Texas Thoroughbred Association

Racing at Lone Star Park, which was suspended July 5 after an employee in racing operations tested positive for COVID-19, will resume this Sunday, July 19, with strict protocols in place, according to the track's Twitter feed. The protocols provide for live attendance, but fans will be required to wear facemasks, follow social distancing rules and will be subjected to temperature screening. Sunday's nominal feature is a first-level allowance for main-track sprinters and the track has drawn programs through July 22. The Wednesday program, which begins at 1:35 CT, is...

With Lone Star Park officials having little to say about the abrupt shut down of racing after Sunday's first race, it was unclear when racing would resume at the Dallas area track or if the meet will be canceled. Citing a conversation with racing secretary Tim Williams, the Daily Racing Form reported Monday that the three days of racing scheduled for this week would not be held. Lone Star's decision to stop racing may be related to the news that jockey Gerard Melancon has tested positive for the coronavirus. A...

The 2019 Texas Champion horses and horsemen, which normally would have been honored during the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual meeting and awards banquet, will instead be showcased online with a video presentation highlighting their achievements. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TTA's annual event in March was postponed. "We still hope to get our members and award winners together for an event later this year, but due to the uncertainty of whether that will happen we decided to put our awards video online to honor all the winners," said Mary...

The Texas Thoroughbred Association has instituted a consignor incentive program for the Aug. 24 Texas Summer Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale at Lone Star Park. Thanks to the passage of H.B. 2463, which injects up to $25 million annually into the Texas horse industry, funds are available to rebate up to half of the $400 consignment fee for all horses passing through the ring, including horses not bred in Texas. Entries are due by June 15. A similar incentive was previously announced for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training...

The Texas 2-Year-Olds-In-Training Sale scheduled to take place at Lone Star Park Apr. 3 has been canceled, officials at the Texas Thoroughbred Association and the track announced, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. All entry fees are refundable. "We are obviously disappointed to cancel this sale, especially with a record number of consignments, but it's really the only option at this point and postponing the sale simply was not feasible," said Mary Ruyle, executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association. "We are leaving the sale catalogue online and making some...

With escalating fears over the spread of coronavirus, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort has decided to run all races this weekend without on-site spectators, it was announced late Thursday evening. Saturday's card is headed by the $1-million GII Rebel S. for 3-year-olds. Oaklawn President Louis Cella said, "We represent the sport of kings. As such, we will act in a similar fashion to other sports organizations throughout the country. The health and safety of our fans, horsemen, and team members have always been and will continue to be our top priorities."...

A record number of 175 juveniles have been entered for the Texas Thoroughbred Association's Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Lone Star Park Apr. 3. The under tack show will be held Apr. 1, at 10 a.m. at the track. This year's head count is up nearly 35 percent from last year's 135 (including supplements) and more than double the number in the 2016 sale, which was the first held jointly by the TTA and Lone Star. "We expected to have more entries after the passage of beneficial legislation in...

Roy Cobb's homebred Mr Money Bags (Silver City) will be crowned as the 2019 Texas Horse of the Year at the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual meeting and awards banquet Mar. 21 at Sam Houston Race Park. The night will also celebrate divisional Texas-bred champions with awards based on points earned in stakes performances during the year. Mr Money Bags had six wins from nine starts and earnings of $328,470 as a 3-year-old in 2019. The gelding was undefeated in his home state, winning a division of the Clarence Scharbauer Jr....

The Texas Thoroughbred Association has announced two new incentive programs for buyers and sellers at its auctions. At the TTA's Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, a portion of funds derived from the passage of H.B. 2463 will be used to provide rebates of up to half of the $500 consignment fee for all horses entered in the sale who pass through the ring (not just Texas-breds). Additionally, all sales graduates will be eligible for purse bonuses paid to owners of horses finishing in the top...