Lukas shares thoughts on repositioned Kentucky Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who is wintering at Oaklawn, has pretty much seen it all when it comes to the Kentucky Derby – having won four runnings. This year, the race will have a completely different look, with the coronavirus forcing its postponement until Sept. 5.

“It’s going to change the dynamics, going to change the field, I think, quite a bit,” Lukas said when asked about the later date. “I personally don’t think they’ll get 20. A number of things could happen.

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“Throughout the summer, as people develop 3-year-olds, a certain amount will fall by the wayside, and for a certain amount, reality will set in. In April and May, everybody thinks they’ve got a Derby horse. In September, reality may set in. It will sort them out. Some will say, ‘I don’t know if I want to put up $50,000 [to run]’. They might get a smaller field, with more of a realistic field as far as handicapping.”