Aqueduct

Aqueduct will be re-purposed as a temporary hospital, and racing will not resume there again at the winter or spring meets, according to a press release from the New York Racing Association Saturday afternoon. When racing does resume, it is expected to be at Belmont Park, which is currently scheduled to open Apr. 24. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo raised the possibility of making Aqueduct a temporary hospital at his press briefing Friday, and said he would seek the required permission from the federal government to serve the borough of...

Aqueduct Racetrack is on the list of possible additional new hospital sites for New York State, according to N.Y. Governor Andrew Cuomo, who discussed the issue at his daily press briefing Friday. Cuomo said that the state is looking for sites with a 1,000-plus patient capacity in each of the five New York City boroughs, as well as Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Aqueduct is located in South Ozone Park in the borough of Queens. New York is already building a temporary hospital in the Jacob Javits Convention Center...

The New York Racing Association has officially suspended live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack through at least Apr. 5 due to the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic in New York. As a result, the GII Wood Memorial S., previously slated for Apr. 4 at Aqueduct, has been postponed to a date yet to be determined. A decision regarding the other Apr. 4 stakes, including the GI Carter H., will also be made at a later date. "While this decision is necessary, NYRA is working hard to determine when we can...

The New York Racing Association has suspended live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack until further notice due to changing circumstances in the racing community relative to the coronavirus. A backstretch worker who lives and works at Belmont Park tested positive Thursday morning for the coronavirus. Following NYRA's Preparedness and Response Plan, the worker has been quarantined since developing symptoms the morning of Friday, Mar. 13. His roommate was also quarantined at that time. "This individual and his roommate have been in isolation since prior to racing last Friday and as such...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will offer an expanded weekend broadcast schedule for America's Day at the Races, presented by Runhappy, Claiborne Farm and America's Best Racing. Produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, America's Day at the Races will air Friday from 1:30-3:00 p.m. EST on FS2 and 3:00-6:30 p.m. EST on FS1. Saturday and Sunday's coverage will air on FS1 from 1:30-6:30 p.m. The 15-hours of weekend coverage will include stakes action and live racing from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park, and Tampa Bay Downs. "During...

On a day when racetracks around the world, including Keeneland, announced they would be shutting their doors due to the COVID-19 outbreak, NYRA, Oaklawn, Gulfstream and the Fair Grounds announced their intentions to continue racing. The decision by NYRA may have been the most surprising among the three as it came just hours after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a ban of gatherings of 50 people or more and that restaurants, bars, movie theaters and casinos must shut down. Aqueduct's next scheduled day of live racing is Friday. As...

Bucking the trend of a day which saw racetrack closings across the country and across the world, the New York Racing Association announced that they would resume racing this Friday, albeit with no spectators. Since March 12, 2020, NYRA has conducted live racing without fan attendance. This announcement comes following consultation with the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) and adheres to New York's ban on public gatherings of more than 50 people, as no live audience is permitted. That practice will remain in place when racing returns on Friday,...

All-sources handle rose sharply Friday at Aqueduct compared to the second Friday in March last year as the track held races without spectators due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A total of $4,614,051 was bet on a nine-race card, compared to $3,585,745 on Friday, Mar. 8, which was also a nine-race card. "The health and safety of employees, fans, horsemen and the backstretch community is paramount," said NYRA's Patrick McKenna in a statement sent to TDN Friday evening. "In addition to closing Aqueduct to all fans, we have taken additional steps...

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) exited his two-length victory in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. in fine shape and will now target the Apr. 4 GII Wood Memorial. "I think the Wood is the logical spot on the radar," said trainer John Servis. "I'll sit down with Mr. Zacney [Cash is King] and Mr. Bennett [LC Racing] and decide where we're going to go next." Cash is King and LC Racing and Servis also teamed up to win Saturday's Stymie S. with Diamond King (Quality Road)...

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) handled the added distance of Saturday's one-turn mile Gotham with aplomb, running away to his third straight impressive victory. He broke sharply and raced three deep to vy for command as they stacked up four across the track through a :23.54 opening quarter. The bay made his move to gain a narrow advantage approaching the far turn, was sat down by Kendrick Carmouche nearing the quarter pole and responded nicely from there, driving clear in the stretch to deliver as the favorite. Mischevious Alex entered the...

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Results - Country Grammer ran well enough last week to sneak into my Kentucky Derby rankings, but not well enough to win any points, so I'm looking to bust out...

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) looks for his third straight stakes score in a loaded renewal of Saturday's GIII Gotham S. going a one-turn mile at the Big A. The speedy bay, favored at 3-1 on the morning line for the Gotham, ran away by 9 3/4 lengths in his first attempt with blinkers added in the Parx Juvenile S. Nov. 5, then returned from the bench with another dazzling front-running performance in Gulfstream's GIII Swale S. Feb. 1. Both races were contested at seven furlongs. "If he runs good in...