Racing Industry Almost Back to Normal

With a few exceptions, horse racing throughout the United States went on as scheduled Thursday after a virtual two-day shutdown brought on by the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Only Belmont Park and Meadowlands, both of which are being used as emergency staging areas, will remain closed through Friday. The New York Racing Association took entries as planned for Belmont's Saturday program, and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority said Thursday live racing and simulcasting will resume Saturday at Meadowlands.

The stable area at Meadowlands has remained open, and regular training hours resumed Thursday. In response to a request from Verizon Wireless to set up a temporary cellular site to assist with the recovery efforts, a truck with an 80-foot antenna was be positioned at the sports complex, from which the New York City skyline is visible.

Daily Racing Form, whose headquarters are located in proximity to the destroyed World Trade Center towers in Manhattan, was able to publish a Thursday print edition in California; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Seattle, Wash., and more widely distributed editions for Friday. The past performances were missing some of the usual Form features because of limited capability brought on by the disaster, editor Steve Crist said.

The regular features will return when the DRF staff is permitted to return to its headquarters. Regional offices and print sites are carrying the load for now.