New York Racing Association

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) had added one day of live racing on Wednesday, Dec. 10 as part of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, the organization said via a Wednesday release. Following the cancellation of live racing after the completion of the first race on Sunday, Nov. 30, NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) requested and have received formal approval from the New York State Gaming Commission to conduct live racing Dec. 10. Entries for the card will...

The $300,000 Mouttet Mile Invitational at Caymanas Park in Jamaica will air on America's Day at the Races for the third consecutive year this Saturday, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano is scheduled to compete in the race for the first time, having secured the mount on Rideallday (Vekoma). In addition to on-site analysis from Andy Serling and Maggie Wolfendale of the Mouttet Mile, Chairman's Plate Invitational and Bruceontheloose Sprint Trophy, America's Day at the Races, a national telecast produced by NYRA in...

The New York Racing Association, Inc.'s annual Toys for Tots donation drive will be held at Aqueduct Racetrack from Thursday, Dec. 4 through Sunday, Dec. 7. Founded in 1947, Toys for Tots collects and distributes new, unwrapped toys to local children in need each holiday season. This year's donation drive marks the 35th year that NYRA has partnered with the Marine Corps Reserve. "The annual Toys for Tots Drive at Aqueduct has become more than a day of giving. It's a cherished tradition that unites the racing community in support of...

by Matt Cutair We must elevate the discussion surrounding the New York racing calendar beyond the current, unproductive focus on the total number of racing dates. This metric is ultimately irrelevant if not tied to the overall quality and economic viability of our product. Arguing over the number of racing dates is a distraction, especially if a nominal increase in days is achieved by simply reducing the number of races run per day. For example, gaining four extra days by moving from a three-day to a four-day week means little...

Live racing at Aqueduct has been canceled Thursday as a strong storm moves through the New York metropolitan area with forecasted high winds and heavy rain. Current weather forecasts are calling for wind gusts exceeding 40 mph and up to two inches of rain as a result of Thursday's storm. The National Weather Service has placed Southern Queens under a coastal flood advisory beginning at 1 p.m. Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting Thursday and live racing is scheduled to resume Friday with a first post time of 1:05...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will partner with FOX Sports to present live television coverage of Sunday's €5-million G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from ParisLongchamp. The telecast will air on FS1 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. ET, with the main event to jump at 10:05 as the fifth event on a 10-race program. The Arc, Europe's weight-for-age championship, is run over 2400 meters. The Arc is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series and offers the winner an all-expenses paid trip to Del Mar for the GI Breeders'...

John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in the history of Saratoga Race Course, will serve a three-day "careless riding" suspension this coming Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the sixth race there Aug. 17. Velazquez waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 20 stewards' ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website. The race in which Velazquez got disqualified was a $100,000 maiden special weight turf route for 2-year-olds. He was aboard first-timer Scope (Gun Runner),...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has appointed Eric Johnston to the position of stakes coordinator, according to a Friday morning press release by the track operator. Johnston brings more than four decades of racing industry experience to his new role, and was previously the director of racing and sportsbook at Penn National. As the new coordinator, Johnston succeeds Andrew Byrnes, who had held the position since 1999 and will retire at the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga. Johnston will assume his stakes coordinator responsibilities Oct. 3....

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has established a Racing Office Advisory Group comprised of senior racing officials from racetracks across the country, the organization announced Wednesday. The group will provide feedback to HISA's executive team and Standing Committees on rules, processes and operational practices affecting Thoroughbred racing officials nationwide. "Racing offices are integral to the successful implementation of HISA safety and integrity rules," said HISA Director of Racetrack Safety Ann McGovern. "By establishing this group, we are making a direct channel available for racing office professionals to share their...

After growing clamor among horse players about the role that Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) players had in driving a spate of marked late odds changes at Del Mar this summer, track officials announced Tuesday that starting this Thursday, they would close CAW access to its win pools at two minutes before the off time. "I'm really pleased. This is a stepping stone to getting things right as it effectively creates a retail only pool, and it stabilizes prices," said Marshall Gramm, an economics professor at Rhodes College in Tennessee and...

Kids Day will take place at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, July 27. The celebration of racing and family fun will be presented in conjunction with the NYRA Students of Thoroughbreds and Racing (NYRA STAR), a signature program designed to welcome young fans to the sport of Thoroughbred racing. The first 5,000 children, ages 12 and under, will receive a Saratoga headband, presented by NYRA STAR, along with a $25 gift card to Hildebrandt's Ice Cream for the perfect start to a day of engaging, hands-on activities at the Spa....

The precautionary quarantine of Barn 28 at Saratoga Race Course has been lifted by the New York State Department of Agriculture (NYSDA), effective immediately, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Wednesday. As a result, all horses stabled in Barn 28 are once again permitted to enter races, as of today, Wednesday, July 23, and to train with the general horse population beginning Thursday. Barn 28, which contains horses under the care of trainer Mike Maker and Mark Casse, was placed under a precautionary quarantine on Saturday, July 19,...