Ohio State Racing Commission

Jockey Gregory Romero reportedly has been suspended 30 days and fined $1,000 by the Belterra Park stewards two days after he eased up on a 9-1 mount that led in the shadow of the wire but ended up getting beaten by a neck by a more assertively ridden favorite. Romero's penalty was first reported Friday afternoon by the Paulick Report. On Thursday, Belterra steward Ron Herbstreit declined an opportunity to comment to TDN about the matter. A Friday morning email TDN sent to Ohio State Racing Commission executive director Christopher...

A surge in positive Coronavirus tests among jockeys was met on Tuesday with a flurry of new movement-related restrictions at Thoroughbred tracks from coast to coast in an effort to keep the pandemic from spreading further. For the industry in general, any sizable spike in COVID-19 positives among participants will almost certainly trigger another wave of racetrack shutdowns. But for jockeys specifically, the balance of maintaining safety under pandemic precautions often comes down to treading a fine line between protecting one's health versus protecting one's livelihood. Since the end of...

The Ohio State Racing Commission (OSRC) issued a directive effective Mar. 31 mandating that Thoroughbred and Standardbred tracks remain closed for live racing through Apr. 30 while stipulating that backstretch facilities at venues where meets were already in progress have to stay "open and operational until further notice." At this time of year, Mahoning Valley Race Course is the only Thoroughbred track open in Ohio. Live racing was last held there Mar. 18. The OSRC's directive was issued on the heels of horsemen at Mahoning Valley receiving notice from track...