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Keeneland Outlines Jockey Protocols for Fall Meet

Keeneland released COVID-19 procedures for jockeys who will ride during the 17-day Fall Meet, running from Oct. 2-24.

Jockey COVID-19 testing protocols:

Jockeys who plan to ride opening day (Oct. 2) will be required to be in Lexington Tuesday, Sept. 29 and receive a COVID-19 test at Keeneland.
Jockeys who plan to ride at Keeneland after opening day will need to provide a CDC gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 nasopharyngeal test confirmed negative within 72 hours of the day of their first race.
A jockey who races at Keeneland and leaves Kentucky will be required to provide a CDC gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 nasopharyngeal test confirmed negative within 72 hours of the day of the next race in which he or she plans to ride at Keeneland.
In addition to the main jockeys quarters, Keeneland will maintain five additional jockeys quarters that permit riders to be sequestered. These spaces will be organized around specific geographic areas where the jockeys customarily ride, including New York, California, other U.S. jurisdictions, international jurisdictions and overflow from the main jockey quarters for Kentucky-based riders.
Except for valets and the clerk of scales, no additional personnel will be permitted in any jockeys quarters.

General jockey protocols at Keeneland:

Social distancing is required at all times.
Masks/face coverings are required at all times except when riding in a race or a timed workout in the morning. This includes when the rider is in the jockeys quarters, in the paddock before a race, while being ponied to post and after the race when returning to the jockeys quarters.
Jockeys will be provided with face coverings.
Valets, assistant starters, outriders and pony people will be required to wear masks/face coverings throughout the day as will everyone who is on the grounds.
When visiting the paddock before a race, jockeys are prohibited from making physical contact aside from a leg up from the trainer or a member of his or her staff.
Jockeys are prohibited from visiting barns in the stable area in the mornings. A rider will only be able to visit the apron area of the main track, the area outside the Racing Office by the gap or the paddock. Visits to the Rice Road barn area also are off limits to jockeys.
If a jockey wishes to exercise a horse in the morning, he or she will need to meet that mount in the paddock, exercise the horse then dismount upon exiting the track.
All jockeys will be able to ride with a +3 pound weight allowance because the sauna/steam will be closed.
Boxed lunches will be provided, but no a la carte options are available.
Jockeys and valets will be allowed to bring their own food items.
All jockeys quarters will be sanitized throughout the day and receive another deep cleaning each evening after the rooms are vacated. The products Keeneland is using to disinfect the entire facility is a combination including BioProtect, EvaClean/Puretabs and P&G’s Spic and Span– all of which are EPA-registered.
Keeneland will do a deep sanitization of the starting gate before the Fall Meet using the aforementioned BioProtect product, which is a disinfectant and provides 90 days of long-term antimicrobial protection (to immediately kill any COVID-19 particles that come into contact with the starting gate). The same product will be used in the jockeys quarters for the utmost protection of all surfaces after they have been treated.
Jockeys are to enter Keeneland through Gate 2 on Versailles Road. They will use the track’s South Gate entrance next to the Welcome Center to enter the grounds. Once entries are drawn, their names will be put on a list to be able to access the Keeneland grounds and facility. Once the overnight is released, Clerk of Scales Javier Torres will decide which jockeys quarters they will use.

Jockeys will undergo the same medical checks as everyone coming through the Keeneland gates. This will include a temperature check as well as medical screening questions.

The post Keeneland Outlines Jockey Protocols for Fall Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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After COVID-19 Recovery, Lukas Urges Others: Don’t Get Complacent With This Virus

At the age of 85, trainer D. Wayne Lukas told reporters at Churchill Downs this week he thinks he was already pretty good at appreciating each day in the barn, but a recent bout of COVID-19 has made him even more thankful to be there.

Lukas recently tested negative and returned to work after what he estimates was 15 to 20 days away from the barn – a major departure for a trainer who prides himself on being out on the pony before the sun is up each day. The Hall of Famer said that he went to the hospital after feeling ill and was initially told it was unlikely he had the novel coronavirus. The hospital sent him home. A few hours later, someone at the facility called and told him his test had come back positive. By then, Lukas already suspected that was the case.

Lukas said he struggled mightily to breathe, experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, and felt extremely weak. He did not experience joint aches and pains or lose his sense of smell and taste, as is commonly reported among those with mild cases.

“It affects everybody differently,” Lukas said. “It affected me very strongly. I got really sick.

“I don't think we really know a lot about it. even the medical people I think are still learning. That's going to make the vaccine, if we get it, it's going to be more difficult I think because I don't think they've got a good handle on it.”

At times, he said he faded in and out of consciousness.

“I felt like I was drifting away,” he recalled. “You just wish you could get one breath of air.”

Strangely, Lukas said his wife Laurie tested negative for COVID-19, despite being in close proximity to him throughout his illness. He also knows of others who have tested positive but never had symptoms.

Lukas said he has no idea how he picked up the virus, as he has strictly followed social distancing protocols at work each day and has refrained from going out to restaurants. When he's out at morning training, Lukas is usually on his pony, which creates an automatic six-foot perimeter around him, so he thought he had been sufficiently careful.

When he did begin to feel better, Lukas said he still kept away from his barn a few extra days to avoid transmitting the virus to his staff. Now, he said his energy levels are finally back where they should be.

As masking and distancing requirements drag on more than six months after the pandemic began, Lukas said he wants fans to know that although it's easy to get weary and less careful, it's important to continue doing everything they can to avoid transmitting COVID-19 to others.

“I just think people should not take it for granted or get complacent,” he said. “I'd keep my distance, wear my mask. I wouldn't tempt fate. I wouldn't give it a chance in any way, shape or form. If I could say one thing to people, I see people taking it lightly and I think that's a mistake, whether you're my age or 20.”

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The post After COVID-19 Recovery, Lukas Urges Others: Don’t Get Complacent With This Virus appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Keeneland Announces COVID-19 Protocols For Jockeys, Riders To Arrive Sept. 29 To Ride At Fall Opener

Keeneland today announced procedures related to COVID-19 for jockeys who will ride during the 17-day Fall Meet from Oct. 2-24.

Jockey COVID-19 testing protocols are as follows:

Jockeys who plan to ride on opening day (Friday, Oct. 2) will be required to be in Lexington on Tuesday, Sept. 29 and receive a COVID-19 test at Keeneland.
Jockeys who plan to ride at Keeneland after opening day will need to provide a CDC gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 nasopharyngeal test confirmed negative within 72 hours of the day of their first race.
A jockey who races at Keeneland and leaves Kentucky will be required to provide a CDC gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 nasopharyngeal test confirmed negative within 72 hours of the day of the next race in which he or she plans to ride at Keeneland.
In addition to the main Jockeys Quarters, Keeneland will maintain five additional Jockeys Quarters that permit riders to be sequestered. These spaces will be organized around specific geographic areas where the jockeys customarily ride, including New York, California, other U.S. jurisdictions, international jurisdictions and overflow from the main Jockey Quarters for Kentucky-based riders.
Except for valets and the Clerk of Scales, no additional personnel will be permitted in any Jockeys Quarters.

General jockey protocols at Keeneland are as follows:

Practice social distancing at all times.
Wearing masks/face coverings is required at all times except when riding in a race or a timed workout in the morning. This includes when the rider is in the Jockeys Quarters, in the Paddock before a race, while being ponied to post and after the race when returning to the Jockeys Quarters.

o Jockeys will be provided with face coverings.

o Valets, assistant starters, outriders and pony people will be required to wear masks/face coverings throughout the day as will everyone who is on the grounds.

When visiting the Paddock before a race, jockeys are prohibited from making physical contact aside from a leg up from the trainer or a member of his or her staff.
Jockeys are prohibited from visiting barns in the Stable Area in the mornings. A rider will only be able to visit the apron area of the main track, the area outside the Racing Office by the gap or the Paddock. Visits to the Rice Road barn area also are off limits to jockeys.

o If a jockey wishes to exercise a horse in the morning, he or she will need to meet that mount in the Paddock, exercise the horse then dismount upon exiting the track.

All jockeys will be able to ride with a +3 pound weight allowance because the sauna/steam will be closed.
Boxed lunches will be provided, but no a la carte options are available.

o Jockeys and valets will be allowed to bring their own food items.

All Jockeys Quarters will be sanitized throughout the day and receive another deep cleaning each evening after the rooms are vacated. The products Keeneland is using to disinfect the entire facility is a combination including BioProtect, EvaClean/Puretabs and P&G's Spic and Span – all of which are EPA-registered.
Keeneland will do a deep sanitization of the starting gate before the Fall Meet using the aforementioned BioProtect product, which is a disinfectant and provides 90 days of long-term antimicrobial protection (to immediately kill any COVID-19 particles that come into contact with the starting gate). The same product will be used in the Jockeys Quarters for the utmost protection of all surfaces after they have been treated.
Jockeys are to enter Keeneland through Gate 2 on Versailles Road. They will use the track's South Gate entrance next to the Welcome Center to enter the grounds. Once entries are drawn, their names will be put on a list to be able to access the Keeneland grounds and facility. Once the overnight is released, Clerk of Scales Javier Torres will decide which Jockeys Quarters they will use.
Jockeys will undergo the same medical checks as everyone coming through the Keeneland gates. This will include a temperature check as well as medical screening questions.

The post Keeneland Announces COVID-19 Protocols For Jockeys, Riders To Arrive Sept. 29 To Ride At Fall Opener appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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New Vocations, T.I.P Cancel 2020 Dressage And Combined Test Event, Championships

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has made the decision to cancel their 2020 dressage and combined test event that was slated to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., on October 3. The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) has followed suit, cancelling its Dressage and Combined Test Championships, which was scheduled to be held October 4.

“It was a difficult decision to cancel the October show, but we feel that the safety of our show team and exhibitors is the most important,” says Anna Ford, New Vocations Thoroughbred Program director. “It has been a struggle this year as all of our live fundraising events have been cancelled. However, we have some virtual events in the works that we hope to launch in the near future.”

Now in its sixth year, the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show raises much-needed funds to enable the program to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome retiring Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. The T.I.P. championships celebrate qualified Thoroughbreds in a variety of disciplines. Run concurrently, the shows typically host more than 400 Thoroughbreds at the Kentucky Horse Park each fall.

Sponsors for the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show will have the ability to shift their financial support to a virtual competition in late September. Details of this virtual event are forthcoming.

“T.I.P. continues to explore consolation competition options for early 2021,” says Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and coordinator of T.I.P. “We look forward to the 2021 championships next fall.”

Horses qualified and declared by the August 3 deadline for the 2020 championships will be eligible to participate in the 2021 events. A list of those horses is available at tjctip.com/About/CSDH.

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