New York

The project to modernize Belmont Park will produce billions of dollars in economic impact and generate thousands of jobs, according to an independent economic study released by We Are NY Horse Racing Wednesday. According to the rigorous analysis completed by HR&A Advisors, a leading economic development and real estate consulting firm, the multi-year project to build a new Belmont Park will generate $1 billion in one-time construction-related economic impact while supporting 3,700 construction jobs. Upon completion, racing and non-racing activities at the new Belmont Park will generate $155 million in...

A trio of GI Kentucky Derby preps highlight the Aqueduct 2023 winter meet stakes schedule, which was released by NYRA Wednesday. The 44-day winter meet, which begins Jan. 1 and runs through Mar. 26, will offer a total of 25 stakes races worth $3.2 million. Live racing will be conducted Thursday to Sunday until Feb. 12 and will move to a Friday to Sunday schedule from Feb. 17 through the end of the meet. Stakes action kicks off on opening day with the first Derby prep, the $150,000 Jerome S.,...

The New York Racing Association has released its 2023 racing schedule, which will include a return to Aqueduct for the traditional fall Belmont meet. NYRA first moved the Belmont fall meet to Aqueduct this year so that tunnels could be built that would provide access to the infield. In 2023, moving the Belmont fall meet will allow for reconstruction of the three Belmont racing surfaces. The 28-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet will open on Thursday, Sept. 14 and continue through Sunday, Oct. 29. Live racing will be...

We Are NY Horse Racing, a coalition of small businesses, labor unions, non-profits, and trade associations, released a public opinion poll that found 68% of voters statewide and 75% of voters on Long Island support using state bonding authority to construct new horse racing facilities at Belmont Park. In addition, New Yorkers view horse racing favorably by a 3-to-1 margin. In 2022, legislation was introduced for the first time that would allow the New York Racing Association to finance the modernization of Belmont Park through state-backed bonds. "Constructing a new...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. California Track: Los Alamitos Date: 09/16/2022 Licensee: Victor Espinoza, jockey Penalty: $500 fine Violation: Excessive use of...

Flavien Prat is a world-class jockey, a future Hall of Famer who dominated the Southern California circuit before heading east. Yet, he entered the week tied for fourth-place in the Saratoga jockey standings, 15 wins behind the leader, Irad Ortiz, Jr. Tyler Gaffalione is the top jockey in Kentucky and is coming off a meet at Churchill Downs where he was leading rider and had 29 more wins than the runner-up. He began the week in ninth-place in the Saratoga standings. That's no reflection on Prat or Gaffalione. What it...

N Y Riesling became the first winner for his New York-based freshman sire Redesdale (Speightstown) Tuesday at Finger Lakes. He was a well-beaten eighth on debut behind a 'TDN Rising Star' performance from next-out GIII Sanford S. third Andiamo a Firenze (Speightstown), a half-brother to GISW Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), at Belmont June 3. Favored at 6-5 as part of an entry while facing easier company, the chestnut went straight to the front, ticking off a :22.97 opening quarter. Showing the way into the lane, N Y Riesling kept on...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. This week's appear below. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Track: Los Alamitos Date: 07/04/2022 Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey Penalty: One-day suspension, $250 fine Violation: Excessive use of the whip Explainer: Having violated the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2280 (Use of Riding Crop) and pursuant to...

Grandstand season passes for the 2022 Saratoga meet will be available for purchase at nearly 180 Stewart's Shops throughout the greater Capital Region beginning June 6. The passes are $60. The passes will be available at Stewart's Shops in Fulton and Montgomery counties for the first time. The passes will return to shops in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady and Warren counties. Clubhouse season passes are $85 and may be purchased exclusively at NYRA.com/Saratoga. Grandstand passes are also available for purchase directly online from NYRA. Daily grandstand admission to Saratoga is...

GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Rich Strike (Keen Ice) arrived in New York by van from Kentucky at 1 a.m. Wednesday to prepare for the GI Belmont S. June 11. With exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes up, Rich Strike visited Belmont's dirt training track at 9:30 a.m. with the accompaniment of outrider Juan Galvez and his pony Stormy, making two laps the wrong way round. "He settled down a lot the second time round. A lot of that was trying to get him used to the pony. You could see the farther...

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...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 03/23/2022 Licensee: Liparit Gharibyan, owner Penalty: Reinstatement of good standing Violation: N/A Explainer: Owner Liparit Gharibyan, having complied with the provisions of California Horse Racing Board rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility--$146.13 to So. Cal. Equine Foundation) is restored...