Belmont

Legislation has now been introduced in both houses of the New York State Legislature that, if passed, would provide NYRA with the statutory authority to access $450 million in New York State-backed bonds to finance the construction of a new racing facility at Belmont Park. The project would include the construction of a new building to replace the current grandstand and clubhouse; the reconstruction of the main track and both turf courses; and the installation of a synthetic track to be used for winter racing. NYRA would pay all debt...

In Global Views, Godolphin Flying Start trainees provide insight into practices experienced and observations taken on their worldwide travels. First-year trainee Margaux Herinckx discusses the challenges of growing American turf racing. As many in the American Thoroughbred industry will be quick to tell you, the most coveted prize of all for owners, breeders and trainers alike remains the GI Kentucky Derby, run on a surface synonymous with the U.S. racing scene: dirt. Since its inception in 1875, winners of the Derby--think Seattle Slew, Secretariat, Unbridled and Sunday Silence to name...

The New York Racing Association will hold a series of jobs fairs to fill temporary employment positions in support of the 2022 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which will take place at Belmont Park from Thursday, June 9 to Saturday, June 11. To fill the approximately 700 temporary positions required to support the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival operation, NYRA will hold three job fairs at Belmont Park from May 12 to May 14 to hire betting clerks, white caps, cashiers, hospitality team members, ticket scanners, program sellers, ushers and supervisors. Betting...

4th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 2:41 p.m. Shadwell Stable went to $1.6 million to acquire SAHLABIYA (Medaglia d'Oro) at Keeneland September and she debuts in this spot for trainer Chad Brown. The bay is a half-sister to GSW Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy), himself a $1.1-million KEESEP buy. Brown also unveils Bobby Flay homebred Contemporary Art (Dubawi {Ire}). She is out of GSW Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who is a daughter of MG1SW Misty For Me (Ire) (Falileo {Ire}). That Coolmore blue hen is also the dam of European...

The recently concluded 15-day spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack generated $115,750,073 in all-sources handle, a 35.5 percent increase over the 11-day spring meet held in 2021, according to The New York Racing Association, Inc. Wednesday. On-track handle for the 2022 Aqueduct spring meet, which includes wagering from New York State residents utilizing NYRA Bets, was $11,332,663. The 2021 Aqueduct spring meet, which was conducted without fans in attendance, saw on-track handle of $5,734,531. Average daily handle for the spring meet was $7,716,672 compared with $7,765,368 in 2021. The 2022 Aqueduct...

Judge O. Peter Sherwood, the retired New York Supreme Court justice who served as the hearing officer in NYRA's dispute with Bob Baffert, has issued his report, recommending that Baffert receive a two-year suspension. "NYRA has reasonably concluded that it will not condone Baffert's reckless practices, outrageous behavior and substance violations, each of which compromises the integrity of the sport," Sherwood wrote. "I conclude that NYRA has reasonably determined that he should be excluded from the Racetracks for a lengthy period." The report has been sent to a three-person panel...

Edited Press Release The New York Racing Association Inc (NYRA) has announced that Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting on live race days during the upcoming Belmont Park spring/summer meet, which begins Apr. 28 and continues through July 10 Beginning Thursday, Apr. 28, fans can access the second floor of Aqueduct to watch and wager on racing action from Belmont Park and tracks across the country. In accordance with the live racing schedule at Belmont, Aqueduct will be open for simulcasting Thursday through Sunday, apart from certain holiday weekends...

Former jockey Julio Pezua, winner of over 1,300 races, was injured last week in a spill at Belmont Park. The 65-year-old suffered several fractured vertebrae in his neck, requiring surgery, and is still hospitalized on Long Island. Starting his American riding career at Calder in 1985, Pezua won several graded races, including the 1987 GI Manhattan S. and 1992 GI Met Mile. Since his retirement from riding races, he has remained at Belmont as an exercise and breeze rider. Owner Aron Yagoda started a Gofundme to raise money for Pezua's...

Citing Section 910 of the New York Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) has announced that it will honor the 90-day suspension handed down to trainer Bob Baffert and that the conditioner is "prohibited from participating in any New York State horse racing activity through at least July 2, 2022." Section 910 reads: "§ 910. Reciprocity of licenses. All license denials, suspensions and revocations imposed by the pertinent racing and gambling authorities of other jurisdictions, including states, United States territories, and Canadian provinces...

With a 60% majority of New York-bred foals now sired by out-of-state stallions, the board of directors for the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund (NYTBDF) is reaching out to the state's stallion owners to try and spark incentivization ideas that might swing that balance back toward in-state sires. Chief among the concepts that have the most traction so far are 1) recalculating the splits of the fund so that more money flows to stallion owners; and 2) changing rules at tracks so that eligibility in New York-bred races...

Six trainers, including Wayne Potts and Juan Vazquez, have been informed by NYRA officials that they will no longer be allowed to stable at Belmont Park and that their horses must be off the grounds by Wednesday. However, all six will still be permitted to race at the NYRA tracks, at least for the time being. The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening. NYRA's decision to not outright ban the trainers stems from a ruling issued in the Bob Baffert matter last July by the...

Without any public discussion among commissioners and in quick succession by unanimous voice vote, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) Monday enacted a new rule designed to keep jockeys from stalling via filing appeals to get out of serving riding suspensions during the lucrative Saratoga Race Course meet. In similarly brisk fashion, the NYSGC also set into motion Feb. 28 the advancement of a proposed regulation to lift controversial pari-mutuel restrictions related to married jockeys competing in the same race. This measure must come back for a final vote...