Two People Test Positive for COVID-19 at Turfway Park

From cities to rural outposts, more than 3,100 cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky have been detected across the Commonwealth as of April 21.

And now the virus has arrived at a Kentucky racetrack.

Turfway Park, which ended spectator less racing in late March in accordance with a "Healthy at Home" executive order from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, has reported two confirmed cases of COVID-19 this month among employees and backstretch personnel, according to a track spokesperson. Training there has continued over the past month to give horsemen a location from which to base their horses while other tracks in the state have either restricted or delayed allowing horses on their grounds.

Tonya Abeln, vice president of corporate communications for Churchill Downs Inc., which owns Turfway Park, wrote in an email that the affected backstretch worker was "symptomatic about two weeks ago and was hospitalized for appropriate medical care and later tested positive. We have provided appropriate quarantine accommodations on property for two asymptomatic backside workers who we think could have been in contact with this individual."

The Turfway employee that tested positive for COVID-19 did not have a working position that put him in contact with backstretch workers. He worked in "virtual isolation" and is self-quarantining for 14 days, Abeln said.

The news of the two COVID-19 positives comes at a time when some horsemen in Kentucky and politicians have called for a quick return of spectatorless racing in the state, as is taking place at a select number of tracks around the country. There is no ongoing racing in Kentucky after Keeneland canceled its spring meet this month in response to the outbreak.

Churchill Downs has targeted April 28 to open its stable area after delaying previously openings. A start for its spring meet, which had been planned from April 25-June 27, has not yet been determined. The week of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) has been postponed until September, suggesting mid-May might be the earliest the track might race without spectators.

Mike Ziegler, executive director of racing for CDI, did not return a phone message seeking comment on the opening of the Churchill Downs backstretch and the beginning of the meet.

Turfway Park's two positives are far below the COVID-19 cases at Belmont Park, where one backstretch worker died from the virus and 25 were reported as COVID-19 positive, as of April 9. Belmont Park is located in New York, which is widely considered to be the epicenter of the virus.

Backstretch communities like Turfway's generally house a large number of workers in dormitories. Abeln said the track provided private sleeping quarters, bath, and wash-room facilities to those two individuals that may have come in contact with the infected backstretch worker.

"We are extremely committed to ensuring a safe environment for those who are providing essential care to the horses on our backsides right now," Abeln wrote in her email. "We have rolled out, and are continually updating, health and safety procedures and protocols for our employees and backside community with that in mind. We are in close communication with the trainers who employ the individuals on the backside in an effort to work together to find the safest and most responsible solutions during this unusual and unexpected time both at Turfway Park and at Fair Grounds in New Orleans until we are able to open the backside at Churchill Downs Racetrack where those horses and workers would customarily be right now."

According to Abeln, last week Turfway extended its wellness protocols for the 120 workers on property grounds and the approximately 100 vendors that may participate in daily business there. These measures call for individuals performing essential operations to wear face masks and to undergo a daily temperature check, while additional hand sanitizing stations have been placed on the backside as an extra measure. 

After some initial delays with the process, horsemen have largely accepted the system. Once the daily ritual is complete, cleared individuals receive an armband from track staff headed by Turfway Park general manager Chip Bach.

"I think Chip has done a real good job," said trainer Nancy Adams, whose daughters, Marie and Jane, are overseeing her Turfway horses because she has an underlying medical condition. "The first day didn't work out so well. By the second day, third day, I think he's got it worked out really well to keep everybody at a distance."

Many of these practices have also been adopted at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, another CDI property. Some of its horsemen there are awaiting the opening of Churchill Downs before they can leave Fair Grounds, which like Turfway, was forced to halt racing in March.

Turfway horsemen that do not go to Churchill Downs in the spring often travel to Indiana and Ohio, where racing is also on hold.

Adams, who normally would be at Belterra Park for its April 24 opening which was also postponed due to COVID-19, is eager for everyone to get back to competition.

"This is really hitting the racing community way too hard," Adams said.