Sal Sinatra

High Purses and Field-Limiting Claiming Conditions. What's Not to Like? Plenty.

68th Annual Round Table Conference hosted by The Jockey Club Purses subsidized by gaming revenue and a vastly expanded menu of claiming conditions were initially thought to be positive changes that would be a boon to Thoroughbred racing when racinos changed the North American landscape 30 years ago. Now, decades later, some horse people and industry stakeholders are starting to question whether chasing vastly inflated purses under narrowly defined race conditions is incentivizing a harmful cycle of behavior that over time imperils equine health, creates short fields, cheapens the betting...

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MJC Sets Protocols for Returning Colonial Downs Jockeys

The Maryland Jockey Club will require all jockeys who rode during the abbreviated meet at Colonial Downs to undergo a 14-day quarantine period beginning Aug. 13 and a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before returning to any MJC facility. The same protocols are in place for all dormitory residents who were at Colonial Downs. Colonial Downs announced it was ending its 2020 meeting Friday due to coronavirus concerns. "The MJC considers the health and safety of our team, horsemen and riders as our number one focus," MJC President...

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The Jockey Club to Host Virtual Round Table Sunday
The Jockey Club to Host Virtual Round Table Sunday

The Jockey Club's 68th annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing will be held virtually Sunday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference will discuss the need for reform in medication rules and testing, challenges faced by the Thoroughbred industry and insights into the claiming system and will be streamed on The Jockey Club's website jockeyclub.com beginning at 10 a.m. The event will also be aired on TVG and Racetrack Television Network platforms. "While we are disappointed that we cannot host an in-person event, we are excited by...

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