COVID-19 pandemic

The in-flux nature of racing at Oregon's summer fairs took an encouraging turn Thursday when Oregon Racing Commission (ORC) executive director Jack McGrail announced that all four stops on the circuit now intend to host mixed meets in 2021. That's an improvement from the update McGrail provided at the March ORC meeting, when the status of Eastern Oregon Livestock Show meet in Union and Harney County Fair in Burns were both considered to be in limbo because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Those two fairs will join Crooked River Roundup...

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis Propelled by the strength of a pair of marquee dispersals, the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale churned out a powerful second session in Lexington Tuesday. Early in the day, Peter Brant's White Birch Farm purchased Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) (hip 403) from the Lane's End consignment of the dispersal of the Estate of the late Paul Pompa, Jr. for $925,000. That bid was matched later in the session when Antony Beck's Gainesway Farm purchased Danceforthecause (Giant's Causeway) (hip 587) from the Sam-Son...

Facing a reported $2-million budget deficit, the Southern California Stabling & Vanning Racing Committee has performed a fiscal juggling act to maintain the stabling status-quo in the southern portion of the state during 2021, with year-round auxiliary stabling assured for the year at Los Alamitos and San Luis Rey Downs, while off-site training will continue at Santa Anita during the Los Alamitos Thoroughbred and Del Mar Fall meets. Last year, the program--funded in equal parts by the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) purse account and the Southern California racetracks--cost approximately...

For the American Graded Stakes Committee, 2020 presented challenges unlike anything it has faced before as the pandemic played havoc with racing schedules and caused the cancellation of numerous stakes. The TDN sat down with the committee's chairman Everett Dobson to discuss the challenges, why it made the changes that it did for 2021 and what might in store for future years. TDN: Take us through what the process entails when it comes to evaluating stakes races. What are the numbers that you crunch? ED: We look at a tremendous...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. has announced that it will continue its longtime support of the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation, which is being conducted virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NYRA encourages fans to donate at https://www.toysfortots.org/donate/ during the upcoming virtual weekend of giving on Friday, Dec. 4; Cigar Mile Day on Saturday, Dec. 5; and on Sunday, Dec. 6. Members of the Marine Corps Reserve will use the funds to collect and distribute new and unwrapped toys for children and families during...

Golden Gate Fields and the City of Berkeley Public Health issued the following update Friday evening with regards to a COVID-19 outbreak at the track which has shut down racing at least through November: City of Berkeley Public Health continues to work closely with Golden Gate Fields on a significant outbreak where more than 200 people living or working on-site at the racetrack have tested positive for COVID-19. 1/ST RACING, which operates the track, is following all of the City's recommendations for testing, quarantine and isolation. The steps they have...

In response to current state COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park will temporarily close to the public, effective Friday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m. ET, but will continue to accommodate owners and other licensed horsemen who wish to attend the races. Live racing will continue as scheduled Thursday through Sunday for the remaining days in November, and Thursday through Saturday in December with a special Sunday, Dec. 27 program. There will be no racing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, Dec. 24 and 25....

The Fair Grounds Race Course 2020-21 race season, set to begin on Thanksgiving Day, will be closed to the general public. A subsequent announcement in December is likely to follow as to when the general public will be allowed to attend. Said Fair Grounds President Doug Shipley, "We are happy to be able to present the Fair Grounds' 149th racing season, featuring over $7 million in stakes, and continue this longstanding New Orleans tradition despite these unprecedented times. Out of an abundance of caution given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and...

Woodbine Entertainment has released its 2019-20 Corporate Responsibility Report that summarizes the company's recent achievements during the April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 fiscal year. While the report focuses on this period, it also includes information on how Woodbine's operations were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled Breaking New Ground, the 2019-20 Woodbine Corporate Responsibility Report focuses on the company's commitment to the communities in which it operates, philanthropy, industry leadership, property development and sustaining the horse racing industry. "While this year has been extremely difficult for so many,...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and TVG have announced a series of COVID-19 relief donations for a broad spectrum of non-profit organizations working to support the Thoroughbred racing community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $410,000 in charitable contributions will be distributed to seven non-profit organizations including the New York Chapter of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (NYRTCA), the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T), the Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA), the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC), the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP), the Permanently...

Saratoga WarHorse, a not-for-profit organization which uses retired Thoroughbred racehorses to work with service members and veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress, will now use its program to aid individuals mobilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Military Armed Forces and Racehorses Program is designed to assist service members and veterans during the immediate aftermath of trauma and prevent the negative consequences of Post-Traumatic Stress. The program, which will formally launch this December, is currently accepting participants and available to service members who were mobilized during the pandemic at no cost. Since April,...

Starting on opening day Friday, Sept. 25, licensed owners with a horse entered may attend the races at Santa Anita. Due to COVID-19, space is limited to two licensed owners per horse. Owners wishing to attend should email Mary Forney, Executive Director of TOC (mforney@toconline.com) to be put on a reservation list each day. Reservations can be made up until 24 hours before race day. For more information, contact her at (626) 826-3782. The quickest and safest way to access Santa Anita Park is to apply for a Virtual Badge...