COVID-19 protocols

To ensure the health and safety of participants, Keeneland has released its protocols surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic for its November sale, which will be held Nov. 9-18. Many of the protocols will be similar to the ones in place for the Keeneland September sale, but a few adjustments have been made in light of the Breeders' Cup being held on the grounds Nov. 6-7. Requirements are as follows: Access to the grounds is limited to credentialed attendees only. Credentials are accessible from the Virtual Badge app beginning Oct. 28. Those...

Fasig-Tipton has released safety protocols for the upcoming California Fall Yearling Sale, which will be held Monday, Oct. 19, at Los Alamitos. All of Fasig-Tipton's COVID-19 safety protocols are in accordance with California regulations, are subject to change, and are designed in the interest of the health and safely of sales participants. The safety protocols include: Temperature checks and health screening questions will be required for admittance for all staff, participants, and attendees Cloth face coverings are required A minimum of six feet must be maintained between people with no...

The New York Racing Association announced Sunday its COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys during the 27-day Belmont Park fall meet, which will open Friday, Sept. 18 and run through Sunday, Nov. 1. In order to mitigate risk and reduce the spread of COVID-19, Belmont Park will be closed to out-of-town jockeys until further notice. Members of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the Belmont Park fall meet will be required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests taken within a five-day...

Keeneland released COVID-19 procedures for jockeys who will ride during the 17-day Fall Meet, running from Oct. 2-24. Jockey COVID-19 testing protocols: Jockeys who plan to ride opening day (Oct. 2) will be required to be in Lexington Tuesday, Sept. 29 and receive a COVID-19 test at Keeneland. Jockeys who plan to ride at Keeneland after opening day will need to provide a CDC gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 nasopharyngeal test confirmed negative within 72 hours of the day of their first race. A jockey who races at Keeneland and leaves...

Jockey Ben Curtis was escorted from Newmarket Friday and will be sidelined for 14 days after breaching COVID-19 protocols. The all-weather champion for the 2019/20 campaign, he currently is fourth in the Flat jockeys' championship standings. A British Horseracing Authority spokesperson said Friday, "He will not be permitted to enter a racecourse for 14 days from today as per the published COVID-19 requirements whilst the matter is investigated further." Trainer Gary Moore was fined £750 earlier this month after breaching protocols at Goodwood, while Mark Gillard and his assistant Steven...

In advance of GI Kentucky Derby week, Churchill Downs has administered 1,823 tests to its staff, vendors and horsemen from Wednesday, Aug. 19 through Monday, Aug. 24. Since that time, there have been a total of 47 positive tests from the group for a 2.58% positivity rate. Testing is on-going at Churchill Downs. Any individual that is permitted entrance into the Stable Area will receive a one-time, FDA-approved PCR test. Those who do not pass the test or medical screening will be denied entry onto the premises and asked to...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. has announced race dates for the 18-day Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet, offering 29 stakes, including 11 graded events, worth $3.41 million in purse money, that will kick off Friday, Nov. 6 and run through Sunday, Dec. 6. Opening weekend of the Big A fall meet, which coincides with the Breeders' Cup set for Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course, includes the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. and the GIII Nashua S. Closing weekend features seven stakes worth $1.4 million beginning Saturday, Dec. 5 with...

Saratoga Race Course's jockey safety protocols and travel restrictions that were established July 14 will remain in place throughout the end of the meeting. It was announced earlier Friday morning that Churchill Downs will be requiring that all jockeys be in the state by Aug. 31 who will be riding in the GI Kentucky Derby. "The NYRA policy instituted on July 14 to address jockey travel and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 will remain in place through the end of the 2020 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course," Pat McKenna,...

Churchill Downs Racetrack officials have released a detailed 62-page health and safety operations plan that will limit attendance to the 146th running of the GI Kentucky Derby Saturday, Sept. 5 to less than 14% of total capacity from the 2015 attendance record. The Kentucky Derby, first staged in 1875, is the longest continually-held major sporting event in the United States and was originally scheduled for May 5. A record crowd of 170,513 attended the event in 2015. Due to physical distancing protocols and other safety measures in place to mitigate...

Officials at Harrahs Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana, have released updated protocols as it regards its jockey leaving and returning to the track. The track has announced that any rider accepting a mount at another track will be asked to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days and will be required to submit a negative test for COVID-19 before being allowed to return. Inbound jockeys who have ridden at other facilities will be asked to do the same. The policy will be in effect until further notice. "After careful...