Del Mar Cancels Weekend Racing

[Wandering Eyes]

Del Mar has cancelled its weekend racing–scheduled to run Friday through Sunday–as a result of multiple jockeys testing positive for COVID-19, according to a report in Daily Racing Form.

Citing an unnamed official, DRF reports that the decision to cancel the weekend racing was made in conjunction with San Diego public health officials, and the track intends to resume racing July 24.

This development comes after five jockeys–Flavien Prat, Victor Espinoza, Eduard Rojas Fernandez, Luis Saez and Martin Garcia–who rode at Los Alamitos over the July 4 weekend subsequently tested positive for the virus.

When racing resumed at Del Mar July 10, it did so with different restrictions regarding jockey COVID protocols than what had been instituted at Santa Anita to tackle spread of the virus. For example, jockeys weren’t mandated to be tested prior to riding over a weekend, as Santa Anita required.

That decision was reversed last Sunday, when Del Mar announced that before racing resumed this Friday, the track would test all jockeys and jockeys’ room personnel.

One of the jockeys to have tested positive is Umberto Rispoli, who Tweeted Wednesday, “I’m feeling more than well, quarantined, and looking forward to comeback stronger than before.”

Unlike Santa Anita, Del Mar initially permitted jockeys and their agents onto the backstretch during morning training. A Del Mar spokesperson told the TDN Monday that jockeys had since been barred from the backstretch. “Possible we may not allow riders to ship in or out of town,” the spokesperson wrote.

This weekend’s card was scheduled to include the GII San Diego H. and the GII Eddie Read S.

This story will be updated.

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