to make the decision on exactly when to open the gates to the backside.

Once the horses, trainers, grooms and hot walkers are on the premises, we are told that Churchill Downs — along with the Kentucky Racing Commission — will finalize the exact date when live racing will resume. The plan is to reintroduce live racing without spectators on the premises.

Churchill made the move earlier this year to postpone the Kentucky Derby and its Derby week stakes to early September. Presumably, it could still run the bulk of its regular Spring Meet, headlined by races such as the Stephen Foster (G2) and Fleur de Lis (G2), if allowed to open in May.