CD Can Open As Early as 5/11

[Molesap]

Gov. Andy Beshear says Churchill Downs can reopen on May 11; first race date TBA.  Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that Churchill Downs will be allowed to open its backside to horses on May 11.

[trackjohn]

Strong rumors here in NY that Belmont is striving to open (no fans!!) the Friday on Memorial Day... weekend... wouldn\'t surprise me if CD is looking at the same time frame... IMO, having lived in this NY/Metro area lockdown for the past months the chances of CD opening before NYRA are 1/9...

[trackjohn]

Friday of Memorial Day weekend... damn voice recognition!!

[TGJB]

The CD plan (which is  very detailed) allows horses to start coming onto the grounds 5/11, with horses coming from other venues (OP etc.) only allowed to come in specific time slots over the next week or two. They also are going to test everyone coming with them, which will take time. Best guess is if everything goes perfectly they could be racing around June 1.

The other interesting development is that Kee is looking at following CD with a summer meet. Which would be at the same time as Saratoga and Dmr. Blue Grass as a prep for the Travers as a prep for the Derby?

[FrankD.]

Which would mean.....

KY horsemen not shipping to the Spa except for targeted stakes. Many outfits may choose to stay in Florida as well.

Cost factor of shipping as well as NYS workman’s comp & payroll issues to run for a smaller pot? No Aqueduct Casino or NYRA cash cow of live crowd extortion will make for a non-Spa like purse structure.

Personally I see no point in running the Spa meet without spectators.

Interesting times for sure....

[TGJB]

Don’t know if it had been verified, but rumor has it DMR will open a little early, but run 3 days a week.

[FrankD.]

Which will really make for a PJ Campo Spa condition book of 5f turf sprints for NYB’s..... GREAT😱

[BitPlayer]

I think the recent spate of press releases from tracks with nothing concrete to announce reflects the upcoming competition for horse flesh you mention.  With horses getting ready to ship out of Oaklawn, the tracks all want to claim a share of a diminishing race-ready horse population.  Tom Amoss mentioned on the NYRA Bets/FSN show this weekend that his stable was down 30%, with many owners deciding to sell their horses or send them to a farm.

It will be interesting to see how the competing boutique meets fare. especially if owners cannot be present to watch their horses run, get a table in the clubhouse, or have their pictures taken in the winner\'s circle.

[P-Dub]

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/churchill-downs-to-open-spring-meet-on-may-16/

May 16

[MicD]

Governor Cuomo stated yesterday that it is very unlikely that the Saratoga meet will be held this Summer.  He felt that with NYS being shut down for such a long time that attendance would be off the charts resulting in a spike of people being infected with the virus.  He said \"attractive nuisances\" such as Saratoga, State Fair, etc. cannot interrupt all the progress that has been made.

I think he will reconsider this decision as we move forward but he certainly did not sound optimistic.

[BitPlayer]

Did he differentiate between Saratoga with and without fans?  I\'d be surprised if there is racing with fans anywhere this summer.  I recently read somewhere (TDN?) that, even without fans, NYRA would still move racing to Saratoga if allowed to do so because (a) the brand is so strong and (b) the turf at Belmont would not withstand an uninterrupted meet all summer long.

[TGJB]

Correct.

[richiebee]

Hey John:

If they can start racing at CD by Memorial Day I wonder why they wouldn\'t run
the Kentucky Derby on July 4, if the plan is for CD to be open on that day.

CD folks have to wake up and realize-- July September whenever--they will not
be permitted to have any event which draws more than 20 or 30 thousand people
any time soon. Just my opinion.

There are some 3YOs who would be coming up to a July Derby in what seems to be
decent condition. CD could run its own Derby prep on opening day (Memorial
Day?).

On that kind of schedule, there could be something approximating a real Triple
Crown series with time left for participants in the three races to recharge and
enter BC at Keeneland.

So it would look something like this: July 4 Derby (July 4 is a Saturday this
year). August 1 (Saturday) Stronach crew gets to run second leg at whichever
family oval might be open at the time. That could set up a Belmont Stakes on
either Sept 5 or Sept 7(Labor Day).

Yes the spacing between races is not traditional but a lot of traditions are
sadly gone forever.

[wrongly1]

Richie

We don\'t know if there\'s going to be spectators at the Derby but the reason Sept. 5th was picked was because of the agreement with NBC.  That weekend is one where NBC wasn\'t broadcasting a ND college football game.  That\'s why the date was choosen, who knows if it will work out or not.  CD also talking about restrictions for the infield, versus the grandstand, versus the ballroom.  Maybe they give up the infield as part of the agreement to keep the grandstand spectators.

Lastly, Louisville needs the tax dollars in a huge way after taking out a $287 million dollar loan, in essence a bridge loan.  T.

[Track Brat]

richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So it would look something like this: July 4 Derby
> (July 4 is a Saturday this
> year). August 1 (Saturday) Stronach crew gets to
> run second leg at whichever
> family oval might be open at the time. That could
> set up a Belmont Stakes on
> either Sept 5 or Sept 7(Labor Day).
>
> Yes the spacing between races is not traditional
> but a lot of traditions are
> sadly gone forever.


Richiebee -

How about this twist on your idea - a reverse Triple Crown:

Belmont Stakes July 4
Preakness Aug. 1
Kentucky Derby Sept. 5 or 7?

As for the Travers, move it back a week or two and it can be for the horses which, for whatever reason, couldn\'t get into the Ky. Derby.

Like you said, it\'s not traditional, but it could work. No?