Meet suspended due to COVID-19 case

Lone Star Park near Dallas has temporarily suspended live racing after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement from a track spokeswoman. The track remains open for simulcasting.

Lone Star canceled after the first race Sunday, and on Monday a racing official said the following three cards, which were scheduled for Monday through Wednesday, had been canceled. Entries on those days also had been canceled.

“An employee who is involved in racing operations has tested positive for COVID-19,” Kym Koch Thompson, a spokeswoman for Lone Star, said in a statement sent to Daily Racing Form. “Out of an abundance of caution, live racing on Sunday, July 5, was suspended as soon as we were notified of the positive result. The employee has been placed on paid leave and instructed to self-quarantine until fully recovered. Racing operations will remain suspended until further notice.

“Close contact tracing and quarantining procedures are being executed to determine whether any additional individuals may have been exposed.”

Lone Star has disinfected areas where the individual might have come in contact, following deep-cleaning protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the statement.

Texas has seen a significant spike in coronavirus cases, and last week the state’s governor issued an order requiring masks to be worn in public. The policy has been in place at Lone Star.

Melancon positive for virus

Jockey Gerard Melancon said Monday he has tested positive for the coronavirus and is quarantining at home. He is based at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., but last rode at Lone Star Park.

Melancon, 53, traveled to town to ride Mocito Rojo in the $75,000 Lone Star Mile on June 28. He said after riding in Dallas he returned home and on June 29 “spiked a fever of 104 and had an ugly cough.”

“I had a headache – I never get a headache – and I called my doctor,” he said.

Melancon was tested for coronavirus on June 29, but later learned the results would not return for an extended period of time. He was able to take a “rapid test” on June 30, and it came back negative for coronavirus.

Melancon went to Evangeline to ride the July 1 card, but felt dizzy and took a shower.

“A lot of times, if you’re dehydrated you feel a little off,” he said. “But I was trying to put my jockey pants on and I couldn’t stand up on one leg. I went to the ambulance.”

Melancon said he did not have a temperature and his blood pressure was normal, but an EKG read as if he was having a heart attack. He was sent to the local hospital, which ultimately diagnosed him with an acute case of pneumonia.

Melancon began antibiotics, recovered, and wanted to resume riding July 3. He asked his doctor for guidance and was able to take another coronavirus test, which came back positive. He’s since been quarantined at home and has been prescribed both antibiotics and hydroxychloroquine.

“I don’t know if I picked it up in Dallas,” he said. “I never had a symptom since [June 29]. Other than being dizzy, I’ve had no fever, no headache.”

Melancon hopes to resume riding in the next two weeks, when he’s cleared by his doctors.

Chris Warren, director of racing with Evangeline, said the track places riders coming into the colony in a separate area as part of protocols in place during the current pandemic. There has been no disruption of racing at Evangeline.