Community Chat

[KingstonsMom]

Every major sport in America has been shut down -- except one -- horse racing, which is alive and thriving in multiple states across the country, TMZ Sports has learned.

We've confirmed tracks are operating in Florida, California, Arkansas and Oklahoma -- though we're told ALL of the tracks are not allowing fans to enter the facilities.

The reason? Gamblers.

In short, the races are still being streamed online and through various broadcast partners, so people stuck at home can still bet on the ponies!

In Florida, both the Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park have a "no spectator" policy -- and have ordered all staffers to wear masks and gloves while practicing social distancing.

A rep for Gulfstream tells us, medical personnel are screening jockeys on the way into the track, taking temperatures and looking for COVID-19 symptoms.

Plus, we're told any jockey or horse that comes to race from another state must complete a 14-day quarantine before they are allowed to compete.

In California, the Los Alamitos track is closed to the public -- but racing on Friday through Sunday with only "essential staff permitted inside the facility."

Shocking considering California has essentially locked down the state for all, but essential businesses. Still, the horses run.

In Arkansas ... the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort shut down their casino but has allowed the track to continue to function. Again, no spectators.

In fact, the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes is still scheduled to take place on Saturday.

In Oklahoma ... Remington Park is running too, but they note they're "closed to the public."

We spoke with a rep for the Jockey's Guild who tell us they support the tracks staying open -- explaining, "Its important horses get training and exercise."

"It's very important. Protocols are in place. It's best for the horses and the industry to keep going."

Of course, the most famous races in the country - the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont -- have been postponed until the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

[Krimpette]

I detest horse racing.

[KingstonsMom]

@Krimpette 

Me too, I wish it would be banned, along with big game hunting and a few other things, where the only loser is the animals.

All for an ego trip.......

[software]

Might as well, I agree with the jockey, 

I don't "approve" of horse racing but during the pandemic, it will keep the horses in shape.

Liquor stores are open.

It's all about the tax revenue.

[KingstonsMom]

@software 

WIth all due respect, as a former horse owner, horses can be 'exercised' in many other ways than being ridden by a jockey wielding a whip to make them run faster.

One of mine loved nothing more than runnin' like the wind, literally and I had to use special equipment to make him slow down, after he ran us into too many stationary objects, because I couldn't stop him, I only weighed 100 lbs.

You couldn't let him 'get his head' (high) or he was off like a rocket.

[Kachina624]

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@software wrote:

Might as well, I agree with the jockey, 

I don't "approve" of horse racing but during the pandemic, it will keep the horses in shape.

Liquor stores are open.

It's all about the tax revenue.

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Liquor stores here are closed, although it can be purchased at grocery stores.

[KingstonsMom]

I didn't understand the correlation in that post about liquor stores being open, compared to horse racing, none of my horses had booze in their water troughs, LOL!

I'm guessing it was the "revenue" angle, which is no excuse for horse racing, IMO only.

[pigletsmom]

Well this is hardly a scoop from TMZ. Racing in the afternoon with no spectators isn't adding any people to the mix except for the stewards. Grooms trainers and horses are all at the track in the morning no matter what. Those same people are there to race in the afternoon. Some if not all have stopped owners from being there since they aren't needed. You can't just stop racing and think that all the stuff going on at a track will stop.

[KingstonsMom]

@pigletsmom 

The "scoop" as you call it is that all other sports and major horse races are cancelled, except these.

But the bigger point is re: horse racing, why have so many horses died at Santa Anita  Racetrack?

They've had the most deaths, but other tracks have too.

Google it, it's eye opening..........

[pigletsmom]

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@KingstonsMom wrote:

@pigletsmom 

The "scoop" as you call it is that all other sports and major horse races are cancelled, except these.

But the bigger point is re: horse racing, why have so many horses died at Santa Anita  Racetrack?

They've had the most deaths, but other tracks have too.

Google it, it's eye opening..........

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@KingstonsMom  I don't need to google anything, I've known about hore racing my entire life and I"m sure I knew about Santa Anita and other things at that track long before people here. But my point is TMZ acting like they have some big scoop about a sport that has been on TV this entire time is dumb. It certainly hasn't been some sort of secret that they've been hiding. I guess the people who really had the scoop are writers at the Daily Racing Form, or Bloodhorse or maybe even me and my twitter account.

You have people living on the backstretch every day, working the horses and caring for them every day, and if they go over a second time in the afternoon it's the same people. The only addition would be stewards and the people working the gate crew. And some of the gate people are there in the AM. Oh and whoever runs the tote system I suppose.

If someone on the backstretch gets covid they might decide to shut down. Of course they would likely get it from outside of the track so racing wouldn't be a factorf in how it happened. Maybe google what's going on at the track on a daily basis.

Also there are enough problems with racing without a lot of the people working there not being able to feed their horses. It's not all rich folks. They closed down racing in NY right at the time of year that the smaller outfits are able to make their money, while the larger guys go off to Florida. I'd guess I wont see a lot of those people return at all.