NYRA Delays Opening of Belmont Park

The New York Racing Association has pushed back the planned resumption of racing at Belmont Park and is working toward finding a new date for opening the Elmont, N.Y., racetrack.

"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," said NYRA CEO and president Dave O'Rourke in an April 16 news 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. I'd like to thank New York's horsemen and the backstretch community for their dedication and patience as we navigate these uncertain times together."

Opening day at Belmont Park was originally scheduled for April 24. NYRA is continuing to assess options for the 152nd edition of the Belmont Stakes (G1), currently scheduled June 6. These options include shifting the race to a later date.

"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."

Joe Appelbaum, the president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said that while owners and trainers are anxious to resume racing, his group is supportive of NYRA's actions in handling the situation.

"Many of our people, owners, and trainers are anxious. They're anxious about their own health, their businesses, and would love to get back to racing as soon as possible," he said. "We'll do that once we can assure everyone that conditions are safe for backstretch workers and NYRA's frontside people as well. We are fully supportive of NYRA's efforts to develop a plan, and in order to do that, we're working with them every day."

The decision to delay the opening of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet was widely expected. Linda Rice, the leading trainer at the shortened Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet, expressed hope that by late May or early June, racing can resume without fans in attendance.

"It wasn't much of a surprise, and it's understandable," Rice said about the delay. "We are hoping in May, maybe during the third or fourth week, that we will get some notice they will let us race behind closed doors. We're all anxious to get back to racing, and we're keeping an optimistic view and putting one foot in front of the other to get through this.

"For the horse people, these are stressful times. We all know someone who is suffering from the virus, but we also feel fortunate that we can train horses and get out of the house and be out in the sunshine and fresh air. Having some type of normalcy to our day is a luxury we do have."

Rice has 60 horses at Belmont Park and no viable options for racing them, with Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida being the closest open racetracks at this time.

"My owners know it's probably going to be late May or June when we start racing again," Rice said. "We probably sent out 15 horses who were due or coming up for a vacation."

NYRA also announced that beginning April 17, trainers previously stabled at Belmont will be allowed to ship in horses who have been relocated during the COVID-19 crisis, provided they receive specific approval by NYRA. These shippers cannot be accompanied by staff not previously working at Belmont in order to follow health department guidance and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Also Thursday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that all nonessential businesses and workers in New York State must now stay home through May 15. He also reported there were 606 new deaths in the state April 15 because of COVID-19, a figure down from the previous day's 752.

Racing in New York was halted after the March 15 card at Aqueduct as New York City became an epicenter for the pandemic with 10,357 deaths attributed to the virus through April 14.

As the virus spread across the country, NYRA began to conduct racing without fans March 13. But after three cards, NYRA suspended racing for what proved to be the remainder of the track's meet.

During that time, Martin Zapata, a backstretch worker for trainer Tom Morley, contracted COVID-19 and passed away April 7. He was one of at least 20 workers at Belmont Park who have tested positive for the virus.

Belmont's backstretch, which houses 585 workers, is still operational for training but is closed to owners.

NYRA is still planning to begin the Saratoga Race Course meet July 16 but has yet to release a stakes schedule for the 40-day meet.