covid-19 | Horse Racing Free Tips

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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Juddmonte International Purse Reduced

Prize money for this year’s G1 Juddmonte International S. at York has been cut to £275,000 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s Group 1 was worth £1 million but with racing currently taking place behind closed doors after a delayed start to the season, the track’s revenue has taken a serious hit, with the venue underlining “80% of prior year annual revenues for York Racecourse flowed from the presence of a gathering, either on a raceday or as part of our extensive non raceday events programme, none of whom have been permitted at the venue since mid-March.”

The track has hailed the contributions from the Horseracing Betting Levy Board (HBLB) and sponsors with the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe and Sky Bet Ebor all set to carry a purse of £250,000 as other feature races. The G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack, G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup and G2 Sky Bet City of York S. will have £100,000 purses with the Sky Bet-sponsored G2 Great Voltigeur S. and G2 Lowther S. both offering £75,000. The European Breeders’ Fund will back five races, headlined by the £35,000 Listed Sir Henry Cecil Galtres S., and including two of the three new class two handicaps worth £30,000 that have been added to the race programme.

York kicks off its season on Thursday and chairman, Lord Grimthorpe, said, “We are delighted to be back racing at York, albeit initially behind closed doors. Despite challenging circumstances for all, we have tried to put our best foot forward with an incredibly exciting race programme and an investment in prize money well above industry agreed levels. We are hugely appreciative and grateful for the wonderful support of our sponsors, annual badgeholders, partners and all who make York Racecourse so special.

“While we look forward to the day we can welcome the return of spectators and supporters to York Racecourse, in the meantime I hope that people will follow and enjoy the sport on their televisions and mobile devices.”

The post Juddmonte International Purse Reduced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Economic Indicators: Pandemic, Derby Date Change Have Year-To-Date Wagering Down 10.88 Percent

Equibase, LLC released its monthly report on Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing this Monday, June 6. 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.

June's numbers show a slight increase in total wagering, up 0.76 percent over the same month in 2019, a small positive change as racing across the country has resumed in the past month.

Most tracks are operating without fans in attendance, though some have begun to allow a small number of fans and owners to attend racing or morning training.

Still, the numbers for the second quarter demonstrate the affect that the pandemic has had on the racing industry. The total wagering from April through June of 2020 is down 18.85 percent over the same three-month period of 2019; considering that the rescheduled Kentucky Derby was not included in that period this year, that difference is not as significant as it might otherwise seem.

Overall, year-to-date wagering has decreased 10.88 percent compared to the first six months of 2019.

Due to the cancellation of almost every major sporting event across the world, average wagering per race day showed a dramatic increase of 67.60 percent from April 2019 to April 2020. The average racing per race day in the second quarter is up 101.28 percent over the same period of 2019, while year-to-date average wagering per race day has increased 44.12 percent from the first four months of 2019 to the first four months of 2020.

June 2020 vs. June 2019
Indicator	June 2020	June 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$998,448,300	$990,923,384	+0.76%
U.S. Purses	$69,463,605	$115,194,834	-39.70%
U.S. Race Days	300	499	-39.88%
U.S. Races	2,485	3,905	-36.36%
U.S. Starts	20,146	27,726	-27.34%
Average Field Size	8.11	7.10	+14.18%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,328,161	$1,985,818	+67.60%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$231,545	$230,851	+0.30%

2nd QTR 2020 vs. 2nd QTR 2019
Indicator	2nd QTR 2020	2nd QTR 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$2,546,352,350	$3,137,805,499	-18.85%
U.S. Purses	$118,929,007	$316,882,492	-62.47%
U.S. Race Days	508	1,260	-59.68%
U.S. Races	4,290	10,167	-57.80%
U.S. Starts	36,101	73,409	-50.82%
Average Field Size	8.42	7.22	+16.55%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$5,012,505	$2,490,322	+101.28%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$234,112	$251,494	-6.91%

YTD 2020 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2020	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$5,055,522,519	$5,672,774,271	-10.88%
U.S. Purses	$324,156,658	$544,002,132	-40.41%
U.S. Race Days	1,301	2,104	-38.17%
U.S. Races	10,906	17,457	-37.53%
U.S. Starts	88,074	130,239	-32.38%
Average Field Size	8.08	7.46	+8.25%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,885,874	$2,696,185	+44.12%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$249,160	$258,556	-3.63%

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

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Citing COVID-19 Concerns, Lone Star Park Halts Live Racing

Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, abruptly cancelled Sunday's live racing program after the day's first race. An announcement on Twitter gave no indication when racing would resume.

“Due to an abundance of caution, all racing operations at Lone Star Park have been suspended due to COVID-19,” the statement said. “Racing will resume at a date to be determined.”

Officials at Lone Star Park could not be reached for further comment.

Multiple sources told the Paulick Report a positive test for COVID-19 has emerged involving an individual employed at the track who has regular contact with jockeys or their valets. An out-of-town rider who recently rode at Lone Star may also have tested positive after returning to his home track from Lone Star, a source said.

Track officials were said to be consulting with infectious disease specialists brought in by Global Gaming, the entity that owns Lone Star Park and Remington Park in Oklahoma.

Lone Star races on a Sunday through Wednesday schedule. Sources said it is doubtful the July 6 live racing program will be conducted. Entries have been taken for racing through next Sunday, July 12, and horsemen have been told to prepare to enter on Monday morning for the following Monday's racing on July 13.

When jockeys were notified of the cancellation of Sunday's program, they were advised not to exit through the track's grandstand, where simulcast wagering continued. They were not given instructions to self-quarantine.

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