Racing Goes On at a Quiet Aqueduct

Trainer Dave Donk has worked at New York tracks for about 35 years, dating to his days as an assistant for Woody Stephens.

He's witnessed some of the greatest days of racing and some of the worst.

But he had never seen anything like the scene at Aqueduct Racetrack on a Friday the 13th like no other for New York racing.

Donk was one of seven trainers who sent out horses in the track's March 13 opener, which took place without fans in response to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's order to suspend gatherings of more than 500 people because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I've never seen anything like this. No one has. It was eerie. Very quiet," Donk said. "It's Friday at 1:30 p.m. and not Saturday at 4:30 p.m., so the place normally isn't that active. But I watch races from the first floor of the grandstand, and no one was there. It was strange."

The New York Racing Association announced March 12 that racing at Aqueduct will be contested behind closed doors until further notice with only essential personnel, such as stewards, licensed owners and horsemen, allowed on-site.

Even without on-track wagering, total wagering soared by 28% on a day when other sports across the nation came to a halt because of the virus. Total wagering checked in at $4,614,051, compared to $3,585,745 on a comparable March 8, 2019, date.

"I went up to the paddock and looked up at the grandstand, and no one was there. It was different. I don't know how to explain it," said trainer Rob Atras, who earned the distinction of winning the first spectatorless race with Lawrence Roman's Bossy Bride. "It stinks because people like to come and watch racing. Aqueduct is a neat place because the grandstand is usually packed and people are screaming, yelling, cheering for the horses. You don't see a lot of that anymore, so Aqueduct is cool that way.

"But we're lucky to be running because so many sporting events are closed. Whatever protocols they put in place to keep us running are good things. If these things are what we have to do to keep people safe and save lives, so be it. I'm for it."

Racing office personnel did not report to the track, and the horsemen's theater for viewing races was closed in the empty facility.

"This is certainly a delicate balance, and we are monitoring each and every development as the situation evolves in close coordination with the Department of Health and the New York State Gaming Commission," NYRA spokesperson Pat McKenna said. "At the same time, it's important for us to stay open because New York racing has a powerful economic impact on the state. We are confident we can operate safely and securely with the adjustments we have made, and by staying open, a number of hourly workers, who may not be paid if we closed, are able to have some certainty during an incredibly uncertain time."

In addition, owners were allowed on the grounds but not in the paddock to help prevent the spread of the virus. Donk agreed with that move, pointing out that the backstretch of a racetrack is a close-knit community because of the hours workers keep.

"We're kind of an isolated group at the moment, and that's a good thing," Donk said. "I'm just around my staff, and it's the same people in the same community working alongside each other. I encourage my people to do your same routine, hang around the same people. They're not socializing like a lot of other people. They're not in Manhattan or going to Broadway or going to big events. They are not exposed to a bunch of new people all the time, and meeting new people seems the easiest way to spread the virus.

"I haven't been around anyone with flu symptoms," he added. "Can that change? Sure. It's an evolving situation. Hopefully, people will stay home if they don't feel well, but not everyone is that smart."

A NYRA official said the track intends to race through March 15 as scheduled and will take entries Sunday for the March 20 card when racing normally resumes.

Donk expressed hope that if the situation worsens and racing has to be suspended at some point, horses will still be allowed to train at Belmont Park.

"It's the middle of March. Personally, I'm getting a lot of horses ready to run on turf. If they suspend racing and we can continue to train, that's great. It doesn't hurt if some horses get freshened up a bit. The key part is that they need to train and stay in shape so if they stop racing for a while, we'll be able to race the first day back. If owners send horses to the farm for two weeks, the horses will need four weeks after that to get back in racing shape, so it's better to keep training at the track. 

"If we can keep training, losing some racing dates will not be the end of the world. We have to make do with what we have like everyone else. We all have to buckle down, and if we have to shut down, we're no different than millions of other businesses."