New York Gov. Cuomo: Saratoga Race Meet in Question

The governor of New York raised doubts April 29 that Saratoga Race Course will be able to offer racing in front of fans this summer as the state seeks to avoid the reopening of "attractive nuisance" facilities that might attract large numbers of people.

Though COVID-19 cases are dropping in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said any plan to open facilities such as the Thoroughbred track in Saratoga Springs would have to be part of a statewide reopening plan done in coordination with other nearby states.

A couple of hours after the governor raised his concerns, New York Racing Association officials indicated they are now looking at a plan to ensure racing can go ahead in July at Saratoga as planned but with no spectators allowed on the grounds. NYRA is also asking the state to permit racing to begin at Belmont Park—at some still-to-be-determined date—also without fans in attendance.

"You can't open an attraction that could bring people from across the state to that attraction and overwhelm a region,'' Cuomo said in Albany. 

The governor said desperate, home-bound residents of New York and elsewhere would jam Saratoga for its summer season just "to get out of the house."

"Density is not our friend,'' Cuomo said of the coronavirus.

Racing at Saratoga with no fans in attendance would still bring in money to NYRA and for purses and breeding accounts—as well as to the state in taxes—via betting through advanced deposit wagering accounts and off-track betting outlets.

Such a plan is being eyed by some officials for Belmont, on Long Island. Training is still ongoing at the downstate NYRA facility, and NYRA has asked the New York State Gaming Commission to allow racing to commence without fans at Belmont on the theory that live racing would not bring in many more racetrack workers than are needed now for training activities.

"I think the horse racing industry is an integral part of our state economy,'' state Sen. Joseph Addabbo, a Queens Democrat who chairs the Senate committee on racing, gaming, and wagering, said in an interview Wednesday.

Addabbo noted that NYRA raced at Aqueduct Racetrack without fans in the early days of the pandemic before the state's economy was largely ordered to shut down by Cuomo.

"I'm hopeful they can convince the gaming commission to give the green light to reopen in a safe manner,'' Addabbo said of NYRA's desire to have racing at Belmont sometime soon.

Addabbo noted the state's tax revenues are plummeting, including tax revenue the state gets from racing and such facilities as the casino at Aqueduct, which has been closed along with other casinos in New York state.

"We're going to need those industries like horse racing to come back,'' the senator said.

As for Saratoga's summer meet, Addabbo said the state should not be saying what might or might not happen at certain facilities months down the road. 

"We don't know where we're going to be in June or July or August. Unless there's a vaccine, people will still be apprehensive about large gatherings. … I believe there's a safe way of having that experience and going out,'' he said of sports-related events.

The senator said the state should continue weighing certain reopening decisions every two weeks, as it has been doing since March. "The town of Saratoga depends on that racetrack opening. It's not just about the racetrack. It's about that town coming back,'' Addabbo said.

But whether that means strict social distancing rules for live racing this summer—or no fans at all, or limits on how many owners or other racing executives can be at Saratoga—is too soon to tell, the senator said.

"We're going to need to come back economically as soon as it is safely possible,'' he said of the state's decimated economy.

Following the governor's comments, NYRA officials publicly revealed for the first time that it is seeking state permission to offer racing without spectators at Belmont and would follow the same path with the planned summer meet at Saratoga.

Patrick McKenna, a NYRA spokesman, said in a written statement that decisions about reopening large event facilities is best left up to elected officials and public health experts. "At the same time, horse racing is in a unique position as a sport that can be safely staged without attendees,'' he said of a limited reopening of racing to "support the small businesses and hourly workers who form the backbone of the sport."

The NYRA spokesman said the racing corporation's experience in running racing at Aqueduct March 13-15 without spectators and "strict safety protocols" it has in place for training operations underway at Belmont would be used to inform decisions about a Saratoga summer meet. 

The proposals for racing without fans at Belmont and Saratoga "prioritize the health and safety of employees, horsemen, and the backstretch community and include a broad array of risk mitigation strategies developed according to the most updated health guidance,'' McKenna said.

The idea, he added, would "provide a small sense of normalcy for fans across the country who can watch on television and online."

"This is a delicate balance, and one that must always prioritize health and safety. NYRA has experience finding that balance and we are committed to taking every step possible to keep our communities safe while providing entertainment and contributing to the New York economy as we collectively begin the return to a new normal,'' the NYRA spokesman added.

NYRA has also delayed the opening of its Oklahoma training track in Saratoga Springs, and Fasig-Tipton recently announced its summer yearling sales will not take place this summer at its Saratoga Springs facility.

In an April 26 letter to the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association membership, NYTHA president Joe Appelbaum said there are 20 backstretch workers at Belmont Park with active positives, with five total hospitalizations, though four have been released. Thirty workers have been released from quarantine both on and off the Belmont backstretch. 

In addition, Martin Zapata, a backstretch worker for trainer Tom Morley, contracted COVID-19 and passed away April 7.