coronavirus | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jockey Martin Garcia Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Remains Asymptomatic

The Daily Racing Form reported Wednesday that jockey Martin Garcia has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to his agent.

Garcia, who has experienced no symptoms of COVID-19, learned of the results from a routine test administered in preparation for him to ride at Keeneland while he was en route to Indiana Grand to ride a stakes race on the Wednesday evening card.

Agent Jay Fedor told writer Matt Hegarty that Garcia turned around and will return to Kentucky for a state mandated 14-day quarantine period. Fedor said a previous routine test at Churchill Downs was negative.

Over the past month, Garcia has ridden at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Indiana Grand, Los Alamitos, and Prairie Meadows.

Report: Martin Garcia Tests Positive for COVID-19

Jockey Martin Garcia has tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to miss his scheduled ride aboard Miss T Too (Into Mischief) for trainer Bill Mott in Wednesday night’s GIII Indiana Oaks. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news after speaking to Garcia’s agent Jay Fedor. Garcia was replaced by Julien Leparoux.

DRF said that Garcia, who had ridden at Ellis Park, Los Alamitos and Prairie Meadows in the last seven days, was tested Tuesday at Keeneland, a requirement to ride at the meeting which began Wednesday afternoon. Garcia rode at Churchill Downs for most of the month of June, DRF reported, but tested negative at that time. Fedor told DRF that Garcia was not displaying any of the coronavirus symptoms.

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Fasig Implements Safety Protocols For the July HORA Sale

In advance of the upcoming July Horses of Racing Age Sale in Lexington, Kentucky, Fasig-Tipton has instituted the following COVID-19 protocols:

Screening measures, including temperature checks and health screening questions, will be in place to gain admittance to the sales grounds for all staff, participants, and attendees;
Cloth face coverings are required in accordance with U.S. CDC recommendations;
Participants will not be allowed to congregate. At least six feet of distance must be maintained between people;
Seating capacity in the sales pavilion will be reduced below 33% of capacity;
No food service will be available in the sales pavilion;
Valet parking will not be available;
Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures will be implemented with regular sanitation of high touch surfaces at least every two hours;
Frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is recommended for all attendees;
Fasig-Tipton will also offer online bidding, which debuted at its recent Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. For more information, click here. The company will provide phone bidding services, as well.

The health and safety of sale participants is of paramount importance. These guidelines are intended as a supplement to assist with safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and are subject to change.

The post Fasig Implements Safety Protocols For the July HORA Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Jockey Gerard Melancon, Lone Star Racing Operations Employee Test Positive For Coronavirus

Following Sunday's announcement that live racing at Lone Star Park had been cancelled, the Daily Racing Form reported that jockey Gerard Melancon, who most recently rode at Lone Star on June 28, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Additionally, a positive test was returned by a racing operations employee at the Grand Prairie, Texas track.

Lone Star abruptly cancelled the race card on Sunday after the first race, making the announcement via Twitter. Race cards for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday have also been cancelled.

“Due to an abundance of caution, all racing operations at Lone Star Park have been suspended due to COVID-19,” read Sunday's Tweet. “Racing will resume at a date to be determined.”

Melancon, normally based in Louisiana, rode Mocito Rojo in the $75,000 Lone Star Mile on June 28, and had a fever when he returned to Opelousas, La. on June 29. He improved and a “rapid test” for the virus on June 30 came back negative, so he arrived at Evangeline Downs to ride the July 1 card. Melancon felt dizzy before the races, however, and went to the ambulance and then the hospital where he was diagnosed with acute pneumonia.

Another test for coronavirus came back positive, and Melancon has quarantined himself at home.

The racing operations employee who tested positive has been instructed to self-quarantine as well.

Because of potential exposure to coronavirus, jockeys and employees working in the licensing and racing offices are being told to quarantine for two weeks. It's unclear when racing may resume, but Lone Star may have an opportunity to extend their meet, which is currently scheduled to end on Aug. 11.

Lone Star was forced to delay the start of its live meet until May 22. On June 10, Lone Star management was notified by officials that spectators would be permitted on-track as Texas became one of the first states to reopen its economy.

After an alarming spike in COVID-19 positive tests throughout Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on July 2 issued an order requiring face coverings in public and giving local officials authority to limit the size of gatherings.

Indiana Grand announced Monday that no individuals from Lone Star will be allowed on the property until they complete a 14-day quarantine and present a negative test for COVID-19:

“Due to the recent news of several positive tests for Covid-19 at Lone Star Park near Dallas, Texas and the suspension of their racing season indefinitely, Indiana Grand Racing and Casino has halted the transfer of all jockeys, exercise riders and grooms from that facility to the racing program in Indiana.

“The decision to prevent participants coming from Lone Star Park into Indiana is a result of a group effort between Indiana Grand, the horsemen's organizations and Indiana Horse Racing Commission, to provide due diligence for the safety of all those currently racing at Indiana Grand.”

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