Churchill Downs has reversed course and announced Friday the 146th Kentucky Derby will be run without fans on September 5.
In a statement released by Churchill Downs, they said the decision was made with the health and safety of their teams, fans, and participants in mind.
They said they had worked diligently over the last several months to plan a safe Kentucky Derby with a limited number of spectators in attendance in accordance with the state’s Healthy at Work guidelines.
They also cited a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in Louisville as well as across the region in deciding to not allow fans. According to the state, Jefferson County accounts for 24-percent of the state’s COVID-19 cases and 30-percent of the deaths linked to the virus.
Churchill Downs announced on August 12 that it would limit attendance to fewer than 23,000 fans, which is less than 14% of its record attendance in 2015. This came after Governor Andy Beshear suggested they alter an earlier plan that would have let fans attend in both the grandstands and infield.
Beshear said Friday he supported the decision having earlier in the week calling Jefferson County a “red zone” due to a positive test rate of over 10-percent.
The decision means there will also be no fans at the Kentucky Oaks or any other races the week of Derby. Churchill Downs said ticket holders will be automatically refunded.
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