The horse racing world like all other areas of society continues to make changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health crisis. Most racetracks currently operating are doing so without spectators, and have instituted strict safety screening protocols for essential employees who are already on the grounds to provide daily care for horses. Charities are ramping up services to help track workers during these hard times, including the Race Track Chaplaincy, New York Division, while many other organizations including the Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation are redirecting resources to support medical efforts to combat the spread of the virus and support backstretch workers. (All proceeds from the Old Smoke T-shirt on sale below will go to the TJC Safety Net Foundation.)

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The upcoming week marks the opening of the elite Saratoga Race Course meet in upstate New York on Thursday, July 16 and is highlighted by the 53^rd running of the TVG.com Haskell Stakes on Saturday, July 18 at Monmouth Park. This year’s Haskell has the distinction of serving both as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7 at Keeneland and as a qualifying points prep for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs.

The Haskell will be broadcast live Saturday on NBC from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern as part of their Breeders’ Cup "Win and You're In" series. NBC's show will be led by Ahmed Fareed and Randy Moss from the network's broadcast center, with analyst and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Baily and handicapper Eddie Olczyk appearing remotely and reporters/analysts Matt Bernier and Britney Eurton on-site at Monmouth Park. The hour-long show will also broadcast the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes.

Saratoga’s meet, which will be held without spectators, will be covered in its entirety on the Fox Sports show "Saratoga Live." Opening day on Thursday, July 16, features the Peter Pan Stakes, which this year serves as a qualifying points prep for the Kentucky Derby. Air times for "Saratoga Live" are on either FS1 or FS2 according to the schedule below. The show will also air on MSG+ and on regional Fox outlets Prime Ticket and Fox Sports San Diego – check NYRA’s website for those dates and times.

Also, TVG continues its usual schedule of broadcasting live racing from tracks around the country including comprehensive coverage of Del Mar's meet in California.

On Thursday, July 16, America’s Best Racing continues its live-streaming program in partnership with Woodbine focusing on Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing at the Ontario track, a favorite venue for horseplayers. "Woodbine Live" is hosted by ABR’s Dan Tordjman along with Ashley Mailloux and Emily Gullikson and will be shown on ABR’s Facebook Live and Twitter pages. The live-streaming show coincides with Woodbine’s own "Racing Night Live" program, which is available for viewing on The Sports Network (TSN) in Canada and in the U.S. will be shown on ABR’s YouTube channel.

Also on Thursday, ABR presents "Betting After Dark" after the Woodbine programs. The show features gambling analysis from sports bettor Anita Marks and horse racing analyst Ashley Mailloux. Anita and Ashley will be taking a look at the action coming up on Saturday at Saratoga and Monmouth Park. It will be livestreamed on YouTube starting at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET.

On Saturday, ABR and Breeders' Cup will launch a new streaming show, "Breeders' Cup Live." The show, hosted by Dan Tordjman and Ren Carothers, will present streaming coverage of Breeders' Cup Challenge Series action and the Road to the Breeders' Cup Classic. Guests will include handicappers, analysts, jockeys and other racing personalities. "Breeders' Cup Live" streams on the Breeders' Cup World Championships Facebook Live and Twitter pages.

A don’t-miss highlight of this weekend’s radio coverage is "The Winner’s Circle," America’s Best Racing’s podcast presented by NYRA Bets. The show, hosted by Bram Weinstein, airs at 10 a.m. ET on Saturdays through Nov. 7 on SB Nation Radio. Subscribe to "The Winner's Circle" on Apple Podcasts to listen to archived episodes.

Guests for the July 18 "Winner's Circle" podcast are Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza and Ken McPeek, trainer of recent Toyota Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Swiss Skydiver.

Here’s a rundown of television and radio coverage for the upcoming weekend.

TV/Livestream Schedule

Note: All times listed are Eastern

Radio Schedule

Note: All times listed are Eastern