Road to the Kentucky Derby prep calendar to see major changes going forward

Mar 23, 2020 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

The 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby will now be unlike any other. After last week's announcement that the Run for the Roses has been postponed until Sept. 5, the entire calendar of preps will undergo massive changes over the next several months due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

With many racetracks suspending or canceling their meets, the prep calendar is already seeing plenty of upheaval. Preps like the Blue Grass (G1) and Lexington (G2) at Keeneland will not be run next month, while the Wood Memorial (G2) is in danger of being canceled as well. The Arkansas Derby (G1) has been pushed back from Apr. 11 to May 2, the original date of the Kentucky Derby.

While the eventual changes to the Derby calendar remains very fluid, some preps have been and are going to go on as scheduled. Last weekend's TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds saw Wells Bayou climb to the top of the leaderboard as he secured victory in the first prep worth 100 points to the winner. In third place Saturday was Modernist, a Risen Star (G2) division winner whose 20 points pushed his total to a currently second-best 70 points. Ny Traffic and Major Fed improved their position on the board as well.

Although reduced in purse from $1 million to $750,000, the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park currently remains on course to be run this coming Saturday, Mar. 29. Like its Louisiana counterpart, the 1 1/8-mile event offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers. Among those xpected to start in the Florida Derby are Tiz the Law, Ete Indien, Independence Hall, and Gouverneur Morris.

(Hodges Photography)