NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Limited number of thoroughbred owners to be permitted onsite at Belmont Park

by Pat McKenna

Locally based trainers may begin shipping horses into Belmont on September

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that a limited number of licensed owners will be permitted to attend live racing at Belmont Park on the day that their horse is entered to race.

To reduce density and adhere to social distancing guidelines, the size of the ownership group will be restricted to 10 individuals per horse.

All owners within the group must be in possession of a valid New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) license. Horses with identical ownership will be limited to 10 total admissions regardless of number of horses running that day.

To align with required health and safety measures implemented in New York to mitigate risk and combat the spread of COVID-19, owners will be subjected to health screening prior to entry, including a temperature check. In addition, owners will be required to practice social distancing and to wear a facial covering at all times while on Belmont Park property.

Owners planning travel to New York from any of the states currently listed on the New York Travel Advisory are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. For additional information on the travel advisory, and a complete list of states included, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory.

Owner reservations for race-day admission to Belmont Park should be sent to NYRA's Horsemen's Relations via email at horsemensrelations@nyrainc.com or by phone at 516-488-6008. NYRA will confirm all reservations via email. NYRA cannot consider or accept same day reservations.

The NYRA Office of Horsemen's Relations will begin processing reservations for opening day of the Belmont Park fall meet on Wednesday, September 16 at 10 a.m.

Licensed owners will be permitted within the Belmont Park barn area beginning on Wednesday, September 16. In order to secure access to the barn area, owners must be in possession of a valid NYSGC license and provide NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test.

Owners not previously registered to access the barn area are required to register in advance with racing administrative assistant Zerfana Khan at 718-659-2313 or zkhan@nyrainc.com beginning Wednesday, September 16.

Owners approved to enter the barn area will be required to practice social distancing and to wear a facial covering at all times.

Trainers stabled on NYRA grounds may ship stakes horses to race at facilities outside of New York state. Staff who have traveled with the horse must provide NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test taken upon their return to New York.

Trainers stabled on NYRA grounds may ship horses to run in overnight races at facilities outside of New York state provided that staff does not accompany the horse for the race. The horse may return to NYRA property only if unaccompanied by staff.

Trainers currently stabled off of NYRA grounds [outside of New York state] wishing to run in an overnight race may ship the horse to a trainer stabled at Belmont. Staff cannot accompany the horse into the Belmont barn area. Said trainer will be allowed to saddle the horse in the paddock provided he or she has provided NYRA with a negative COVID-19 test. Trainer is not permitted access to the barn area.

A separate stakes quarantine barn will be established at Barn 16 along with a separate isolated housing cottage for any staff that may accompany horses competing in stakes. A separate training period will be set up for these horses at 10:00 a.m. each day over the Belmont main track so they will train away from the Belmont population.