Making lemonade from lemons! The indomitable equestrian spirit persists even in the most trying of times, as evidenced by these creative horse-related digital programs.
The Garden State Stay at Home Classic is slated for May 3. This virtual horse show has classes for everyone from Mother's Day leadline to Grand Prix, along with some exciting dog events, horseless/human jumping contests, a bareback class and more. Hosted by The Ridge at Riverview, Olympian Nona Garson will judge and provide personal feedback for all entries. Send in your photo or video by the deadline of midnight on May 2 to "horse show" from the safety of your own home, $25 entry fee per class. Winners will be featured on Garden State Horse Show and The Ridge social media pages. Get more info.
For the first time since 1945, the Kentucky Derby has been postponed. While the actual race is hoped to be run in September, Churchill Downs is stepping up to provide a full day of horse-y festivities, including interactive tours and celebrate-at-home ideas on the traditional first Saturday in May. Fans can tune in to a special broadcast of the Triple Crown Showdown on NBC on May 2, from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT, which will feature a computer-simulated race of the 13 past Triple Crown winners, using algorithms and historical handicapping information about each horse to determine their potential finishing positions. Churchill Downs has pledged to match up to $1 million in fan donations for COVID relief through the program. Read all the details.
Need a quick chuckle? Watch and listen to the Coronavirus Horse Race satire from YouTube user Ken Elder. The cheeky entry names and the passion of the caller really make this humorous re-use of an old event from Pimlico. Make sure to have sound on and listen to end! (Warning: language!)
