More owners will be allowed to attend Del Mar races
Del Mar will allow up to four licensed owners per horse to attend the races beginning Friday, an increase from two licensed owners permitted when the program of limited attendance began July 31.
Owners are allowed to attend only on days they have starters. No other spectators are allowed, including non-licensed guests or family members of licensed owners.
The Thoroughbred Owners of California announced the expansion to four owners per horse in a statement released Wednesday. In the statement, TOC officials said that if a horse has more than four owners wishing to attend races that accommodations can be made, if space permits.
Owners wishing to attend must make reservations with the TOC up until 24 hours before race day.
Horse owners that do attend must wear a face covering, undergo a temperature check before gaining admission, and maintain social-distancing guidelines. A portion of the clubhouse box seat area is open for owners, who are not permitted in the paddock, winner’s circle, or backstretch under current policies.
Attendance has been severely restricted at Southern California tracks during the coronavirus pandemic. No owners were permitted to attend races from mid-March to late June at Santa Anita, at the two-week Los Alamitos summer meeting in late June and early July, or in the first two weeks of the current Del Mar meeting that began July 10.