Sharpe excited about racing resumption
Published:Saturday | June 20, 2020 | 12:18 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited Chairman Solomon Sharpe says he is expecting excitement on the resumption of racing at Caymanas Park, with 11 races today.
Racing will take place at the park for the first time since March 21 after the industry was shut down almost four months ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think that they should be competitive races, and, therefore, we are expecting a lot of excitement,” Sharpe said.
This will be the first time in three years that punters and owners who do not have any horses competing on the race days will be asked to pay a fee to enter the track, with the cost to get in at the North Lounge being $1,500, Reserved Area $1,000, Grandstand $1,000, and the bleachers $300.
Sharpe said that his company would be taking a serious approach to the restart of the racing because anyone who breaches any of the protocols would be penalised.
He also said that everyone who enters the park today will be subject to a temperature test while they will also be asked to wear a mask on the property.
“We are very excited, but cautious given the whole new normal of dealing with COVID-19 and trying to make sure that we grasp all the things and dot all the Is and cross all the Ts,” Sharpe said.
“It is not business as usual because we would have preferred not to charge anybody to get in or implement any new measures, but when life presents certain things to you, then you have to adjust accordingly.
“The horsemen are very happy and ready to go because there were a lot of gallops on the weekend during exercise, so things are looking up.”