ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Following Thursday’s announcement regarding horse racing without fans being part of the phase one reopening of Ontario’s economy, Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson confirmed an early June start for both Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine and Standardbred racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Horses formerly trained by trainers Jason Servis and Jorge Navarro – both indicted by federal authorities on horse-doping charges – could soon be permitted to be entered by their new trainers, according to Mike Lakow, Gulfstream’s vice president of racing operations.

Trainer Tim Hills said his longtime client Larry Foggle died earlier this week at the age of 80 following a long illness.

“I trained for Larry since Rockingham Park reopened in 1985,” Hills recalled. “He claimed a lot of hard-knocking mares from up there over the years and bred them to Concorde’s Tune and got nothing but runners, mostly speed horses like the stakes winner Melody of Colors. We were together until 2017. He loved coming to the races, he loved his horses, and he really loved the game.”

The last of nearly 50 horses to work at Gulfstream Park on Thursday was the most noteworthy of the group, track-record holder and multiple turf sprint stakes winner Pay Any Price, who returned to the tab for the first time in several months. Pay Any Price breezed an easy half-mile in 49.34 seconds with his trainer, Georgina Baxter, aboard.

The Ohio State Racing Commission on Thursday approved a measure that would allow Belterra racetrack in Cincinnati and Thistledown racetrack in the Cleveland area to open for live racing as early as May 22, consistent with an announcement just a short time later by the state government.

The $500,000 Penn Mile and a host of undercard stakes at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Penn., have become the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penn National announced the cancellation of the Grade 2 race on Thursday, along with the cancellation of the $200,000 Penn Oaks, the $100,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, and the $100,000 7 Forty 3 Stakes. The races were all scheduled to be run on May 30.

The casinos at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., and Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., are both scheduled to reopen on Monday, the tracks announced. The facilities had been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The reopening comes as businesses receive government approvals to resume operations in phases.

The casinos at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., and Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., have not yet announced reopening dates, but officials hope to share plans in the near future, according to a spokesman for parent company Boyd Gaming.

Trainer Chris Hartman will be among a number of new faces at the upcoming Lone Star Park meet near Dallas.

The start date of the season, which has been postponed by coronavirus pandemic, had not been set as of Friday morning. However, updates from the state’s tracks on 2020 meets is on the agenda for the Texas Racing Commission meeting on Tuesday.

Hartman has 19 horses at Lone Star, many for owner Joe Davis. Hartman, who also has a stable at Churchill Downs, last raced regularly at Lone Star in 2009.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Opening day at Churchill Downs is what would have been Preakness Day. Fans who normally would be champing at the party bit are homebound or social distancing instead. Roses are in full bloom, and yet the Kentucky Derby is still more than three months away, as if this were mid-January or something.

Need further proof the racing world has been turned upside down by the coronavirus crisis? The surreal scenario being played out the next six weeks at Churchill should do.

Bellera, a multiple stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles, will shorten to seven furlongs for her first start in 3 1/2 months in Saturday’s $100,000 Musical Romance Stakes for Florida-bred fillies and mares.

Bellera, a daughter of Bernardini trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Grade 3 Comely last November to end her 3-year-old campaign, then came back to win the Ladies, also at Aqueduct, to kick off her 4-year-old season.

Bellera did begin her career finishing second in a Florida-bred maiden race going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park.