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LASTFIVE STANDING What measures have the five Thoroughbred-only tracks taken to continue racing during the coronavirus shutdown? Bill Heller Brad Mellema, Coady Photography, Douglas DeFelice/Prime 360, Eclipse Sportswire, Lauren King
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horoughbred racing hasn’t escaped the pandemic of the coronavirus that’s changing the world every day we wake up. Accordingly, during the first two weeks of April, there were only five racetracks offering spectator-less Thoroughbred racing in the county. Those five tracks—Fonner Park in Nebraska, Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma, Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park—offer the horsemen lucky enough to be at those tracks the opportunity to keep working while millions of other Americans have become unemployed. Thousands of other Americans have died from the virus. This is a new world, and these five racetracks are operating under guidelines —some mandatory and some not—aimed at keeping horsemen and anyone they come into contact with safe. Keeping the horses safe is a given. Fonner Park switched its daily schedule in late March, going from a Thursday, Friday and Saturday operation to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday—the same schedule Will Rogers Downs is operating to take advantage of simulcasting revenue. “We started this schedule March 23rd,” Fonner Park Racing Secretary Doug Schoepf said. “There were a lot of racetracks shutting down. The horsemen are very thankful that we are able to continue to run. They’re able to run for some purse money. If we close down, they have nowhere to go. Tracks around us have delayed their meets.”
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