I understand the intent and normally love the night races. However, from a staff perspective—and I’ve worked there 16+ years—this is going to be brutal on staff given how early then the derby day card starts the next day.
Like short of having folks have a sleepover idk how this is going to work. I’m seriously contemplating if this is the year I pass on working there.
How would you prep a racehorse for this up-ending of its schedule? Will there be training times under the lights? From dealing with show jumpers I know some horses handle it better than others.
Horses race and train at all different times of day. They won’t notice any difference
It is going to be one heck of a grueling weekend for the staff and horsemen.
Depending on where they live, TBs normally train under lights for about 6 months a year. Most tracks are open for daily training between 5:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. In central KY, for example, it’s light at 6:30 a.m. now. In winter, it won’t get light until 8 a.m. The tracks are well-lit, and the horses are fine.
this going to throw a wrench into countless Louisville Derby eve fund raising events, going to be a mess as tradition is overridden and thrown aside
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