Lone Star Cancels Through Week; Melancon Tests Positive for COVID-19

With Lone Star Park officials having little to say about the abrupt shut down of racing after Sunday’s first race, it was unclear when racing would resume at the Dallas area track or if the meet will be canceled.

Citing a conversation with racing secretary Tim Williams, the Daily Racing Form reported Monday that the three days of racing scheduled for this week would not be held.

Lone Star’s decision to stop racing may be related to the news that jockey Gerard Melancon has tested positive for the coronavirus. A regular at Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs, Melancon last rode June 28 on shipper Mocito Rojo (Mutadda) in the Lone Star Mile.

According to multiple reports, a person working in the jockey’s room who was responsible for handling the silks, also tested positive.

After the first race was run Sunday, the rest of the card was canceled. The only explanation was a post on Lone Star’s twitter account that read: “Due to an overabundance of caution and due to the coronavirus, racing for today has been cancelled. Racing will resume on a date to be determined.”

As of deadline for this story, Lone Star had yet to make any announcements concerning the shut down. Lone Star President Scott Wells had not returned phone calls seeking clarification of the situation.

“They had some people at the track test positive and they learned of this Sunday, shortly after the horses came out of the gate for the first race,” said Mary Ruyle, the executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association. “They’ll need to do a good number of tests on people and also do a deep clean and disinfect areas. They are looking at how long that will take.”

With no word out of Lone Star, many trainers were left to wonder if the meet will resume and, if so, when. It is scheduled to conclude Aug. 11.

“You know the racetrack, you hear 100 different things,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said. “But I have been told by my sources that they have every intention of finishing the meet and that right now the target date to resume is the 19th. I’ve been told they will finish the meet. Hopefully, this is nothing more than a hiccup.”

Others weren’t so sure.

“I think that’s a safe bet, that they won’t run again this year,” trainer Karl Broberg said. “When you realize what is happening in Texas and that cases are just going to continue to grow. I’m a pessimist by nature, but that’s where I would put my money. They’re going to have to stay shut because other people are going to test positive.”

Texas has become a hot spot for the coronavirus. According to the New York Times, there were 6,289 new cases of the virus reported Saturday and total coronavirus-related deaths in the state have been 2,667.

According to sources, anyone involved in racing at Lone Star that came in touch with those who have tested positive for the virus will have to self quarantine for 14 days. Indiana Grand announced Monday that any jockeys, exercise riders or grooms who had been working at Lone Star will not be allowed on the racetrack property until after they had self quarantined for 14 days.

Melancon, who is 53, said he is not sure if he got the virus during his trip to Lone Star. He said he began to feel sick the following day, after he returned to Louisiana.

“Nobody knows for sure where I picked this up,” he said.

Melancon said he is feeling better and looking forward to riding again.

“I want to make sure it is safe before I ride again,” he said. “I don’t want to be around people if I am going to be sick. I want to feel 100%. People are scared to death of this.”

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Keeneland, UK Athletics Team to Deliver Racing Coverage

Keeneland and University of Kentucky Athletics will broadcast “A Day at Keeneland Presented by Toyota” to help deliver Keeneland’s Summer Meet to the Big Blue Nation. The four-hour program, which airs Saturday from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. EST on the UK Sports Network, will feature continuous coverage of Keeneland’s Saturday card that includes six graded stakes races and the GII Toyota Blue Grass S.

Tom Leach, “The Voice of the Wildcats” and an Eclipse Award winner who serves as a Keeneland racing analyst, will anchor the program live from the Lexington oval.

The program will air on 630 WLAP in Central Kentucky, WLAP.com/listen and WLAP via the iHeartRadio app and also be streamed live on ukathletics.com and the UK Athletics app.

“We are excited about this new venture with UK Sports Network to showcase our biggest day of this unprecedented Summer Meet,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “This radio broadcast enhances the Keeneland at Home experience for our fans who cannot join us at the track, and it celebrates the long connection between Keeneland and the UK Wildcats. We know Big Blue Nation eagerly anticipates the chance to hopefully enjoy more UK football-Keeneland racing doubleheaders this fall.”

“Keeneland is a signature Bluegrass tradition and a shared passion for both UK Athletics and the Big Blue Nation,” Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “It’s an honor for us to share in that tradition and to participate in this one-of-a-kind Summer Meet.”

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Indiana Grand Limits Travel From Lone Star Personnel

Following Sunday’s announcement that Lone Star Park was suspending live racing indefinitely due to coronavirus concerns, Indiana Grand Racing and Casino announced it was halting the transfer of all jockeys, exercise riders and grooms from the Texas facility to its racing program.

A statement released Monday by the Indiana track read, “Effective immediately Monday, July 6, 2020, Indiana Grand will follow CDC guidelines and will not allow anyone from the above racing category currently working and racing at Lone Star onto the property due to potential exposure risks. All individuals wishing to relocate to Indiana racing will be required to quarantine for 14 days. At the conclusion of the quarantine period, participantswill be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test before they will be allowed on the grounds at Indiana Grand.”

Indiana Grand conducts live racing Monday through Thursday and its season continues through Nov. 18.

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Shackleford Filly Sets Quarter-Mile Mark at OBS Breeze Show Monday

The six-session under-tack show for next week’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale began Monday and, with temperatures quickly rising into the upper 80’s, the day’s last of three sets was twice delayed as fierce rainstorms swept through the area.

A filly by Shackleford (hip 15), working early in the day’s first set, turned in the session’s fastest quarter-mile time of :20 4/5. Consigned by Jesse Hoppel’s Coastal Equine, the bay filly is out of Peace Queen (Indian Charlie), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Tizaqueena (Tiznow).

“We expected her to be a very fast horse,” Hoppel said. “I didn’t know if she’d be the fastest horse breezing today, but I knew she would be right up there.”

Hoppel continued, “She is a big, classy-looking filly. She doesn’t have any vices about her, physically or mentally. She is a horse you can count on. So leading her up there, we expected her to breeze well and she did.”

The consignor said he was happy with the track conditions at OBS Monday.

“The track was a slow track today, but the slow tracks let horses separate themselves more,” Hoppel said. “A fast track will speed up a slow horse, but not necessarily help a fast horse.”

Hoppel is consigning the youngster on behalf of New York breeder James Doyle, brother of KatieRich Farm owner Larry Doyle. James Doyle, who purchased Peace Queen for $10,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York Mixed Sale, currently has just two broodmares. Also through Coastal Equine, he will be offering a filly by Dialed In out of a granddaughter of Inside Information (Private Account) (hip 542) who is scheduled to work Thursday.

“I am lucky my brother has a great operation down there, so many times I drop them in New York and then they go to KatieRich for some kindergarten training in Kentucky,” Doyle said. “And I kind of draft on him a little bit.”

Asked if it was his brother who led him into racing, Doyle said with a laugh, “It was just the other way around. He blames me.”

Of his Shackleford filly, Doyle said, “She has just been a joy since the day she hit the ground. She has size and she’s obviously fast. The mare is a great Darley mare and Jesse Hoppel has just done an outstanding job with her.”

As for how the juvenile ended up at the 2-year-old sales, Doyle laughed again and said, “I forgot to put her in a yearling sale–how about that?”

Six juveniles shared the day’s fastest furlong time of :10 flat.

A colt by Ride on Curlin (hip 66) was first to work the co-fastest :10 flat time Monday. Consigned by Grassroots Training and Sales, the dark bay is out of Rated Xtreme (Magna Graduate), a full-sister to graded winner Blueeysintherein. He was purchased by Grassroots for $11,000 at last year’s OBS October Yearling Sale.

A colt by Race Day (hip 27) went the furlong in :10 flat for consignor Bobby Dodd. He is out of Pistolpackinsenora (Closing Argument). Also from Dodd’s consignment, hip 143, a filly by Tale of Ekati, worked in :10 flat. The bay is out of Shelby’s Song (Songandaprayer). Both juveniles were bred by Misty and Brad Grady.

Hip 49, a daughter of Into Mischief, went in :10 flat. Consigned by Brick City Thoroughbreds, the bay filly is out of graded stakes winner Prospective Saint (Saint Ballado) and is a half-sister to graded placed Island Saint (Speightstown). Bred by Mulholland Springs, the juvenile RNA’d for $170,000 at the OBS March sale following a :10 2/5 work earlier this year.

A daughter of Frosted (hip 82) worked in :10 flat for consignor Eddie Woods. The bay filly is out of the unraced Ride to Houston (Candy Ride {Arg}), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Runway Model (Petionville), who is the dam of Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense). Bred by Whisper Hill Farm, she RNA’d for $275,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

From the Wavertree Stables consignment, a filly by Malibu Moon (hip 115) went in :10 flat Monday morning. The chestnut it out of Samsational (Unbridled’s Song), an unraced half-sister to Grade I winner I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even). She was purchased by Joe Minor’s JSM Equine for $125,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale.

The last of the bullet workers went to the track shortly before 10 a.m. and the day’s final set was delayed twice for about 20 minutes between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

“The later part of the day, the weather affected conditions,” Hoppel said. “I don’t know how it affected the track itself. The last page of the breeze show was riddled with a lot of scratches, so there weren’t as many horses who had to deal with the weather later in the day. Early in the day, down here this time of year, it gets hot pretty fast. So we just do everything we can to help these horses be as happy as they can be and of course help ourselves-it’s hot for us, too.”

The first session of the under tack show was lightly attended, but Hoppel noted it’s a long time to sale time.

“It’s a six-day breeze show and it’s hot,” he said. “I think OBS does a good job of putting these videos online and now incorporating walking videos. I think a lot of people are going to be doing their homework and getting their notes off the tougher individuals who are sitting on the turn, possibly. So I think right now, with the six-day breeze show, it’s too early to tell what the attendance is going to be like here. I think for a filly like [hip 15], there are going to be people looking for good horses like that. The other levels, I don’t know what parties are scheduled to attend, but the more the merrier.”

The under tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 7:30 a.m. The July sale will be held next Tuesday through Thursday with bidding commencing at 10 a.m.

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