Racing Restrictions / Coronavirus

[Ted Craven]

Here is an article summarizing new restrictions on live attendance at racing around the US and the world. Many major tracks continue racing but without live attendance, i.e. watching and betting only online, the way most of us do it anyway.

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/t...g-to-continue/

Santa Anita, Golden Gate, Gulfstream, Aqueduct/NYRA, Keenland, Laurel, Turfway, Oaklawn, Fairmount, Sam Houston, Dubai - all open for racing but closed to live spectators. Surely most tracks will be added to this list as Spring racing comes on. Hong Kong has been running with no live attendance for nearly 2 months now.

I'm sure betting handle will be down noticeably. Hard to call whether the money in the pools will be 'smarter' or 'dumber' because of this.

Regarding our own annual gathering in Saratoga - Charlie B (gandalf) reminds me that tickets go on sale mid April, but who knows what world we'll be living in by then; it was a very different one just 2 weeks ago

Thus - as far as I can see, it's also entirely too early to make ANY kind of plan for the Summer at Saratoga. We just have to watch and wait.

And do our best to stay safe, stay isolated if we feel sick, have compassion for our friends and neighbours - and strangers - for the totally unexpected and often unfortunate circumstances they suddenly find themselves in.

Ted

[Ted Craven]

As an example of totally unexpected circumstances: I'm the Azores Islands (Portugal) for a vacation this week. They're 1000 miles out into the Atlantic from mainland Europe but just closed the islands to all new arrivals (via imposing a 14 day quarantine to new arrivals - hence cancelling tourism).

Consequently, overnight yesterday, many restaurants and all businesses dependent on lively tourism here will now have to close, throwing thousands in a smallish population out of their regular work for unknown months. A restaurant owner last night was in tears over having to lay off his staff and close his doors. We basically 'turned out the lights' as we left ... Heart wrenching, and I know this repeats itself all over the world right now, and even more seriously as some people get sick and must work or quarantine at home, let alone on paradisaical islands.

Hence compassion ...

Ted


Hoping for no problems returning home to Canada on Saturday

[coacht]

Ted,


Sorry to hear about your vacation

You and your wife stay safe.

Gene

[Lt1]

PARX has suspended racing for at least 2 weeks starting Sat
Tim

[Mitch44]

There is no doubt this will hurt the handle. That's a Daily Double crisis's for racing at the same time, along with this cheatings by trainers.Lets hope we haven't been dealt 3 of a kind or on the receiving end of a TRI.

What gets me is their leaving the casino's open. Slots have more close proximity of people and germs than most tracks. Plus many tracks have many more open spaces, especially Sar that's mainly has seating outside or under roofing but open air all around. Seems like a drastic first step anyway as a casino is like a petri dish compared to a track.

Mitch44

[Lt1]

Interesting events are taking place at Parx. The horsemen are saying if the casino stays open they will try to force management to allow racing most likely without fans. Can't see how they can cancel racing and let the casino remain open. As Spock would say that is illogical Captain. Stay tuned.
Tim

[Mitch44]

It seems illogical to me also.

I wasn't expecting Parx's response however it makes some sense, especially about the fans this time of the year. There are other precautions they could also take.

I mean the real reason for their decision is the casino makes more money, the hell with the public when it comes to money. Logically they should have closed the casino. Follow the $$$$

Mitch44

[Lt1]

Amen about the dollars but they can't logically explain closing the track which has less crowding and more space between customers and then leave the casino opened and say closing the track was for safety purposes.
Tim

[carl153]

info on the corona virus (clif high and bix weir)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoDx5QdSdrY

carl

[MikeB]

Turf Paradise just canceled the rest of its season which usually runs from mid-October to the first week-end of May.