Gulfstream Park suspends racing on Friday, plans to resume Saturday

Gulfstream Park will not race Friday to allow implementation of a series of protocols to reduce the chances of an outbreak of coronavirus at the Hallandale, Fla., racetrack, at Gulfstream Park West, which serves as a training center at this time of year, and the Palm Meadows training center.

In a statement, Gulfstream Park indicated it plans to resume racing Saturday.

The measures are similar to what is in place at other tracks owned by the track’s parent company, The Stronach Group – Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita in California and Laurel and Pimlico in Maryland.

Gulfstream Park is racing with a closed-door policy that excludes attendance by the public.

The new protocols stress that horses from in-state training centers will be allowed entrance to stables and that “essential licensed personnel” involved with those horses will undergo coronavirus testing.

Trainers and their “essential” staff will be granted admission during racing hours. Owners, media, and fans cannot attend. In addition, the starting gate will be disinfected between races and members of the gate crew must wear gloves and have no physical contact.

The track will not offer any sort of food service in the grandstand.

All jockeys will have their temperatures tested daily and will be denied entrance if showing any sign of illness. Riders must wear gloves at all times and cannot have physical contact with other riders. After they have ridden their last mounts of the day, jockeys must leave the racetrack.

Any rider who travels internationally, for events such as the Dubai World Cup program in the United Arab Emirates on March 28, must undergo a 14-day mandatory self-quarantine upon return to the United States and will not be able to ride at the track during that period.

Stable-area access will be limited to trainers, grooms, farriers, veterinarians, and exercise riders “who are responsible for the care of the horses,” the statement said. All such personnel must sign in and sign out of the stables. Food service will be available in backstretch cafeterias, with a carry-out policy encouraged.

The protocols have been put in place on a day that the New York Racing Association announced a suspension of racing at Aqueduct after a backstretch employee based at Belmont Park tested positive for the coronavirus.

There was no indication Thursday when racing would resume in New York.