Coronavirus

The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation has donated 1,000 Kroop's Brands face shields to the New York Racing Association racetrack community as it deals with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. NYRA's Aqueduct Racetrack is the location for a temporary medical facility being constructed to help during the pandemic.  "The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation is committed to helping Thoroughbred racing industry personnel, and providing face shields to NYRA during this difficult time is another way that we are able to help," said Shannon Kelly, executive director, The Jockey Club...

The NTRA and its Washington, D.C., legislative team, The Alpine Group, and Kentucky-based Dean Dorton, one of the nation's leading experts on equine tax matters, will host a national teleconference to review Federal stimulus bills recently passed to combat the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The teleconference, which will be held Wednesday, April 1, at 11:30 a.m. ET., is open to media, representatives of equine businesses, their employees, and other individuals in the equine industry impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Among the topics to be covered is an in-depth analysis...

For Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, the hard part of having the coronavirus has not been the physical effects. Relatively young at 42 years old and in peak physical condition, Castellano said he feels "great" and considers himself to be "very lucky and very fortunate." But that doesn't mean the coronavirus didn't beat him up, just in other ways. Castellano said Tuesday that the mental toll COVID-19 took on him was substantial and the hardest part of his ordeal. "This has been one of toughest challenges I have faced...

Santa Anita Park announced Tuesday that it will remain closed for live racing through at least the weekend, prompting the postponement of the GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Santa Anita Oaks, which where scheduled for this Saturday, Apr. 4, to an undetermined date later in the meet. Racing was halted at Santa Anita last Friday on orders of the Los Angeles County Health Department, which has closed all businesses deemed non-essential in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been no known cases of COVID-19 at Santa Anita Park...

Woodbine issued the following release Tuesday: With the Government of Ontario extending the Declaration of Provincial Emergency and associated emergency measures due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Woodbine Entertainment announced that it remains committed to stabling horses on its backstretch for the purpose of providing them with the essential care they require. Businesses that provide for the health and welfare of animals, including stabling, have been deemed essential workplaces by the Province "These horses need a home and our land and facilities were created exactly for the purpose of caring...

Congress recently implemented changes to the IRS Tax Code, The CARES Act, to provide relief from the COVID-19 outbreak. We reviewed the updates and are pleased to report that (for the most part) the changes will benefit those in the Thoroughbred industry. Below please find a summary of the most relevant items and how they affect the horse business: 1. Prior to the recent update, the tax law capped business losses at $250,000 for single taxpayers and $500,000 for married filing joint returns. A business loss in excess of those...

James Tate believes Newmarket is the ideal location for racing to take place behind closed doors--if and when the British Horseracing Authority is able to resume the fixture list. The Newmarket trainer is confident meetings could be staged on the Rowley Mile under a phased return which would reflect any easing of the COVID-19 measures currently in place. Prospects of racing--which has been placed on lockdown by the BHA until the end of April at least--were given a glimmer of hope on Friday after a letter issued to stakeholders by...

The Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale has been canceled, according to officials at Fasig-Tipton, "owing to the current restrictions in place at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA, relating to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and in light of the changes to the 2020 Thoroughbred auction calendar." The event had been scheduled for June 3. "Factors beyond our control have necessitated the sale's cancellation," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "We greatly appreciate the support we received from those that had already committed entries, as well as the efforts and cooperation of Santa...

Turn the calendar back to February and Joe Taylor could not have been doing better. He had been the leading trainer at Parx Racing in 2019 and was again on top of the standings in 2020. Racing for lucrative, slots-infused purses, he won 107 races last year at Parx for earnings of $3,160,143. Now, he's just trying to stay in business. "My hope is that I can get myself into a situation where I'm just treading water, not making or losing money and can pay my bills," he said. "If...

A COVID-19 response plan for the UK racing industry was published on Monday by the industry group coordinating the response and liaising with the UK government. The purpose of the operational plan is to protect the health of British racing's people, horses, and businesses during the pandemic and have a blueprint in place for the earliest possible resumption of racing and a strong recovery once racing has begun again. It also outlines the range of activities, led by the industry's COVID-19 Group, to meet the challenges presented by the pandemic....

The Goffs Group has issued a revised calendar for its spring sales and has announced that it will suspend the Goffs London Sale for one year amid uncertainty for racing and sales during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Goffs UK Breeze-up Sale, which was originally scheduled to take place on Apr. 22 and 23, will now be staged on either June 13 and 14 or June 14 and 15, immediately prior to the start of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, June 16. The venue for the delayed sale is yet to be...

A new protocol for safe mare movement during the breeding season was announced by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association on Sunday. Despite Irish racing being halted on Mar. 24 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and Ireland beginning its own lockdown, breeding practices are allowed to continue. The ITBA statement is as follows: When transporting your mare to stud/boarding farm breeders should make sure they have one official form of picture identification with them and if an employee, have a letter from your employer indicating that you are an essential employee....