New York Horsemen Ponder Days Without Racing

It's a daunting challenge to find good news these days, but for trainer Ed Barker, the realization that horse racing in New York will be suspended until April 24 at the earliest has a small silver lining.

"My horses ran hard all winter," Barker said. "We had a good winter, but it takes a toll on horses, so the time off is kind of a blessing in disguise. That's how I see it, and I think my owners feel the same way. We're all on the same page."

The New York Racing Association originally announced March 25 that racing at Aqueduct Racetrack would be suspended through April 5 to help combat the spread of COVID-19.

Since then, the number of coronavirus cases in New York has risen to 38,977 with 728 fatalities through the afternoon of March 29, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that Aqueduct would soon become the site for a desperately needed temporary hospital with approximately 1,000 beds, effectively ending live racing in New York until the April 24 opening day at Belmont Park—or possibly longer should the pandemic worsen.

Though horsemen in New York are deeply concerned about the spread of COVID-19 and are quite willing to take the necessary safeguards, training horses is unlike most professions. The people who care for the 1,200 or so Thoroughbreds stabled at Belmont Park cannot work from home.

Theirs is a 24/7 job that incurs costs on a daily basis, and without racing and purse money, the bills can only mount on a circuit where day rates (the daily fee owners pay trainers) are generally $100 or more.

"We're still training, but the big uncertainty is how long it will be before we can race again. It will be hard for owners to keep paying the day rates when everything is up in the air," said trainer Chris Englehart, who had 11 wins from 72 starts at the winter meet, which started Dec. 12. "I have a couple of owners who moved quickly and moved the horses out, which I understand, and I expect more of that. We'll see how it goes. The owners will make their minds up as the days and weeks go by."

Trainer Rob Atras has all 34 of his horses stabled at Belmont Park, and though he knows his stable will not be racing for the next four weeks, the young trainer understands the perils New Yorkers are facing and prefers to dwell on whatever positives he can find amid a frightening and stressful time.

"A month off will not be the end of the world," said Atras, who was third at the winter meet with 16 wins. "If anything, it might help horses to get some rest. You have to look at the positives."

Trainers often say their day rate can barely cover their daily expenses for workers and feed and that they need commissions from purses to stay afloat. Even against that backdrop, the 36-year-old Atras plans to retain all of his workers until racing resumes.

"My goal is to not let anyone go. Right now, I have such a good team. I'd rather keep everyone together, get through the month, and hopefully get back into action at Belmont," he said. "It's very tough to replace a good group of workers. We'll be OK if they start racing at Belmont in late April or early May. We just have to do what we can to keep everyone safe."

While some of New York's best-known outfits are currently racing in Florida or at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, Barker is facing the same situation as Atras with all 18 of his horses based in New York.

"They are not shipping in horses, and there's nowhere for us to ship out," Barker said. "I'm just trying to keep the horses as happy, fit, and healthy as I can until they reopen and we can come out blazing. NYRA and the Gaming Commission are trying to do what's best for everybody, and the trainers and the horsemen have to work with them."

Barker, who won eight races at the winter meet, also intends to keep his team together during these difficult times.

"I don't want to lay anyone off because good help is hard to find. It's almost impossible. My guys have been with me a long time. We just have to bear down and get through it. My owners know these people and agree with me," Barker said. "There's a lot of people with a helluva lot worse problems than us, but horses have to be fed and groomed and the stalls clean. The only way you can save money is to get rid of the exercise riders and stop training the horses, but that's counterproductive as far as I'm concerned.

"I'll struggle financially to keep my help, but that's the decision I've made. I get everyone gloves, masks, sprays, and they know if they leave the barn area, the first thing they have to do when they get back is wash their hands and stay six feet apart. We're trying to keep everyone healthy, but the scary thing is who knows what the (COVID-19) numbers will be like in New York City in 10 days."

With a barn filled with claimers, Barker said sending his horses to a farm is not a viable option.

"If you send your horse to the farm, you're going to be behind the eight ball when they start racing again," he said. "If you go to the farm for 30 days, you will need 60 days of training to get them ready, so doing that becomes counterproductive. It doesn't make sense. I train my horses like they are going to run every two weeks, so now I don't have to train them as hard. I can back off them and do some therapy work. Of course, I'd like to run, but I understand. This is the hand we've been dealt."

Helping Barker make ends meet is the $18,000 he earned for being declared the winner of NYRA's 2019-20 Under 20's Claiming Challenge for trainers with fewer than 20 horses. The contest had a prize pool of $80,000 that was divided among the top eight finishers.

"That $18,000 is going to come in handy," said Barker, who also pocketed $18,000 for winning the first contest at the 2018 Belmont Park spring/summer meet. "I'll tell you that."

Especially these days, when an uncertain future can create a mental strain for any type of community.

"Everyone in the backstretch here is doing a good job of keeping their wits about them," Atras said, "and that helps a lot, too."