Santa Anita Park is approved by Los Angeles County Health Department to resume tomorrow. Live racing to come back without fans, ith strict safety protocols to prevent spread of COVID-19.
Santa Anita Park workers rally, seeking return of horse racing. More than 50 backstretch workers at Santa Anita Park rallied outside Board of Supervisors offices in downtown Los Angeles to request county support for a proposal to resume live horse racing. They argue they are onsite daily already caring for horses stabled at the racetrack and there would be little additional risk to host racing without spectators.
Santa Anita Park targets May 15 to resume live racing. Track makes plan to race when county stay-at-home order could be lifted, pending approval from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Santa Anita Park will stay closed; Derby to be rescheduled. Santa Anita Park will remain closed for live racing, at least through the upcoming weekend, as a result of last week's order by the Los Angeles County Health Department in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. More than 1700 horses are stabled at Santa Anita Park and are cared for by more than 750 people who live and work at the track. A track press release said, "We will continue to work with county officials and health authorities to familiarize them with the protocols already in place and our plans to protect the health and safety of the community who works with the horses and calls Santa Anita home."
Santa Anita Park modifiest rack after horse deaths. It is the first significant change in 67 years. Horses running 6 and 6 1/2 furlongs will instead start on a new turf chute under construction at the racetrack's northeast corner, near the Gate 5 entrance. Santa Anita Park will host a short meet September 19-October 25, still without spectators due to the coronavirus. The racing board delayed the start of the meet to give the horses time to rest and to ensure its COVID-19 protocols were in place. County officials recorded 38 coronavirus cases at Santa Anita Park by the end of its previous meet in June.
Back on track. Santa Anita Park resumes racing today, still minus spectators and with several precautions. The last time there was racing was March 27, when the track was shut down by Los Angeles County Health Department to slow the spread of coronavirus. Some of the most important protocols include: restricted zone that will house jockeys, valets and essential personnel, all trainers, employees and essential racing personnel must wear face cloths covering their nose and mouth and practice social distancing, all trainers, employees and essential racing personnel must wear a race-day wristband signifying they passed the daily health screening.
Sounds of silence. Santa Anita Park like an old west ghost town as horses race without fans. No fans in attendance at the races yesterday due to the coronavirus COVID-19. Only media, owners, trainers, and essential personnel were in attendance. By Art Wilson.
Santa Anita Park looking for a brighter future. When Aidan Butler, Executive Director of California Racing Operations for The Stronach Group took over at Santa Anita about a year ago, he couldn't have envisioned the road blocks his first year--heavy rains that postponed opening day, the COVID-19 pandemic, recent brush fires that forced the fall meet to be postponed. He discusses the difficulties this year, the new turf chute and the future.
Stuck in the backstretch. At Santa Anita Park racetrack, coronavirus cuts off horse caretakers from the outside world More than 750 backstretch workers at Santa Anita Park now live and work in isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They sleep in worn dormitories, sometimes in pairs, tucked among the barns. New restrictions bar visitors. There is a sense of anxiety in the community about the novel Coronavirus and the future of their jobs. No cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus have been reported at Santa Anita Park, which ceased racing last month, but there isn't any proactive testing either. The worries have to do with the track being shut down, or trainers moving to other states and these workers having nowhere to work or stay. If they lose their jobs, they lose their medical benefits and will be struggling.
10 People in L.A. County test positive for COVID-19 every minute. Every minute, on average, 10 people in L.A. County test positive for COVID -19, and these 15,000 individuals who test positive each day were capable of infecting others for two days before they had any symptoms or knew they were positive, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Monday. At least 10-12% of people infected with the virus end up hospitalized at some point, and more than 1% of people diagnosed with COVID-19 end up dying.
Los Angeles County stores, worship services okay to open with restrictions on capacity, behavior, after weeks in a slow and cautious gear amid the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Los Angeles County's health order amended yesterday aligns itself with state guidance, allowing in-store retail sales and worship services that have gone silent since the initial shutdown on March 19.
Santa Anita Park ready to open 84th winter-spring meet with new turf course. The new turf chute will accommodate sprints up to 6 1/2 furlongs. Nate Newby is the new General Manager, who began as an intern in 2002. COVID-19 repercussions make it difficult to run the track but there have been no fatalities over Santa Anita's main track during afternoon racing in 2020, following a disastrous 2019, when 37 horses had to be euthanized.
Readers share hobbies started during the COVID-19 Pandemic and after, with columnist David Allen. Annick Downhower got hooked on streaming horse racing and reading blogs. She has returned to watching in-person racing at Santa Anita Park and continues to stream races on Fan Duel.
Santa Anita Park primed for historic day with Derby and Gold Cup, to run on the same day. The Santa Anita Derby was postponed from its original April 4 date because of coronavirus.
Arcadia assisted living facility Arcadia Retirement Village is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for alleged COVID-19 health violations including the timeliness in reporting Coronavirus-related deaths and not giving staff new, sanitary supplies.
Third horse in three days dies at Santa Anita Park, while animal rights activists continue to push for a nationwide ban on racing. The race horses were named Tikkun Olam, Uncontainable, and Harliss. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was given authority, in legislation backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, to suspend racing. Officials at Santa Anita Park released a statement reaffirming their commitment to horse safety. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, January 23, 2020.
Local officials launch West San Gabriel Valley vaccination hubs in Monterey Park, Arcadia, Temple City and Rosemead. COVID-19 vaccinations of the Moderna vaccine presented by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Herald Christian Health Center. See also "Individuals with underlying health conditions now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine" Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, March 18, 2021.