Saratoga Race Course Sees Horses Back in Barns

April 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Saratoga Race Course welcomes horses back; fans up nextThe barns were nearly empty.

That will change soon enough.

The seats were empty.

That will change on July 15.

Thoroughbred training began at Saratoga Race Course this weekend, and, on Monday morning, several horses from James Bond’s barn galloped over the main track, while renovation work continues at the Oklahoma Training Track on the other side of Union Avenue.

The barns will continue to fill up this spring, and the Oklahoma is scheduled to open for training in a few weeks. The New York Racing Association, meanwhile, expects to get guidelines from the state soon, perhaps this week, on what procedures and protocols it will need to follow to let spectators attend the races again.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced [on April 14th] that racetracks in New York could re-open to 20% capacity as of this Friday, which means that Saratoga fans, shut out of the track in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be able to attend the 2021 meet. The familiar sight of horses on the track Monday will be joined by the familiar sound of fans when the 153rd meet opens on July 15, a welcome development for those who race, as well as those who watch…

Download Rich Nilsen’s 10 Tips for Beating Saratoga

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This Many Fans Allowed at Belmont Park for Opening Week

April 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Belmont Park crowd

copyright Agameofskill.com. 

Belmont Park Opens Thursday, April 22nd

The Belmont Park horse racing meet begins [Thursday] and, after a year without fans in the stands, some spectators will be allowed in. WAMC’s Southern Adirondack Bureau Chief Lucas Willard has reaction from Saratoga Springs, where officials are hopeful for a more normal summer season.

Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement during a press call Wednesday [April 14, 2021].

“Effective Friday, April 23, spectators will be allowed at auto and horse races at 20 percent capacity for outdoor events, and that will be in line with our guidance for other professional sports events. The health and safety protocols that apply to sports events – face masks, social distancing, proof of completed immunization or recent negative test – will apply here, also.”

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Horse Racing Suffers with Ontario’s Extended stay-at-home order

April 19, 2021 by Leave a Comment

“It just feels like it’s always the same people that get run over in this province,” he says. “It’s always agriculture, it’s always the people with a small or no voice at all. This is a very fragile industry that’s a pillar of agriculture. It’s hard to watch when your own government doesn’t appear to take the industry seriously. They kneecapped us a decade ago.”

Ohio, he says, is a whole different world than Ontario right now. Maybe it’s what Ontario would be like if we hadn’t bungled our way through the past few months.

“I went out for a steak last night with a couple of clients and the people that work here,” he says. “Two of our employees went to the Cleveland Indians game the other night, another person went to the movies. You still have to wear a mask, you still have to social distance, but the thing I found most interesting — as Ontario seems to be tripping over itself getting people vaccinated — I was literally in the States 24 hours and I had a needle in my arm…

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Covid-19 and Horse Racing. New Mexico to resume racing in April

March 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The commission that oversees horse racing in New Mexico announced Monday that live racing is set to resume in April now that public health restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic are being eased in some places around the state.

The five licensed tracks and their associated casinos have been hit hard over the past year. After a brief hiatus last spring, races resumed at Ruidoso Downs in May and The Downs at Albuquerque and Zia Park conducted live meets last summer but did so while their casinos remained closed.

Without revenue from slot machines and tables, purse money was reduced in 2020 to a fraction of what it was the previous year.

Under the revised public health order issued last week by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, large entertainment venues such as racetracks will be permitted to operate depending on whether the counties in which they are located meet the state’s benchmarks for COVID-19 positivity rates and new per-capita cases.

Opening day at SunRay Park in northwestern New Mexico is scheduled for April 23. Commissioners plan to vote on the track’s purse schedule, post times and other details that will clear the way for racing during their March 18 meeting.

Racing officials expect the purse accounts to recover with influxes of revenue not seen in nearly a year…

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Covid-19 and Horse Racing. Some Fans Allowed at Oaklawn Park

January 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Oaklawn 2019 - The Inside TrackPursuant to the Arkansas Department of Health directive, Oaklawn plans to conduct the 2021 live meet with limited spectators. The 57-day season runs from Friday, Jan. 22 – Saturday, May 1.

“We’ve been working on plans covering numerous scenarios and we’re happy to announce we will be welcoming back race fans in 2021, albeit on a limited basis,” General Manager Wayne Smith said. “We know that the fans are what make Oaklawn so special, but our main concern is for the safety and well-being of our guests and team members. We appreciate the support we have received from the Arkansas Department of Health in developing this plan. We will be working with them throughout the live season and will adjust as needed.”

In accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Arkansas Department of Health, Oaklawn has submitted a plan to allow a limited number of spectators at the races during the 2021 live race meet highlighted by the following:

• General admission into the Grandstand will not be allowed initially in 2021.
• Entrance into the Grandstand will strictly be for guests with a racing credential and/or reservation for that day’s races. Doors will open at 11 am.
• Current seasonal box seat holders and current Oaklawn Jockey Club members may enter the Grandstand with weekly reservations required. Detailed correspondence to be sent separately to these individuals.
• Restaurants inside the Grandstand, following Arkansas Department of Health directives, will be open to the public with weekly reservations required.
• Simulcast will be open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am–8 pm to limited capacity with weekly reservations required.
• Social distancing will be enforced.
• All guests and team members will be required to have non-invasive temperature checks as they enter the facility. Anyone presenting a temp at/over 100 degrees Fahrenheit will not be permitted inside the building.
• All guests and team members will be required to wear masks at all times.
• Smoking will not be allowed anywhere inside the facility, including the casino.

Restaurant reservations may be made starting January 18 by calling 501-363-4710.

Simulcast reservations may be made starting January 18 by calling 501-363-4320.

For additional details and future updates, please visit oaklawn.com.

Source: Oaklawn Park

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Woodbine’s 2020 Horse Racing Season Ends Abruptly

November 23, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Woodbine via WO FB pageThe suburban Toronto track was hit with a double whammy during the weekend — a government shutdown order because of the [Covid-19] pandemic that forced cancellation of the final three weeks of the meeting, and then a winter storm that eliminated half of Sunday’s unexpected closing day program.

The lost races included the Grade III Grey Stakes for 2-year-olds and the Grade III Mazarine Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, both with some very promising youngsters.

Canada’s premier track did manage to provide a pretty spectacular sendoff, though, with a flurry of graded stakes Saturday.

Saturday’s $150,000 Grade III Ontario Derby had the winners of all three Triple Crown races in the field of eight but it was Kentucky invader Field Pass who got the spoils…

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Racing at Golden Gate Fields Postponed till December 3rd

November 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Golden gate turf breakWith the continued regard for the safety and well-being of 1/ST RACING employees, those working on the backstretch and the community at large, and in following the best guidance from local health authorities, Golden Gate Fields’ leadership has decided to continue its suspension of live racing through November.

Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Golden Gate Fields has implemented stringent health and safety measures including, strict social distancing, masking policies and regular COVID-19 testing with isolation requirements for any positive cases or identified close contacts.

On November 13, Golden Gate Fields announced a one-week temporary closure to address a COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, all track facilities have undergone thorough cleaning and track-wide COVID-19 testing has been administered to all 1/ST RACING employees and to all those who work on the backstretch. All testing data have been shared with the Berkeley Public Health Division (BPHD).

All positive cases are overseen by the BPHD through their case managers. Positive cases are required to isolate as per BPHD protocols and are not able to return to Golden Gate Fields until health clearance has been provided by the BPHD.

The 1,300 horses stabled onsite will continue to receive the daily care and exercise they require.

Golden Gate Fields will continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with the BPHD and will look forward to resuming live racing with the announcement of a reopening date as soon as possible.

For more information please visit www.goldengatefields.com or @GGFRacing.

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When is the Melbourne Cup in Australia?

October 25, 2020 by Leave a Comment

The Race That Stops a Nation is typically held on the first Tuesday in November and, despite the craziness of 2020, there is no exception this year.  As of right now, however, here are no fans expected at Flemington racecourse on November 3, 2020 for the Melbourne Cup or the Victoria Racing Carnival.

The classic field will be capped at 24 horses, contested at 3200 meters, and the purse is a whopping $8M.  Thinking about playing the Cup?  Here are 3 handicapping strategies for betting on Australian horse racing.

What is the Breeders’ Cup schedule at Keeneland?

See how the Melbourne Cup will work during this Covid-19 pandemic:

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Maryland Racing Industry at Crossroads

October 11, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Total wagering on the rescheduled, closed-door Preakness Stakes program at Pimlico last Saturday was down nearly 50% from its 2019 renewal, a pandemic-impacted decline similar to that experienced at the Kentucky Derby, which was moved from May to September.

Even in pre-pandemic times, a majority of wagering on horse racing is conducted online, through legal betting platforms like BetPTC.com, TwinSpires, TVG and Xpressbet. Since March, almost all wagering comes via these channels. Betting in person has grown increasingly rare in the internet era, and even more so in 2020. For perspective, of the $369 million bet on races at Laurel Park in 2019, the Maryland Racing Commission’s annual report records that $350.2 million, nearly 95%, came from bettors outside of Maryland…

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When is the Breeders’ Cup?

October 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Keeneland clock racingIs the Breeders’ Cup Cancelled?

The good news is that the race goes on with the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.  The popular, annual event features purses worth over $31 million with race horses coming from all over the world to compete.  The dates are Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8 at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, KY.

The bad news concerning the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is that, just like many other sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans will not be in attendance.

Top trainers with horses that will play a major factor include Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher and Aidan O’Brien.

Horseplayers can view all of the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup prep race videos here.  Start handicapping now as the two cards are not easy to decipher.  Follow additional Breeders’ Cup news and notes right here on agameofskill.com

 

 

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