FILE - In this May 4, 2019, file photo, Luis Saez rides Maximum Security, right, across the finish line first against Flavien Prat on Country House during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Citing unidentified sources close to the race, the Courier-Journal of Louisville said Churchill Downs will postpone the Derby from May 2, 2020, to Sept. 5, making it the first time in 75 years that the race won't be run on the first Saturday in May. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

Kentucky Derby joins long list of postponed sporting events

Wes Trotta March 18, 2020 Uncategorized 241 Views

Although May seems far away, the Kentucky Derby is not taking any chances. The Derby will not be held on the first Saturday in May for the first time since WWII.

Postponed not canceled

With a number of big-name sporting events being shut down because of the pandemic, it has been hard to tell if they are canceled or postponed. March Madness, canceled. XFL, canceled. NBA, postponed.

On Monday, Tonya Abeln, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Derby, said that the race would not go on as scheduled. The race has kicked off the Triple Crown for 75 years. Now, it is scheduled for Sept. 5, months after the other two races.

Will Belmont and Preakness follow?

The other two staple races in the Triple Crown have not made a change to the scheduled times, yet. However, It would not surprise anyone if an announcement about postponing the races in the coming days was made. May is still over a month out and there is the time between now and then to gather more information before changing the dates.

Postponing the other races now would make sense to keep the timing of the races intact. The Kentucky Derby has always kicked off the season with Belmont and Preakness following over the next four weeks.

Would it make more sense for those races to keep the same date as in years past? or keep the same flow that viewers have grown used to, and postpone them till after the Kentucky Derby?

Either way, the Triple Crown is in a flux and any change to the event will have backlash.

The sport’s world is changing

Unfortunately, this Pandemic is not going away anytime soon. Fans should accept the idea of all changes to sporting events in order to help control this virus.

The Derby joins a long and growing list of sporting events that have shutdown events to try and help prevent the spread of the virus.

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