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Citing COVID-19 Concerns, Lone Star Park Halts Live Racing

Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, abruptly cancelled Sunday's live racing program after the day's first race. An announcement on Twitter gave no indication when racing would resume.

“Due to an abundance of caution, all racing operations at Lone Star Park have been suspended due to COVID-19,” the statement said. “Racing will resume at a date to be determined.”

Officials at Lone Star Park could not be reached for further comment.

Multiple sources told the Paulick Report a positive test for COVID-19 has emerged involving an individual employed at the track who has regular contact with jockeys or their valets. An out-of-town rider who recently rode at Lone Star may also have tested positive after returning to his home track from Lone Star, a source said.

Track officials were said to be consulting with infectious disease specialists brought in by Global Gaming, the entity that owns Lone Star Park and Remington Park in Oklahoma.

Lone Star races on a Sunday through Wednesday schedule. Sources said it is doubtful the July 6 live racing program will be conducted. Entries have been taken for racing through next Sunday, July 12, and horsemen have been told to prepare to enter on Monday morning for the following Monday's racing on July 13.

When jockeys were notified of the cancellation of Sunday's program, they were advised not to exit through the track's grandstand, where simulcast wagering continued. They were not given instructions to self-quarantine.

Lone Star was forced to delay the start of its live meet until May 22. On June 10, Lone Star management was notified by officials that spectators would be permitted on-track as Texas became one of the first states to reopen its economy.

After an alarming spike in COVID-19 positive tests throughout Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on July 2 issued an order requiring face coverings in public and giving local officials authority to limit the size of gatherings.

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Hastings Kicks Off Abbreviated Summer Meet On Monday

Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, British Columbia, starts its 2020 live meet with an abbreviated racing schedule consisting of 25 race days, beginning Monday, July 6.

The race meet will be conducted with all areas of the facility closed to the public, and all racing participants will be adhering to strict health and safety protocol, as part of the ongoing effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hastings' live races will be available for viewing and wagering through the industry's simulcast network as well as at hpibet.com.

“Recognizing the hundreds of horse owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys and other support personnel who depend on racing for their livelihood, this abbreviated meet is critical to the ongoing sustainability of the industry,” said David Milburn, President of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of BC, the organization that represents thoroughbred racing participants in the province.

The 2020 live racing season at Hastings was scheduled to begin on April 26 and run through October 18 with 51 race days in total but was suspended due to COVID-19.

The schedule includes Monday and Tuesday afternoons in July, August and September with start times at 1:15 p.m. PT, as well as one Wednesday afternoon in August and another in September. The lone Saturday date at Hastings will be September 5 which is also the date of the 146th running of this year's Kentucky Derby.

“The BC racing industry, like so many other sectors, has been extremely challenged by the impact from COVID-19. Although we will greatly miss our on-track guests, we want to thank everyone that has worked so hard to prepare for the upcoming race meet,” stated Hastings general manager Michael Zerebeski.

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‘Encouraging Start’: $3.4-Million Wagered On Monmouth’s Opening-Day Program

Laki shook off an eight-month layoff, taking full advantage of an early speed duel that developed in front of him, before drawing off to a 2 1/2-length victory in the first running of the Oceanport Centennial Stakes as racing fans welcomed back Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., with a rousing reception at the betting windows (and online) on opening day of the COVID-19 delayed meet.

Despite attendance restrictions under guidelines issued by the state in the ongoing battle against the pandemic, bettors wagered $3,422,830 from all sources on the six-race twilight card.

Average handle for Fridays a year ago was approximately $2.5 million, when a typical card saw eight live events.

“We're happy and grateful that the day went off without a hitch,” said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, operators of the racetrack. “It was a great racing card that was whole-heartedly endorsed by the betting public.

“It was an encouraging start to a year that could certainly use some positive news.”

Ridden by Trevor McCarthy for the first time, Laki won for the ninth time in 24 career starts, with the $45,000 winner's share from the $75,000 purse boosting his career earnings over $500,000.

“He's been training so well coming into the race. I'm not surprised by this, even after eight months off,” said trainer Damon Dilodovico. “Toward the end of the year last year he just needed to be freshened. We weren't looking for the COVID-19 sized freshener but maybe it ended up helping him.

“I was surprised to see him in front early amongst those horses because there was a lot of speed in the race. Trevor just let him do his thing and sat off a good speed duel. That's really where he is more comfortable.”

Though Laki broke to the lead from the rail in a field of speedsters, McCarthy eventually settled the 7-year-old gelding behind dueling leaders Chateau and Awesome Anywhere. Laki powered by both in mid-stretch, finishing the five furlongs in :57.62.

Laki paid $13.00 to win, with Awesome Anywhere holding second, 5¾ lengths ahead of Midtowncharlybrown.

“Damon kind of left it up to me,” said McCarthy. “I thought the five-eighths might be a little short for him. That was my biggest worry. I just tried to break him as sharp as I could break him just to get position. I couldn't believe I broke in front of everybody. I kind of just sat there, let him get himself together and let the other guys go at it after he settled in.

“We got to sit off a nice hot speed duel. He usually finishes good. He showed his true class.”

Racing resumes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, July 4, with a 12-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m.

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Rudy Rodriguez Gets $394K Judgment Against Zayat Stables, Joins MGG Investments Civil Case

The pool of people seeking money from Zayat Stables got more crowded in recent weeks as a judge in Kentucky's Fayette County Circuit Court consolidated two civil cases against the 2015 Triple Crown-winning owner. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez won a motion in late June to combine his civil case in Fayette County with an existing case between MGG Investments and Zayat Stables over $24 million in unpaid loans.

Rodriguez won a judgment against Zayat Stables in a New York court in late 2019 for $394,437.19 in unpaid training bills that his legal team says went back years.

MGG had objected to the motion before Judge Kimberly Bunnell, questioning whether the two cases had enough in common to be combined. After all, the company argued, Rodriguez had a judgment in his favor from a New York judge, but had nothing to do with the loan Zayat took out from MGG in 2016.

“Zayat Stables undoubtedly owes a lot of money to a lot of people,” read paperwork filed by MGG ahead of the judge's order to consolidate. “Allowing Rodriguez Racing into the case will only open up Pandora's box and cause all of Zayat Stables' other creditors to come out of the woodwork to join this case, regardless of the irrelevance of their claims to the matters before the Court in this case.”

Attorneys for Rodriguez Racing disputed that assertion and pointed out that in one monthly report alone, over $137,000 had been paid to creditors of Zayat Stables by the receiver in charge of winding down the Zayat Stables operation.

Rodriguez no longer trains horses for Zayat, according to court filings. In mid-October 2019, he alleged the stable owed him more than $600,000 in unpaid bills, and filed an agister's lien on Lezendary and Majid, the two Zayat horses still in his possession at the time. Justin Zayat, son of Zayat Stables founder Ahmed Zayat, told media the two sides had come to an agreement over the amount owed.

“He's a wealthy man. I'm a working guy,” Rodriguez said at the time. “It costs me a lot to run the stable, with salaries and workers' compensation. Whenever I talk to him, he says he's going to pay, he's going to pay. I told him, 'I can't carry you anymore.'”

Ahmed Zayat would later announce in a tweet in late October that Rodriguez was “back on the team,” showing Rodriguez with Ahmed and Justin Zayat in what would seem to be the Zayat Stables offices in New Jersey. That tweet has since been deleted.

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