Horse racing has not been immune to the COVID-19 crisis. The majority of tracks in the US were shut down, including renowned racetracks like Churchill Downs, Santa Anita and Belmont Park. As they reopened in mid-May and June for Belmont Park and the Belmont Stakes, fans have been able to enjoy watching and wagering on horse racing.
That included the added prep series races for the Kentucky Derby that concluded on Sept. 5 with Authentic (8/1) winning wire-to-wire over the prohibitive favorite Tiz the Law (3/5).
More interest in racing has continued at smaller tracks. Kentucky Downs completed it’s short six-day, $10+ million meet in September and Churchill Downs has resumed racing following the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby. The final leg of the 2020 Triple Crown is Oct. 3 at Pimlico for the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3.
Major venues at Saratoga and Del Mar concluded their summer meets on Labor Day. But Belmont Park (Sept. 18 – Nov. 1) and Santa Anita (Sept. 25 – Oct. 25) continue their fall meets through October. The Belmont fall meet will include 22 graded stakes races and seven “Win and You’re In” qualifiers to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to be held Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland. Santa Anita has six Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races on Sept. 26-27. Keeneland will run nine Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events during its fall meet Oct. 2-24 ahead of hosting the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 6-7.
A handful of race tracks are still running on schedule, and more tracks opened without spectators at the tracks. Racing fans and bettors are able to enjoy horse racing and the Sport of Kings leading right into the Breeders’ Cup.
Tracks that are open and running racing on these days:
- Belmont Park: (Thursday – Sunday)
- Gulfstream Park: (Thursday – Sunday)
- Churchill Downs: (Thursday – Sunday)
- Golden Gate: (Thursday – Sunday)
- Santa Anita Park: (Friday – Sunday)
- Remington Park: (Wednesday – Saturday)
- Monmouth Park: (Saturday – Sunday)
- Laurel Park: (Friday – Sunday)
- Mountaineer Park: (Sunday – Tuesday)
- Parx Racing: (Monday – Wednesday)
- Indiana Grand: (Monday – Thursday)
- Thistledown: (Monday – Thursday)
- Delaware Park: (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday)
- Emerald Downs: (Wednesday & Thursday)
