The distances of three reopening weekend stakes at Santa Anita were shortened, and two of the three stakes are being run later in the season than scheduled, but no one is complaining.

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.

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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.

Courtlandt Farm, the racing and breeding operation of Don and Donna Adam, has ended its working relationship with trainer Mark Hennig and will be using new trainers moving forward, racing manager Ernie Retamoza said Wednesday.

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.

Midway through Thursday morning on a warm day in Southern California Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was midway through a six-mile run in the hills above Santa Anita Racetrack.

“These hills are brutal,” Smith said.

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Golden Gate Fields received provisional approval from the Alameda (Calif.) County public health officer on Wednesday to resume racing May 14, seven weeks after the track was deemed a nonessential business due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The track made the announcement in a press release issued midday Wednesday.

Golden Gate will operate largely on a four-day per week basis from Thursday through Sunday through June 14, the conclusion of a winter-spring meeting that began in December.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson said in a Wednesday release that he anticipates the resumption of live racing at Woodbine in June.

The Woodbine meet was postponed from April 18 due to the state of emergency declared by the province of Ontario in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, the state of emergency was extended to May 19 to cover the Victoria Day holiday weekend.