Derby, Oaks moved to September pending KHRC approval

Mar 18, 2020 Jennie Rees No Comments

Churchill Downs Inc. press release:

The 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will be rescheduled from May 2, 2020 to September 5, 2020 and the 146th Longines Kentucky Oaks will be rescheduled from May 1, 2020 to September 4, 2020. These dates are contingent upon final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission which we expect to receive on Thursday, March 19.

On our Kentucky HBPA Youtube Channel: Hear Kentucky horsemen in New Orleans for the winter discussing postponement

Churchill Downs Incorporated CEO, Bill Carstanjen, stated: “Throughout the rapid development of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first priority has been how to best protect the safety and health of our guests, team members and community. As the situation evolved, we steadily made all necessary operational adjustments to provide the safest experience and environment. The most recent developments have led us to make some very difficult, but we believe, necessary decisions and our hearts are with those who have been or continue to be affected by this pandemic.

Our team is united in our commitment to holding the very best Kentucky Derby ever and certainly the most unique in any of our lifetimes. While we are always respectful of the time-honored traditions of the Kentucky Derby, our Company’s true legacy is one of resilience, the embracing of change and unshakeable resolve.”

Ticket/ Refund Policy

Your Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby tickets purchased for the originally scheduled dates are automatically valid for the new race dates. You may arrive on the new dates in September with your printed ticket or mobile ticket to be scanned for entry at the gates. Information on a new ticket shipment date will be sent directly to ticket purchasers.

If you have purchased a ticket and are not able to attend the newly scheduled race dates, information regarding refund requests will be available at this site (KentuckyDerby.com/updates) by the end of this week. If your ticket was purchased from a vendor or secondary market website other than Churchill Downs, Ticketmaster.com or Derby Experiences, please contact that site directly. We are unable to process refunds for those tickets.

Derby Week Information

The remainder of Derby Week races have not been decided at this time. Please revisit us at KentuckyDerby.com/updates for the latest information regarding Opening Night, Champions Day, Wednesday and Thurby.

Please click here for additional commonly asked questions.

Churchill Downs Racetrack Updates

(For information about the Kentucky Derby Museum, please click here.)

The safety and health of our guests, team members and participants remains our primary concern at Churchill Downs Racetrack. We are monitoring COVID-19 developments with steadfast vigilance in connection with resources provided by the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control as well as public health officials and experts.

We encourage anyone planning to visit Churchill Downs Racetrack to follow the preventative actions outlined by the CDC and make informed decisions based on the official and most recent information provided. If you plan to attend a private event held at Churchill Downs, you should contact the organizer directly. All scheduled events will continue at the discretion of our clients.

In the best interest of our guests, employees and the community around us amid public health concerns regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, Churchill Downs Racetrack has made the difficult decision to voluntarily suspend simulcasting operations, effective Sunday, March 15 at midnight, for fourteen days. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Churchill Downs Racetrack. We sincerely apologize for this abrupt notice and any inconvenience it may cause.

To ensure the utmost safety of guests when they visit our property, we have instituted the following practices at Churchill Downs Racetrack:

  • Doubling all housekeeping staff at the track and on backside to increase frequency of cleaning disinfecting high-touch surfaces including gate turnstiles, doors, door knobs, handles, restrooms, tables, chairs, light, switches, elevator buttons security card readers, etc.
  • Educating all employees on CDC guidance, including proper handwashing techniques, and the avoidance of touching eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Requesting all vendors to thoroughly communicate hygiene protocol to their staff and employees.
  • Instructing all employees feeling unwell to refrain from coming to work.
  • Utilizing cleaning chemicals that meet the latest Environmental Protection Agency Emerging Viral Pathogen Policy and CDC requirements for registered disinfectants
  • Implementing the use of electrostatic spraying systems after hours to supplement routine surface cleaning
  • Increasing public hand-sanitizing stations in high-traffic areas, containing gel that meets or exceeds the CDC standard for alcohol content

More here

 

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Jennie Rees
Jennie Rees is a communications and advocacy specialist in the horse industry who spent 32 years covering horse racing for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal before taking a corporate buyout. In addition to handling communications for the Kentucky HBPA, Rees is Kentucky Downs’ publicity director, manages in-season racing publicity for Ellis Park and serves as a consultant to the National HBPA. Other projects include the Preakness Stakes, Indiana Grand’s Indiana Derby Week and work for various HBPA affiliates and horsemen’s associations.