Churchill to welcome Kentucky Derby fans in 'responsible way'
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Churchill Downs started its amended Spring Meet on Saturday, as with other tracks, racing behind closed doors.
And now the question is: How long will that last with Churchill's goal to have fans on site for the rescheduled 2020 Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5?
"We still have quite a ways until the first Saturday in September," Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery said this week. "Our focus is on trying to do it in a responsible way with fans in the stands. We will be listening to the experts and adjusting as we need to adjust.
"With everything we do, we have 10 to 15 scenarios that we consider, because we don’t want to be taken by surprise."
Churchill Downs management will collaborate with a host of experts in the coming months when trying to pull off this feat amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"We’ll be working with public health officials to make sure that we do what we do in a responsible way," Flanery said. "We are focused on throwing the event with fans in a responsible way."
With the Derby pushed back past June for the first time in its history, Churchill Downs this week unveiled some of the races that will comprise the updated schedule of qualifiers. Next Saturday's Matt Winn Stakes (G3) under the Twin Spires is next up, offering 50 points to its winner in a race expected to be led by come-backing Maxfield.
"The Matt Winn next week is going to be a great one," Flanery said. "We actually got so much interest in it that we raised the points on that race because we think it is going to be a stellar opportunity for folks to qualify. We want the best horses on the first Saturday in September this year."
Other races on the amended prep schedule include Monmouth Park's Haskell Stakes (G1) and Del Mar's Shared Belief Stakes. Churchill is awaiting a stakes schedule from the New York Racing Association for further additions.
For the first time, the Derby trail will wind through Ellis Park, too, with the Ellis Park Derby a 50-point prep.
"Talking with the team at Ellis Park about different opportunities, we saw it as a great opportunity for Kentuckians to have additional channels on the Road to the Kentucky Derby," Flanery said. "We can’t wait for them to open back up and we hope they have a great event."
The Preakness Stakes, which will run Oct. 3, follows a month after the Derby. Racing in New York can begin next month with a date forthcoming for the Belmont Stakes.
"If the Triple Crown is run in a different order, it’ll be talked about for generations," Flanery said. "We love our traditions, but in this time, we have to just enjoy the fact that we are in a unique situation and do the best we can.
"It’s going to be a moment in history that we will talk about for 100 years."
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