A coronavirus pandemic-delayed Kentucky Derby is ready to race.
Here are four things you need to know before the horses start to run Saturday.
1. Saturday is race day. The 146th Derby will be run at 7 p.m. with post time set for 6:50 p.m. ET. But events leading up to the race have already started. Many are being held virtually on social media due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Derby was delayed from its traditional running in May.
Click here for a complete schedule.
The distance is set at 1 and 1/4 miles, Forbes reported.
We can't thank Wayne Lukas enough for overseeing the final Derby preparations of MONEY MOVES. There are no better hands when it comes to the roses.
— Todd Pletcher Racing Stables (@PletcherRacing) September 3, 2020
📸@drflivingston pic.twitter.com/JCdkUIpwmv
2. Seventeen horses will run instead of the traditional 20. All the horses will be released from one gate instead of two. Normally the first gate has 14 runners with the remaining six released from a second, The Associated Press reported. King Guillermo was scratched this week after he had a fever, Derby officials said.
#KyDerby Field Update: King Guillermo to be scratched from Saturday’s Kentucky Derby due to a fever. pic.twitter.com/OCQjXflz6g
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) September 3, 2020
Art Collector also will not run due to an injury. The horse is expected to run at the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.
3. Tiz the Law is favored to win, Forbes reported. America’s Best Racing agrees, saying Tiz the Law is the best bet. The colt drew No. 17, the AP reported.
Post positions for the 2020 #KyDerby were drawn on Tuesday morning, triggering the annual debate among bettors as to which horses drew well, which drew poorly, and which might enjoy ideal trips in the “Run for the Roses.”https://t.co/dAqnrC6HsD
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) September 2, 2020
Take a look at all the entries here.
Tiz a big superfecta payout on tap in the Kentucky Derby?
— Horse Racing Nation (@HR_Nation) September 3, 2020
Even when the favorite wins, the Derby super pays huge 💰
Super Screener helps you narrow down your choices to make a splash ➡️ https://t.co/hvh54ROyi3 pic.twitter.com/GW4rYRm1WV
4. Fashion contest. Normally hats are one of the secondary draws to the races, but since fans won’t be at the Kentucky Derby in person, a virtual fashion competition is happening. Click here for details on the contest that is being held through Twitter and Instagram under the hashtag #MyDerbyFashion. The contest runs through Saturday afternoon, ending at 4 p.m. ET.
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