In the aftermath of hosting the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 and three weeks into a Saratoga Race Course meet that is showing significant gains in reported attendance and pari-mutuel handle, the board of directors of the New York Racing Association met Aug. 12 and for the most part celebrated the accomplishments. But the…
NYRA president and CEO Chris Kay appeared on the popular local news channel NY1 to talk about the plans for this weekend’s Belmont Stakes. Kay said that he thought that last year’s announced attendance of 102,199 was far short of the actual attendance, which he estimated as closer to 115,000. Of Wednesday’s post position draw…
The New York State Gaming Commission announced a major new transparency initiative at its May 26 meeting. As a result of recommendations from the Fan Advisory Council, established in 2011 by the New York State Racing Wagering and Board—the gaming commission’s predecessor—the NYSGC will now publish weekly reports from the New York Racing Association, containing…
At his first meeting as chair of the board of directors of the New York Racing Association, Anthony Bonomo Jr. pledged “to work to make New York racing the best it can be,” saying that he would bring together owners, trainers, and racing executives “for the good of the sport.” Acknowledging the challenges faced by…
Sarah Crouse might not call herself a handicapper, but a prize pot of more than $10,000, won earlier this month at a contest at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York says otherwise, and says it loud and clear. The 25-year-old Crouse took home first prize in the New York Racing Association’s live-money tournament on the day…
Last Friday morning, the thermometer in Saratoga Springs read -8 degrees. On February 24th, it was -17. In weather like that, most sensible human beings throw another log on the fire or grab another blanket, pour a hot drink, and refuse to leave the house. But not Michele Jennings, who regardless of temperature or precipitation,…
It wasn’t supposed to happen again. After that devastating winter three years ago, after Governor Cuomo called for a task force, after an investigation and dozens of recommendations, we weren’t supposed to be sitting here wondering why so many horses are breaking down at Aqueduct, again. But we are. In the 20 days since Aqueduct’s…
In some ways, 2014 was just like a lot of other years in New York racing: unstable, unpredictable, a waiting game to see what will happen next, as the first full year of the newest NYRA leadership put its stamp on racing in the state. While the state-controlled NYRA board held its first meeting in…
If you listen to local news radio in New York City, you might have caught the following advertisement over the last few weeks, in which a man who says he’s a resident of Elmont, one of the towns that borders Belmont Park, voices his concern about New York State “making the right decisions about developing…
In the first of a series of quarterly meetings, executives from the New York Racing Association took questions from customers in an hour-long question-and-answer session Nov. 15 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Located in Longshots, the simulcast facility that opened in April, the meeting provided an opportunity for Chris Kay, NYRA president and CEO, to present the…
Brooklyn Backstretch 