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.
Grade 2 winner Green Light Go will make his second start of 2020 when he meets five 3-year-olds in Saturday’s $75,000 Roar Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Green Light Go, winner of the Saratoga Special last summer, ended his 2-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish to Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont. In his lone start this year, he finished third behind Mischevious Alex in the Grade 3 Swale on Feb. 1. Mischevious Alex did come back to win the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct, while Shivaree, second in the Swale, came back to run second in the Florida Derby.
Got Stormy is ready to run. Moreover, she needs a win. Saturday’s $75,000 Powder Break Stakes at Gulfstream Park looks like it could provide Got Stormy the opportunity to accomplish both.
Weather permitting.
Got Stormy prefers firm turf. A tropical system off the east coast of Florida could bring an undetermined amount of rain to the area Friday and Saturday. Mark Casse, the trainer of Got Stormy, will monitor the, ahem, potential storm.
Racing is back at Santa Anita.
The track received approval from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday afternoon to resume racing Friday under strict protocols necessitated by the coronavirus outbreak.
The same government agency told Santa Anita to cease racing on March 27 when the track was deemed a nonessential business during the pandemic.
Canterbury Park moved toward conducting a 2020 race meet, filing a request for a 52-day season with the Minnesota Racing Commission on Wednesday.
Canterbury applied for an amended racing season that would run June 10 through Sept. 9 with racing Monday through Thursday. The Shakopee, Minnesota track said in a news release that it would work with the commission and the Minnesota Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association – which also has to approve the track’s racing dates request – to establish post times.
LOUISVILLE, KY. – Monomoy Girl is foremost among the opening-day entries for Saturday at Churchill Downs as the heavy favorite in race 4, one of four allowances on a terrific program. Winner of the Kentucky Oaks and an Eclipse Award as outstanding 3-year-old filly in 2018, the now 5-year-old mare will be making her first start since she won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill on Nov. 3, 2018, a span of more than 18 months.
