NYRA

New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) named their nominees for the Empire State's divisional champions of 2023, the organization said in a Friday morning release. A panel of New York turf writers, broadcasters, handicappers, racing analysts and photographers will vote on each division and for the New York-bred Horse of the Year. The winners will be announced at the NYTB Awards Dinner sponsored by the New York Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund on Monday, May 13 from 6-9 p.m. ET. at Sacred Saratoga on the property of GMP Farm in...

The period of the quarantine of Barn 15 at Belmont has been extended by two days by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) due to another horse in that barn, Willful Desire, developing a fever. The 4-year-old filly, trained by Gustavo Rodriguez, developed a fever on Monday. Nasal swabs and blood samples were immediately sent to Cornell University for analysis, which were returned on Tuesday afternoon as negative for EHV. In accordance with standard protocols, Barn 15 will remain under quarantine...

Cute Curls (Tapiture), a filly trained by Danny Gargan, was euthanized Saturday after displaying acute neurological symptoms. Cornell University has since returned a positive test result for EHV in Barn 15 at Belmont Park, the New York Racing Association announced Sunday. Barn 15 is now under a 21-day quarantine but no other horses have thus far presented symptoms. NYRA's veterinary department, headed by Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe, will oversee quarantine procedures and the 24 horses stables in Barn 15 will continue to be monitored.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) have placed Barn 15 at Belmont Park under a precautionary quarantine until further notice due to a potential case of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) in that barn. Cute Curls (Tapiture), an unraced 3-year-old filly trained by Danny Gargan, exhibited acute neurological symptoms on Saturday and was subsequently euthanized. As of Saturday afternoon, no additional horses in Barn 15 have presented symptoms. Samples are in-route to Cornell University for analysis with results expected within 48 hours. Barn...

Racing official Victor Escobar has been appointed New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) Steward, NYRA announced late Thursday afternoon. The former Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission (OHRC) State Steward, where he'd been since 2021 and where he had played a central role in the implementation of Category 1 rules at Remington Park, Escobar will join NYRA Feb. 16. As OHRC Steward, Escobar was also responsible for public communication with the betting public immediately following stewards' decisions. He has also served as State Steward for the New Mexico Racing Commission and as...

by Dr. Mick Peterson and Dr. Wayne McIlwraith This year marks 15 years since the Racing Surfaces Testing Lab (RSTL) was founded by an engineering faculty member at the University of Maine and an orthopedic surgeon from Colorado State University. The non-commercial material testing lab emerged out of the 2006 Grayson-Jockey Club Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit at the urging of Dennis Moore of Hollywood Park and Dan Fick of The Jockey Club. Initially located in one stall of a two-car detached garage in Orono, Maine, the independent...

Frank Gabriel, who has served as the New York Racing Association's Sr. Vice President of Racing Operations since 2022, has resigned, effective Feb. 18, it was announced Thursday. Andrew Offerman will succeed Gabriel as NYRA's Sr. Vice President of Racing and Operations. "On behalf of NYRA and the broader racing community in New York, I thank Frank Gabriel for his many contributions to NYRA and to Thoroughbred racing," said David O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. "Because of Frank's hard work during a period of great transition, NYRA continues to be...

Following the approval of the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has added a Thursday, Feb. 29 card to the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, the organization said in a release Wednesday. NYRA, with the support of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB), requested to add the additional card following the cancellation of racing Jan. 20-21 at the Big A due to arctic temperatures. The schedule is currently being conducted Friday-Sunday. Aqueduct will host...

On the surface, the case against trainer Jeffrey Englehart seems pretty cut and dried. He had a horse test positive for Clenbuterol, the bronchodilator that is on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) list of banned substances. Trainers found using banned substances can be suspended for up to two years. But Englehart, who races at the NYRA tracks and at Finger Lakes, is adamant that he never gave the drug to the horse in question. "We don't use Clenbuterol. Period," Englehart said. So is there more to this story?...

The stakes schedule for the 2024 Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet, which will open Thursday, May 2, will include 32 stakes worth more than $6.6 million in total purses, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Tuesday. As announced in December, the ongoing construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park will require significant adjustments to the customary NYRA schedule. Most notably, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held at Saratoga Race Course from June 6-9. In addition, the spring/summer and fall meets traditionally held...

General admission tickets, hospitality offerings and reserved seats for the Belmont S. Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 15, the New York Racing Association announced via press release Thursday. Tickets may be purchased here, with advance pre-sale opportunities available by signing up here. "The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be a four-day celebration of world class thoroughbred racing at the sport's most historic and exciting venue," said NYRA President & CEO David O'Rourke. "NYRA is thrilled...

Highlighted by the 156th edition of the GI Belmont S. on Saturday, June 8, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has revealed the stakes schedule for the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which will be held at Saratoga Race Course from Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9. The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will include 23 stakes races with purses totaling $10.1 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014. NYRA has increased the...