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Churchill Has Issued Proposal for Derby Spectators, Waiting to Hear From Governor

After submitting its proposal to allow fans to attend this year’s GI Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs officials are expecting to hear back from Governor Andy Beshear this week.

At his press briefing Monday, Beshear said he is reviewing Churchill’s proposal and would announce a decision shortly. Alluding to the GI Belmont S., where fans were not allowed in the stands, Beshear said he envisioned that the Kentucky Derby will be “different” than the Belmont.

“I believe that Churchill Downs made a very good decision to move the race,” the governor said. “It certainly wouldn’t have been safe when it was. I think they are offering a lot of concessions and are looking at safety precautions. I hope to have some information on this this week.”

“We submitted a plan to the governor’s office and we have continued our ongoing discussions about having a Kentucky Derby with spectators,” said Darren Rogers, Churchill’s senior director of communications. “We have had good, careful collaboration with their office and they have asked some questions and we gave them our answers. We expect to hear some news this week.”

Churchill has not released details of its proposal and it is not clear if management is seeking to have a Derby with an unlimited amount of spectators or one where the number of people that can attend is capped.

“Our team has worked through a number of different scenarios based on whatever permissions are granted,” Rogers said. “We want to have as many people as we can while operating safely and responsibly.”

Because of the pandemic, the date of the Derby was shifted from May 2 to Sept. 5 in hopes that by Labor Day weekend the coronavirus situation would become more manageable. It appears that will be the case. Beshear said in his press briefing Monday that he had no new coronavirus deaths to report and said he could only recall two other days since the pandemic started that that was the case. Kentucky will move into its next phase of reopening Monday. When that happens, Beshear said, “just about everything in the commonwealth will be open in some capacity.”

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TDN’s Amanda Crelin One of Two Winners of Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest

TDN Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin has been selected as one of two winners of the Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest, a philanthropic art competition that tasked entrants to create original artwork to be printed and sold in support of backstretch communities and other industry stakeholders affected by COVID-19. Crelin, a Belford, NJ resident was chosen along with Alexa Zapp of Lawrence, KS by the judging panel out of five finalists populated from an original pool of 93 entrants.

The two winners will each receive two VIP tickets to the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to take place Nov. 6 and 7 at Keeneland. Additionally, their winning designs are now available for purchase on BreedersCupShop.com for $25 and will be sold on site at the two-day event in November, with all Breeders’ Cup proceeds going to Breeders’ Cup Charities, the organization’s official charity outreach program, in support of COVID-19 relief efforts.

“It has been extremely rewarding to see the passionate fan response to our first-ever T-Shirt Design Contest, especially given the important cause that the program supports,” said Justin McDonald, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Breeders’ Cup. “We were incredibly impressed with our finalists’ displays of artistry and are excited to showcase not one, but two designs in our shop this year. We extend our congratulations to the winners and thank all of the talented entrants who took part in this contest.”

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Monmouth to Allow Owners On Track for Weekend Workouts

A day after announcing that it will be open to a limited number of fans when its racing season commences July 3, Monmouth Park announced Tuesday that owners will be permitted to watch their horses work from a designated area from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Fridays through Sundays starting Friday, June 26.

Monmouth Park has been closed to all but essential personnel since March 16, when restrictions were put into place to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Under a special permit that allows for re-purposing of restaurants under the state of New Jersey’s Stage 2 loosening of restrictions to slow the pandemic, owners will be allowed to watch workouts only from a newly-created venue at the Blu Grotto, which is an all-weather tented section adjacent to Bluegrass mini-golf that abuts the racetrack.

To gain access, owners with a valid ID will enter through the Blu Grotto entrance on Port au Peck Avenue and will undergo temperature checks as well as a health questionnaire.

For more information visit www.monmouthpark.com or follow the racetrack on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Monomoy Girl to Go Next in Ruffian

Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) will run next in the GII Ruffian S. on July 11 at Belmont Park, reports trainer Brad Cox.

The champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, Monomoy Girl was sidelined for nearly a year and a half before making a successful return to the races with a May 16 allowance win at Churchill Downs. Like the Ruffian, her comeback race was a one-turn mile event.

“She’s really training well and we feel like the one-turn mile at Belmont will really suit her well right now and it gives us plenty of time between races,” Cox said. “The race just make sense. She’s coming off a very long layoff, and we have to keep that in mind. She was off a year and a half. It’s not like this is her second race back after a three-month layoff.”

Monomoy Girl is bypassing this Saturday’s GII Fleur de Lis H., a stakes for older fillies and mares on her home turf at Churchill Downs that will feature Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute). Cox said that while he was not eager to face Midnight Bisou at this juncture in the season, the main reason for choosing the Ruffian over the nine-furlong Fleur de Lis was the distance of the Churchill race.

“Right now, after such a long layoff, a mile and an eighth is not what I am looking for,” Cox said.

If it happens, the rematch between Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou will be one of the most anticipated races of the year.

The two have not met since the 2018 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which was won by Monomoy Girl with Midnight Bisou finishing third. The two faced each other four times in 2018 and Monomoy Girl crossed the wire first each time. However, Midnight Bisou was placed first, and ahead of Monomoy Girl, in the GI Cotillion S. due to interference. With Monomoy Girl out all of 2019, Midnight Bisou put together a championship season in which she went seven for eight.

“Our horse is unbelievable, she’s a great mare,” Cox said. “I’m looking forward to the match up with Midnight Bisou. They are two champions and it would be great for racing for them to meet. It would be a tremendous boost for the sport.”

Cox said the only other race that is definitely on Monomoy Girl’s schedule this year is the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

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