Indiana Grand Closing Jockeys' Room to Outside Riders

Indiana Grand announced July 9 that after consultation with the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, it will require its jockeys to ride exclusively at the Indiana track, citing safety precautions. This restriction goes into effect July 10 and applies to Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys.

If a jockey who is riding at Indiana Grand enters another track's jockeys' quarters, he or she will not be allowed to return without self-quarantining for 14 days, the track said. After that time period, the jockey will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test. 

Jockeys who wish to shift their base to Indiana Grand must also go through the 14-day quarantine and provide a negative COVID-19 test before they will be accepted to ride, the track stated.

These actions follow a similar move by Oaklawn Park in the spring that placed restrictions on incoming riders who participated at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots meet in Louisiana, a state where COVID-19 cases were spiking at the time.

The Indiana Grand announcement came a day after the track staged its Indiana Oaks (G3), Indiana Derby (G3), and other stakes, races that drew leading jockeys from across the country, including Luis Saez and Joel Rosario, who mostly ride in New York during this time of year.

Another jockey who was scheduled to ride Wednesday at Indiana Grand, Martin Garcia, who has ridden in Kentucky, California, and Iowa this month, was informed by Kentucky health officials that he tested positive for COVID-19 after being asymptomatic, his agent, Jay Fedor, told Daily Racing Form on Wednesday. He was replaced aboard his scheduled mounts at Indiana Grand.

On a frequent basis this spring, Indiana Grand has drawn jockeys from Kentucky to ride with its regular colony, mostly on days when racing does not take place in Kentucky. Kentucky-based riders Shaun Bridgmohan, Joe Talamo, Adam Beschizza, Miguel Mena, James Graham, Robby Albarado, and Florent Geroux have all won races this summer at Indiana Grand.

Geroux won the Indiana Oaks on Shedaresthedevil and the Indiana Derby on Shared Sense, in addition to two other wins at the meet.

Although Indiana Grand has implemented a number of COVID-19 safety measures, images from the track's winner's circle Wednesday showed numerous jockeys, horsemen, staff, and attendees not wearing facial masks or social distancing for some photographs.