Public safety foremost on mind of Gulfstream management

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Aidan Butler, chief operating officer for Gulfstream Park owner The Stronach Group, said last weekend that there are no plans to allow the general public to attend the races at Gulfstream Park during the Championship meeting.

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“Right now, we’re trying to be mindful and respectful of what’s going on in the outside world regarding the coronavirus pandemic, and playing things day by day,” Butler said. “So, we have no immediate plans to open the track to the public. It’s a shame to leave these beautiful stadiums empty, but we’re going to err on the side of caution. I was very close to the situation at Golden Gate Fields, which has been down for two months and showed what can happen if things get out of hand. The most important goal at the moment is to keep racing going. As much as we want people back, we have to be mindful that we keep everyone safe.”

Butler did call Pegasus Day “a totally different situation,” with a limited number of tickets on sale for the card.

“Our priority is to accommodate the horsemen and licensed owners, the people who are needed to put the sport on, and there’s some outdoor space available to accomplish that goal while at the same time trying to be very careful about how we do it,” Butler said. “As for the public, we’re aiming to try to bring some people in, although we’re not actively trying to sell [tickets]. We’re still monitoring the local situation. We should know more as the days go on.”