HARRISBURG, Pa--Tracks have received the go-ahead to begin racing, with both Penn National and Parx estimating that racing may begin in about three weeks while Presque Isle doesn't expect to begin racing until July 6.
Racing at Presque isleRacing at Laurel Park in Maryland resumed on Saturday, May 30 with full fields, and will continue three days a week.
No horses from out of Maryland can race at Laurel, but as Fair Hill is in Maryland, all horses stable there can run at laurel.
Gov. Wolf announced that racing could resume in Pennsylvania when counties entered the yellow zone, and Penn National is already in the yellow zone, while Parx, in Bucks County, will enter the yellow zone June 5.
Training has continued all along at both Penn National and Parx
On May 28, the Pennsylvania HBPA participated in a very good meeting with the Governor’s office and officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The Pennsylvania HBPA received affirmation that yesterday’s statement from Governor Wolf - allowing professional sports to resume in green and yellow counties - includes horse racing.
It is anticipated that COVID-19 safety protocols will be submitted from the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission to the Department of Health no later than Monday morning, June 1.
UPON APPROVAL of COVID-19 safety protocols by the Department of Health, live racing will be allowed to resume in the Commonwealth (in counties which have been labeled green or yellow).
This is the revised - though still tentative - schedule for Presque Isle Downs:
Stable area re-opening June 15th
Live racing resuming July 6th
"If all goes well, we'll get permission to start racing Jume 5," said PTHA President Sal Debunda about racing at Parx. It will take us two weeks to bring everything back to start racing, so the first day of racing may be June 22."
"The casinos will not be open, so there will be no money from slots," said Debunda. "We'll have to get the money from simulcasting bets only, and we only get a percentage of the money from simulcasting.
"We're hoping the casinos will be able to open in July. We have some money for purses, but only enough for about eight to 10 weeks.
"We need to resolve what days there will be racing," said Debunda. "The goal is to have racing three days a week. We're thinking of racing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday."
"Penn National turned yellow May 29," said Bernie Houghton, a trainer with a number of horses stabled at Penn. "We're shooting for starting racing three weeks from now."
That would put racing strting at Penn National around June 20.
"We're thinking of running two days a week, but nothing's been decided yet," said Houghton. "We giving the Health Department the protocol Monday (June 1), and the assured us they would look at it with in 36 hours."
During his daily press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that horse racing in the state can return, spectator-free, as early as next week.
But, sticking to its original plan, Monmouth Park will conduct its first day of live racing Friday, July 3.
“We’re incredibly thankful to Governor Murphy for letting us get back to work,” said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Darby Development, LLC, operators of Monmouth Park. “This is welcome news for horsemen and even better news for New Jerseyans.
“The Governor has always said ‘data determines dates’ and today we’re grateful that racing’s date has come, and lucky that we have a governor who not only understands our business, but the economic impact it has on the Garden State.”
