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‘Restart And A Reboot’: Drayden Van Dyke Will Shift Tack To Kentucky In April

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke will move his tack from Southern California to Kentucky beginning with the Keeneland meet in April, reports the Daily Racing Form. Represented by Hall of Famer Gary Stevens, Van Dyke will stay through at least the Churchill meet.

Though he earned leading rider titles at both Del Mar meets in 2018, Van Dyke has had a slow winter at Santa Anita, winning with six of his 72 mounts.

“We've got to do a restart and a reboot,” Stevens told drf.com.

Van Dyke won the Eclipse Award for champion apprentice jockey in 2014, and is originally from Kentucky.

‘I Wasn’t Sure If I Wanted To Ride Again’: Oisin Murphy Reveals Mental Struggles After Drug Positive

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy tested positive for metabolites of cocaine in July of 2020, later revealed that a sex partner was likely responsible for the positive test and was absolved of taking the drug himself, and eventually wound up with a three-month suspension from France-Galop which will end in March of 2021.

He retained his championship title in 2020, but this week Murphy candidly revealed to the Racing Post's My Sporting Mind podcast the struggles he endured mentally during the latter half of the season.

“I felt like the world had turned against me, over something I didn't really mean to happen,” Murphy said. “When I went to America [for the Breeders' Cup] I was hoping I'd done enough to win the jockeys' championship and by the time I rode in my last race, I wasn't sure if I wanted to ride again.”

Help came from fellow top jockey Frankie Dettori in the form of supportive messages, as well as the rest of his family and friends.

“I remember feeling the season was going to be defined one of two ways – I could fight on or let my season, my year, crumble to nothing,” Murphy summarized. “I knew I was going to get the ban, but I also knew that if I didn't win the jockeys' championship it would have been a season when I allowed everything that was going on around me to defeat me.”

NYRA Updates Jockey Protocols for Aqueduct

The New York Racing Association updated COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys competing at the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet which runs through Sunday, Mar. 28.

As of Mar. 1, out of town riders not established in the NYRA colony may ride at Aqueduct upon completion of two negative COVID-19 PCR tests within five days of race day. Incoming riders will be provided isolated jockey quarters. All COVID-19 testing must be performed in New York state.

Prior to Mar. 1, Aqueduct Racetrack was closed to riders that were not considered members of the NYRA winter jockey colony.

Members of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the Aqueduct winter meet will continue to be required to provide two negative COVID-19 PCR tests taken within a five-day window in order to return to ride at Aqueduct. 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.

In addition to race day safety protocols which include standard health screening and temperature checks, the jockey quarters at Aqueduct 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 at Belmont Park. Jockey agents must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test in order to gain access to the barn area. Races will continue to be drawn via Zoom.

Valets working in the jockey quarters are not permitted in the barn area.

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Aqueduct Announces Updated Jockey Protocols For Winter Meet

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced updated COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys competing at the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet which runs through Sunday, March 28.

As of March 1, out of town riders not established in the NYRA colony may ride at Aqueduct upon completion of two negative COVID-19 PCR tests within five days of race day. Incoming riders will be provided isolated jockey quarters. All COVID-19 testing must be performed in New York state.

Prior to March 1, Aqueduct Racetrack was closed to riders that were not considered members of the NYRA winter jockey colony—as listed in the condition book- as of Dec. 31.

Members of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the Aqueduct winter meet will continue to be required to provide two negative COVID-19 PCR tests taken within a 5-day window in order to return to ride at Aqueduct. 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.

Jockeys are not permitted access to the barn area at Belmont Park.

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

Valets working in in the jockey quarters are not permitted in the barn area.

Live racing in March will be offered Friday through Sunday through the conclusion of the winter meet on March 28.

For additional information, please visit https://www.nyra.com.

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