NYRA Further Enhances Safety at the Big A

The New York Racing Association will take additional steps to further enhance the safety protocols already in place at Aqueduct. This announcement came on the heels of a closed door meeting between NYRA and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association last weekend to address the fatal breakdowns of several Thoroughbreds racing at Aqueduct this winter. 

“The safety of our equine athletes and jockeys at Aqueduct Racetrack is a high priority,” stated Christopher Kay, Chief Executive Officer and President. “In that spirit, the New York Racing Association continues to work together with the NYTHA leadership and the New York State Gaming Commission in these important endeavors.” 

The New York Racing Association will be implementing the following protocols: 

• Effective today, the NYRA stewards will keep a “poor performance” list. Horses will be placed on this list after performing in a race at Aqueduct and losing by a margin of 25 lengths or greater. Once on the poor performance list, said horse must complete a half-mile workout in 53 seconds or less to be permitted to enter in a future race. This list will be available to the public on NYRA.com. 

•Effective Thursday, Jan. 22, NYRA will reduce weekday race cards (Wednesday through Friday) to eight races. First scheduled post time will be moved from 12:20 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. on weekdays, and 12:45 p.m. on weekends. 

•Effective Thursday, Jan. 22, the bottom level for maiden claimers will be raised from maiden $12,500 to maiden $16,000. 

•Effective for entries beginning with the race card for Thursday, Jan. 22, and until further notice, entries will no longer be accepted at Aqueduct on any horse that has participated in a recognized race within 14 days of that start. Horses will be permitted to start on the 15th day following said race. 

“The measures announced by NYRA today constitute an important step toward addressing the troubling situation at Aqueduct,” said New York State Gaming Commission Executive Director Robert Williams. “We continue to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of each fatality and work closely with NYRA management in order to determine if additional actions need to be taken to protect horses and riders.” 

NYTHA President Rick Violette said, “New York horsemen continue to work with the New York Racing Association to make adjustments and raise the bar to protect our equine athletes and their riders on their backs.”