National Thoroughbred Racing Association

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) named John Stewart's Resolute Racing as a title sponsor of the 54th Annual Eclipse Awards, which will be held on Thursday, January 23, at The Breakers Palm Beach, the organization said in a press release on Wednesday morning. The multi-year partnership between the NTRA and Resolute will include not only the title sponsorship of the awards ceremony, but also the event's after party. "I love this sport because it demands excellence," said John Stewart, president and CEO of Resolute Racing. "As we at Resolute...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) will host an Eclipse Awards Charity Golf Tournament, which will directly benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), on Thursday Jan. 23 in advance of the 54th Annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, the organization said in a Wednesday press release. The NTRA will match proceeds to make a contribution to the TAA on behalf of the Thoroughbred racing industry and intends to make a presentation on the red carpet at the awards ceremony. The tournament will be held at the Ocean Course at the Breakers Palm...

David Erwin of Charlottesville, Virginia took home the grand prize of this year's Beat Byk NHC Challenge, earning his first-ever berth to the National Horseplayers Championship next March. This year's contest drew more than 12,000 entries throughout the eight weeks of competition, which saw entrants "Beat Byk" 14 out of 17 times. The Beat Byk final qualifier Sept. 14 had 918 individuals who played for the winning ticket. "I've been trying to qualify for the NHC for a few years, but I do not have time to put the work...

In 2009 when Tom Rooney joined the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida's 17th Congressional District--a Southwest portion of the Sunshine State--he assumed passage of a bill to permanently ban the commercial slaughter of horses, along with their export for such purposes, was a slam dunk. "I did not think that this was going to be a controversial issue," said Rooney, now the president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). "It immediately became one of the most contentious, where I was like, 'yeah, I oppose horse slaughter...

Todd Gralla, principal at Populous, will be the keynote speaker at the 72nd annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, which will be held Aug. 1 at the Excelsior Springs Event Center in Saratoga Springs. Populous is a global design firm that focuses on sports and entertainment, from stadiums and arenas to event spaces and urban environments. Gralla will discuss cutting-edge racetrack projects around the globe and he will provide a look into the redesign of Belmont Park, which attempts to integrate modern technology into racetrack operations, while...

The "Beat Byk NHC Challenge" will return this summer as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Steve Byk, host of the Thoroughbred radio news magazine "At the Races" on Sirius XM, partner to send one NHC Tour member to Las Vegas to compete in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) next March. Now in its sixth season, the "Beat Byk NHC Challenge" will be held July 11 through Sept. 2. Each Thursday, Byk will select the weekend stakes races to comprise that week's promotion and announce them on "At the...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has launched "Today in Thoroughbred Racing History" to highlight noteworthy moments and accomplishments in the sport from the last two centuries. The NTRA.com website will automatically update daily with rotating historical events that happened on the current date. The events will also be highlighted across all of the organization's social media platforms. "As America's oldest sport, it's important to take a step back and always remember where we came from," said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. "Like so many other families involved in horse...

With a 34 to 25 vote on Thursday, May 23, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which will allocate up to $5 million in grants for equine therapy under the Veterans Affairs (VA) Adaptive Sports Program, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association said in a press release on Friday. The initiative, led by Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) and the NTRA, will award grants by the VA to eligible organizations to plan, develop, manage and implement equine therapy programs for...

Nominations are now open for the 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. The nomination period concludes July 15. The awards, sponsored by Godolphin, in association with The Jockey Club, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and the Breeders' Cup, offers cash prizes totaling $122,000 to be presented to winners and two finalists in a total of seven categories, as well as monetary awards going to two runners-up. The awards are the Dr. J. David "Doc" Richardson Community Award, Katherine McKee Administration Award, Dedication to...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has launched a national campaign, Safety Runs First, and a new corresponding website to promote the sport's commitment to safety, welfare and integrity. The campaign and website, safetyrunsfirst.com, are designed to be a continuing, long-term resource for the public as the racing industry furthers its investment in programs and resources to help reduce injury risk and enhance the safety of its athletes. The website highlights reforms being implemented in the sport and their results to date, including the impacts of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has been named the official charity partner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's National Horseplayers Championship, which will take place at the Horseshoe Las Vegas Hotel and Casino Mar. 14-17. Throughout the weekend, TAA will have a booth set up where horseplayers are encouraged to stop by and learn more about accredited aftercare. Branded merchandise will be available in exchange for a donation and there will be an opportunity to donate and enter for a chance to win various prizes. Winning prizes include a table for...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) has launched #LoveofTheHorse, a social media promotion in conjunction with the 53rd annual Eclipse Awards. The promotion encourages fans and enthusiasts to share photos of themselves that demonstrate their connection and love of the equine. Participants are encouraged to use the hashtags #LoveOfTheHorse and #EclipseAwards and tag NTRA on Facebook, X and Instagram. The NTRA will share many of the contributions and a few will be featured during the Eclipse Award ceremonies Thursday, Jan. 25 from The Breakers Palm Beach, hosted by Britney Eurton,...