NTRA

John Deere, Keeneland, and The Jockey Club will be presenting sponsors of the 52nd Annual Eclipse Awards, honoring Thoroughbred racing's champions of 2022, to be held Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, at The Breakers Palm Beach, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Wednesday. "We are grateful to John Deere, Keeneland, and The Jockey Club for their partnership in serving as this year's presenting sponsors for the Eclipse Awards," said Tom Rooney, President and CEO of the NTRA. "We're very excited to welcome the Thoroughbred industry to The Breakers to celebrate the...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Caesars Entertainment have announced an agreement which establishes Bally's--the soon-to-be renamed Horseshoe Las Vegas--as the host site of the National Horseplayers' Championship through 2026. This year's event will take place Mar. 10-12, 2023. "We are delighted to secure a multi-year extension and continue our partnership with two iconic brands--Caesars and Horseshoe Las Vegas--to host hundreds of horseplayers in the heart of the Las Vegas strip at the world's most prestigious horse racing handicapping contest," said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. "We're pleased...

Well-known television personalities Britney Eurton, Maggie Wolfendale and Scott Hazelton will co-host the 52nd annual Eclipse Awards to be held Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, at The Breakers Palm Beach, officials from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form (DRF) and National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced Monday. Eurton, a fixture on FanDuel TV and NBC Sports and the daughter of California trainer Peter Eurton, returns to the Eclipse Awards in 2023, having co-hosted each of the last three years. Hazelton, whose late father Richard trained some 4,700...

"One of the most urgent issues facing our industry is that of improved electronic security for the pari-mutuel wagering system." This simple declaration was part of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA)'s five-year strategic plan covering 2006 through 2010, and published in 2005. Approaching two decades later, there has been little progress on the topic, and recent wagering incidents in the summer of 2022 highlight the long-term failure to address these problems. If you think the stewards are always in charge of stopping wagering when the race begins, think again....

by Thomas J. Rooney, President & CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Edited Press Release Change is never easy, especially change being brought about by the federal government imposing national uniform reforms in an industry long regulated at the state level. I served in the House of Representatives for 10 years, representing 750,000 people from South Florida. I heard day in and day out from my constituents on how we in the government could do things better. This feedback drove the work I did in Congress. Since I started...

Edited Press Release The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Friday the hiring of Jordan Bonfitto to serve as NTRA's Director of Government Affairs. Bonfitto will be based in the NTRA's newly opened Washington, D.C. office and will lead the organization's advocacy efforts alongside President and CEO, former U.S. Congressman, Tom Rooney. "We're excited to have Jordan join our team to help advocate the issues critical to the Thoroughbred racing industry," Rooney said. "Jordan's experience in the Executive Branch and on Capitol Hill will be a huge asset as we...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) has officially opened an office in Washington, D.C. NTRA president and CEO Tom Rooney, a former Congressman, has indicated the office will be fully staffed and open for visitors. "I've been hired and tasked to go to Washington and be the voice of the Thoroughbred racing industry to our nation's policy makers," said Rooney. "Having spent a decade in Congress, I know how Washington works. The biggest part of that is by showing up and being in person. By opening this office, we'll be...

The 52nd annual Eclipse Awards, honoring Thoroughbred racing's human and equine champions of 2022, will be held Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, at The Breakers Palm Beach, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced Tuesday. Originally built in 1896, The Breakers remains one of America's legendary resort destinations. Renowned for its seaside glamour and world-class service, the 538-room, Italian Renaissance-style hotel resides on 140 acres of oceanfront property in the heart of Palm Beach. VIP pre-sale for tickets the black-tie...

Keeneland CEO and president Shannon Arvin has been elected chair of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). The organization held it fourth quarter board meeting for its 2022 fiscal year Thursday, the first under the NTRA's new president and CEO, Tom Rooney. Arvin, a Lexington native and the third generation of her family to be Keeneland management, is the first female chair in the 23-year history of the NTRA. In other NTRA business at the meeting, the board approved the 2023 fiscal year budget, which runs from Apr. 1, 2022...

Edited Press Release The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) presented the Racetrack Maintenance Innovation Awards to its first class of award winners Monday evening at the Racecourse Managers' Conference and Workshop in Las Vegas. The award was created to celebrate the work of racetrack professionals who have day-to-day responsibilities for the maintenance, protection, and safety of horses and riders at tracks across the US. The 2022 winners distinguished themselves as some of the most innovative racetrack professionals in Thoroughbred racing today. "It's so important to highlight the work of racetrack...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's first annual Racecourse Managers' Conference and Workshop kicks off Sunday, Mar. 6 at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center in Las Vegas. Continuing through Mar. 8, the Conference hosts racetrack management, superintendents, and equine facility managers from across the country to experience comprehensive, science-based discussions and demonstrations on maintaining safe racing, training, and event surfaces, along with an explanation of how to participate in the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) racing surface regulations and the processes for HISA implementation and reporting. For the...

The performances by Japanese-based Loves Only You (Jpn) and Marche Lorraine (Jpn) at the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar last November has been voted the 2021 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on the results of 3,000 votes cast via Twitter and an online poll, according to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Thursday. The FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year will be recognized at the 51st Annual Eclipse Awards presented by 1/ST Racing, FanDuel Racing Group and the NTRA at Santa Anita Park at 8:30p.m. Feb. 10....