The New York Racing Fan Advisory Council held an open forum Aug. 30 at Saratoga Race Course, inviting customers and racing fans in the state to share comments and questions about their experiences at New York’s tracks. The Fan Advisory Council was established in 2011 by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, and…
When racing fans think of Travers-winning jockeys, they might think of Chris McCarron or Jerry Bailey, who each won Saratoga’s flagship race three times. They might think of Javier Castellano, Braulio Baeza, Eddie Arcaro, or Pat Day, who won it four times. They probably wouldn’t think of Shelby Barnes. Shelby “Pike” Barnes won the Travers…
The last time a horse won the Triple Crown, cable television didn’t exist, much less social media like Twitter and Facebook. When Affirmed won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakesin 1978, he was the third horse to do so in six years. Secretariat had broken the 25-year drought in 1973, and Seattle…
Last week, Saratoga Springs’ Mayor Joanne Yepsen proclaimed that August is Racehorse Retirement Month in the city. The proclamation came as part of an event at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame to introduce Racehorse Aftercare Charities of Saratoga Springs, a coalition of the area’s growing number of facilities dedicated to caring…
If you need someone to run your barn, to do some legs, or to run a horse for you, on the flat or over jumps, you might want to give Tiffany Webb a call. You could also call her if you need a little legal advice, or if you need someone to build a racecar…
With an eye toward a possible proposal to change New York’s rules on the race-day medication furosemide, the state’s Gaming Commission met in Saratoga Springs Aug. 25 to solicit opinions about the medication. The Gaming Commission is staffed by members who requested the forum be held, admitting that they have no background in horse racing…
Happy Travers week! The biggest week of the summer got even bigger when Zayat Stables announced on Sunday that American Pharoah would be coming to the Mid-Summer Derby to try to become only the second horse in history to win the Triple Crown and the Travers Stakes. Will he join Whirlaway, who did it in…
Saturday, August 8 was a pretty big day at Saratoga Race Course. The inaugural Whitney Racing Festival featured five stakes races, three of them graded, the centerpiece the 88th running of the Whitney Stakes. Kendrick Carmouche had mounts in three of those races. He finished last in the first one, on Joint Return in the…
At a meeting of the NYRA board of directors on Wednesday, August 12, board chair Michael Del Giudice announced that the last vacancy on the board had been filled by Chris Mara, the senior vice president of the New York Giants and a Thoroughbred owner. Over the last year, three board members have resigned, including…
We saw a heck of a horse race on opening weekend with the Coaching Club American Oaks, when I’m a Chatterbox and Stopchargingmaria duked it out to the wire. I’m a Chatterbox got there first but was disqualified…will we see a rematch in this Saturday’s historic Alabama Stakes? We’ve also got the popular umbrella giveaway,…
Brooklyn Backstretch 