Santa Anita alters procedures for grooms, saddling

Santa Anita has altered the procedure and personnel involved in guiding horses from the saddling area to the track, beginning with the resumption of racing Friday.

The procedure is similar to previous plans significantly limiting the number of people needed to attend to horses prior to races. The conditions were put in place because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Santa Anita resumes racing Friday for the first time since March 22. On March 27, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health ordered racing stopped when the track was deemed a nonessential business because of the pandemic. After the track submitted revised protocols and held numerous discussions with county health officials, the government agency granted approval Wednesday for racing to restart this weekend.

Under the new procedures, horses will be saddled in the receiving barn before being led by grooms to the walking ring where a group of valets will provide jockeys with a leg up. The horses will be met by pony riders on the path leading to the track. Horses will proceed to the track for warm-ups and will return to the walking ring to be unsaddled after races.

Previously, the track had planned to employ a small number of grooms to lead horses from the receiving barn to the walking ring. The plan was altered earlier this week.

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Under the new procedures, grooms caring for individual horses will watch races in the walking ring, while trainers will watch races in the grandstand. The plan allows distance between people mandated by government officials.

There will be no ceremony in the winner’s circle. The winning horse and jockey will pose for a photo near the finish line.

The track will operate without spectators, and without horse owners, and with a limited number of employees present to conduct racing. All employees and people directly involved with horses must wear face coverings and undergo daily temperature checks.

Such personnel are being provided wristbands as proof they have undergone daily health screenings.

Through the weekend, jockeys and some valets will be quarantined in temporary housing on racetrack property, another condition presented to county health officials to reduce the chances of coronavirus positives.