US RACING: Keeneland moves closer to conducting virtual auctions
Keeneland is moving closer to having the capability to conduct virtual auctions on a year-round basis that would complement the traditional live auctions conducted by the Lexington sales company. Over the past two days, Keeneland has conducted focus groups in which some 40 consignors and buyers have participated in a mock auction to test the logistical […]
US RACING: Emerald Downs Hopes to Start Racing June 20
Emerald Downs president Phil Ziegler said May 7 he is starting to see plans for the 2020 racing season in Washington state starting to come together and hopes the racetrack will begin racing June 20. "The governor's reopening plan placed professional sports without audience participation in Phase 3. Horse racing and baseball are specifically mentioned," […]
US RACING: Nyquist, Frosted to have first starters at Gulfstream
Five-time grade 1 winner Nyquist , who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), will have his first starter with the Wesley Ward-trained Breakthrough this week. The 2-year-old colt is cross-entered in race 2 of both the May 8 and 9 Gulfstream Park cards. Both races are 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight tests. […]
US RACING: When will horse racing resume? Updated look at tracks
The first steps toward a return to normalcy in horse racing will be taken next week with the scheduled openings of tracks in California, Kentucky and West Virginia. As the US starts emerging from its coronavirus-related shutdown, Golden Gate Fields will resume racing without spectators on Thursday, the same day that West Virginia Gov. Jim […]
US RACING: National Thoroughbred Racing Association's lists best practices for hosting spectator-free horse racing
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Safety and Integrity Alliance on Thursday released a document outlining best practices for North American racetracks determined to prioritize the health and safety of participants and employees when conducting live racing in a spectator-free environment in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. These best practices are based upon the most […]
US RACING: Belmont Park backstretch worker succumbs to COVID-19
Racing has been suspended in New York since Aqueduct was shut down on March 19 following the first positive test of a backstretch worker. Last week, the New York Racing Association announced the remainder of the Aqueduct winter meet and the spring meet, which was scheduled to run through April 19, was cancelled. According to […]
US RACING: New York Racing Association delays track opening, but Saratoga's meet on for now
The New York Racing Association has delayed the opening of the Oklahoma Training Track and stabling area at Saratoga Race Course because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced Wednesday. The Oklahoma facility originally was set to open April 15, when training traditionally gets underway in advance of the Saratoga meet, according to a news release. NYRA […]
US RACING: After testing positive for COVID-19 – jockey Javier Castellano could return on May 1
Jockey Javier Castellano plans on returning to race riding on May 1 at Oaklawn Park, 37 days after testing positive for coronavirus, per a report from Daily Racing Form’s David Grening. The Hall of Fame rider has not ridden in a race since March 15, nine days before testing positive for the COVID-19 virus on […]
US RACING: Jockey Tyler Gaffalione continues good form at Gulfstream Park in Florida
Tyler Gaffalione continued his hot start for the spring/summer meet at Gulfstream Park on Sunday last by riding three winners, giving the 25-year-old rising star a total of 13 victories for the first four days. Gaffalione, who finished fourth in the standings during the recently concluded 2019-2020 championship meet with 67 winners, had visited the […]
US RACING: Massive dip in horse racing wagering in United States
Perhaps the most surprising number in the Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators, released April 3 by Equibase, is that pari-mutuel handle is down only one per cent for the first quarter of 2020. In March, many tracks throughout the United States were forced to close, and others ran without spectators following the COVID-19 outbreak. The cancelled […]