Aqueduct Racetrack

The 2024 New York budget bills approved by Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Senate and Assembly and released to the public Monday includes authorization for the New York Racing Association to utilize a $455-million loan to build new Thoroughbred racing facilities at Belmont Park. With the state approval, NYRA plans construction of a new building that will completely replace the existing grandstand and clubhouse. The current 1.25-million sq foot structure, which was last renovated in 1968, will be replaced with a roughly 275,000-sq ft facility featuring modern amenities and...

3rd-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:42 p.m. PARTY FAVOR (Practical Joke) debuts at Gulfstream Park for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the $520,000 KEESEP purchase comes from a female family that includes MGISW Zazu (Tapit) and her full-brother, GSW Flashback. The bay filly will break from post four with Leonel Reyes in the irons. TJCIS PPS 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:20 p.m. A Keeneland November Sale buy for $375,000 as a weanling, MAJESTIC MICHAEL (Justify)'s second dam counts GISWs Discreet Cat (Forestry) and Discreetly...

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. 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. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal, except for...

1st-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 3-31, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.48, ft, 5 1/2 lengths. RANDOMIZED (f, 3, Nyquist--French Passport, by Elusive Quality), last seen at Saratoga July 24 when she was third sprinting on debut behind Kaling (Practical Joke), made her presence felt from the start at Aqueduct when the 3-2 second choice powered confidently to the front as she was stalked by favorite Gifted (Tapit). As the pair began to separate themselves from the rest of the field, they briefly dueled around the far turn, but it was Randomized who was...

Andrew Warren and Rania Warren's Raise Cain (Violence), who romped home in the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S., will likely forego a return trip to Aqueduct and make his next start in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 8, according to trainer Ben Colebrook. Raise Cain had his first work since the Gotham when going four furlongs in :49.00 (1/3) at Keeneland Mar. 22. "He's been training great and put on weight," said Colebrook. "He'll breeze again [Thursday] at Keeneland. I think he really gets it now...

1st-Aqueduct, $77,600, Msw, 3-26, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:18.15, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. HARRODSBURG (g, 3, Constitution--Gracer {MSW & GSP, $243,000}, by Exchange Rate), off a sharp work from the gate over at Belmont's training track Mar. 18 (.47, 1/123), vanned over to the 'Big A' for the real thing as the 3-1 third choice on the tote in this spot. Wrestling the lead away, the homebred sped down the backstretch, rounded the far turn in command by posting :45.86 for the first half-mile and extended his lead down the lane...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:20 p.m. Trainer Chad Brown has Aqueduct's first race on closing day bookended with a pair of firsters from his shedrow in OCASEK (Candy Ride {Arg}), who draws the rail with Dylan Davis aboard and to the outside ARMY TIMES (Into Mischief) with Manny Franco in the irons. Both have a Candy Ride connection as the former, who was a $440,000 '21 FTSAUG  purchase by Spendthrift Farm, was sired by him, while the latter's dam, MGSW & MGISP Paid...

What does the most recognizable jockey of the nineteenth century have in common with a young rider from the 1970s-turned-modern-day playwright? This seemingly disparate pair might be divided by over a century along the continuum, but their experiences, told in a fresh biographical treatment of Isaac Murphy by historian Katherine C. Mooney and through Robert Montano's self-penned and deeply-personal play, have much to tell us about the perilously-seated life in the irons. What they both encountered is particularly instructive for us, especially after the sudden and tragic losses of jockeys...

LC Racing's Ninetyprcentmaddie (Weigelia), who romped home by 9 3/4 lengths in last Monday's City of Brotherly Love S. at Parx, could make a return trip to New York for the Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial. The bay colt was eased when making his graded stakes debut--and first start away from Parx--in the Feb. 11 GIII Withers S. "He came out of [the City of Brotherly Love S.] really well and happy," trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said. "I was happy to see him come back after that effort in the...

Andrew and Rania Warren's Raise Cain (Violence) exited his 7 1/2-length victory in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. in fine shape, according to trainer Ben Colebrook. The colt, who earned 50 qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Derby with his win in the Gotham, could return to New York for the Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial or run in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Colebrook's home base at Keeneland that same day. "We're based at Keeneland and if it wasn't for that, the Wood would be circled. I guess...

The New York Racing Association will offer bonuses to horses shipping in to race at Aqueduct in March and April. Trainers of horses that are not stabled at a NYRA track will see a bonus of $1,000 credited to the owner's account towards shipping expenses. This bonus excludes steeplechase races. The horse must be declared an official starter to be eligible. In addition, the horse will not be eligible if placed on a poor performance or veterinarian list.

Gold Square LLC's Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) tuned up for the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S. with a four-furlong work in :48.87 (6/54) over the Belmont training track Saturday. The gray colt worked in company with unraced stablemate Global Image (Liam's Map). "It wasn't as quick to watch it, but they moved pretty well," said Dustin Dugas, trainer Brad Cox's Belmont-based assistant. "It was really good and he came out of it in great shape and we're all systems go. Trevor [McCarthy] was happy with him and he's going to ride...