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COVID-19: Local Officials Prohibit Arizona Downs From Racing In 2020

Citing concerns for public safety and new state orders restricting gathering in public places, local officials have prohibited Arizona Downs from opening this racing season.

That decision comes in the wake of the COVD-19 pandemic and after weeks of discussions between track operators and state and local officials. Though there were initial hopes of hosting races without spectators, local officials raised additional concerns about adequate spacing in stables and other back-of-the-house operations.

“We were hopeful we would be able to host racing, but understand and respect their decision,” said Tom Auther, an Arizona Downs owner. “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our employees, fans, horsemen and jockeys.”

Earlier this year, Arizona Downs applied with the Arizona Racing Commission to host races through September. But after sharp increases in reported COVID-19 cases across the state, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey in late June issued an Executive Order prohibiting the gathering of more than 50 people unless authorized by local officials. Prescott Valley officials recently provided formal notice to Arizona Downs that racing will not be allowed.

“We recognize the many difficult decisions our state and local leaders have had to make in recent months and appreciate them keeping safety at the forefront of all decisions,” Auther said. “We look forward to working with each of them to ensure the safe and successful opening of Arizona Downs in 2021.”

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Thoroughbred Owner Conference Rescheduled For Breeders’ Cup Week In Lexington

OwnerView announced today that the seventh Thoroughbred Owner Conference, originally scheduled to be held July 19-22, 2020, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has been rescheduled and will be held in Lexington, Ky., from November 2-5, 2020, to coincide with the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The Breeders' Cup will be held November 6-7 at Keeneland.

“While we were disappointed that we were unable to host this year's Thoroughbred Owner Conference in Saratoga Springs, we are delighted to be able to bring the owner conference back to Lexington, the 'Horse Capital of the World,' during the week of the Breeders' Cup,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “We are thankful for the support and flexibility of the New York Racing Association and the Breeders' Cup.”

The rescheduled owner conference will be held at the Embassy Suites on Newtown Pike in Lexington, Ky. The conference agenda includes nine panels on topics including the economics of racehorse ownership, syndicates, safety reforms, aftercare, and diversity. The conference will open on Monday, November 2, with an evening reception at The Kentucky Castle. Other social events include a conference dinner at the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds and tours of stallion farms.

This year's owner conference will offer a new registration option for virtual attendance. A virtual conference registration enables access to all business panels and the ability to participate in question and answer sessions for those panels.

For guests who attend the owner conference in person, social-distancing protocols will be in place, including limiting the number of guests seated at tables and increased spacing of tables. OwnerView will be continually monitoring the status of COVID-19. If an in-person conference is deemed unsafe, in-person registrations will be refunded or converted to a virtual registration.

For more information about the owner conference, including the full schedule of events and registration, please visit ownerview.com/event/conference.

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.

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CTHS Canadian Premier Yearling Sale Catalog Now Online

The catalog for the 2020 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) Canadian Premier Yearling Sale is now online, featuring 230 horses on offer.

This year's sale will be held Wednesday, Sept. 2 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, beginning at noon Eastern.

Graduates of the Canadian Premier Yearling Sale are eligible for a quartet of stakes races at Woodbine, with two each for colts and fillies. Male graduates will be eligible for the $250,000 Simcoe Stakes at two and the $135,000 Elgin Stakes at three, while the fillies will be offered the $250,000 Muskoka Stakes at two and the $135,000 Algoma Stakes at three.

The horses will also be eligible for CTHS Canadian Sales Stakes Series races in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba with some additional nominating fees.

Stallions whose first crops of yearlings are represented in the catalog include Connect, Gormley, Passion for Action, Perfect Timber, and War Correspondent.

To view the online catalog, click here.

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Longtime Lane’s End Farm Manager Mike Cline Retires

Mike Cline, the only farm manager Lane's End has ever known, retires after a 40 year career at the storied nursery.

“It would be hard to overstate Mike's importance to Lane's End and everything that has happened here since the farms inception,” said Will Farish, “I hired Mike back in 1979 and he has overseen everything from the broodmares, to stallions, to sales, to barn construction, to pasture maintenance.”

Mike has mentored many successful people in the industry. Callan Strouss at Oak Tree, Chris Baker at Three Chimneys, Eddie Kane at Calumet, Charles Campbell at Indian Creek Farm, Cooper Sawyer at Mt. Brilliant and Donna Vowles at Kiltinan Castle Stud just to name a few.

“Will Farish provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime and it has truly been an honor to work for him and with him over these many years,” Cline said. “Will's vision for Lane's End was incredible and it has been a privilege to help him implement that vision. I have had the opportunity to meet presidents, the Queen and many fascinating people, not to mention manage some of the greatest Thoroughbreds in history: A.P. Indy, Smart Strike, Kingmambo, Zenyatta, Miesque, All Along, Weekend Surprise, and so many others.

“I plan on continuing to stay involved with the farm and it's many clients in more of an advisory role,” Cline continued. “Lane's End's continued success will always be important to me.”

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