Turf Paradise has rescheduled its opening day to the day after Thanksgiving, Friday November 27.
 
Originally the 133-day live meet had been scheduled to run from October 17-May 1, 2021. The new schedule will run from Nov. 27-May 1, for 110 live race days.
 
“We are hoping that by opening later the Coronavirus situation will settle down in Arizona,” said track general manager Vincent Francia. “Regardless we will have health protocols in place when the meet opens.”
 
Francia added, “We are working with AZHBPA president Bob Hutton as to a date when the horses can begin to arrive in the stable area.”

In what will surely go down in racing annals as a “most unusual” year, the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, will now be the first leg of the famed series when run on Saturday, June 20. In addition, this year’s Belmont Stakes will be run at 1 1/8 miles and not at its usual distance of 1 ½ miles.
 
The Triple Crown will continue following the Belmont Stakes with the Kentucky Derby, September 5 and the Preakness Stakes October 3. It’s a juxtaposed Triple Crown due to the impact of the Coronavirus.
 
In addition to the $1,000,000 Belmont, five other stakes will be on the card, including the $300,000 Acorn, the Jaipur and Wood Stephens, each worth $250,000 and two stakes of $150,000 each, The Pennine Ridge and Wonder Again.
 
Early bird wagering on track will open at 8:00 am.  Belmont Park’s first race is 8:45 am (MST). The Belmont Stakes will go as the 10th of 12 races with a post time of 2:42 pm (MST).
 

Turf Paradise Race Course announced its plans for a 133-day live race meet to start October 30 and to run thru May 5, 2021.
 
Racing will be conducted primarily on a 5-day a week schedule, Saturday thru Wednesday. Live racing will also be conducted on the following Fridays: Opening Day, October 30; first day of Breeders’ Cup, November 6; the day after Thanksgiving, November 27 and Kentucky Oaks day, April 30.
 
Post time will be 12:40 pm.

SIMULCAST TRACKS FOR JUNE
 
ARAPAHOE PARK, ASSINIBOIA,BELMONT PARK, BELTERRA PARK, CANTERBURY, CHARLES TOWN, CHURCHILL DOWNS, DELAWARE PARK, DELTA DOWNS, EMERALD DOWNS, EVANGELINE DOWNS, FAIR MEADOWS, FAIRMOUNT PARK, FORT ERIE, GRANTS PASS, INDIANA GRAND, LONE STAR PARK, LOUISIANA DOWNS, LOS ALAMITOS, MOUNTAINEER, RUIDOSO DOWNS, THISTLEDOWN, WOODBINE, AUSTRALIA.
 
 
OTBs OPEN AS OF JUNE 5
 
AMERICAN LEGION, ANTELOPE LANES, APACHE GREYHOUND, ARENA SPORTS, ARMADILLO GRILL (BRENDA’S INFERN0), AZOOL GRILL, BEVVY, BLEACHERS, BOSTON’S, BROOKSIDE BAR, CASEY JONES, GALLAGHER'S BASELINE, GALLAGHERS’S 16TH STREET, HAROLD’S, JJ MADISON, K O’DONNELL’S, MAX’S SPORTS BAR, O’KELLY’S, PADRE MURPHY’S, QUALITY INN (LAKE HAVASU), ROMAN’S COUNTY LINE, ROMAN’S OASIS, R.T.O. SULLIVAN’S (Scottsdale & Mesa), SHOWCASE,
STINGERS, TAVERN GRILL, THE BURG, THE IVY, THE NEST, THIRD BASE.
 
IN TUCSON
FAMOUS SAM’S EAST, MIDTOWN TAVERN, OLD FATHER INN,
TUCSON GREYHOUND PARK,

Belmont Park’s opening day on June 3 will be simulcast Wednesday at Turf Paradise and at its 25 OTB sites in the Valley and in Tucson. Belmont’s first of ten races gets under way at 10:15 am (MST). On track will open at 9:30 am.
 
In addition to Belmont Park, simulcast wagering will also be available on Lone Star Park.
 
Because of Governor’s Ducey’s curfew of 8:00 pm currently in effect all OTBs will close at 7:00 pm.
 
In addition to the 25 OTBs already operating the following will come on line with their opening days and towns in parenthesis: Quality Inn & Suites (June 3, Lake Havasu); Third Base (June 4, Chandler); Apache Junction Greyhound Park (June 5, Apache Junction); Max’s Sports Bar (June 5, Glendale); Roman’s Oasis (June 5, Goodyear).

 Turf Paradise and OTBs to Open for Simulcasting, Saturday, May 23

Turf Paradise Race Course and 25 OTBs will open for simulcasting Saturday, May 23. The track and OTB system have been dark since March 14 when Arizona shutdown of businesses due to the Coronavirus went into effect.

Simulcasting will be offered Thursday thru Sunday. However, the OTBs will be open for simulcasting Memorial Day Monday the 25th. Early Bird wagering on-track will start at 9:30 am. Additional simulcast days will be added as the summer progresses and more track come on line.

On track at Turf, wagering will take place on the first floor of the Grandstand. Social distancing and other health protocols will be in effect. 

The 25 OTBs will offer tellers as well as self-service machines, if social distancing allows. Health safety protocols will also be followed at the OTBs.

The 25 OTBs scheduled to open May 23 are: Harold’s (Cave Creek); two sites in Chandler, The Ivy  and Copper Still;  three sites in Mesa, R.T.O’Sullivan’s, O’Kelley’s and JJ Madison; three sites in Scottsdale, K O’Donnell’s, Tavern Grill and R.T. O’Sullivan’s; nine sites in Phoenix, Padre Murphy’s, Arena Sports, Roman’s County Line, Armadillo Grill, Azool Grill, Casey Jones, The Burg, Gallagher’s Baseline and Gallagher’s 16th Street; in Surprise, the Brookside Bar; in Prescott Valley Antelope Lanes and in Tempe Boston’s Bar.

Apache Greyhound Park (Apache Junction) and Max’s Sports Bar (Phoenix) OTBs will open June 5.

In addition four OTBs will be open in Tucson: Tucson Greyhound Park, Famous Sam’s East, Midtown Tavern and Old Father Inn.

Other OTBs will be added in the coming weeks.

Simulcast tracks featured in May will be Churchill Downs, Charlestown, Los Alamitos, Assiniboia, Will Rogers, Fonner Park, Ruidoso Down and Mountaineer Park.

In June additional tracks, such as Belmont Park, Charlestown, Louisiana Downs, Indiana Grand and Emerald Downs, will join the schedule.

A request has been put in with the Department of Racing to simulcast Monarch tracks, such as Santa Anita, Del Mar, Gulfstream Park, etc.

Jerry Simms, owner of Turf Paradise Race Course, has donated $1 million to the Arizona Coronavirus Relief Fund.
 
The fund, part of the Arizona Together initiative established by Governor Doug Ducey, provides financial support for organizations working to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, including funding of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline medical personnel, supporting non-profit organizations that help vulnerable Arizonans through food banks, homeless shelters and domestic violence facilities, among other services.
 
“We all have to do our part in fighting this virus,” said Simms, who has owned the race track for 20 years. “I’m happy I’m able to do mine.”
 
Governor Doug Ducey expressed his thanks in a statement to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

“Businesses throughout the state have done tremendous work to help ensure Arizona comes out on the other side of COVID-19 stronger than ever,” said Governor Ducey. “This generous contribution from Jerry Simms will help our medical professionals and vulnerable populations amid this health emergency. Thank you to Jerry and all our community partners who are stepping up to help others.”
 
Turf Paradise has called Arizona home for more than 50 years and has a long history of contributing to community efforts such as UCP of Central Arizona, and the Glendale Union High School District.
 
Recently, Turf Paradise also donated $25,000 worth of food to the Saint Mary’s Food Bank.
 
Turf Paradise first opened in 1956 as Arizona’s first sport’s franchise. Its racing season was cut short and has been closed since March 14 because of the Coronavirus. Live racing is expected to return in the fall pending direction from Governor Ducey and state health officials.

Today (Tuesday, March 17) Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego ordered all bars and restaurants in the City to close until April 1 due to the Coronavirus. This, of course, affects all of Turf Paradise’s OTBs as well as the track itself, since the track and over 40 OTBs are located in Phoenix’s jurisdiction. Other cities where OTBs are located have followed suit. Therefore all Turf Paradise OTBs will be closed along with the Clubhouse until further notice.