La Plata: The Conflict Persists, and There Were No Track This Friday

On Thursday, La Plata's turf community protests at Provincial Lottery office, but was not heard; owners concerned over inability to work horses

La Plata tracks closed for the third consecutive day this friday / ARIEL FITZSIMONS

The conflict between La Plata's racetrack and the jockeys and riders shows no signs of resolution. Tensions remain high after a march on Thursday to the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos, where the professionals were unable to meet with its President, Gonzalo Atanasof, who was in Buenos Aires for other matters.

“We were given a meeting date for next Tuesday,” one of the key figures involved in the protest shared, but this did little to appease the demonstrators. Meanwhile, for the third consecutive day on Friday, no horses could be worked at the Bosque racetrack, prompting growing concerns among trainers and owners about the well-being of their horses and the delay in their training.

“I have horses in La Plata, and all this is delaying their training. They’re even facing issues inside the box due to not being able to train. If the situation continues, I’ll have to decide what course of action to take,” explained a prominent owner from the south, who preferred to remain anonymous.

As previously reported, the jockeys and riders filed a formal complaint with the La Plata Racetrack Administration requesting improved medical attention in case of accidents, following the ordeal faced by apprentice Juan I. Pintos after his fall last Sunday.

On Monday, Francisco Leandro announced he would no longer race at the La Plata track until the situation was resolved, showing solidarity with his colleagues, and from that point, the conflict escalated into an ongoing dispute.

The La Plata racetrack has stated that it will request mandatory conciliation through the Provincial Ministry of Labor, but if the situation remains unresolved by today, it seems unlikely that races will be held this Sunday as scheduled. The situation could also extend to a potential ban on working horses over the weekend, which would make the issue even more concerning from every perspective.