The Stronach Group

Golden Gate Fields will resume live racing on Thursday, May 14, after receiving provisional approval Wednesday morning from the Alameda County Public Health Officer. Live racing was temporarily suspended Apr. 2, following an order from Alameda County in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Live racing will be conducted under strict protocols and without spectators, to protect the health, safety and welfare of every person and every horse in the Golden Gate Fields community. The protocols are still being finalized with county officials and will be released in the coming days,...

While eager to see the return of live racing at Laurel, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Tim Keefe knows that the belt-tightening may not end any time soon. Casino revenues account for a large portion of the purse money for the Maryland tracks and its likely that the state's casinos will be closed for several more months. "It certainly is a concern and something on our minds," Keefe said. "Nearly70% of our purse revenues are derived from the casinos. With them being closed down, obviously it is a big concern...

Robert O'Neill, The Stronach Group's (TSG) director of equine health and safety since 2014, has resigned from the position, according to Bill Badgett, TSG's executive director of Florida Racing Operations, who said that O'Neill sent a letter of resignation to the state four or five days ago. "He has some medical issues going on right now that are pretty serious that he has to take care of," said Badgett. O'Neill's resignation coincides with a recent video that has surfaced on social media of O'Neill engaging in a verbal altercation with...

Turf Paradise management and the Arizona horsemen have come to an agreement that will see the track remain open for stabling an extra 10 days. The track was scheduled to close its doors to the roughly 740 horses currently stabled there on the last day of April. Nevertheless, the track will remain open those extra 10 days for stabling only, and not training, meaning exercise will be limited to the barn area. "If this thing lasts longer than those 10 [days], then I think we'll probably be able to get...

Scott Chaney takes over as the executive director of the California Horse Racing Board at a pivotal time for racing in the state. He will be asked to steer racing through the coronavirus outbreak while focusing on animal welfare and integrity issues. A lawyer, a former assistant trainer and steward, Chaney sat down with the TDN to discuss his thoughts on his new job and tackling the challenges that he will face. TDN: The Stronach Group is trying very hard to have racing resume at Santa Anita and at Golden...

The Thoroughbred Owners of California issued the following updates to its members Saturday related to the COVID-19 pandemic and current closures of Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields: Racing Cancelled at Golden Gate Fields In accordance with an order received Thursday, Apr. 2 from the Alameda County Public Health Officer, Golden Gate Fields has temporarily closed for live racing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is no specific time frame for return of racing, stabling and daily training will continue at Golden Gate for the approximately 1000...

The Stronach Group and Maryland Jockey Club are looking into new dates for the GI Preakness S., which is currently scheduled for May 16, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, TSG announced Friday.The annual InfieldFest is canceled. TSG issued the following statement: "The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club are continuing to work with our key stakeholders to explore all options to set a new date for the running of Preakness 145.  Our first priority in these difficult times is the health and well-being of our customers, our vendors,...

Pursuant to guidance issued Thursday morning by the Alameda County Public Health Officer, Golden Gate Fields in Albany, CA, will shut down temporarily for live racing effective immediately as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A release from the track reads: "At Golden Gate Fields, the health, safety and welfare of every person and every horse in our community is our top priority. At this time, there are no known cases of COVID-19 at Golden Gate Fields. This measure is being taken in response to a mandate from Alameda...

Santa Anita Park announced Tuesday that it will remain closed for live racing through at least the weekend, prompting the postponement of the GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Santa Anita Oaks, which where scheduled for this Saturday, Apr. 4, to an undetermined date later in the meet. Racing was halted at Santa Anita last Friday on orders of the Los Angeles County Health Department, which has closed all businesses deemed non-essential in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been no known cases of COVID-19 at Santa Anita Park...

Aqueduct Racetrack has been commandeered by the State of New York to be converted to a COVID-19 hospital. One day after an official from Santa Anita Park predicted a humanitarian crisis could erupt if live racing got shut down, county health officials ordered the spectator-free racing there to cease. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano announced last Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the sport's most prominent participant to disclose an infection. Later that same day, six Belmont Park backstretch workers were additionally confirmed as COVID-19...

As the overseer of two of the biggest tracks still running races in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, The Stronach Group's CEO Craig Fravel has a lot of responsibility right now. As Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream nears and the GI Santa Anita Derby follows next weekend, Fravel stopped by the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to talk with Bill Finley about this tumultuous time. "Things seem to change on an hourly basis," Fravel said. "I think I was in Florida a week and a...

Whether or not horse racing should continue at the state's tracks was not an actionable agenda item on Thursday's California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting, but the topic came up early and often as COVID-19 concerns dominated the discussion. The crux of the debate centered on Santa Anita Park and whether or not continuing to race without spectators present constituted an "essential business" exemption under the statewide stay-at-home mandate designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. The CHRB has allowed racing to continue with health-related restrictions at the...