NYRA

My first trip to a Thoroughbred racetrack came in the summer of 1961 at Ellis Park. At the time, I was 16, closing in on 17, and Kelso was four, closing in on the second of five consecutive Horse of the Year titles. Kelso never raced anywhere near Ellis, but his enduring class was such that he ranked among the sporting world's most recognizable heroes of the day. The New York Yankees' pinstriped pair of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, in their pursuit of Babe Ruth's single-season home run record,...

Coupled 1 and 1A pari-mutuel entries in New York could soon be eliminated if a New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) proposal that got advanced to the public commentary phase on Monday passes an eventual final vote by commissioners. According to a brief written by NYSGC general counsel Edmund Burns that was included in the informational packet for the Mar. 24 meeting, the proposal has the backing of the New York Racing Association, Finger Lakes racetrack, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. "Those...

Officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) have released a 64-strong stakes schedule for the 2025 summer meeting at Saratoga Race Course. The 40-day stand will kick off on Thursday, July 10 and will continue through Labor Day, Sept. 1. Over $20 million in prize money is to be offered across the added-money events, anchored by three seven-figure fixtures, the $1.25-million GI DraftKings Travers Stakes on Aug. 23; the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes on Aug. 2; and the $1-million GI Jockey Club Gold Cup on Aug. 31. The meet's...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has expanded its overall investment in the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet and the July 4th Racing Festival from 56 stakes worth $16.85 million in 2024 to 55 stakes totaling $17,250,000 this year, according to press releases from the racing entity on Friday. Highlighted by the 157th edition of the Grade I, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 7 at Saratoga, the five-day 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will include 27 stakes...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a job fair on Wednesday, Mar. 19 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET to support the 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, the track said via an early morning Friday release. The job fair will be held in the 1863 Club at the Spa. Attendees should enter through the Wright Street entrance (Gate 8) with parking available in the 1863 Club lot. Festival positions include mutuel clerks, cashiers, merchandise clerks, customer service representatives, white caps, security guards,...

Hospitality on-sale dates for the 2025 season at Saratoga Race Course, headed by the July 4 Festival followed by the traditional 40-day summer meet begin to be rolled out Mar. 5, according to the New York Racing Association Tuesday. The July 4th Racing Festival, typically held at Belmont Park, will take place from Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6 at Saratoga while construction continues on a new Belmont. The 40-day summer meet will open Thursday, July 10 and continue through Monday, Sept. 1. All tickets and hospitality for the...

The $20-million G1 Saudi Cup and much of its accompanying card will air in the U.S. Saturday, Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET on FS2, according to a release from the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) Thursday. The 'Golden Hour' telecast will air from noon-1 p.m., with a scheduled post time for the Saudi Cup at 12:40 p.m. Following the Saudi Cup broadcast, America's Day at the Races will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday on FS2 with live coverage from Aqueduct Racetrack and Oaklawn Park.

A power outage right before the sixth race Sunday afternoon forced Tampa Bay Downs to cancel the remainder of their card while Aqueduct pre-emptively abandoned the Monday fixture in advance of forecasted high winds. The first reported issues Sunday at Tampa Bay Downs occurred shortly before the start of the sixth race when the power went off as the horses were behind the gate. That contest was cancelled, according to a series of tweets from the official X account, about an hour later but the remaining races were still scheduled...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack due to high winds associated with a strong winter storm forecast to impact the New York City metropolitan area throughout the day. Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting, and wagering is available via NYRABets.com. Live racing is scheduled to resume on Monday with a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern on the eight-race Presidents' Day card.

Fined $4,000 by the New York Gaming Commission over a rule regarding when a trainer can run a horse outside of New York after it has been claimed, trainer Gary Contessa was afforded a hearing Wednesday before a hearing officer assigned to the case by the commission. The hearing officer will now consider the facts that were presented Wednesday and make a recommendation to the Gaming Commission regarding whether or not the fine should be upheld. Contessa was charged after he ran a horse named Answer the Call (Dialed In)...

Looking to make a statement after a more-than-solid start to his career at the Big A last summer when he ran a game second to GSW Mentee (City of Light), Colloquial (Vekoma-- Terminology, by Bernardini) graduated over the same strip on Friday afternoon and earned himself a 'TDN Rising Star' in the process. TDN's Racing Editor Steve Sherack highlighted the initial effort by Colloquial in his 'Second Chances' series in December. In the seventh race at Aqueduct June 15, Mentee looked in firm control at the quarter pole, but the...

A New York Racing Association (NYRA) executive confirmed on Friday that the massive-scaled, $455-million rebuild of Belmont Park is on schedule for its planned grand opening in the fall of 2026. Glen Kozak, NYRA's senior vice president of operations and capital projects, provided a construction update during the Jan. 31 meeting of the New York State Franchise Oversight Board (FOB), which is the governor-appointed entity that represents the interests of New York State in the real estate at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. "At this point 95...