NYRA

The New York Racing Association has named multiple Eclipse winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. as the recipient of the 2025 Mike Venezia Memorial Award, according to a press release from the track on Friday. Ortiz, Jr., based this summer at Saratoga Race Course, was chosen by a committee comprised of members of the Venezia family, representatives of The Jockeys' Guild and retired Eclipse Award-winning rider Richard Migliore. A ceremony at Saratoga will be held on Friday, Aug. 22. "Joining the list of winners of the Venezia Memorial Award is a...

The New York Gaming Commission steward at Saratoga, Braulio Baeza Jr., rules with an iron first. Make any mistake, no matter how small, inadvertent or innocent, and you will be penalized, fined as much as $4,000. Just ask trainer Gary Contessa, clocker Richie Glazer, former senior vice president of racing operations Frank Gabriel Jr., racing secretary Keith Doleshel and Assistant Racing Secretary Rob MacLennan. Each one made what amounted to an innocent and minor mistake and they paid a hefty price. There are, of course, three stewards. But the Gaming...

Saratoga's 12th and final race on the Aug. 9 card, an allowance for New York-breds originally carded for 1 1/8 miles on the turf, was accidentally contested at 1 1/16 miles. The race was declared official, with the error first pointed out by DRF's Dave Grening. The official Equibase chart made note of the error, stating: "Please note that the race was originally scheduled to be run at a mile and one-eighth on the Mellon Turf course. However, the gate was positioned for a mile and one-sixteenth start on the...

Filling out her RSVP card in advance and well-handled throughout, the budding turf star Laurelin (Zarak (Fr)--Bari (Ire), by Cape Cross {Ire}) kept her perfect record intact by sweeping down the Spa lane to earn a trip to the winner's circle in the GII Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational on Saturday. Spotlighted by TDN Europe's Heather Anderson in her series Making Waves after the Graham Motion trainee broke her maiden at first asking during the Belmont At The Big A meet last October, the bay continued her winning ways in the...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will recognize all service members past and present on Military Appreciation Day at Saratoga Race Course next Thursday, Aug. 14, it was announced via press release Friday afternoon. Gates open at 11:00 a.m. with first post scheduled for 1:10 p.m. during the annual event. All veterans and service members will receive free admission with proper military identification. NYRA will also make complimentary tickets available through VetTix, which provides tickets to events for veterans and active-duty personnel. The day's fifth race is named in honor...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host the inaugural Corgi Cup on Sunday, Aug. 10 at Saratoga Race Course. A total of 48 Corgis have been registered by their owners to take part in the competition. Two qualifying rounds featuring four heats of 12 Corgis each will take place on the main track after the third and fifth Thoroughbred races of the afternoon. The top three finishers from each heat will advance to the championship round to comprise a 12-Corgi field that will go to post after the...

First-time starter Setting Sun (Caravaggio), who was pulled up during the running of the ninth race at Saratoga Wednesday, has been euthanized according to a press release from NYRA Thursday. The note reads: "During the running of Race 9 on Wednesday, August 6 at Saratoga Race Course, the Miguel Clement-trained Setting Sun was pulled up by jockey Flavien Prat in the stretch run with an injury to the left front. The filly was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians, who transported Setting Sun to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for...

Saturday's 13-race Whitney Day program at Saratoga Race Course generated record wagering handle of $49,651,341, officials at the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) reported at the close of business. The figure represents a 22.7% increase over the prior Whitney Day record of $40,461,888, which was established in 2022. Five graded races worth $3.2 million in purses, including the GI Whitney Stakes--a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 1 at Del Mar--and three other Grade I events, highlighted the stellar card at the Spa...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Two years ago, the GI Whitney Stakes was a whiteout. As in White Abarrio (Race Day), who crushed the field by 6 1/4 lengths. Fast forward to now and White Abarrio is back for another run in Saturday's $1 million Whitney, the premier race for older horses at the 40-day meet at Saratoga Race Course. The 6-year-old horse will look to shrug off a disappointing fourth place finish in the GI Met Mile last month and prove to his trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. that he deserves...

By the time you're reading this article, the New York Racing Association (NYRA)'s years-long rebuild of Belmont Park that is on target to be finished by September 2026 will have reached or be very close to achieving a significant milestone. "The inner turf course will be complete by possibly [Friday] if not Monday with all the sod," Glen Kozak, NYRA's senior vice president of operations and capital projects, said July 25. "This was a big, big step for us, and now we're rolling right into the Widener turf course." Kozak's...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will return to Saratoga during the first week of August to highlight accredited aftercare through a variety of initiatives at both Saratoga Race Course and Fasig-Tipton, the TAA announced Thursday. The organization will participate in events during Whitney weekend, which includes the GI Whitney Stakes, and will remain active through the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Sale the following week. The New York Racing Association will feature Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as its Community Partner during Whitney weekend and TAA will also be present at NYRA's Community Outreach Booth on...

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....