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Saratoga: Main Track Opens For Training April 17, Oklahoma Opens In May After Renovations

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that Saratoga Race Course will open for spring training at 6 a.m. on Saturday, April 17. The barn area at the Oklahoma Training Track will open to horsemen on Thursday, April 15.

To accommodate the completion of a major renovation of the Oklahoma Training Track facility, training will begin on the main track at Saratoga Race Course.

When training resumes at the Oklahoma in early May, horses and riders will be met with a completely reconstructed track featuring a limestone base, renovated surface layer and modernized drainage systems. In addition, the training track has been widened by 10-14 feet in most areas to address the increasing population of horses training over the Oklahoma annually from April-October.

Additionally, to enhance safety for exercise riders and jockeys, the inner rail at the Oklahoma has been replaced with a rider protection system designed by Horsemen's Track and Equipment.

“The Oklahoma Training Track renovation is an investment in the future of Saratoga Race Course that reflects NYRA's commitment to providing our athletes with the safest possible environment for training and racing,” said Glen Kozak, NYRA Senior Vice President for Operations and Capital Projects. “The Oklahoma is a special place in our sport, and these improvements will serve horses, riders and the racing community well for many decades to come.”

The renovation of the Oklahoma Training Track was modeled after the work that was done to the Saratoga main track in 2020, which was universally supported by horsemen and riders. Just like at the Oklahoma, the main track renovation involved general improvements to the base and surface of the track, as well as a complete overhaul of the drainage system and installation of a new rider safety rail.

“Track surfaces at Saratoga need to stand up to a wide variety of weather conditions, including incredibly intense storms that can hit with almost no warning,” Kozak continued. “The main track can now recover from these weather events much more quickly while retaining consistency from day to day. We are confident the result will be just as positive on the Oklahoma as we have seen on the main track.”

Dr. Mick Peterson and the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory (RSTL) served as consultants on the Oklahoma renovation, performing regular testing of the quality and composition of the new surface. Prior to the re-opening of the training track, Dr. Peterson and the RSTL team will perform final inspections utilizing ground penetrating radar and the Biomechanical Surface Tester, which replicates loads and speed of a thoroughbred's leading forelimb at gallop.

“NYRA prioritizes the scientific analysis and continuous data collection that have proven to result in consistent racing surfaces,” Dr. Peterson said. “It's a privilege to work on these types of transformative projects with the world class NYRA team led by Glen Kozak.”

The team assembled by NYRA to contribute expertise to the renovation included GRW, the architectural and engineering firm based in Lexington with deep experience in racetrack design. Michael Depew, a soil scientist and agronomist, provided additional consulting services.

In consultation with the New York State Gaming Commission as well as state and local public health officials, NYRA will maintain a number of health and safety protocols implemented at all NYRA properties to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 and reduce risk for employees, horsemen, backstretch workers and the community. Facial coverings and social distancing are mandatory at all times at Saratoga Race Course.

Beginning on April 17, personnel working in support of training activities must provide a negative COVID-19 test or proof of full vaccination in order to access the property. This applies to both local personnel as well as those arriving from other regions. All personnel will be subject to a daily temperature check prior to entering the property.

According to current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance, individuals are considered fully vaccinated 14 days or more after receiving the second dose in a two dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or 14 days or more after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson / Janssen). NYRA will adhere to the current CDC guidance regarding COVID-19 vaccination standards. Testing and vaccination requirements are subject to change, and will be adjusted accordingly as New York State and CDC guidance evolves.

The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses, will open on Thursday, July 15, and conclude on Monday, September 6. For additional information, visit NYRA.com.

New York State COVID-19 protocols do not currently allow for spectators at racetracks. As such, NYRA is working closely with New York State to secure the requisite approvals to welcome fans back to Belmont Park this spring and to Saratoga Race Course this summer.

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Golden Gate Fields Reopening To Limited Fans On Friday, April 16

Golden Gate Fields has announced the reopening of the racetrack to a limited capacity of fans starting on Friday, April 16, for the remainder of the Winter/Spring Meet that runs through to June 13. The limited capacity reopening is scheduled one week before Gold Rush Weekend, the Bay Area's marquee Thoroughbred horse racing event of the year. Gold Rush Weekend will run April 24-25 and features eight graded stakes races including the prestigious Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will be required to reserve tickets for the duration of the Winter/Spring Meet and for Gold Rush Weekend online. General Admission and walk-ups are not permitted at this time. Fans are encouraged to sign-up online at www.goldengatefields.com to be the first to receive notification when tickets go on sale.

“We are delighted to be able to welcome racing fans back to Golden Gate Fields”, said David Duggan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Golden Gate Fields. “Our team has worked tirelessly and in collaboration with the officials from the Berkeley Public Health Division to plan for the reopening of Golden Gate Fields to the public. It is our goal to deliver a world-class Thoroughbred racing meet for our guests and the community in a safe and memorable way.”

Since the outset of the pandemic, 1/ST and Golden Gate Fields have implemented stringent, industry-leading COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Reopening protocols for the Winter/Spring Meet will include social distancing, mandatory masking when not actively eating or drinking, contactless thermal temperature scanning, accessible hand sanitization stations and enhanced cleaning throughout the facility. For more information on the health and safety protocols at Golden Gate Fields, please visit www.goldengatefields.com/Covid-19.

Berkeley Public Health Division and their operating partner Curative have used the large north side parking lot at Golden Gate Fields for priority tier-based vaccinations for Alameda County residents since February. Those who work on the backstretch at Golden Gate Fields and categorized in the agricultural priority tier were also eligible to receive the vaccine.

“Since the initial COVID-19 outbreak on our campus, we have successfully and sustainably reduced COVID-19 transmission to zero, minimized morbidity and proactively promoted vaccination of our community,” said. Dr. David Seftel, MD, Track Physician, Golden Gate Fields. “Thanks to the efforts of the Berkeley Public Health Division and Curative, I am pleased that all of those who work on the backstretch and the employees at Golden Gate Fields have been fully vaccinated.”

While the track will reopen to fans in limited capacity for live racing, the Turf Club Restaurant and simulcast facilities will remain closed until further notice.

Contactless wagering can be enjoyed regardless of where fans are viewing the races with handicapping tools available on the 1/ST BET app, the official betting app of Golden Gate Fields. Part of the 1/ST TECHNOLOGY suite of handicapping and betting products, 1/ST BET is changing the game by delivering a user-friendly experience that suits everyone from the experienced horseplayer to the first-timer.

To stay up-to-date and for information regarding tickets, please visit www.goldengatefields.com or follow Golden Gate Fields on Twitter and Instagram @GGFRacing or on Facebook at Golden Gate Fields.

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Cibelli Denied Stalls At Monmouth Park: ‘When One Door Shuts, Another One Opens’

Jane Cibelli, leading trainer at Monmouth Park in 2011 and '12, has been denied stalls at the Oceanport, N.J., track that has served as her stable's summer home since 2002.

Cibelli said she was notified of the decision by John Heims, Monmouth Park's racing secretary and director of racing.

“Heims told me, 'I'm tired of it, you always want things your way,'” Cibelli said. “I told him, 'That's what I get paid to do to survive. I'm looking out for my owners' best interests.”

“I won't deny I said that,” Heims said. “Overall, her conduct is not necessarily conducive to the atmosphere we want here at Monmouth Park. It's a lot to take and not worth the aggravation. It's too much.”

Cibelli said she was once “ambushed” by Heims and Monmouth Park general manager Bill Anderson over shipping horses from her stable at Monmouth to race at other tracks.

“They said, 'You ship a lot.' I asked them which horses and they said they didn't know. I told them I hadn't shipped any horses that Monmouth had races for. I had 40 horses and 30 of them are turf. Monmouth has 12 races a week on turf. When my horses are ready to run, I want to run them. The majority of my horses have run at Monmouth.”

Cibelli admits to be “a little testy” and a review of rulings against her shows that she has been fined for behavioral issues and altercations with other licensees. In 2020, she said, she had additional stress and fatigue while undergoing what she called “triple dose chemo” that began in Tampa, Fla., and continued in New Jersey to treat ovarian cancer. For now, she says, she is cancer free.

“I made an effort to support the Monmouth meet in 2020 after so many bailed because of COVID,” she added.

Cibelli ranked in a tie for sixth in the 2020 trainer standings at Monmouth with 12 wins from 48 starters. The previous year she was eighth, winning 14 races in 66 starts.

“At first I was upset (about being denied stalls),” Cibelli said. “A couple of owners told me to call Bill Anderson. I said, 'I'm just not doing it. I've spent my whole life in this business, I'm almost 60 years old, and I'm not going to beg for stalls.'”

Cibelli said she was also going up against a culture at Monmouth Park that was “always a bit of an old boys' club.”

The track had no problem, for example, allocating stalls for 2018 to then leading trainer Jorge Navarro after he was fined $10,000 for conduct detrimental to racing when caught on a September 2017 video while watching a simulcast race from Gulfstream Park with owner Randal Gindi. Navarro's brother had just won the race and Gindi said, “That's the juice. That's the vegetable juice.” Navarro responded: “We f – – k everyone.” Gindi replied “We f – – k everyone and I line my pockets with the bookie with another $20,000. Oh yeah, life is great.”

Navarro, along with another Monmouth Park mainstay, Jason Servis, was indicted in March 2020 in connection with an FBI probe into doping of racehorses. Some of the incidents described in the federal indictment took place at Monmouth.

“I might lose a couple of owners by not going back to Monmouth Park,” Cibelli said, “but when one door shuts another one opens.”

She indicated she will likely maintain her stable at Palm Meadows in South Florida for the time being, race at Gulfstream Park, and then look to summer meets at other mid-Atlantic tracks including Colonial Downs, Laurel Park and Delaware Park.

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Indiana Grand Adds ‘Innovative Views’ From Drone Camera, Televised Stewards’ Explanations

When racing resumes for the 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing Tuesday, April 13, racing fans will notice some new features added to the television production of the live racing broadcast. A drone will be implemented into the current lineup of camera shots, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for enhanced camera angles at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

“Our team has been challenged to take Caesars' racing to the forefront in technology and a drone is one step in doing so,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “As we began to pull this new concept in, we started realizing how this drone could really showcase our racing program and set our TV production apart from others. It's important to note we do not plan on changing the way people watch our races but rather complement our current production with innovative views that nobody else is offering in their daily broadcasts. Lastly, we also view this as a potential way to assist the stewards in reviewing races, especially in areas where current camera angles are more difficult than others to see the full action of a race.”

The Matrice 200 Drone is engineered and equipped with all the latest options available in aerial production. The device is a little less than three feet in width and stands 16 inches high. It's capable of zoom options with adjustable speed and is programmable from location to location. Operators are required to be licensed with the Federal Aviation Administration with a Remote Pilot Certificate. Three of Indiana Grand's audio-visual department team members recently completed training and are now licensed to fly the drone.

A special landing and takeoff pad has been constructed near the back of the paddock. Plans are in place for the drone to use the home base between assignments.

In addition to the drone, Indiana Grand has also implemented a new audio and visual system for the IHRC Stewards. Upon completion of any ruling regarding a decision made on a race, Senior State Steward Eric Smith will be televised live with an explanation from the steward's room on how they made their decision during an infraction.

“We feel providing an explanation directly from the stewards is a great way to inform fans watching and wagering on our product,” noted Halstrom. “They will now be able explain how they came to a conclusion on a specific ruling and give insight on the information they reviewed and gathered from the jockeys involved in the incident.”

Both the drone and the steward's audio/video option is on track to be unveiled in the first week of racing at Indiana Grand.

Live racing returns to Indiana Grand Tuesday, April 13 and extends through Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Racing will be conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. In addition, six all-Quarter Horse racing dates are set on select Saturdays starting June 5 at 10 a.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30 beginning at 12 p.m. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

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