Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fear

General racing discussion.

Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster

User avatar
madelyn
Moderator
Posts: 10046
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:53 pm
Location: Louisville, KY

Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fear

Postby madelyn » Sun Mar 15, 2020 7:14 am

I got a text from turfway park that Mahoning had cancelled racing until further notice.. and today one that says Mahoning will take entries on Monday for Wednesday and run Tuesday spectator free.
Churchill sent out a notice that the stabling has been delayed two weeks. It was scheduled to have horses ship in March 17th. Assume that means Trackside also.
Keeneland has announced racing will start as scheduled, just without spectators on site.
Churchill is still waffling about holding the Derby - I suppose it's really all about money. It's probably their richest day and without the hordes paying exorbitant prices for booze and bad food it won't be the same for them. But the tradition should continue - it's certain to increase the off track handle quite a lot.
Indiana Grand has suspended shipping in until March 30 so if you aren't there training now you won't be for a couple of weeks.

What's the news in other necks of the woods?
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....

ZiaLand
Breeder's Cup Contender
Posts: 1833
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: New Mexico

Re: Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fea

Postby ZiaLand » Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:31 pm

Our trainer just called to inform us Sunland Park has been shut down--six days before our big Derby prep race--the Sunland Derby (and Sunland Oaks). And Blazing Away was entered to run on the undercard. Now he's out of work for the time being.

I agree we should be very cautious with the spread of the virus, but this feels more like full panic mode. The tracks had already been closed to spectators, no one but licensed personnel allowed on the grounds--and with a grand total of 13 cases in our state, it seems like a really bad time to put hundreds of people out of work. Or hundreds more, I should say.
So many pedigrees...so little time. (C)

User avatar
madelyn
Moderator
Posts: 10046
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:53 pm
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fea

Postby madelyn » Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:39 pm

I think it is a major over-reaction to just another virus that has been around for decades and now has gone zoonotic. All these shutdowns and stoppages are going to cause financial harm to perhaps millions of people. The vaccines are available for animals; vaccine for humans can't be too far off.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....

User avatar
Joltman
Grade I Winner
Posts: 1743
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 5:33 pm

Re: Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fea

Postby Joltman » Sun Mar 15, 2020 5:44 pm

The closures are making life tuff. Pa is down due to Governor decree and Md possibly as well. (casinos down). I'm sure NY is not far behind. As I see it, there's no reason to shut down the races. Nothing will change for the horse people - the care, and all has to go on. Just eliminating the possibility of income. Stupid. Ky probably gets it better than most but they're wishy washy too.

I would disagree on the virus itself though - it is far more dangerous because it is so easily spread, is a killer to certain populations, and debilitating to many others (lung disease) even for those who 'recover'.

But the draconian measures should at least slow the thing down and hopefully things can roll back in May.

jm
Run the race - the one that's really worth winning.

User avatar
madelyn
Moderator
Posts: 10046
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:53 pm
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fea

Postby madelyn » Sat Apr 11, 2020 5:36 am

And it continues. Churchill originally slated April 14 as revised open for training day, and has now had to cancel that. Belterra Park still has no opening date for training. Indiana is training the horses there but no one else allowed in. At the little training center where I have mine, we have horses ready to run and nowhere to go. But we go on every day.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....

ZiaLand
Breeder's Cup Contender
Posts: 1833
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: New Mexico

Re: Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fea

Postby ZiaLand » Sat Apr 11, 2020 11:43 am

We had a bit of a setback when even training was shut down for a day or so. Fortunately, some of our legislators are horsemen and horsewomen, so there were some phone calls made and it didn't last long. But we're still down for the count for racing--even without spectators.

There's a possibility if this shutdown doesn't go on much after May 1 that they can just push back the race dates for SunRay and Albuquerque this year, since the cut in race days left a 30+ day gap in the circuit.

And of course, next year we're probably going to take a huge hit in the purses because of the casinos being closed this year. We may have to retire Blazing Away and bring him home if it's a situation where the lower purses won't pay his bills. He'll be a 7YO next year, so time to start watching for him to tell us when he's done anyway.

We'll see what happens. Trying to think positive.

Laurie
So many pedigrees...so little time. (C)

User avatar
madelyn
Moderator
Posts: 10046
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:53 pm
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Mahoning Cancelled and Other Reactions to this virus Fea

Postby madelyn » Sat Apr 11, 2020 5:30 pm

Keep your chin up under that mask! It's discouraging for the ones ready to run and nowhere to go but oddly it's kind of a relief for the ones I am just starting up or back after a long layoff to have No Pressure!! Wouldn't you know it, though, they are spinning up like disk drives with no errors.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....