The COVID-19, or commonly known as the Coronavirus, has just evolved into a pandemic crisis. Many countries are affected by this virus, especially in the USA. With this, a lot of travel bans were imposed, business establishments were closed, and sporting events might also get postponed or canceled.
One of the biggest sporting events in the United States, which is the Kentucky Derby is in the lookout for this outbreak. A few days ago, the NBA was the first sporting event to suspend the upcoming major leagues as a containment protocol against COVID-19. The March Madness, which will commence next week, March 17, 2020, is also canceled.
Although the Kentucky Derby has not yet announced its postponement, the NYRA (New York Racing Association) and affiliated horse racing organization are currently looking out for the possibilities of moving the event later this year. The Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes might also follow.
This year, the Derby is about to celebrate its 146th edition showcasing the newest all-three-year-old thoroughbred Kentucky Derby horses in 2020. As you can remember, last year was not a great season for the Derby because of the big controversies it faced. Following that controversy, no Triple Crown winner was declared.
In a statement released by the Churchill Down Inc. last Thursday, the preparations for the upcoming Kentucky Derby are still ongoing, which settles on May 2, 2020, at Churchill Downs, Kentucky. In fact, several Derby prep races are on the line this month, and there have been no announcements that they will get postponed.
While it is true that all American Thoroughbred horse racing games are keen to the COVID-19 outbreak, most of the races scheduled on the weekend this month will push through. On the other hand, horse racing organizations like Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, The Stronach Group, and New York’s Aqueduct are looking into the rules imposed by the government to avoid the spread of Coronavirus.
Along with Churchill’s statement, they also said that they would release a statement if the event gets postponed or canceled closer to the Derby date. As of now, all prep races are continuing; however, fans and bettors are highly advised to follow the safety measures imposed by them. Moreover, they also recommend that online betting is an excellent wagering alternative as you are not required to go out and see the racing events live.
The Kentucky Derby this year, along with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, is looking to rebuild their reputation. The controversy last year is something they would like to overcome by providing a caliber and action-packed racing show this year.
Furthermore, the Kentucky Derby is a time-sensitive competition that only allows three-year-old thoroughbreds to saddle up in dirt tracks. With the outburst of Coronavirus, this might hinder the Derby to recover big time from what happened last year. If the COVID-19 will not be contained, then the Derby might get canceled.
It’s sad to see that a lot of countries are suffering from the spread of Coronavirus and have affected a lot of the world’s economy, especially in the sports betting industry. According to legalsportsreport.com, the travel and event gathering restrictions imposed by the U.S. Government has declined the sports betting market and is rapidly going down this time.
As of this time, the Kentucky Derby organizations are making sure that they follow the regulations imposed by the government, but also making sure that the betting business does not get affected tremendously. Everyone is hoping that this pandemic will end soon so that all sporting events and betting games will commence right away.
To make sure that the Kentucky Derby and its betting business do not get affected, the Derby prep races, which are scheduled on the weekend, will push through. The racehorses that initially announced their participation in the said competition are also moving on to saddle up to these races.
The Grade 2 Rebel Stakes will settle at Oaklawn Park on May 14, 2020. That said, the Rebel Stakes organization has imposed strict sanitary and safety precautions to make sure that the spread of Coronavirus is disrupted.
Meanwhile, the Jeff Ruby Stakes will also continue as part of the Kentucky Derby prep race on the same date. It will be staged at Turfway Park. The organization assigned for this Derby prep race has also announced that there will only be a limited audience and media personnel allowed to get inside to cover the racing event. Bettors are advised to do the wagering online.
Evidently, the COVID-19 has paralyzed a huge percentage of the world’s economy, including sports betting. In line with that, the Kentucky Derby and other horse racing events are facing a possible suspension and cancellation this year. While this event is still far, everyone is hoping that the COVID-19 will end soon so everyone can move on, and the sporting events will push through.