ELECTION DAY
with the resumption of the cash flow from the aqueduct slot machines a distant second
followed by the running of horses in ny a distant third
NYRA delays Belmont meet, hoping to open by end of May
David GreningApr 16, 2020
The Belmont Park spring-summer meeting will not begin on April 24 as scheduled, but multiple sources have indicated that the New York Racing Association is hopeful of being able to open the meet – without spectators – at the end of May or early June.
On Thursday, the NYRA officially announced the start of the meet would be delayed “due to the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic,” according to a press release.
The release did not address a timeframe for the start of the meet, which was scheduled for 51 days from April 24 through July 12.
Racing has not been conducted on this circuit since March 15 at Aqueduct. The final six days of the Aqueduct winter meet were lost as were all 13 cards of the Aqueduct spring meet.
“We are working closely with the New York State Gaming Commission and public health officials to determine a timeline for the resumption of live racing at Belmont Park,” David O’Rourke, NYRA’s president and CEO said in the release. “The health and safety of our racing community is paramount, and any decisions or necessary adjustments to the racing schedule and operations must reflect that priority.”
The Belmont Stakes, the traditional third leg of the Triple Crown, is scheduled for June 6 but will most certainly be moved to a yet-to-be-determined date. It is unclear whether NYRA would look to run the Belmont at the summer meet or move it to the fall. It is unlikely that fans would be permitted at Belmont in June or July. It is unknown if such restrictions would still be in place in the fall. The Kentucky Derby has already been moved by Churchill Downs from May 2 to Sept. 5.
“The Belmont Stakes is a New York institution and American tradition,” O’Rourke said. “We are committed to running the race in 2020 and aim to deliver an announcement in the very near future.”
New York has been the hardest hit state by the coronavirus. Through Wednesday, there have been 222,284 cases and 12,192 fatalities in the state. In Nassau County, where Belmont is located, there have been 27,772 cases and 1,109 deaths.
As of Thursday, NYRA reported there have been 37 cases of the virus on the Belmont Park backstretch. There was one fatality. Martin Zapata, a hotwalker for trainer Tom Morley, died on April 7. NYRA reports that there are 20 people who live and work on the Belmont backstretch currently quarantined and in isolation at Belmont. The other 16 cases involve workers who live off-site.
“NYRA is following the most up-to-date health guidance established by the New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control,” NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna said. “As such, the individuals at Belmont Park who have tested positive are under quarantine and in isolation within a Belmont Park facility dedicated to these quarantine efforts. NYRA is in close communication with NYS and Nassau County health departments to ensure we are taking all appropriate steps to reduce the risk of spread.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said the key to businesses being able to re-open in New York is to demonstrate how they can function with a low risk of spreading the virus. For the last month, Thoroughbred racing has operated in Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma with only essential personnel and no spectators.
Racing was conducted that way at Aqueduct for a brief period in March before racing operations were suspended on March 19 after a backstretch worker at Belmont Park tested positive for coronavirus.
If NYRA were to re-open in late May or early June, it would most certainly be without spectators, would require New York State Gaming Commission approval, and involve a number of specific health and safety requirements and social distancing, according to a source.
After prohibiting horses from shipping in for several weeks, NYRA on Friday was to allow horsemen currently stabled at Belmont to ship additional horses in, but “no new staff will be allowed,” according to a text sent to horsemen by management.
NYRA officials have maintained that it still plans on opening Saratoga on July 16 for a 40-day meet that runs through Labor Day.
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