The 146th edition of the Kentucky Derby has been postponed due to the growing coronavirus outbreak, the race announced Tuesday.
The first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, initially scheduled for May 2, has been delayed until Sept. 5. The new date is contingent upon approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
The Kentucky Derby has never been canceled and was postponed just once in its history due to World War II in 1945. But with essentially all sports shutting down due to the growing outbreak—there are more than 180,000 confirmed cases of the virus globally, leading to more than 7,000 deaths—organizers were left with little choice.