Linda Rice

Linda Rice saddled her 165th winner of 2023 to set the record for most victories in a year on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack. "It's a tough number to get to. I think about how we're starting over at one tomorrow," said Rice, with a laugh. "It's just been an incredible year. I'm really excited and I just hope we can do something that will compare going forward. That's a high bar to set." With George's Vice (Unified)'s win in Sunday's second race, Rice...

Tina Marie Bond, who previously served as co-vice president of the organization, has been elected to her first term as president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. "I am honored to be chosen as the next president of NYTHA," said Bond. "It is an important time for our industry and the future of horse racing. I look forward to working with NYRA and the New York breeders to continue the great work of keeping New York racing at the top of our industry. We have the best owners, the...

1st-Aqueduct, $82,450, Msw, 12-17, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.09, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. RECONCILE (f, 2, War Front--Welcoming {MSP, $179,812}, by Tapit) debuted as a 8-1 shot here. The gray filly seized the lead up the backstretch and kept to the task around the far turn. Accelerating past the eighth pole, the homebred won professionally by 1 1/2 lengths over Bourbon Serengeti (Distorted Humor). A half-sister to GIII Comley S. heroine Raging Sea (Curlin), the winner's dam produced a yearling filly by War Front and foaled a colt by Munnings May...

1st-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 12:20 p.m. ET. Charles Matses homebred GATE SONG (Arrogate) makes her first start for trainer Ned Allard. Out of SW Shannanies Song, she counts as half-siblings GII Summertime Oaks runner-up Bellamentary (Bellamy Road), GII Swale S. hero Favorable Outcome (Flatter), Dubai Group 3 stakes winner Mouheeb (Flatter) and GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Beguine (Gun Runner). Also making her first start is Robert Evans homebred Reconcile (War Front) for trainer Linda Rice. The gray filly's dam is a half-sister to GIII Comely S. heroine Raging...

It's been a remarkable year for trainer Linda Rice, who either won outright or tied for the lead at five straight meets at the NYRA tracks, and it might get even better. She entered the week with 157 wins at the three NYRA courses this year and needs just eight more to break the single-season record held by David Jacobson. Her stable has already amassed $10 million in earnings, a record for her barn, and $4.3 million more than her stable made last year. How has she done it? Those...

Linda Rice is having a career year, and is in a position to break the all-time annual win record in New York. After winning numerous training titles this year, she talks about what changes she made to propel her to the success she's having with Bill Finley and Randy Moss on this week's TDN Writers' Room.

Conditioner Linda Rice reports that Garland of Roses victress Hot Fudge (Liam's Map) has come out of her first stakes victory 'feeling great' after taking the listed eight days removed from visiting the winner's circle in an optional claimer. She is unbeaten since her return from a near six-month layoff, and her 2023 campaign has seen the filly take home five wins in seven starts. "That filly, we've had a few strange things happen with her when she was young, and then she had such a nice winter. We elected...

The candidates for the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) 2023 Board election were announced earlier last week. The NYTHA Board consists of the President, five Owner Directors and five Trainer or Trainer/Owner Directors. All seats on the Board come up for election every three years. This year, there are two candidates for President, twelve candidates for Owner/Director and nine candidates for Trainer/Trainer-Owner Director. The candidates are as follows: Tina Marie Bond (President), Chad Summers (President), Andrew Aaron (Owner/Director), Tom Bellhouse (Owner/Director), Kevin Brady (Owner/Director), Daniel Collins (Owner/Director), Matthew Cutair...

At a public meeting Oct. 3 of the New York State Gaming Commission, Chairman Brian O'Dwyer addressed concerns regarding wage issues involving prominent horse trainers and highlighted a partnership with the New York State Department of Labor to readily identify any licensees that are subjects of labor wage-related investigations, the commission said in a press release early Friday morning. New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "We remain dedicated to ensuring that hardworking New Yorkers receive wages they rightfully earned. I thank the New York Gaming Commission...

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) on Tuesday fined trainer Linda Rice $100,000 in a re-adjudication of her "improper practices" case that has persisted at the commission level and in the New York courts for more than two years. In 2021, the NYSGC fined Rice $50,000 and revoked her license for three years after investigating claims that Rice received favorable treatment from the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and that the racing office was releasing to her the names and past performances of horses that had already been entered...

In Yiddish, a mensch is a person who personifies integrity, morality, dignity and a sense of what is right and responsible. But mensch is more than just an old Yiddish adage, it is a word that best describes the managing partner of In Front Racing Stables, Howie Heiberger. Heiberger was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and that meant having Aqueduct as a beacon of fun and excitement just a few miles away. As a teenager in the late 70s, he and his friends would put forward the $1...

Trainer Linda Rice has been suspended 14 days and fined $2,000 by the New York State Gaming Commission after a filly under her care returned a positive test for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone following a 9 1/2-length win as the 4-5 favorite at Aqueduct Racetrack more than eight months ago. Rice has appealed the Sept. 28 ruling, so she has been granted a stay of those penalties pending a final resolution. The NYSGC also made it public on Friday that Rice will be appearing before the commission for a...