Kentucky Derby postponed until September

The 146th running of the Kentucky Derby will be delayed until September 5th due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Louisville Courier Journal reporter Jason Frakes. Churchill Downs will announce the delay from May 2nd to September 5th at a press conference Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. ET. This marks the first time in 75 years the Derby will not run on the first Saturday of May.

According to Frakes, the last time the Derby was delayed was in 1945 at the end of World War II. Horse racing was banned during the war, and when the ban was lifted on V-E Day, the Derbye was held on June 9th. Frakes said the only other year the Derby wasn’t held in May was in 1901.

UPDATE: Churchill Downs made it official Tuesday morning