KEE meet, SUN Derby cancelled; KY Derby to September 5th..

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

Mea culpa. My error in saying Stronach. So, talk about this in terms of Churchill Downs - again, my fault.

They are doing right by their shareholders. I can’t fault them for that. I also think they are thinking there is going to be a national shut down of some sort soon. This is purely my opinion.

I think we’ve been fortunate to have racing the last few days but I’m not sure how much longer we will have it. Again, pure speculation on my part but if that’s the case the decision makes even more sense.

I don’t think for one second this decision was made on a whim. Just like the decision to cancel Keeneland wasn’t an easy decision. I think people are playing the cards they have been dealt the best way they can.

[Betsy]

Jon White, on with Steve, suggested moving the SA Derby to June and then taking the Del Mar Derby off the grass and using that as a prep for the Derby in August....but then what do you do with the California horses who are ready to run? I guess they’d have to ship....but then that would defeat the purpose of moving the SA Derby.

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

They are doing right by their shareholders. I can’t fault them for that. I also think they are thinking there is going to be a national shut down of some sort soon. This is purely my opinion.

I think we’ve been fortunate to have racing the last few days but I’m not sure how much longer we will have it. Again, pure speculation on my part but if that’s the case the decision makes even more sense.

I don’t think for one second this decision was made on a whim. Just like the decision to cancel Keeneland wasn’t an easy decision. I think people are playing the cards they have been dealt the best way they can.

Reading the material available this evening, the decision was made related to the local State Fair's ending and the start of the Notre Dame football season. Not once did I see a word from Churchill that the decision making was about the racing season.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

Mea culpa. My error in saying Stronach. So, talk about this in terms of Churchill Downs - again, my fault.

You probably should have stopped posting here.

No matter what anyone thinks about Churchill Downs Inc., they must do what is right by its shareholders and work with its partner NBC for the best possible financial outcome. This date makes the most sense as it is far enough down he road and gives horses time to participate and also participate in the Breeders Cup. I’ll go one further that it may even get more eyeballs on Breeders Cup from non regulars as the Derby Winner will still be fresh in many peoples minds. Your suggestion that Churchill Downs and Louisville should just eat nearly a half Billion dollar loss to accommodate NYRA’s schedule really seems to be one made more on emotion and not based upon sound analysis of the situation here. There is no business where you eat a huge loss to accommodate your competitors schedule.

[Kasept]

Oaklawn considering AR Derby date change to fill void on calendar

Mary Rampellini
Mar 17, 2020

The announcement Tuesday that the Kentucky Derby will be moved to Sept. 5 due to the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a new date for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby, according to Oaklawn Park president Lou Cella. The Arkansas Derby is currently scheduled for April 11.

Cella said Tuesday that Oaklawn has been in discussions with a number of factions to determine the best date for the 1 1/8-mile race that has been won by such horses as American Pharoah, Smarty Jones, and Sunny's Halo.

“It’s a moving target,” Cella said. “We are in discussions internally, as well as with other tracks, on, ‘What do we believe will be the future of racing in the springtime for this year?’ We don’t know and right now we have to react.

“As of today we are planning on our complete meet, ending on May 2, and as we have scheduled, running the Arkansas Derby on April 11. Now, with the fact that Keeneland has shut down its meet and Churchill has [postponed] the Derby, we have to review the timing and scheduling of [our stakes] and see what makes the most sense for our racing connections, and that’s what we’re reviewing right now. We’ll probably have some changes in the near future.”

Cella said with the current landscape of preps all geared to the first Saturday in May, it might make sense to run the Arkansas Derby later in the meet at Oaklawn.

“Rather than April, maybe we push it back to a different date that might be best for the horsemen,” he said. “We’re talking to the horsemen right now to see what is best. For the horseman with a promising 3-year-old, is it best for him to race on April 11 or race on May 2?

“We’re not going to cancel anything. It just might be a rescheduling. What is best for the horse?”

Cella said decisions would be made in the near future, so horsemen would have time to adjust training schedules.

Other notable stakes for 3-year-olds left on the Oaklawn calendar include the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational on May 2, which last year produced starters for the Preakness, and the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy on April 10, which has been a prep for the Kentucky Oaks. This year, the Oaks will be held on Sept. 4, according to an announcement Tuesday.

[Betsy]

NYRA can either hope that they will still attract the bulk of the top 3 year olds (maybe they will) and chance that they will get the lesser lights or they can be flexible for one year. Even if they move it up, it will still be a very prestigious prize even as a prep for the Derby.

I do think they should make the race 1 1/8 as I don’t think any trainer would want to prep their foot for a 1 1/4 race with another 1 1/4 race. Plus, if the Preakness and Belmont are moved, that’s an awful lot of races at classic distances before the BC. That seems like too much.