Turf, fans, jockeys bet on a safe ride
Strict COVID protocols in place as racing resumes
Around 50-60 people sat inside the ground floor of the Turf Paradise grandstand on a recent Friday afternoon, looking at pamphlets to see which horses they might place bets on.
The smattering of fans anxiously held tickets, glued to televisions at individual tables or in stands, waiting for the next race and a chance to cash in, while others watched just for fun.
But the trackside scene had some obvious differences. Race fans wore masks. And the crowd was a fraction of what it normally is at Turf. None of the usual amenities were available.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a few thousand fans
might have crowded the Phoenix track for an afternoon of racing, featuring eight daily races. Not on this day. The most allowed inside Turf Paradise is about 150 people. About 50 to 60 or so have been attending on average since racing resumed last month, according to general manager Vincent Francia.
Protocols also are in place for track personnel, including jockeys, horse handlers and other workers.
“We had to truly break down each of these groups and really get into how we can protect each of them,” he said. “It is essential for us to protect everyone involved in the best possible manner.”
Turf Paradise, located on 19th Avenue and just south of Bell Road in Phoenix, opened in 1956 at time when there were few other live sports alternatives in the Valley when compared to today. It has been featuring live horse racing ever since, supported by legal wagering as well as casual racing fans.
The track averaged 2,200 in daily attendance, and about 200,000 total for the last full season of racing prior to the pandemic, Francia said.
But the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact was swift last year. The track was forced to close operations from March to January.
When racing returned Jan. 4, protocols were set in place for horse handlers, jockeys and fans for the 84 days of live racing currently underway. Races are held Monday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For fans, the mask mandate isn’t the only rule. Viewing areas now are limited to the ground floor of the grandstand, which open to the outside areas near where the horses gallop by. Even then, social distancing measures are in place. A few tables are available.
Francia said the goal is to “keep the amount of people in any area to a minimum” thus closing off rows of seats attached to each other inside the ground floor, while offering multiple windows at which to bet so people aren’t force to gather close together.
Amenities such as the clubhouse, Turf Club, and Director’s Suite are closed off, with just stands and few tables outside to catch the action.
Because of the limitations, Turf Paradise has not been promoting in-person daily races as in the past.
“We are not promoting ourselves to the outside world,” Francia said. “No advertising, marketing or promotion or anything like that due to limitations we have.”
Turf Paradise is allowed under state law to simulcast live races to off-track betting locations in Arizona.
Jockeys hit by pandemic
The group that was hit the hardest by COVID were the jockeys. These riders are freelancers that are allowed to race at different tracks, but that movement was limited because of the pandemic last year, and other mandates imposed where jockeys could race.
“With COVID, we couldn’t travel freely with so many stipulations that we had to quarantine for 14 days and sometimes after those days, and have a negative test, they would not let us ride,” said Scott Stevens, a jockey since 1976 with 5,000 wins in his career. “I have rode for 45 years and this last year was the least amount of horses I ever rode.”
Last March 14, riders were told to look for places to ride elsewhere. They were left wondering whether Turf Paradise would reopen, according to Stevens.
When Turf announced its intention to reopen, it caused an increase in the number of jockeys coming to Arizona, he said, because other tracks in New Mexico and California remained closed. Turf, in response, required jockeys to declare whether they would ride at Turf by Dec. 26.
Jockeys are adjusting to new protocols.
When they arrive an hour early to race, the first thing they do is get their temperatures checked. If cleared, they put a wristband on that allows people to track which rider is there and when they leave.
Finally, when they finish their final race of the day, they are asked to leave as soon as possible — no lingering and interacting like in the past.
“Most of us were used to it from where we rode this summer,” Stevens said. “This is a little different given the amount of riders that are here, with over 70 different riders. We are in a small area but they spaced out the boxes and took the lounge area with TVs and pool table (out) for more boxes. There are fans in the stands, as well, which is unique because in the other places they weren’t allowed to come.”