The Kentucky Derby is the Run For The Roses. It’s about mint juleps, gloriously-oversized hats and singing My Old Kentucky Home.
It’s known as the fastest two minutes in sports.
And it’s always held the first Saturday in May, contested in front of the famous twin spires at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Well, almost always.
Among the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic is the Kentucky Derby’s status as the launching pad to Triple Crown glory in thoroughbred horse racing. When racing in the state of Kentucky was put on hiatus during the coronavirus lockdown, among the events shelved was the Derby.
Instead, the Kentucky Derby will now be contested on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, as the entire Triple Crown order was juggled and reorganized. This year, it was the Belmont Stakes, normally the third jewel in the Triple Crown, that set the stage. The Belmont moved from June 6 to June 20.
The Derby will serve as the middle leg in this triumvirate of races to determine the legacy of the world’s best three-year-old thoroughbreds. The Preakness Stakes, normally a mid-May race and the second leg of the Triple Crown, could potentially crown a Triple Crown winner for the first time ever when it completes the 2020 Triple Crown circuit at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore on Oct. 3.
It’s just the second time in history that the Derby was rescheduled. In 1945, the Derby was moved from May 5 to June 9 due to World War II.
A Different Challenge
The Triple Crown is considered the most daunting quest in horse racing, and since just 13 horses have managed to win all three of its races, certainly the mark of a true champion.
Normally a rugged five-week grind, this year’s Triple Crown is requiring an entirely different approach for those who condition the world’s best three year olds.
“Would have preferred the traditional Triple Crown but we are all just trying to get through this,” two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert told Sports Illustrated. “Glad they didn’t cancel them. It will still be very exciting races and probably tougher because of the time between races.”
Interesting that Baffert, who’s sent out Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018), finds the longer time frame between races to be a more difficult challenge but there’s good reason for that.
At the age of three, a racehorse is still physically maturing. Just like kids, some get there earlier in the year, while others are late bloomers. The horse that finished up the track in June at the Belmont, or was in fact not yet ready for prime time, could be in prime condition when the Preakness rolls around in October.
As well, champion race horses tend to operate like world-class race cars. They can go out of tune very easily and lose their winning edge in the blink of an eye.
Rule Of Law
Tiz The Law was established as the horse to beat and the only one left with a shot at the Triple crown off his impressive victory in the Belmont at Belmont Park. Across the board in the current Kentucky Derby Vegas odds, the Barclay Tagg trainee owned by the Sackatoga Stable is listed as the 5-2 favorite. The same trainer-owner tandem teamed up to win the 2013 Derby with Funny Cide.
Eleven weeks is a long stretch between races, though. A lot can happen in such a lengthy passage of time. Tiz The Law is expected to tune up for the Derby by competing in the $1 million Travers Stakes for three year olds on Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course. Interestingly, only Whirlaway (1941) has ever been able to win both the Triple Crown and the Travers Stakes.
Another contender to keep an eye on is Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P. The John Shirreffs trainee is at 5-1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Shirreffs sent out 2005 Derby victor Giacomo at odds of 50-1.
Perennial contender Baffert, who’s won the Derby on five occasions, has four contenders listed among the Derby future book. A name to keep an eye on could be Uncle Chuck (20-1). He posted a four-length victory for Baffert in Saturday’s $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby.
You Can Leave Your Hat On
While the Belmont was contested without spectators, the Derby remains hopeful that its annual festival of outlandish headgear will continue unabated. However, the race that normally draws an attendance in excess of 100,000 will be conducted under strict guidelines to limit crowd density due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following consultation with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and state and local health officials, Churchill Downs has agreed to reduce the capacity permitted in general admission, outdoor reserved seating, premium dining and the track’s suites. Those in attendance will be strongly encouraged to wear masks, practice social distancing and to wash and sanitize their hands frequently.
The Kentucky Derby is one of those events on every hardcore sports fan’s bucket list, though. These restrictions have served to drive up ticket prices in the secondary market. Currently, the average price for Derby tickets is a reported $1,423 according to Ticket IQ.
