It is estimated that after a conference call at noon today with the NYS Gaming Commission officials , reps of Yonkers MGM and the SOA of NY, a new plan of operation will be presented to the NYSGC by Yonkers MGM and agreed to by the SOA of NY.
That new plan will omit the previous mandatory sole requirement for a positive antibody test as a requirement to participation at Yonkers.
The new plan is being submitted today to the NYS Gaming Commission.
Much work on this revison has been done by the SOA of NY and many of its directors, our legal counsel and many of our members. The SOA first VP Peter Venaglia, director Chris wittstruck, Ray Schnittker and Jordan Stratton devoted much time and attention to restoring, as close to near normalcy, our road back, in lock step with the other operating tracks.
Additional recognition must be given to Mark Ford, Mark Krouse, Linda Toscano and Cory Stratton for thier aid and willingness to lend unselfish support to the SOA’s efforts on your behalf.
Lastly the concerns of Assembly Racing Committee Chair Gray Pretlow and his Senate counterpart Joseph Addabbo, aided our efforts on behalf of all horsemen. It is deeply appreciated.
Specific recognition must be given to the NYSGC for its leadership in solving this problem.
The first two weeks of rcaing shall see 3 days of racing with 4 days for the next two weeks folowed by a 5 day a week schedule from then on depending on the sustainability of the underpaid purse account.
Horesemen will be required to present fever free, respond to a questionnaire re corona virus and observe social distancing,scrutinized by the track and under increased monitoring by the SOA of NY. Please cooperate and don’t let the progress made by all those noted above be wasted because you think the social distancing is not important.
It must be observed so we don’t slip back into more restrictive requirements.
Thank you for your patience in this struggle and please cooperate with all requirements.
Joe Faraldo