Maryland Jockey Club | Horse Racing Free Tips

Maryland Jockey Club Announces Strict Jockey Protocols For Preakness Weekend

The Maryland Jockey Club announced Friday strict protocols for jockeys intending to ride during Preakness weekend, Oct. 1-3, at Pimlico Race Course.

A total of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses will be offered during the three-day span that closes the abbreviated Preakness Meet at Pimlico, highlighted by the 145th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1) Saturday, Oct. 3.

All jockeys intending to ride during the weekend must arrive at Pimlico's drive-up COVID-19 testing site located just outside of the Hayward Avenue stable gate no later than 72 hours prior to their first riding assignment:

Monday, Sept. 28 by 10 a.m. for the Thursday, Oct. 1 program
Tuesday, Sept. 29 by 10 a.m. for the Friday, Oct. 2 program
Wednesday, Sept. 30 by 10 a.m. for the Saturday, Oct. 3 program

Jockeys' room personnel, designated officials and designated racing personnel must visit the Pimlico drive-up testing site on Saturday, Sept. 26 or Monday, Sept. 28 by 10 a.m. Included are all starting gate crew, valets, outriders, escort pony personnel and racing officials that must access the jockeys' room.

Pimlico's drive-up testing site will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Sunday, Sept. 27 and running through Wednesday, Sept. 30. Samples collected before 10 a.m. will have results by 9 a.m. the following day. Samples collected after 10 a.m. will be tested the following day.

All jockeys coming to Maryland from out of state will be required to leave Pimlico after being tested and self-isolate until notified of their test results. Those with negative results will be instructed to return to Pimlico for a wristband indicating their status and which barn area they are allowed to access.

Jockeys with positive results will be directed not to enter the grounds at Pimlico and may be referred to the local MedStar Health medical director for clinical evaluation.

Access to the jockeys' room is limited to riders and their valets, jockeys' room officials and staff and designated essential personnel. Only jockeys scheduled to ride on the current day's program will be permitted entry.

All jockeys, valets and officials will have their temperatures taken daily and must demonstrate fair health before entering the jockeys' room. Any jockey or official showing signs of illness will be denied access. Jockeys that display mild cold-like symptoms may be referred to MedStar for evaluation.

Additional jockeys' quarters have been established to ensure social distancing. Female riders will utilize their same area adjacent to the Pimlico paddock, while male riders will be relocated to the second-floor clubhouse with split facilities for local and out-of-town jockeys. The jockeys' room sauna will remain closed.

All jockeys are required to wear gloves, including during races, and are required to change to clean gloves with each race. Face coverings must be worn at all times over the mouth and nose while in the jockeys' room. Jockeys, valets and officials are not allowed to gather or loiter in the room or jockey areas between races or before and after the race card.

Every employee, jockey, official and horseman are required to maintain social distancing strategies at all times, both within and outside of training and racing hours. The Maryland Department of Health recommends any Marylander returning from out of state or any out-of-state visitors to get tested for COVID-19 promptly upon arrival in or within 72 hours before travel to Maryland.

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Stronach 5 Features Full Fields, $100,000 Guarantee On Friday

The Stronach 5, with an industry-low 12-percent takeout and $100,000 guaranteed pool, will feature races Friday from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields.

The first race in the sequence will be Laurel's seventh race, a six furlong event for a dozen 2-year-old fillies. Post time is 3:58 p.m.

Friday's sequence has the last four races scheduled on the turf, including a 5 ½ furlong allowance test at Laurel with a $42,000 purse for 3-year-olds and up, and a $25,000 maiden event for 3-year-olds and up at Gulfstream Park. The sequence wraps up at Golden Gate with a competitive mile turf event for maidens 3-year-olds and up.

Friday's races and sequence

· Leg One – Laurel Park 7th Race: (12 entries, 6 furlongs) 3:58 ET, 12:58 PT

· Leg Two –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (10 entries, 1 mile turf) 4:14 ET, 1:14 PT

· Leg Three –Laurel Park 8th Race: (11 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4:31 ET, 1:31 PT

· Leg Four –Laurel Park 9th Race: (12 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 5:02 ET, 2:02 PT

· Leg Five –Golden Gate Fields 3rd race: (11 entries, 1 mile turf) 5:25 ET, 2:25 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

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Delaware Stewards Suspend Trainer Gaffney Through Remainder Of The Year For Numerous Rule Violations

Stewards in Delaware have suspended trainer Hubert Gaffney through the end of 2020 and issued a $2,500 for conduct detrimental to racing last week. The Aug. 31 ruling cites a long list of Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission rules Gaffney allegedly violated, including entering/aiding in the entry of ineligible horses, assuming responsibility for horses not in a trainer's own active care, conduct/utterance which adversely affects public confidence in racing.

According to the ruling, Gaffney's license had been granted conditionally due to a prior violation.

“Mr. Gaffney will no longer be entitled to a license at Delaware Park,” the ruling read. “Hubert Gaffney is denied access to all grounds under the jurisdiction of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.”

Sarah Crane, investigator and acting executive director for the commission, indicated Gaffney is appealing the ruling and therefore the commission could provide no additional details about the source of the alleged rule violations.

As reported here on Aug. 20, Gaffney's name came up in the course of an investigation by the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) as its officials examined the activities of Wayne Potts. MJC determined Gaffney had been serving as a program trainer for Potts at several tracks where Potts was not permitted to participate.

The complete ruling is available here.

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Full Fields, $100,000 Guarantee In Friday’s Stronach 5

Races from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields along with a $100,000 guaranteed pool highlight Friday's popular Stronach 5.

The Stronach 5, with an industry-low 12-percent takeout, will also feature three turf races.

Friday's Stronach 5 begins at Laurel with races seven and eighth. Race seven has 10 maidens 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs while the eighth race features allowance fillies and mares sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the Exceller Turf Course.

After a claiming event over a 1 1/16 mile turf course at Gulfstream and a mile claiming event on Golden Gate's all-weather surface, the Stronach 5 wraps up with a return to Laurel and the ninth race, a mile event on the Bowl Game Turf Course.

Friday's races and sequence

· Leg One – Laurel Park 7th Race: (10 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:05 ET, 1:05 PT

· Leg Two –Laurel Park 8th Race: (9 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4:40 ET, 1:40 PT

· Leg Three –Gulfstream Park 10th Race: (12 entries, 1 1/16-mile turf) 5:01 ET, 2:01 PT

· Leg Four –Golden Gate Fields 2nd Race: (10 entries, 1mile) 5:15 ET, 2:15 PT

· Leg Five –Laurel Park 9th race: (10 entries, 1-mile turf) 5:22 ET, 2:22 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

The post Full Fields, $100,000 Guarantee In Friday’s Stronach 5 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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