The first half of 2020 saw the horse racing calendar interrupted. The lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic meant that horse racing around the world ground to a halt.
However, with life starting to slowly get back to normal, we can now look forward to more of the biggest horse races being run in the second half of the year.
The Kentucky Derby, USA
One of the highlights of the sporting year in the US, the Kentucky Derby is part of the glamorous Triple Crown of horse races. Labeled as the greatest two minutes in sports, this historic race first took place way back in 1875.
It is typically held in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday of May. This year, the lockdown measures that were in place at that time meant that it had to be postponed until a later date in the year. The Kentucky Derby is now set to take place on September 5, with planning for it already well underway.
This race is part of the two week-long Kentucky Derby Festival featuring a marathon, hot air balloons, and a lot more. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear how much of the usual festival event will take place in 2020. You can check out the different types of bets for Kentucky Derby online if you want to join in.
Click here to bet on the Kentucky Derby odds: https://www.twinspires.com/kentuckyderby/odds
Royal Ascot, UK
The British horse racing calendar has recently started back up, with meetings taking place behind closed doors and featuring strict health and safety measures. One of the last big events before the lockdown was the Cheltenham Festival, while the Grand National was cancelled and run virtually this year.
The end of the country’s restrictions has come just in time for Royal Ascot to go ahead as planned. This iconic event will take place from Tuesday, June 16 through to Saturday, which is the 20th of the same month. The popular Ladies’ Day is held on Thursday and it features the sought-after Gold Cup.
The races will take place at Ascot Racecourse, as normal. Yet, it will be carried out behind closed doors this year, as spectators won’t be allowed to attend British race meetings until later on in the year.
The Melbourne Cup, Australia
The southern hemisphere biggest race doesn’t look like it will suffer any changes due to the Covid-19 outbreak. This is because it is held on the first Tuesday of November each year, by which time we hope that life will be back to normal again. In fact, organizers hope that this event helps start the nation up again.
It is a two-mile handicap that was first run in 1861. The 2020 event will occur on Tuesday, November 3. The race is part of the overall Melbourne Cup Carnival that runs from October 31 to November 7.
A field of 24 horses will be finalized closer to the date. In 2019, this highly prestigious trophy was won by Vow And Declare, who was trained by Danny O’Brien and ridden by Craig Williams.
The Preakness Stakes, USA
If we go back to American racing, the Preakness Stakes is one of the other races that makes up the Triple Crown in this country. It is typically run on the third Saturday of May. Like the Kentucky Derby, this meant that it was postponed this year.
Currently, a date of October 3 has been mentioned for the 145th running of this race this year. However, it seems that this date is still subject to change, so it is worth confirming the exact details closer to the time if you are interested in attending or following it online.
This race started in 1873 and is the second-most popular American horse racing meeting after the Kentucky event. It isn’t yet clear whether the 2020 version of the Preakness Stakes will be held behind closed doors, or if spectators will be allowed to attend.
