By Allison Perrine
OCEANPORT – Things were a bit different this year for racing fans who attended the opening weekend of the 2020 Monmouth Park racing season.
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, multiple safety and social distancing guidelines were put in place to keep the park as safe as possible for all who visited. But for the most part, those who did attend were happy to be there, said Dennis Drazin, CEO of Darby Development, the operator of Monmouth Park.
“All in all, considering that we expected to start the season with zero fans, it was rewarding to be able to let our horsemen and the customers come in,” said Drazin.
It took several months to prepare Monmouth Park and its 300-acre property for opening weekend. According to Drazin, Monmouth Park received permission from the state to bring horses back June 1. To do that, representatives had to set up “extensive protocols” to ensure that only essential personnel were admitted into the track, with temperature checks and tests conducted before they were allowed on the grounds. That still stands today for racing fans; anyone whose temperature is too high will not be permitted in the park.
“It was a process where we, as opposed to other tracks around the country, wanted to make sure we didn’t have positives,” Drazin said of COVID-19 cases. “We were opening June 1 for horses whereas most of the tracks already had their horse community there, and so they already had a number of positives.”
From there, horses were prepared and trained leading up to opening weekend. The plan was at first to start the season with a sufficient number of horses ready for the 2020 racing season, but no fans. However, that changed a few weeks ago when the Gov. Phil Murphy’s office gave permission to reopen with fans.
By opening day, the park was allowed about 3,000 patrons, Drazin said. The facility would typically hold about 61,000 before the pandemic, including indoor and outdoor space. Staff members tracked visitors going in and out to ensure that the facility did not exceed capacity. But they were “well under” the limits, said Drazin.
“A lot of people didn’t show because they were afraid they’d be turned away,” he said, including people from North Jersey who might have come otherwise. “I think it was very well done in terms of trying to social distance and protect the public. As I looked out over the facility over the three-day period, certainly on Friday and Sunday you couldn’t even tell people were there.”
People were spread out outdoors at the track. In the picnic area, tables were placed 18 feet apart. Surfaces were sanitized regularly, including machines that were wiped down every two hours. Plexiglass guards were erected to separate the tellers selling tickets and the public. One person was allowed in the restroom at a time.
And most people kept their masks on, Drazin said. A few removed their masks throughout the weekend but staff members were there to remind them to put the masks back on, said Drazin.
“We were trying to encourage our jockeys, for example, that even though they might know fans or fans want to come up and greet them, we have to remember social distancing,” he said. “We have to keep the masks on. We can’t violate the rules.”
Additionally, horse owners were not allowed in the paddock as usual or the winner’s circle. Some people were unhappy about those changes, Drazin said, but it’s important to follow the rules. However, for the most part, things ran smoothly and attendees were happy.
Looking ahead, Drazin plans to break up how people are brought into the facility through different gates. During opening weekend, fans were permitted to enter through the main grandstand or clubhouse entrances. It will be more costly to have screenings in multiple locations, but he feels it will make people feel more comfortable.
“We’re trying to save lives and we’re trying to protect people. Even if you’re young and healthy, you can bring it home to an older parent or grandparent and put them at risk,” said Drazin. “We need to be as strict as we can; we can’t look the other way and give somebody a pass.”
The article originally appeared in the July 9 – 15, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
