Dan Liebman

(Dan Liebman / Guest Columnist)

(Churchill Downs / Photo by Holly M. Smith)

Years ago, I was invited to a race and sports book in Reno to speak to its major players on the morning of Santa Anita Derby day.

“One thing I always see,” I told those in attendance, “is people try to evaluate those in (Kentucky) Derby prep races as if they are all Derby horses.

“You are not handicapping the Derby; you are handicapping the Santa Anita Derby.”

This year that may really be the case.

In fact, this year the Derby prep races may not be Derby prep races at all. Well, they will still be in terms of earning points toward a starting berth in the Derby. But they will not be in terms of prepping a horse toward a race on a designated date.

Churchill Downs officials have said they will announce plans for this year’s Derby this week. But, it seems unlikely they will hold the race the first Saturday in May, as is the tradition.

While many tracks are currently running — or will run soon — without fans in the stands, Churchill seems intent on waiting until it can run the Derby without such limitations.

Should they decide to contest the race in the summer or fall, when hopefully the coronavirus will have run its course, well then today’s preps races are prep races in name only.

It would be silly to reschedule races such as the Blue Grass, Arkansas Derby, Louisiana Derby and Santa Anita Derby … but obviously a trainer would have to map out another route to get his horse fit for the Derby based on the date Churchill announces.

Of course you wonder what happens if Churchill announces a date in June, and then has to reschedule should the virus not have waned by then.

Still, one must applaud Churchill officials for wanting to run the Derby when 100,000-plus fans can be there to watch. Not because the race couldn’t be run without fans, but because of what the race means to the Thoroughbred industry, and, in particular, to the state of Kentucky.

Yes, the two minutes it takes to run the race is what we all wait to watch, but the Derby is about so much more than that.

For the industry, it is the time when the nation is tuned into Thoroughbred racing. As we struggle to remain a sport people care about, this is the one time of the year when people are talking about horse racing.

For Kentucky, the Derby festival is weeks long. It is a time when residents celebrate with a multitude of events from a hot air balloon race, mini marathon, steamboat race, parade, etc.

A recent trend is that those who come to Kentucky for the Derby no longer simply arrive the day before and leave the day after. Attendees now spend multiple days in the state, also visiting horse farms, taking distillery tours, seeing other sites the Commonwealth has to offer.

The coronavirus is changing the world as we know it, Thoroughbred racing and breeding certainly being no exception.

Let’s hope we can save the Derby, whenever it may be run.