New York Gaming Commission

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) and Steve Asmussen have entered into a negotiated agreement that will "adjourn" twice-postponed hearings that were supposed to have examined the Hall-of-Fame conditioner's fitness for owner and trainer licensure after the NYSGC raised concerns regarding Asmussen's pay practices involving backstretch workers. In exchange for the hearing being taken off the NYSGC's docket, the agency explained in a Nov. 12 press release, Asmussen must engage and pay for an independent monitor approved by the NYSGC who will provide quarterly written reports to the NYSGC...

John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in the history of Saratoga Race Course, will serve a three-day suspension Aug. 28-30 stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the tenth race there Aug. 16. Velazquez waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 20 stewards' ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website. The race in which Velazquez got disqualified was an $80,000 optional claiming/allowance turf route. He was aboard the 4.9-1 fourth choice in the betting, Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso), a filly...

The New York Gaming Commission will hold a hearing Sept. 18 to look into whether or not Steve Asmussen's owner-trainer license should be revoked, the board said via a press release on Thursday. Asmussen has been accused on a number of occasions of violating federal labor laws by failing to pay his workforce overtime. Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Labor obtained a court order requiring Asmussen to pay $243,260 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages (for a total of $486,520) after its investigation found...

Todd Pletcher has been granted a stay of his 14-day suspension by the Schenectady, New York Supreme Court for an alleged butazolidin overage in the case of the horse Capensis (Tapit). The New York Gaming Commission originally suspended Pletcher 14 days and fined him $2,000. The horse in question was the even-money favorite in the 10th race at Saratoga on July 30, 2022 and finished sixth. He is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert LaPenta, Gainesway Stable, Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC. The ruling, which was posted to...

The New York Supreme Court for the County of Schenectady on Friday granted trainer Todd Pletcher a preliminary injunction precluding the New York State Gaming Commission from enforcing penalties related to the disqualification of Forte (Violence) from his win in the 2022 GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga Race Course, meaning that the sanctions are halted until the court decides issues of the case related to due process and rules interpretations. According to the Mar. 29 court order, the NYSGC had found that "based upon blood and urine samples taken after...

The Schenectady Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order Thursday that put a halt on the New York Gaming Commission's efforts to disqualify Forte (Violence) from his win in the 2022 GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga and suspend trainer Todd Pletcher. Acting on behalf of Pletcher and owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola, attorney Drew Mollica filed an Article 78 appeal. Article 78 appeals are lawsuits mainly used to challenge an action, or inaction, by agencies of New York State and local governments. The New York Gaming Commission has alleged...

In the aftermath of the controversial running of Saturday's Great White Way S. at Aqueduct, in which Brick Ambush (Laoban) crossed the wire second but was disqualified and placed last, outspoken owner Mike Repole has called for the resignation of The Jockey Club's president and CEO Jim Gagliano and its chairman Stuart Janney III. He did so Wednesday in a post to his account on the social media website X. Repole, who did not have a horse in the race, recently announced the formation of The National Thoroughbred Alliance (NTA),...

Dean Reeves, the owner of recently disqualified Brick Ambush (Laoban), issued a statement Tuesday, following the Gaming Commission's decision to not allow appeals relating to last Saturday's Great White Way S. at Aqueduct. The statement read: "After receipt of the letter from the NY Gaming commission and further discussion with our attorney Drew Mollica, our trainer Danny Gargan, Patti and I have decided to not to pursue any further action regarding the disqualification of Brick Ambush in the 9th race at Aqueduct on Dec. 16th, 2023. We maintain our belief...

Members of the New York Gaming Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to uphold a recommendation from a hearing officer that Forte (Violence) be disqualified from his victory in the 2022 GI Hopeful S. In the Hopeful, Forte tested positive for the prohibited substance meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. The case has moved slowly since the Sept. 2022 race. It took a eight months for the New York Gaming Commission to make the finding public and when it did the stewards disqualified Forte, fined Pletcher $1,000 and suspended him for ten days....

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...

It was just a claiming race, but when Ray Handal was standing in the Saratoga winner's circle Friday after a win by his Thinkaboutit (Upstart) in the day's eighth race, he was overcome with emotion. It was a victory he will never forget, understandable considering what he had just been put through. "A short time before that, I didn't know if I'd ever be in the winner's circle again," the 34-year-old trainer said. "To come back and win with a horse who we didn't have much in the way of...

The New York Gaming Commission has suspended Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher 14 days and fined him $2,000 after a horse he trained tested positive for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory phenylbutazone during a 2022 race at Saratoga. Via text message, Pletcher said he is appealing the penalty. He declined to comment further. The Paulick Report was first with the story. The horse in question, Capensis (Tapit), was the even-money favorite in the 10th race at Saratoga on July 30, 2022 and finished sixth. He is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners,...