Coronavirus

Following the cancellation of three cards this weekend due to a lack of jockeys caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Del Mar rescheduled one of those lost days for Monday, July 27. "We're looking forward to resuming racing on Friday, July 24," said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club executive vice president for racing Tom Robbins. "Adding a race card on Monday, July 27 provides our horsemen and women with additional opportunities to run their horses." Robbins said Del Mar is looking at making up races from the two other lost days during...

Ramon Dominguez will serve as the honorary committee chairman for AIM Services' annual Saratoga fundraiser, held in town from July 26-Aug. 2. AIM is the area's largest provider of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and its re-imagined annual fundraiser will be a door-to-door downtown event called "Croquet OFF the Green," aimed to bring foot traffic to recently re-opened Saratoga retail shops and restaurants while raising awareness and funds for AIM Services. The event also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act which coincides with...

Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino is updating their jockey policies. The new policy goes into effect July 17 at 6:00 p.m. The following restrictions will be implemented: No new jockeys will be allowed into the current jockey colony at Prairie Meadows. Anyone in the current jockey colony that accepts a mount at another track must self-quarantine for a 14-day period. The quarantine period will start the day following the jockey's most recent mount outside of Prairie Meadows. Once the self-quarantine period is over, the jockey must provide proof of a...

"And they're off at Saratoga!" Five words that hundreds, if not thousands, of people live to hear every July as the ceremonial phrase marks the beginning of another historic Saratoga Race Meet. While most normal attendees were unable hear those Tom Durkin-inspired words in person this year, some did their best to make the most of the situation. The enthusiasm from Mark Struffolino might be the example racing fans can look to emulate. Born and raised in upstate New York, the Rotterdam resident grew up spending summers at the Spa,...

Horse Racing Ireland on Friday released its mid-year figures, and with indicators down across the board they highlighted the severe repercussions the COVID-19 pandemic has had. Betting with on-course bookmakers and the Tote was down 73.9% through the first half of the year; the public has not been allowed on an Irish racecourse since early March, and thus attendance has been down by 80%. Eighty-seven fixtures were lost between March and June, and severe interruption to the sales calendar meant public auction sales in Ireland are down 87.3% year-on-year. The...

On Wednesday, when Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) announced the cancellation of this weekend's three days of racing in the aftermath of 15 asymptomatic jockeys there testing positive for COVID-19, the chief reason listed in the track's press release was "to help ensure the safety of all workers at Del Mar and our surrounding community." But in a Thursday teleconference organized by the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) that featured Del Mar executives explaining their decision not to race, the focal point centered not so much on preventing the spread...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Just like always, the bell in the winner's circle was rung 17 minutes before every race at the Spa Thursday afternoon. Of course. Exactly 17 minutes. Even on the most unusual of opening days at Saratoga Race Course, tradition was served. It is Saratoga after all. Phil Linguiti did the honors, yanking the strap that moved the clapper to produce the sound. Linguiti, a former jockey and longtime white cap in the clubhouse, is a familiar figure at Saratoga. Since this 152nd season is racing in Saratoga Springs...

The 2019-2020 racing calendar in Hong Kong was widely referred to as a "season like no other," and with good reason. Racing was threatened first by significant social unrest in and around Hong Kong, on one occasion, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, no more than a few kilometres from the stables at Sha Tin Racecourse. Having canceled just one meeting due to the protests, the local racing product was later confronted by COVID-19, a pandemic that shut down operations--at least for a time--at the vast majority of worldwide...

With the announcement that phase four of Ireland's Roadmap for Reopening of Society and Business has been delayed until Aug. 10, owners will no longer be permitted on Irish racecourses from July 20 as previously announced. Phase four will allow gatherings of up to 500 people. Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, said, "Since we resumed racing in Ireland on June 8 Horse Racing Ireland has kept tandem with the government's movement on the Roadmap for Reopening of Society and Business, and will continue to do so. The...

by Christie DeBernardis & Jessica Martini A filly by freshman sire Not This Time topped the last auction in Ocala, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale, last month and the young stallion was back on top again at OBS Wednesday with one of his daughters (Hip 640) topping the day's trade at $270,000. Consigned by de Meric Sales, Hip 640 was purchased by Mike Mulligan's Emerald Sales on behalf of owner Tobey Morton. A total of 155 juveniles changed hands Wednesday for a gross of $3,869,800 with an average...

It took a long journey for trainer Tom Drury to get to where he is now, with a GII Toyota Blue Grass S. winner and major GI Kentucky Derby contender in his barn. There were years when Drury didn't win any races, which had him questioning whether he was made out for the training business. But life is good now for Drury, largely thanks to a Bruce Lunsford homebred named Art Collector (Bernardini), and he joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday to talk about his prized pupil...

Coming off a big win at the Keeneland Summer Meet with his star Art Collector taking the GII Blue Grass S., Tom Drury Jr. joins the TDN Writers' Room to share his rags to riches journey as a trainer.