racing

Hawthorne Race Course, and its related companies, has filed for a Chapter 11 reorganization in Federal Bankruptcy Court in Chicago Friday. According to a press release issued by the track, the "reorganization plan will prioritize paying accrued purses to the Illinois Horsemen as well as payroll for the track employees while restructuring the company's debt. "The goal of the reorganization is to attract a buyer or investor willing to recapitalize Hawthorne and restart operations of the racecourse while maximizing recovery to the company's creditors. Hawthorne will be working with financial...

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will offer significant enhancements to its 2-year-old racing program, reinforcing the track's long-standing commitment to developing juvenile runners while expanding opportunities for owners, trainers and breeders, the track announced Wednesday. Beginning with the 2026 Summer season, which opens July 17, Del Mar will offer $100,000 open maiden races for 2-year-olds on the main track. These enhanced purses, for both colts and fillies, underscore the early success of California's new single-circuit structure and reaffirm the importance of juvenile racing to the seaside oval. In addition, Del...

The former director and chief executive officer of healthcare technology startup Biofourmis Holdings, Kuldeep Singh Rajput, was set to be charged in a Singapore court on Feb. 4 for his alleged involvement in a series of financial crimes, according to a statement released by the Singapore Police Force on Tuesday and reported by the Business Times. The Business Times in Singapore identified the accused as Kuldeep Singh Rajput, the company's founder and former CEO, who stepped down from his role in August 2023. Rajput was also the head of Gandharvi...

In response to Maggie Sweet's powerful letter to the TDN--February 2, 2026, I would like to add my support--and my urgency. The Jockey Club needs a paradigm shift, and so do Thoroughbred owners and breeders. The future of our sport depends on it. Think of a stunning model--poised, admired, photographed from every angle. Now imagine that same model with a mouth full of rotten teeth. No matter how beautiful the rest of her may be, the illusion collapses the moment she smiles. Perception changes instantly. The image is damaged, and...

Purses for 3-year-old and upward maiden special weight (MSW) races at Keeneland Race Course ($110,000) and Churchill Downs ($120,000) are projected to remain level this spring compared to the same seasonal race meets in 2025. Executives from both tracks disclosed those spring 2026 figures during the Feb. 3 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. Keeneland's non-juvenile MSW purses had been $100,000 each April between 2022 and 2024 before getting bumped up to $110,000 last year. Churchill Downs has carded non-juvenile MSW races for $120,000 during its April-June meet...

The Commerce Committee in the Florida House of Representatives reported favorably Feb. 3 on the controversial decoupling bill backed by Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs that would allow either track to cease live racing while retaining their respective casino and card-room privileges. The vote appeared to be 15-9. The decision was largely split along party lines, with the "no" votes cast by Democrats and only two Republicans splitting off from the "yes" votes to oppose the bill. (One voice vote was inaudible during the roll call; the Florida legislature's...

With winter weather on the way, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will move the live racing program scheduled for Sunday, January 25 at Aqueduct Racetrack to Wednesday, January 28, pending approval from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), the organization announced Wednesday. In a press release, NYRA says, "due to a winter storm with the potential to bring significant snowfall and arctic temperatures to the New York metropolitan area on Sunday, NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) have...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has received official approval by the Federal Trade Commission for a series of proposed changes to its Enforcement Rules (Rule Series 8000), the group announced Friday. These changes will take effect January 19, 2026. HISA's updated Enforcement Rules are available in full here and include the following changes: Clarification that it is a violation to enter a Covered Horse or cause a Covered Horse to compete in a Covered Horserace prior to registering the Covered Horse with HISA (note that it is a...

Very near the final hour, the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (FHBPA) and Gulfstream Park have landed on a three-year live racing agreement, some details of which were shared in joint press releases issued Tuesday. This agreement is a federal requirement for a racetrack to conduct live racing and simulcast its signal nationwide. Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group (TSG), is statutorily required to conduct a minimum of 40-days live racing to operate its casino. Without a horsemen's agreement, Gulfstream Park would still have been able to conduct...

In response to winter weather cancellations earlier in December, Parx Racing, along with the PTHA and the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, has added three Thursday race dates for January 2026, January 8, January 15, and January 22, the track announced Wednesday. "Winter racing always comes with challenges, and flexibility is critical," said David Osojnak, Parx Director of Racing. "Adding these January race days allows us to respond constructively to December's weather-related cancellations while continuing to support our program and  horsemen to deliver a consistent racing product. We try to help...

The first decoupling salvo of Florida's 2026 legislative session that could lead to Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs being able to cease live racing while retaining their gaming rights was fired Tuesday morning when Rep. Adam Anderson submitted a bill that shares similarities to a controversial initiative he backed in 2025 that cleared the House and one committee in the Senate. Like the 2025 attempt, the bill that will be in play when the new legislative session begins Jan. 13 would allow either of Florida's two Thoroughbred tracks to...

Tom Ryan's observation that California graded stakes have been decimated by the graded stakes committee is spot on, but does not delve into the issue deeply nor address solutions. I applaud him speaking out against a system that adheres to a doctrine of the past, which evaluates many criteria while ignoring the fact that all graded stakes (save a select few) will be the domain of slot-enhanced, subsidized racetracks in the near term. The idea that the Breeders' Cup and/or Jockey Club could ignore this trend while sitting idly by...