FRANKLIN, Ky. — Churchill Downs isn't Kentucky's only racetrack hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Kentucky Downs, which sits on Kentucky's southern border, will conduct racing without spectators at its upcoming meet from Sept. 7 to Sept. 16 due to rising coronavirus cases in the region.

Tickets purchased through Kentucky Downs's online box office will be refunded.

“With the surge in cases in Kentucky and Tennessee, we feel it’s in our guests’ best interest and the state’s best interest to not have spectators,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’s senior vice president and general manager. “No one is more disappointed than us to have to make this difficult call. We know our unique meet, with its full fields and country-fair atmosphere, has become a ritual for many racing enthusiasts and a popular entertainment destination for the region. We also don't take lightly the impact on our area hotels and other businesses for which the race meet is a financial boom. But this is the responsible call to make at this time with the virus spiking and how we can best continue to conduct horse racing amid the pandemic.”

“We apologize for the inconvenience to all the people who have been making plans to attend. We waited as long as we could to make a final final determination but wanted to give people as much notice as possible.”

Kentucky Downs said it is working with the horsemen to allow owners and their connections to attend.