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Limited Number Of Owners To Be Permitted At Saratoga On Race Day

Following updated guidance issued by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) on Wednesday afternoon, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced that beginning on Friday, July 17, a limited number of licensed owners will be permitted at Saratoga Race Course on the day that their horse is entered to race.

In order to reduce density and adhere to social distancing guidelines, the size of the ownership group will be restricted to eight individuals in possession of a NYSGC license per horse. With the exception of Friday's card, the application must be received 24 hours in advance of race day.

No same-day applications will be accepted. All owners within the group must be in possession of a valid NYSGC license. Horses with identical ownership will be limited to 8 total admissions regardless of number of horses running that day.

To align with required health and safety measures implemented in New York to mitigate risk and combat the spread of COVID-19, owners will be subjected to health screening prior to entry, including a temperature check. In addition, owners will be required to practice social distancing and to wear a facial covering at all times while on the Saratoga property.

“Health and safety are our primary focus as we continue to work with New York state officials to determine the potential for broader spectator access during the 2020 summer meet,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “To be able to allow the participation of a limited number of owners reflects the progress made in New York to reduce the rate of COVID-19 infection.”

A limited number of licensed owners will be permitted within the barn area at Saratoga Race Course during the 2020 summer meet. In order to secure access to the barn area, owners must provide NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 7 days of the request. Owners are not permitted to watch live racing from the barn area and owner access ends at 11:20 a.m. Prior approval is required to enter the barn area.

Owners approved to enter the barn area will be required to practice social distancing and to wear a facial covering at all times.

Owners planning travel to New York from any of the states currently listed on the New York Travel Advisory are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. For additional information, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory.

Owner applications for admission to Saratoga Race Course are to be sent to NYRA's Horsemen's Relations Associate, via email at horsemensrelations@nyrainc.com or by phone at 516-488-6008. NYRA will confirm all reservations via email. NYRA cannot consider or accept same day applications.

The NYRA Office of Horsemen's Relations will begin processing applications on Thursday, July 16 at 9 a.m.

Per NYSGC guidance, owners are not permitted within any indoor areas at Saratoga Race Course, including the clubhouse and grandstand and all hospitality areas. As such, owners will be provided a socially-distanced outdoor seating area and will be permitted to view races from the apron. Hours of access on race days will begin at 12 p.m. Eastern and owners must enter via the Clubhouse Entrance.

For additional information regarding protocols, please visit https://bit.ly/32iJ0wN.

The 2020 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will begin on Thursday, July 16 and run through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Following the four-day opening weekend, live racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays. The summer meet will conclude on Labor Day, Monday, September 7.

Under current New York State guidelines, Saratoga Race Course will open without spectators in attendance. The 40-day meet will be highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Saturday, August 8 and the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney on Saturday, August 1.

For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.

The post Limited Number Of Owners To Be Permitted At Saratoga On Race Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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NYSGC Allows Owners to Watch Racing and Training at Saratoga

The New York State Gaming Commission announced Wednesday that licensed owners will be permitted to watch their horses train and race at New York tracks.

The ban on spectators for the racing programs remains in effect.

The change in policy for owners was made the day before the start of the Thoroughbred racing season at Saratoga Race Course.

According to the commission’s news release, once the overnight list of entries is published, licensed owners must make reservations in advance with the racing office to attend a race. No same-day requests will be accepted. Owners may not bring non-licensed guests with them.

To be admitted to the track, owners must pass a temperature check at a designated location and will be asked COVID-19 related health questions. Owners will not be permitted in grandstand or box seat areas and must sit in designated areas or watch from the apron area in front of the grandstand.

Owners must wear face coverings and follow social-distancing protocols. They will be permitted to enter the paddock and the winner’s circle, but must social distance.

To access backstretch locations, owners must meet the requirements that the track makes on its personnel or residents and display their license at the stable gate. Each owner must receive a temperature check and answer COVID-19 related questions. Owners must leave the backstretch at the conclusion of training and may not watch races from the barn area.

“Health and safety are our primary focus as we continue to work with New York state officials to determine the potential for broader spectator access during the 2020 summer meet,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O’Rourke. “To be able to allow the participation of a limited number of owners reflects the progress made in New York to reduce the rate of COVID-19 infection.”

The post NYSGC Allows Owners to Watch Racing and Training at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Ellis Park 2020: No General Admission, But Reserved Seating Available To Fans

Tickets for reserved seating for the RUNHAPPY Summer Meet at Ellis Park to be held from July 2 to Aug. 30 are now on sale.

Seats, which will be required for admission, can be purchased through Ellisparkracing.com.

Following the directive from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's office, racetracks may begin having spectators on June 29 with up to 50 percent capacity. Ellis Park's 98th summer session begins Thursday, with racing through Sunday July 5 before taking a week off to allow Keeneland to run for five days in Lexington. Ellis Park resumes its Friday through Sunday format on July 17 through the end of the meet.

For the first weekend, Ellis Park seating will be available in the Sky Theatre, which is entirely smoke-free, and the second floor of the Clubhouse, where smoking is permitted. The Turf Club, which is between the Clubhouse and the grandstand, is available for parties of up to 25 people. Ellis will work to open additional outdoor seating as safety planning and preparations are made.

Because of safety precautions necessitated by the COVID-19 global pandemic, there will be no general admission seating available for this meet. With the exception of racehorse owners, spectators are required to have a ticketed seat, with food and beverages delivered by servers to those areas. The Dade Park Grill on the Clubhouse first floor in the Historical Horse Racing area will be the only concession stand open.

“We are opening seating to the public in a safe and prudent manner that adheres to state protocol,” said Ellis Park general manager Jeff Inman. “With this methodology, we have control over where people are during the races and can make sure they are safely separated. Additionally, protocol dictates that we must have the name and contact information for every guest coming to Ellis this summer. That's why we can only have reserved seating this meet. If one of our guests should subsequently test positive for COVID-19, we will know who was at the races that day, where they were seated and how to get in touch with them.

“We know these circumstances aren't ideal, and that going to the races at Ellis Park and enjoying our expansive grassy area and grandstand is a tradition for the Tri-State area. COVID-19 has changed a lot of standards, but we're pleased that we can allow spectators at the races in a safe and responsible fashion this summer.”

For opening week, the Sky Theatre will have 47 tables available, mostly four-tops, for a total capacity of 196 people, with 62 tables in the Clubhouse (for two, four and six people) for an additional 234 individuals. Clubhouse options include the Terrace Lounge area offering a view of the racetrack, the adjacent Thoroughbred Room (also used for year-round simulcasting) and the Gardenia Room.

Admission to the track for live racing is by reservation only. Race-day reservations will be accepted as space allows, but Ellis asks that everyone try to make plans in advance. An entire table must be purchased, with no partial tables sold due to social-distancing requirements. For the first week, the minimum age for reserved seating and HHR is 18 years old. Ellis is reviewing plans to allow additional guests and younger race fans later in the summer.

Access to Historical Horse Racing on the Clubhouse first floor is available on a first-come, first-served basis with gaming terminals adhering to the state's social-distancing standards. Guests with reserved seating, along with Historical Horse Racing players, must enter through the main gate and have a non-invasive thermal screening before being admitted.

Horse owners licensed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission can watch their horses run from the racetrack apron, where media members will also be allowed. Owners and the media should enter through the paddock pavilion entrance, where they will undergo thermal screening and have their name and contact information recorded. Media members must make arrangements with Ellis Park staff prior to arrival, as there is limited space available each racing day.

Ellis Park hopes to add two additional outdoor seating areas in phases as the summer progresses. First, 40 grandstand box seats opening later in July. The boxes, which will accommodate four people each, will be sold as reserved seating and also have food and beverage delivered by servers. A third phase could see six-seat picnic tables on the racetrack apron sometime in early August.

Should all of the phases become available, the maximum capacity will be 1,010 for live racing. Concession areas at the track will not be open during the meet.

The post Ellis Park 2020: No General Admission, But Reserved Seating Available To Fans appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Monmouth: Owners To Be Allowed To Watch Morning Workouts Starting June 26

Owners will be permitted to watch their horses work from a designated area at Monmouth Park from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Fridays through Sundays starting Friday, June 26, the track announced Tuesday.

Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. has been closed to all but essential personnel since March 16, when restrictions were put into place to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

The track opens for its 75th season of live racing on Friday, July 3.

Under a special permit that allows for re-purposing of restaurants under the state's Stage 2 loosening of restrictions to slow the pandemic, owners will be allowed to watch workouts only from a newly-created venue at the Blu Grotto, which is an all-weather tented section adjacent to Bluegrass mini-golf that abuts the racetrack.

To gain access, owners with a valid ID will enter through the Blu Grotto entrance on Port au Peck Avenue and will undergo temperature checks as well as a health questionnaire.

For more information visit www.monmouthpark.com or follow the racetrack on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The post Monmouth: Owners To Be Allowed To Watch Morning Workouts Starting June 26 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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