covid-19 | Horse Racing Free Tips

NYRA Announces Jockey COVID-19 Protocols for Belmont Fall Meet

The New York Racing Association announced Sunday its COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys during the 27-day Belmont Park fall meet, which will open Friday, Sept. 18 and run through Sunday, Nov. 1.

In order to mitigate risk and reduce the spread of COVID-19, Belmont Park will be closed to out-of-town jockeys until further notice. Members of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the Belmont Park fall meet will be required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests taken within a five-day window in order to return to ride at Belmont. Jockeys traveling out of state who have completed the required testing will then be physically isolated in the jockey quarters for three additional calendar days.

For example, if a NYRA jockey travels out of New York to compete on a Saturday, then that jockey should be tested upon return to New York on Sunday and tested again on Thursday. Should both tests be returned negative then the jockey will be allowed to ride races at Belmont beginning Friday and will be provided an isolated area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

NYRA jockeys who have traveled outside of New York state to compete at other racetracks beginning the week of Aug. 31 will also be required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests taken within the 5-day window preceding that jockey’s first mount at Belmont Park.

Jockeys who have remained in New York and not competed at other tracks following the conclusion of the Saratoga meet Sept. 7 will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within the 7-day window preceding that jockey’s first mount at Belmont Park.

All testing must be performed in New York state.

Condition Book 1 for the fall meet currently lists 17 active jockeys and two apprentice riders who will be designated members of the NYRA jockey colony. Jockeys and agents interested in being included in the NYRA jockey colony may contact NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza for consideration by Sept. 18.

In addition to race-day safety protocols which include standard health screening and temperature checks, the jockey quarters at Belmont Park have been substantially altered to provide maximum social distancing and reduce density. All areas accessed by jockeys during the regular course of a race day are closed to outside personnel, including credentialed media, and are cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.

Jockeys are not permitted access to the barn area. In order to work a horse in the morning, the jockey must meet the horse in the paddock and may then proceed to the main track.

Jockey agents must produce a negative COVID-19 test in order to gain access to the barn area. Races will continue to be drawn via Zoom.

All valets must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken anytime after Sept. 13 in order to access the jockey quarters on opening day, Sept. 18. Valets working in the jockey quarters are not permitted in the barn area.

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Limited Number Of Owners Will Be Allowed To Attend Races At Belmont Park

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Friday that a limited number of licensed owners will be permitted to attend live racing at Belmont Park on the day that their horse is entered to race

To reduce density and adhere to social distancing guidelines, the size of the ownership group will be restricted to 10 individuals per horse.

All owners within the group must be in possession of a valid New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) license. Horses with identical ownership will be limited to 10 total admissions regardless of number of horses running that day.

To align with required health and safety measures implemented in New York to mitigate risk and combat the spread of COVID-19, owners will be subjected to health screening prior to entry, including a temperature check. In addition, owners will be required to practice social distancing and to wear a facial covering at all times while on Belmont Park property.

Owners planning travel to New York from any of the states currently listed on the New York Travel Advisory are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. For additional information on the travel advisory, and a complete list of states included, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory.

Owner reservations for race-day admission to Belmont Park should be sent to NYRA's Horsemen's Relations via email at horsemensrelations@nyrainc.com or by phone at 516-488-6008. NYRA will confirm all reservations via email. NYRA cannot consider or accept same day reservations.

The NYRA Office of Horsemen's Relations will begin processing reservations for opening day of the Belmont Park fall meet on Wednesday, September 16 at 10 a.m.

Licensed owners will be permitted within the Belmont Park barn area beginning on Wednesday, September 16. In order to secure access to the barn area, owners must be in possession of a valid NYSGC license and provide NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test.

Owners not previously registered to access the barn area are required to register in advance with racing administrative assistant Zerfana Khan at 718-659-2313 or zkhan@nyrainc.com beginning Wednesday, September 16.

Owners approved to enter the barn area will be required to practice social distancing and to wear a facial covering at all times.

Trainers stabled on NYRA grounds may ship stakes horses to race at facilities outside of New York state. Staff who have traveled with the horse must provide NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test taken upon their return to New York.
Trainers stabled on NYRA grounds may ship horses to run in overnight races at facilities outside of New York state provided that staff does not accompany the horse for the race. The horse may return to NYRA property only if unaccompanied by staff.

Trainers currently stabled off of NYRA grounds [outside of New York state] wishing to run in an overnight race may ship the horse to a trainer stabled at Belmont. Staff cannot accompany the horse into the Belmont barn area. Said trainer will be allowed to saddle the horse in the paddock provided he or she has provided NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test. Trainer is not permitted access to the barn area.

A separate stakes quarantine barn will be established at Barn 16 along with a separate isolated housing cottage for any staff that may accompany horses competing in stakes. A separate training period will be set up for these horses at 10:00 a.m. each day over the Belmont main track so they will train away from the Belmont population.

The post Limited Number Of Owners Will Be Allowed To Attend Races At Belmont Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Economic Indicators: Average Daily Handle Stays Strong In August

Equibase, LLC released its monthly report on Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing this Friday, Sept. 4. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Equibase is currently providing monthly reporting of its Economic Indicators Advisories. The Advisory is typically disseminated on a quarterly basis to provide key metrics used to measure racing's performance throughout the year.

Wagering on U.S. races dropped a bit in August 2020 compared to the same month in 2019, down 1.92 percent, but average daily handle continues to show year-over-year increases as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on sports schedules. In August, average daily handle was up 13.50 percent in 2020 over the same period in 2019.

Year-to-date numbers show a similar trend, with average daily handle up 35.75 percent for the first eight months of 2020.

Since the Kentucky Derby has not yet been held, it will be interesting to see how much recovery the figure for year-to-date total wagering will make after this Saturday's Run for the Roses, even without fans in attendance. Currently, total annual wagering is down just 6.20 percent, which is already an improvement over last month's 6.96 percent difference.

August 2020 vs. August 2019
Indicator	August 2020	August 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$1,154,522,663	$1,177,165,980	-1.92%
U.S. Purses	$104,515,752	$128,293,370	-18.53%
U.S. Race Days	445	515	-13.59%
U.S. Races	3,607	4,026	-10.41%
U.S. Starts	26,964	28,895	-6.68%
Average Field Size	7.48	7.18	+4.16%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,594,433	$2,285,759	+13.50%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$234,867	$249,113	-5.72%

YTD 2020 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2020	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$7,308,988,910	$7,792,183,885	-6.20%
U.S. Purses	$518,901,054	$775,638,076	-33.10%
U.S. Race Days	2,144	3,103	-30.91%
U.S. Races	17,793	25,225	-29.46%
U.S. Starts	140,022	185,746	-24.62%
Average Field Size	7.87	7.36	+6.87%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,409,043	$2,511,178	+35.75%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$242,025	$249,964	-3.18%

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

The post Economic Indicators: Average Daily Handle Stays Strong In August appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Brian Hernandez Cleared To Resume Riding Thursday At Churchill

Just after hearing that his Kentucky Derby mount, Art Collector, wouldn't be entered in the race due to a minor foot injury, jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. found out that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. He was subsequently taken off all mounts at Churchill on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 34-year-old rider then took an antibody test on Tuesday, which was also positive.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Hernandez consulted with both local health officials and Churchill representatives, and eventually it was decided to allow him to resume riding on Thursday, “on the basis that he is not an infectious danger to others.”