NYRA

Joe Bianca, Associate Editor for the Thoroughbred Daily News, kicks off a new podcast called Bettor Things, where he hosts one-on-one conversations with some of the handicapping world's brightest minds. In this first episode, he chats with David Aragona, handicapper and morning line maker for NYRA.

It was an eventful few months for three-time Eclipse champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shortly after scoring a hat trick of victories at the Breeders' Cup, Ortiz was suspended 30 days for careless riding at Aqueduct. Upon his return, the 29-year-old picked up where he left off at Gulfstream, piloting winners left and right and over the weekend, added two more seven-figure Grade I wins to his trophy collection with victories in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. on back-to-back winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) and Pegasus World Cup...

Have you lost all editorial accuracy in comparing the violations of trainers such as Jason Servis, Marcus Vitali, Wayne Potts, with Bob Baffert? Until Medina Spirit had the very unfortunate appearance of a skin disease requiring application of an ointment containing a one half strength variant of bethamethasone, Bob Baffert was a celebrated top trainer, who had become one of the faces of the sport. The sad oversight that led the vet to prescribe Otomax for Medina Spirit without noticing the presence of beta valerate, causing a minute overage positive...

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...

Bob Baffert's five-day hearing on "detrimental conduct" charges levied by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) closed Friday with NYRA's attorney arguing that the Hall-of-Fame trainer has trashed the sport with such an unprecedented litany of medication violations that NYRA needs to be allowed to punish him, while Baffert's lawyer countered that the real extraordinary aspect of the case involves vendetta-based accusations that could result in draconian sanctions NYRA has never before attempted to impose upon any other trainer. "Bob Baffert is not a cheater," the trainer's attorney, W. Craig...

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...

Bob Baffert testified for about 3 1/2 hours in Thursday's hearing to determine whether the New York Racing Association (NYRA) can exclude the trainer over alleged "detrimental conduct." Much of the testimony consisted of exchanges between the Hall of Fame trainer and NYRA attorney Hank Greenberg, whose attempts to rattle Baffert were largely unsuccessful. The Hall of Famer stuck to what has been the narrative from his team since the issues of his repeated medication violations first arose--that each offense involved mitigating circumstances that explain why he wasn't deserving of...

Caesars Sportsbook has entered into a partnership agreement with the New York Racing Association establishing Caesars as an official sports betting marketing partner and the title sponsor of the NYRA Turf Triple Series. In addition, Caesars Sportsbook will partner with NYRA Bets to offer its customers sports betting promos and offers both across the state and on-site at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, as well as access to VIP hospitality assets for Caesars Sportsbook bettors. Hospitality assets include premium seating at Saratoga. "Caesars has been a household name in...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has named Frank G. Gabriel, Jr. the successor of Martin Panza as Senior Vice President, Racing Operations. Gabriel will assume the position February 3 following the departure of Panza last October. As SVP of Racing Operations, Gabriel will be responsible for leadership and oversight of racing functions at NYRA, including the overall development, planning, and execution of NYRA's premier stakes offerings, marquee events, and daily racing programs. With more than four decades in Thoroughbred racing, Gabriel brings a wealth of experience into the role....

Under pressure of cross-examination that questioned his credibility, a retired New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) steward launched into a nearly five-minute tirade just before the close of Wednesday's hearing to determine whether the New York Racing Association (NYRA) can exclude trainer Bob Baffert over alleged "detrimental conduct." Voice cracking with emotion and punctuating points by banging his fist on the witness table, Stephen Lewandowski, who served as the state steward at NYRA tracks between 2014 and 2019, lost his cool after testifying in support of Baffert and then facing...

This week on the TDN Writers' Room, Fox Sports Executive Vice President Mike Mulvihill joins the TDN Writers' Room to discuss the exclusive deal NYRA and Fox Sports recently reached for the media rights to the GI Belmont Stakes.

Backsideofthemoon (Malibu Moon) has lived on the Belmont backstretch since 2015, but that changed Tuesday when a van picked him up to take him to Parx. It's not where owner Charlie Halas or trainer Pat Reynolds want him to be, but they didn't have much choice in the matter. Even though he finished third in a stakes race, the Queens County S., in his most recent start, Backsideofthemoon is no longer allowed to race or stable at the NYRA tracks because he has turned 10 years old. "I was emotional...