Saratoga

Without any public discussion among commissioners and in quick succession by unanimous voice vote, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) Monday enacted a new rule designed to keep jockeys from stalling via filing appeals to get out of serving riding suspensions during the lucrative Saratoga Race Course meet. In similarly brisk fashion, the NYSGC also set into motion Feb. 28 the advancement of a proposed regulation to lift controversial pari-mutuel restrictions related to married jockeys competing in the same race. This measure must come back for a final vote...

In celebration of the life and memory of celebrity David Cassidy, the 5th Annual David Cassidy: A Triple Crown Life Event will be held at Putnum Place in Saratoga Springs, NY Aug. 16. Hosted by the David Cassidy Memorial Legacy Group (DCMLG), the fundraiser aims to promote racing and to support Thoroughbred aftercare organizations, this year including the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, NYRA Cares, Take The Lead, Take2 and Columbia Greene Humane Society. Debuting in 2021, the David Cassidy Remember Me Awards...

The New York Racing Association will unveil a new hospitality area for the 2022 summer meet as part of a continuing series of capital improvements at Saratoga. The Post Bar and Paddock Suite will be a new, permanent two-story structure that will replace and enhance the original Post Bar, a popular single-story, open air gathering spot for racing fans that had been located beneath a temporary canopy. The second story Paddock Suite will feature a climate-controlled bar, lounge and outdoor balcony with views of the historic Saratoga paddock. The Paddock...

Potentially, there's a lot to like about last Friday's announcement that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) will be resurrecting Saratoga's long-dormant chute adjacent to the clubhouse turn to enable the running of one-mile dirt races for the first time in decades. Any nod to history--especially at America's most history-steeped track--is generally a welcome idea. Originally dubbed the "Wilson Chute" in honor of Richard T. Wilson, the president of the Saratoga Racing Association during the early 20th century, the perpendicular-to-the-stands starting area that ran more or less parallel to Nelson...

The construction of vehicle and pedestrian tunnels that cut underneath all three racing surfaces at Belmont Park could necessitate running the 2022 autumn meeting at Aqueduct Racetrack, New York Racing Association (NYRA) executives disclosed Friday. Such a tunnel system giving greater access to Belmont's 55-acre infield could also be the first step in an eventual addition of a synthetic racing surface to Belmont. Separately, NYRA has plans to rebuild a historic clubhouse turn chute at Saratoga Race Course that will allow one-mile dirt races to be run at the Spa...

The New York Racing Association's 2021 race meets conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course generated all-sources handle of $2,373,772,916 and average daily handle of $11,809,816 over 201 race days, NYRA announced Thursday. Average daily handle on the NYRA circuit has increased 21.6% since 2019, when average daily handle over 217 race days was $9,714,868. Average daily handle in 2020, which featured 157 race days, was $11,553,727. All sources handle for 2021 was $265,646,547 higher than 2019, an increase of 12.6%; and $559,837,825 higher than 2020, a...

Chad Brown won his seventh consecutive New York Racing Association, Inc. year-end training title with 140 wins while Jose Ortiz compiled his third riding crown with 185 victories as racing in 2021 was capped with the conclusion of the card on Dec. 31. Klaravich Stables retained the title as top owner, racking up 55 wins, seven more than the next-closest competitor, Michael Dubb, to finish as the leading owner for the third straight year at NYRA tracks, which include Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack. Brown compiled a...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) Wednesday added to an already daunting compilation of court documentation filed by both parties in an attempt to bolster its arguments in advance of a Jan. 6 "motion to dismiss" hearing in Bob Baffert's civil rights lawsuit against NYRA. The purpose of the Dec. 22 reply memorandum was to give NYRA "the opportunity to briefly address new arguments raised by Plaintiff in his opposition brief" and to confirm NYRA's position in relation to Baffert's civil action claim. "First, Plaintiff fails to articulate an actionable...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public and where. Note: Florida is expected to begin a new system, whereby a panel of stewards--one from the state and two association stewards--will begin hearing medication and riding offenses. There is currently no information on when that panel will begin hearing cases. We will be following...

Bob Baffert filed a legal response Friday to the New York Racing Association (NYRA)'s recent attempt to dismiss his amended civil complaint, in which the Hall-of-Fame trainer is fighting an allegedly "sham" hearing process initiated by NYRA to determine if he will be excluded from New York's premier tracks. The Dec. 10 filing in United States District Court (Eastern District of New York) rebutted and reargued a number of legal points that have already been volleyed back and forth by both sides since Baffert filed the initial version of his...

The New York Racing Association released its 2022 racing calendar with 202 live race days at Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course. The 2021-22 Aqueduct winter meet will run from Thursday, Dec. 9 through Sunday, Mar. 27 with live racing generally conducted four days per week in January and February and three days per week in March. The 15-day Aqueduct spring meet will open Thursday Mar. 31 and conclude on Sunday, Apr. 24. Live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday. Highlighted by the 154th running of the GI Belmont...

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale, canceled last year due to the pandemic, returned to the Humphrey S. Pavilion Monday with a weanling filly from the first crop of multiple graded stakes winner Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) (hip 215) bringing top price of $195,000. The filly, bred by Robert Chasanoff's Gentry Stable and consigned by Sequel New York, was purchased by Dean and Patti Reeves, in partnership with Steven Rocco. "That's as balanced and as solid a looking filly as I've seen in a long time," Dean Reeves said of the...