The first Saturday in May is the most important day of the year for American Horse Racing. It is the day the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in the Triple Crown, is run. The race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky features the top 20 three year olds in the world running for the first jewel in the American Classic series.
Kentucky Derby day also marked the opening day of the racing season at Les Bois Park in Boise. Once again this season, Les Bois is dark with no horse racing. The opening day party will not happen again this season because Les Bois will not race during 2018. After Les Bois did not race for a couple of years during the transition to Treasure Valley Racing more than 7,000 people were on hand waiting for the gates to open. The gates will remain closed all summer long.
Treasure Valley Racing has collected more than 100,000 signatures to put the reinstatement of Historical Racing on the November ballot. TVR maintains they need that income to operate a live racing season profitably. The move is seen by many as a last gasp move to save live racing. There is still live racing in Idaho at a handful of small tracks, but the sport needs Les Bois income to keep the gates open according to most experts.
Meanwhile, the first Saturday in May will come and go with little public notice in Boise.
