The Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in horse racing’s Triple Crown, will not be run on the traditional first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, but has been postponed to September 5. On March 17, the decision was made to move the Kentucky Derby, marking only the third time in history that the race hasn’t been run during the month of May.
The 145th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland has been postponed. It was originally scheduled for May 16. While the Maryland Jockey Club did not announce a new date, they did say this year's race won't include the usual infield activities and events that surround the race. The new date will be determined based on “best practices from local and governmental health authorities to protect our community,” according to the Stronach Group, which owns Pimlico and several other tracks around the country.
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is exploring a new date for the Belmont Stakes, the final Triple Crown race, as well. If the Triple Crown races were to maintain their typical spacing, the Preakness would fall on September 19 with the Belmont on October 10.
The majority of U.S. race tracks have halted live racing, though a select few tracks like Gulfstream and Oaklawn are still racing. On April 2, Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, Calif. announced they would temporarily close live racing due to COVID-19. Aqueduct Racetrack in New York has been turned into a temporary field hospital.
Read further about this conversion at: https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/news/%E2%80%8Baqueduct-racetrack-to-serve-as-temporary-hospital-amid-covid-19-pandemic
