By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s Race Dates Committee on Wednesday approved Keeneland’s request to conduct a spectator-free, five-day Summer Meet, which will take place July 8 through July 12.
“Keeneland appreciates the quick response of the commission to our request, and we applaud all their work on behalf of Kentucky racing during these unprecedented times,” said Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason.
“We also thank Ellis Park for their cooperation in this process and for making these non-traditional dates available to Keeneland. We look forward to sharing more details about the Summer Meet in the coming weeks.”
“We are all in this together and Ellis Park is pleased to work with Keeneland on a plan that benefits our horsemen and Kentucky racing,” Ellis Park General Manager Jeffrey Inman said.
The famed Lexington track says it plans to host nine or 10 races each day of the abbreviated Summer Meet and will feature 10 graded stakes races, which are traditionally run during Keeneland’s Spring Meet.
The highlights include the Grade Two $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes race and the $400,000 Grade One Central Bank Ashland Stakes, which are considered prep races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively.
Although the Kentucky Derby is normally run the first Saturday in May and the Kentucky Oaks the day before, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Oaks and Derby will take place September 4 and 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
