Derby Back in Rightful Place on First Saturday in May
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Race fans at Churchill Downs
Kentucky Derby Day is back, returned to the first Saturday in May after it was postponed until September last year with the onset for the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Kentucky Oaks Day crowd of 41,472, mostly maskless as the day wore on, was in the stands Friday, and a larger crowd is anticipated for the Derby, based on infield ticket sales. My best guess is a crowd in excess of 50,000, still just a fraction of those that would have been in the house in the pre-pandemic days. There are capacity restrictions in place at Churchill amid COVID-19.
The strike from Churchill Downs valets did not materialize on Derby Day. Seeking higher pay, the valets desire a new contract from Churchill Downs Inc.
ANGST: No Kentucky Derby Day Strike for Churchill Downs Valets
The weather is perfect with sunshine and mild temperatures. The main track is fast and the turf is firm.
The scratch of King Fury from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) remains the only change in the big race, as of 10:30 a.m. ET Saturday. Current odds for the Derby can be found online.
Listed below are the full day's scratches:
Race 1: Scratch #2 Santos Dumont
Race 2: Scratch #13 Demodog , #14 Big Bee , #15 Semble Juste , #16 Colonel Aby B
Race 3: Scratch #1 Harvard
Race: 4: Scratch #5 Eddy Forever , #13 Bodecream , #14 Super Sol , #15 Joyful Heart , #16 Hop Kat
Race 6: Scratch #1 Jakarta
Race 8: Scratch #2 Ultimate Badger
Race: 10: Scratch #6 Attachment Rate
Race 12: Scratch #16 King Fury
Race 13: Scratch #1A Shadow Matter , #6 Triple Tap , #10 Santa Cruiser