Kentucky’s Churchill Downs to re-open in May

Kentucky’s Churchill Downs to re-open in May

Horse Racing :: Everything Horse

The 2020 Kentucky Derby was supposed to run on the first weekend of May. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the race was postponed and is expected to run on September 5. In the build-up to the most famous American Thoroughbred horse race in the autumn, Kentucky’s Churchill Downs, home of the derby, is to re-open in May. Punters are following limited horse racing events in the United States at the moment with much of the action coming from Florida. Churchill Downs will offer further race events and punters can discover the best horse racing betting sites before opening a new account.

Kentucky’s government can Churchill Downs special permission to re-open its stables on May 11. The racecourse will be allowed to hold events without spectators in an effort to continue lowering the impact of coronavirus. The rules are similar to those in place at other racecourses across the US and Australia. France will also use similar rules when racing re-opens in May.

Churchill Downs’ horse stables have been closed since December and were to re-open in March following renovation. The coronavirus pandemic, however, prevented the re-opening of the stables and not long after the postponement of the first jewel in the American Horseracing Triple Crown.

Churchill Downs was to open its Spring Meet on April 25. The racecourse will now start its legendary Spring Meet on May 16. Punters will rejoice to know that Churchill Downs plans to hold races four times a week at a minimum with events taking place Thursday through Sunday. A special racecard will be held on May 25 on Memorial Day.

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The racecourse will permit only authorized employees and personnel to be in attendance when racing resumes. This includes individuals possessing a Kentucky Horse Racing Commission license. Due to the closing of Churchill Downs’ stables, horses have been stabled in other areas around the country.

Horse racing in the US is current reserved for a few select racecourses. Most races are being run in Florida at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. Nebraska’s Fronner Park has become a popular site for horse racing turning the little-known venue into the “centre of the horse racing world”.

Kentucky’s horse racing industry provides billions of dollars in economic impact to the state. The equine industry pumps between $3 billion and $4 billion into Kentucky’s economy. In addition, over 40,000 jobs are generated by horse racing in Kentucky. Even without spectators present for the Spring Meet, punters from around the globe will be able to wager on the races.

Churchill Downs’ return has led to officials in New York to consider re-opening horse racing tracks in May as well. New York is the hardest hit US state in terms of the coronavirus. New York racecourses were originally closed due to a worker at Belmont Park testing positive for coronavirus. Now, officials are “walking a tightrope” in the decision-making process over whether to re-open.

According to New York Racing Association, horse racing provides an impact of $3bn a year to the state and creates 19,000 jobs. It may not be long before both Churchill Downs and Belmont Park open.

Feature image for illustration only.