Santa Anita has yet to receive approval from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to resume racing on Friday amidst the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement released early Saturday.
The track has not operated since March 22 and was ordered closed by county health officials on March 27 when it was deemed a nonessential business because of the pandemic. Training has continued since late March with the hope that racing would resume.
War of Will’s return to the turf has been put on hold for a couple of weeks.
Trainer Mark Casse scratched War of Will, last year’s Preakness winner, from Saturday’s $75,000 Sunshine Forever Stakes and instead will point him to the Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile, scheduled to be run at Santa Anita on May 25.
Though Santa Anita has not yet received final approval from Los Angeles County health officials to resume racing, officials with The Stronach Group seem confident they will, according to Casse. Santa Anita has not raced since March 22.
Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash., anticipates opening for spectator-free racing on June 20 and has requested approval for 44 racing dates this year, according to a letter that the track’s top official sent to Washington racing constituents.
:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Robbie Medina, a longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, has left that job to become general manager of Guinness McFadden’s Blackwood Stables in Lexington, Ky.
The news was first reported by Thoroughbred Daily News.
Medina, in a phone interview with Daily Racing Form Thursday, said he was approached by McFadden several months ago and has been working at Blackwood for a week. McFadden was co-owner of Country House, who finished second but was placed first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby following the disqualification of Maximum Security.
Indiana Grand announced Thursday it will open its backstretch to outside horses on Monday and plans to start its 2020 racing season on or around Sunday, June 14.
Indiana Grand, in Shelbyville southeast of Indianapolis, was scheduled to begin its racing season April 14 but closed its stabling area when the track’s casino ceased operations March 16 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Indiana Grand initially asked horse people already stabled at the track to leave, but reversed course and permitted the 100 or so horses already at the track to remain.
As the New York Racing Association awaits word from regulators about when it will be able to resume racing, trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday he is planning to ship horses back to Belmont Park on Monday. Pletcher moved his horses out of New York in late March, shortly after racing on this circuit was suspended due to a case of coronavirus on the Belmont Park backstretch.
The California Horse Racing Board meeting on May 21 has been canceled, the board announced in a one-paragraph statement Thursday.
A spokesman for the racing board said cost-saving at a time of significantly decreased revenue for California racing was a contributing reason for the cancellation. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for June 11 and will be held via teleconference. Recent racing board meetings have been conducted in such a manner because of the coronavirus outbreak.
