COVID-19

The 2020 TBA Entry to Stud Employment graduation ceremony took place via live stream from the Joan Westbrook Lecture Theatre on Dec. 18. The TBA Education and Employment Committee Chairman Sam Bullard presented the certificates, with the award for the Most Outstanding Student given to Sam Malone, 24, from York. Malone will join the team at Cheveley Park Stud for his placement in the new year. All graduates completed the nine-week training phase with certificates in the Principles of Horse Care, Transporting Horses and Manual Handling. They will next complete...

Bradley Weisbord is expected to be released from Weill-Cornell Medical Center in New York City on Saturday, Dec. 19, after a successful six-hour surgery Tuesday to remove a benign cavernous malformation symptomatic hemorrhage in the left temporal lobe of his brain, according to his father. "The surgery went well, but it was difficult and complex," said Barry Weisbord. "Brad will recover for six to eight weeks before returning to work in February." The surgery was performed by Dr. Philip Stieg, who has been the Neurosurgeon-in-Chief at New York Presbyterian/Weill-Cornell for...

Stemming from the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the reduction of live racing, and California's statewide increases in workers compensation costs, Post Time Self Insurance will institute a 10% increase, paid by both owners and trainers, to offset the shortages of the horse industry's workers compensation program covering jockeys and backstretch workers. Owners and trainers fund the majority of program costs via per-stall charges from trainers and race per-start fees from owners. The owners' per-start fee will be raised from $149 to $162, effective Jan. 1, 2021....

So this dismal year slinks under our resentful glare towards the back gate, like an uninvited guest who has wrecked a party by outrageous behavior. Soon, perhaps, there will be a cheerful ringing of the doorbell and we can welcome one to revive spirits around the world. In the meantime, somehow, the Thoroughbred is managing to hold together the strands linking all our yesterdays and whatever tomorrow may bring. I've often remarked, during recent months, that horsemen will be well served by the patient perspectives they require even at the...

Ascot will not host spectators at the upcoming December Racing Meeting, held Dec. 18-19, as a result of the local authority in which Ascot is situated--the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead--moving into Tier Three of COVID-19 restrictions, beginning midnight on Friday, Dec. 18. Additionally, Ascot has decided to exclude the public for the Dec. 18 card after consulting with Public Health England and its Safety Advisory Group. Cases in the south of England have risen over 40% in the last week and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead...

Visit Horse Country, like many others, suffered a serious financial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several members of the industry, such as Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland, the Breeders' Cup and The Jockey Club, stepped into help. However, Visit Horse Country has now partnered with the Bluegrass Community Foundation to launch a charitable fund supporting initiatives like services for TAA-accredited aftercare members of Horse Country which receive a complimentary membership; scholarship and field trip visits; community outreach such as Meet the Neighbors; and a new workforce development partnership with the Kentucky Chamber of...

The third and final session of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale was topped by the wildcard Laurina (Fr) (Spanish Moon) (lot 801A). A Grade 1-winning daughter of Lamboghina (Ger) (Alkalde {Ger}) over jumps, the Ballincurrig House Stud-consigned 7-year-old was knocked down for €290,000 to Ridgewood Stud. Another 7-year-old wildcard, the grey Moskovite (Ire) (Flemensfirth) (803A) found a new home at The Beeches Stud for €160,000. Consigned by Boherna Stables, the mare has placed twice at graded level over fences and is carrying her first foal by Crystal Ocean...

By the time Turf Paradise opens Jan. 4 for Arizona's first live Thoroughbred racing since March 14, track management projects the horse population could top 1,200 for the five-day weekly, 84-date meet that runs through May 1. Turf Paradise general manager Vincent Francia said during the Dec. 10 Arizona Racing Commission meeting that 664 horses are currently stabled on the grounds, adding that "I expect by the end of the month that that figure is probably going to double." Francia explained that Turf Paradise is the recipient of a mixed...

There is much to be negative about with British racing but occasionally we should acknowledge and celebrate success. During this terrible year of Covid, racing's rulers should be celebrated for what they have achieved and what has been saved. Our great sport was back behind closed doors and handled the health implications effectively. The stud season took place with mares covered and the business uninterrupted. The icing on the cake must surely be the remarkable resilience of the Tattersalls sales which ran in Newmarket on their original dates. To the...

Bob Hess, Sr., who began training in the late 1950s and saddled his last horses in November, passed away Saturday due to the effects of COVID-19. He was 86. Golden Gate Fields, where Hess was based, was closed in mid-November and is not set to reopen until after Christmas due to a rash of COVID positives. Hess was hospitalized with the virus around the same time the track was closed, eventually released, and then readmitted when his symptoms returned. According to The Stronach Group, owner of Golden Gate, Hess was...

The New York Racing Association released their COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys during the 2020/21 Aqueduct winter meet, which will open Thursday, Dec. 10 and run through Sunday, Mar. 28. In order to mitigate risk and reduce the spread of COVID-19, Aqueduct will be closed to riders that are not regular members of the NYRA jockey colony as of Dec. 31. To account for NYRA's 10-day holiday break from Dec. 21 through December 30, jockeys interested in being included in the regular NYRA jockey colony must contact NYRA...

Despite the rise in the COVID-19 infection rate in many states around the country, wagering on U.S. races managed to remain relatively stable, with only a slight dip from 2019 figures. A total of $895,325,220 was wagered last month, down 6.33% from November of 2019. Year-to-date figures decreased only 1.48% from $10,326,096,182 bet in 2019. Both figures include worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races. In November, average wagering per race day jumped by 35.49% up to $3,996,998, while the year-to-date figure showed a similar pattern, rising by 33.78% to $3,310,512....