New York Racing

Saturday's 14-race DraftKings Travers Day card generated a record-setting all-sources wagering handle of $63,023,405, according to a press release from NYRA on Saturday. The 2024 figure represents a 13.4 percent increase over the prior record of $55,559,317, which was established in 2022. Paid attendance on Saturday was 47,844 with on-track handle of $11,267,864. THE CHAMP IS BACK! Fierceness, son of @LanesEndFarms stallion City of Light, wins the G1 @DraftKings Travers Stakes, leaving no doubt that he's back on top! The legendary @ljlmvel was aboard for @PletcherRacing and @RepoleStable. pic.twitter.com/M8KY6h4sQr —...

A synthetic track is necessary for the survival of New York breeding farms, such as Sequel. The New York Bred program and the breeder awards generated are incredibly beneficial and fundamental to the financial stability of the New York farms and breeders. However, New York breeders only earn awards for horses competing within New York. Unfortunately, horses that are predominantly competitive on turf are often shipped to Florida or Louisiana for turf racing as owners want to see their horses race. As such, several prominent New York trainers base their...

"If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere" is a classic lyric synonymous with the relentless spirit of New York City. It encapsulates the belief that conquering the city's challenges equips one to overcome any obstacle. A testament to the city's allure and its reputation as a place where dreams are made or broken, the line places the ultimate test of one's mettle squarely on the shoulders of the Big Apple. This spirit not only exemplifies Adelphi Racing Club's managing partner Matt Cutair, but also the enthusiasm...

Irad Ortiz Jr., currently North America's leading jockey based on victories and purse earnings, and first and second in those same categories at the current Saratoga Race Course meet, will serve a three-day suspension Aug. 14-16 stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the seventh race there Aug. 1. Ortiz waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 6 stewards' ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission website. The race in which Ortiz got disqualified was a 1 3/16-mile $25,000 starter-allowance. He...

With heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Debby forecast to impact Saratoga Springs on Friday and Saturday, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will add the GI FanDuel Fourstardave Handicap and GI Saratoga Derby Invitational as contingency races for Sunday, Aug. 11, the track said in a Wednesday press release. Should weather force races off the turf on Saturday, Aug. 10, then NYRA will aim to run the Fourstardave and Saratoga Derby as the final two races on Sunday, Aug. 11. To allow for increased flexibility, those races will...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) moved Saturday's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational [Race 7] and the GII Troy Stakes [Race 10] due to heavy overnight rainfall and will shift the races to Saturday, Aug. 10, the track said in a release Saturday morning. All of Saturday's remaining turf races [Race 1, Race 4, Race 9, Race 13] have been moved off the turf. Updated post times for Saturday's now 11-race card, which kicks off at 12:05 p.m. ET., are: Race 2 [12:45 p.m.], Race 3 [1:25 p.m.], Race 4...

The New York Gaming Commission (NYGC) has released its 2023 report regarding the high rate of fatalities upstate last year. Between May 26, 2023 and September 4, 2023, there were 17 equine fatalities at Saratoga Race Course, which again put the track's Thoroughbred safety record under scrutiny. Several suggestions were made by the NYGC, none more surprising than the recommendation that NYRA should install a synthetic track at Saratoga. With the Spa already having two turf courses and main dirt course, it remains to been seen if there's any room...

The anniversary is right around the corner, a gruesome tragedy that nobody who was at Saratoga that day will ever forget. It was among the darkest days in the long history of racing upstate. But nobody had it worse than trainer Melanie Giddings, who, in a fraction of second, saw Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) go from the sure winner of the GI Test Stakes to a horse who broke down inches before the wire and could not be saved. Her business is doing fine. She has 42 horses and...

The 12th annual 'Riders Up!' jockey karaoke contest, benefitting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), returns on Sunday, July 28 at Vapor Night Club in Saratoga Springs, the non-profit said in a Thursday press release. As in previous years, the Saratoga contest will be part of the Battle of East-vs-West with the Del Mar event being held on Aug. 11. Famed track announcer Tom Durkin returns as emcee, and this year's judges include Donna Brothers, Marisa Jacques, Mark Mulholland and Father Jim Sichko. Click here for more information.

Having saddled more than 500 winners on synthetic surfaces in his multiple graded stakes-winning career, Kevin Attard said his interest was piqued last week when the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) said in a release it would be utilizing an all-weather Tapeta track as its exclusive winter racing surface at the new Belmont Park when it opens in 2026. "It's definitely something I've contemplated for a bit now. The fact that a synthetic track is going in there is a little bit more enticing for myself and I'm sure...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has launched a new outreach program called the Students of Thoroughbreds and Racing (STAR), which will begin July 27 at Saratoga Race Course and continue on Saturdays and Sundays through September 1, the association said in a Thursday release. NYRA STAR is designed to give children, ages 12 and under, and their families, insider access. Participants will experience the sport through exclusive on-track events, educational opportunities and kid-friendly communications. Membership for NYRA STAR is free of charge. New members can join at any...

There was a well-known Thoroughbred trainer who was accused of a medication violation by the governing anti-doping agency at the time. This conditioner had a history of putting the horse first, so the case was shocking and the evidence stacked against him did not quite add up. The owner of the animal in question did everything possible to help him mount a defense by calling in experts to give testimony, but in the end he was found negligent and given a year suspension. The trainer was none other than Tom...