Aqueduct

The New York Racing Association has canceled Sunday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack due to the continued impact of the powerful winter storm currently ongoing in the New York City metropolitan area. The National Weather Service forecast, which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, is calling for continued heavy snow through 4 p.m. with areas of blowing snow before 4 a.m.  As a result, NYRA officials made the decision to cancel Sunday's card in the interest of the safety of all participants. Aqueduct Racetrack will be open for simulcasting...

Edited Press Release The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled Saturday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack due to a powerful winter storm forecast to impact the New York City metropolitan area. A National Weather Service (NWS) winter storm warning goes into effect for the downstate region at 7:00 p.m. Friday and continues through 7:00 p.m. Saturday. The NWS forecast, which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, is calling for 8-12 inches of snow along with sustained high winds with gusts exceeding 45 mph. These conditions will produce...

Due to extremely cold weather predicted for the New York City metropolitan area Friday, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has cancelled the Jan. 21 card at Aqueduct Racetrack. Wind chill values are expected near zero, prompting NYRA officials to cancel Friday's card in the interest of safety for horses and humans. While Friday's eight-race card is cancelled, Aqueduct will remain open for simulcasting. Live racing at Aqueduct is expected to resume Saturday, Jan. 22. First post for the nine-race program is 12:20 p.m.

Officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) have released the stakes schedule for the Aqueduct spring meet Mar. 31 through Apr. 24, featuring 13 added-money events worth at least $2.7 million. The marquee day of the meet takes place Saturday, Apr. 9, highlighted by the $750,000 GII Wood Memorial S., a final prep for the GI Kentucky Derby that offers a total of 170 qualifying points (100-40-20-10) towards a start in the 'Run for the Roses.' Should a Grade I or Group 1 winner be declared an official starter...

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 and where. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 01/14/2022 Licensee: Kent Desormeaux, jockey Penalty: $500 Violation: Excessive use of the riding crop Explainer: Jockey Kent Desormeaux is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8) (Use of Riding Crop--more than six times--first offense within...

The New York Racing Association has canceled Saturday's live racing program at Aqueduct due to dangerously low wind chill values set to impact the New York City metropolitan area. The training track at Belmont will also be closed Saturday, but the jogging barns will remain open. The current National Weather Service forecast, which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, is calling for extremely cold temperatures and sustained winds creating wind chill values as low as -5. As a result, NYRA has canceled Saturday's card in the interest of the safety...

Jockey Christian Ramos has tested positive for COVID-19 and will remain off his mounts at Aqueduct through Sunday, Jan. 16, the New York Racing Association, Inc. announced Thursday. All members of the NYRA jockey colony are vaccinated and adhere to established protocols. In addition, the jockey quarters at Aqueduct Racetrack have been substantially altered to provide maximum physical distancing and reduce density. Ramos sought testing Thursday after experiencing mild symptoms. He received the test result early Thursday morning and was not on-site at Aqueduct. NYRA follows the most updated federal...

The New York Racing Association's 2021 race meets conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course generated all-sources handle of $2,373,772,916 and average daily handle of $11,809,816 over 201 race days, NYRA announced Thursday. Average daily handle on the NYRA circuit has increased 21.6% since 2019, when average daily handle over 217 race days was $9,714,868. Average daily handle in 2020, which featured 157 race days, was $11,553,727. All sources handle for 2021 was $265,646,547 higher than 2019, an increase of 12.6%; and $559,837,825 higher than 2020, a...

When you have been in the game as long as Alfredo Velazquez, nobody has to tell you quite how long a journey divides slop-splattered defeat at Aqueduct on the first day of the year from Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. By the same token, however, the length of perspective opened by six decades on the racetrack gives persuasive substance to the Parx stalwart's excitement over Smarten Up (American Freedom), who graduated from a nine-length maiden romp at his home track to mount a storming finish for second...

Live racing and simulcasting has been canceled at Aqueduct Friday due to a winter storm impacting the New York Metropolitan area, according to a press release from the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA). Snow was falling heavily in the area Friday morning, and up to six inches of snow is expected. New York City remains under a winter weather advisory, with the National Weather Service forecasting continued high winds and heavy snow into Friday afternoon. "As a result, NYRA has canceled Friday's eight-race card in the interest of the...

Jockey Manuel Franco tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday and will remain off his mounts until Sunday, Jan. 9. All members of the New York Racing Association jockey colony are vaccinated and adhere to established protocols. In addition, the jockey quarters at Aqueduct have been substantially altered to provide maximum physical distancing and reduce density. Franco has not experienced symptoms and was proactively tested because of standard contact tracing following the positive tests of jockeys Jorge Vargas, Jr. and Jalon Samuel Dec. 31. Vargas and Samuel will be permitted to ride...

The well-bred Courvoisier (Tapit), a narrow maiden winner at fourth asking at the Big A last time Dec. 2, picked up 10 points for the GI Kentucky Derby while securing his second straight win in Saturday's sloppy $150,000 Jerome S. His third and second-place finishes in his first two starts respectively set the colt up for a move forward with the addition of blinkers Oct. 27 at Delaware Park, where he was caught late going a mile and lost by a nose. Stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for his...