Kentucky Derby 2017: Churchill Downs track conditions
What are the track conditions at Churchill Downs for the 143rd Kentucky Derby on Saturday?
The 143rd annual Kentucky Derby has finally arrived. Yet another Triple Crown is set to begin on Saturday, where one horse will begin the trek toward potentially becoming one of the greatest of all time. There are very few events in all of sports that rival this day.
After rain left the track a mess, it appears that there is some good news for the jockeys on Saturday. Track conditions for the event have now been changed to muddy instead of sloppy, which should provide a little better surface to run on.
The Churchill track has officially been upgraded from sloppy to muddy.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) May 6, 2017
Update:
According to Dan Wolken, the bad weather is back at Churchill Downs and that could change things in a hurry for track conditions. With just a couple of hours to go and things potentially set to be serious, the outlook of the track conditions are rapidly changing by the minute.
Crazy weather. After a couple hours of sunshine, a small but intense storm cell is making its way over Churchill Downs.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) May 6, 2017
That will certainly play to the advantages of some horses and the weaknesses of others. If the rain is as heavy as expected, then this certainly will be one of the tougher events yet. The horse that can brave the storm and pull off the victory will have earned it.
Next: Kentucky Derby 2017: 5 horses to know
Usually, the event is known for sunshine and scattered clouds, but this year is expected to be a different story. Nonetheless, the race is still taking place and one will leave in the record books when it’s all said and done.
As for those that are placing wagers on the race, the track conditions and potential weather make it all the more difficult. With the way certain horses react to the conditions on the track, it’s best to really think about those bets before placing them.