Is Horse Racing Dead? Not in New York

December 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The recently concluded 15-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack generated $10,295,293 in average daily handle from all sources, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today. With this year’s 11.2 percent increase over 2020, average daily handle at the Aqueduct fall meet has risen 25.4 percent since 2019.

The continued growth in average daily handle aligns with the broader trend at NYRA, as reflected in sustained increases in that metric at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Average daily handle at the Belmont fall meet has grown 39 percent since 2019 with the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga eclipsing $20 million in average daily handle for the first time in history. 

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Despite hosting three fewer race days than 2020, all sources handle for the Aqueduct fall meet totaled $154,429,388 compared with $166,702,976 in 2020. The 2019 fall meet, which was contested over 25 days, generated all sources handle of $205,249,710.

The opening of the fall meet marked the return of in-person attendance for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. As a result, on-track handle was $15,268,541, a 35.1 percent increase over 2020 when only a limited number of owners were permitted to attend live racing. The 2019 fall meet, which was contested over 25 days, generated on-track handle of $20,712,645.

With the benefit of two turf courses available at Aqueduct, 74 races were run over the grass with just six races forced off the turf due to weather during the fall meet. In 2020, 68 races were run over the grass with 11 races forced off the turf due to weather. 

Average field size for the 145 total races run during the fall meet was 8.90, a 2.6 percent increase over 2020 and 5.9 percent higher than 2019. 

The 2021-22 Aqueduct winter meet, which began Dec. 9, continues through Sunday, March 27.

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New York Bill Would Divert Horse Racing Funds

November 19, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Wagering Tote self service machine

copyright AGameofSkill.com

ALBANY — State legislators have introduced a bill that would shift approximately $230 million in annual funding from slot machines and paid to horse racing tracks and breeders and redistribute it to schools, human services and other causes.

The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, D-Brooklyn, and Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, is also backed by a cadre of animal rights groups and social services non-profits, who said they plan to use advertising and grassroots organizing to draw attention to the issue.

“The state has been propping up this industry for decades and there is no reason for that to continue, especially when we need the money the state has been giving to the industry,” Rosenthal said in an interview.

The supplemental payments to horse racing also have defenders in the Democratic caucus, like state Sen. Joseph Addabo, D-Queens, who said the money helps preserve jobs created by the industry.

The bill would allocate a portion of slot machine revenues to…

More on this New York bill and how it affects horse racing in NY

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Is Horse Racing Dead? Not in Upstate New York

September 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment

2021 Saratoga meet breaks betting record again

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Despite above average rainfall and ongoing fears about the spread of coronavirus, more than one million horse racing fans returned to the Saratoga Race Course this summer and set an all-time betting record.

New York Racing Association President and CEO Dave O’Rourke said the all-source handle, or the total amount of money bet, reached more than $800 million, the third year in a row that the handle record was broken during the 40-day meet.

“Thanks to the energy, enthusiasm and support of the best fans in horse racing, the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course has been a tremendous success,” O’Rourke said in a statement.

He also noted that this year’s meet “has been a summer reunion like never before,” after NYRA raced without fans in Saratoga in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re especially pleased that the return of fans has translated into strong business for downtown Saratoga Springs and the entire Capital Region community,” he said. “The summer meet at Saratoga is as strong as any point in its storied history.”

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Horse Racing Czar Rips NY Sports Betting Process

August 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

A week after the New York Gaming Commission announced that it had received six bids with the goal of offering mobile sports betting in the state, Meadowlands Racetrack operator Jeff Gural remained in an ornery mood this week at the Racing and Gaming Conference held at Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“I’m being nice — I won’t be so nice later,” Gural said on Tuesday morning during a Q&A portion of one conference panel, as he warned two elected officials that if the process fails, “You’ll have everybody laughing at you.”

And as part of the last panel of the two-day event at the iconic racetrack, Gural showed he was not joking.

As owner of two upstate New York harness racing tracks — Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs — Gural has reason to have mixed feelings about New York’s plan for a mobile betting tax rate of at least 50%.

The more inefficient a formula that plays out in New York, the more likely it is that the FanDuel Sportsbook at this Meadowlands site — the highest-grossing such book in the country — suffers minimal harm. But for the 79-year-old New York and New Jersey real estate mogul, putting forward what he sees as a poor business model seems to offend Gural most of all.

Asked for his overall opinion of the New York plan, Gural groused, “I don’t think they got anything right. They got..

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Belmont Park Fall Dates and Stakes

September 9, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Belmont Park GrandstandThe New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced race dates for the 27-day Belmont fall meet, including 38 stakes worth $5.58 million in purse money, that will kick off on Friday, September 18 and run through Sunday, November 1.

Following opening weekend at Belmont, live racing will be conducted Thursday through Sunday with the exception of Columbus Day weekend, when live racing will be offered on Monday, October 12 and return on Friday, October 16.

The Belmont Park fall meet has traditionally opened on the Friday following Labor Day. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYRA adjusted the fall schedule by adding a one-week break following the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course.

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“This new fall schedule is the result of a collaborative effort between NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders to modify our racing calendar in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the industry,” said NYRA President and CEO Dave O’Rourke. “I’d like to thank the horsemen and breeders for their common-sense approach to solving the challenges brought about by this unprecedented public health crisis.”

The fall meet at Belmont Park will be highlighted by 22 graded stakes, featuring seven Grade 1 events and seven Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers to the two-day Breeders’ Cup 2020 World Championships to be held November 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course.

Stakes action will commence Opening Day with the $80,000 Miner’s Mark at 1 1/2-miles on Big Sandy for 3-year-olds and up leading into the first of the meet’s Grade 1 events the following day with the $250,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational, the second leg of the Turf Triple series for 3-year-old fillies in a 1 ¼-mile turf test on Saturday, September 19.

The following Saturday will be highlighted by the Grade 2, $150,000 Vosburgh, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up offering a berth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The September 26 card is bolstered by the Grade 3, $100,000 Noble Damsel at one-mile on the turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

The Thursday, October 1 card offers the $100,000 Joseph A. Gimma, a seven-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies as the first of 10 stakes races restricted to New York-breds at the meet. It’s counterpart, the $100,000 Bertram F. Bongard also at seven furlongs on the main track will be held October 2.

Five graded races will highlight the Saturday, October 3 card, led by the Grade 1, $250,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, second leg of the Turf Triple series for males, a 10-furlong turf test offering a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The card is bolstered by the Grade 1, $250,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at 12 furlongs on the turf for 3-year-olds and up; the Grade 2, $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at 6 ½-furlongs for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up; the Grade 2, $150,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-turn mile for 3-years-old and up; and the Grade 2, $150,000 Pilgrim for 2-year-ols at 1 1/16-miles on the turf.

The following day will showcase an additional three graded events on October 4 led by the Grade 2, $150,000 Beldame at nine furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up; The Grade 2, $150,000 Miss Grillo for juvenile fillies; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up.

Columbus Day Weekend beginning Saturday, October 10 and ending on Monday, October 12, will feature nine graded events worth $1.65 million, including four Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” challenge races on Saturday led by the $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 ¼-mile test offering a berth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The Saturday, October 10, card is bolstered by the Grade 1, $250,000 Champagne, won last year by Belmont Stakes and Runhappy Travers hero Tiz the Law, at one-mile for 2-year-olds providing a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. A loaded card also includes the Grade 1, $250,000 Flower Bowl at 10-furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up with a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on the line; the Grade 1, $250,000 Frizette, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies offering a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies; and the Grade 2, $150,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies at one mile on the turf.

Sunday, October 11 will feature the Grade 3, $100,000 Futurity, a six-furlong turf sprint offering a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Matron for juvenile filly turf sprinters.

The Grade 2, $150,000 Hill Prince for sophomore turf milers and the Grade 2, $150,000 Knickerbocker, a nine-furlong turf test for 3-year-olds and up on Columbus Day Monday will close out the lucrative weekend.

The spotlight will focus on the Empire State on Saturday, October 24 when the best New York-breds gather at Belmont Park for Empire Showcase Day. An annual celebration of all things New York, the Empire Showcase Day card will offer eight stakes worth $1.2 million topped by the $175,000 Empire Classic at 1 1/8 miles.

Closing weekend will feature five stakes combined from October 31 – November 1, led by the Grade 3, $100,000 Bold Ruler Handicap on Saturday. Sunday’s Closing Day will offer the $80,000 Pumpkin Pie and the $80,000 Chelsey Flower.

New York state currently requires all racetracks to operate without spectators in attendance to combat the spread of COVID-19. NYRA will issue updated guidance regarding COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys, trainers and owners in the near future.

Source: New York Racing Association

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Belmont Park’s Opening Can Begin June 1

May 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Belmont Park’s spring/summer meet can officially begin on June 1, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at his daily news conference on Saturday.

“There’ll be guidelines for the actual participants — no crowds, no fans,” he said. “For the industry itself, for the televised viewers, that could still work.”

New York Racing Association and local officials said they were pleased with the announcement. Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach who urged the state to reopen the Park, said the decision was “welcomed news,” and NYRA President David O’Rourke called it a “reasoned and responsible decision … that will enable horse racing to resume in a way that prioritizes health and safety.”

Last month, NYRA officials announced that they had plans in place to “prioritize the health and safety of employees, horsemen and the backstretch community.”

More about Belmont Park’s Opening:

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Is Horse Racing Dead? Not in Upstate New York

September 3, 2019 by Leave a Comment

All-sources handle record set as wagering tops $700 million during 2019 meet at Saratoga Race Course

Source: NYRA Press Office

by Pat Mckenna; Mark Bardack

Milestone record achieved during reconfigured racing calendar and despite cancellation of a Saturday racing card

For the first time in history, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) generated more than $700 million in all-sources handle during the 2019 meet at Saratoga Race Course, which was conducted over a five-day race week and included the cancellation of a full Saturday card of racing.

Wagering from all-sources totaled $705,343,949 a staggering increase of more than $46 million, or 7 percent, over last year when racing was conducted for the full 40 days during a six-day week. This year’s handle eclipsed the previous record set in 2017 by nearly $29 million or 4.2 percent.

The milestone record was achieved despite the cancellation of a full racing card on the second Saturday of the season due to extreme heat, in addition to the cancellation of the final seven races on July 25 due to severe storms.

The record was also set during a season in which the Saratoga calendar was reconfigured to include a five-day race week, a departure from the traditional six days, and the earliest opening in modern history. The change was made to accommodate construction of a new arena for the New York Islanders at Belmont Park.

Average Daily Handle Up Nearly 10%

Average daily handle for the 2019 Saratoga meet was $18,085,742, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 2018 average daily handle of $16,477,086.

NYRA sets new all-sources handle record as wagering tops $700 million during 2019 meet at Saratoga Race Course

copyright NYRA

“This has been a truly outstanding meet highlighted by the traditional recipe that sets Saratoga apart: world-class thoroughbred racing and entertainment. We would not be in this enviable position without the dedication of the owners, the talent of the horsemen, and the unmatched enthusiasm of our fans. I want to thank the local community for their support and everyone who contributed to our success this summer,” said NYRA CEO & President Dave O’Rourke. “This summer also marked the loss of one of Saratoga’s most ardent benefactors, Mrs. Marylou Whitney. Saratoga and NYRA will forever be grateful for her contributions to racing.”

Klaravich Stables was the meet’s leading owner with 19 wins. Chad Brown defended his H. Allen Jerkens training title with 41 wins. Jockey Jose Ortiz claimed the Angel Cordero, Jr. riding title with 60 wins.

The 2019 season witnessed several other highwater marks, including record all-sources handle of $31,835,863 on Whitney Day and $52,129,344 on Travers Day.

This year’s banner Travers Day coincided with the 150th edition of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers, which aired for the first time on the FOX broadcast network and was watched by more than 1.3 million viewers nationwide.

Saratoga’s record handle can also be attributed, in part, to the unabated growth and popularity of Saratoga Live, NYRA’s highly-acclaimed and award-winning television program. Distributed to a nationwide audience across FS2, Saratoga Live featured more than 190 hours of live programming this season compared to 80 hours when the broadcast was first introduced in 2016. FS2, part of the Fox family of networks, carried full-card coverage during most of the meet’s 39 racing days. NYRA’s investment in content and distribution has been rewarded with an increase in year-over-year viewership of more than 140 percent.

This year’s Whitney Day celebrated the life and legacy of Mrs. Marylou Whitney, the beloved owner, breeder and philanthropist who passed away earlier in the meet.

Whitney Day featured a visit by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who announced plans to build the Marylou Whitney Backstretch Pavilion, a permanent structure on the Oklahoma training grounds to house the Saratoga Backstretch Appreciation program. Launched more than a decade ago by Mrs. Whitney and her husband, John Hendrickson, the program provides meals, entertainment and support for thousands of backstretch workers.

On the eve of Whitney Day, NYRA officially dedicated the Clubhouse entrance in Mrs. Whitney’s honor. Fans each summer will now pass through the “Marylou Whitney Entrance” upon their arrival at Saratoga Race Course.

The 2019 meet marked the debut of the Empire 6, NYRA’s new jackpot-style multi-race wager, which provided one of two mandatory payouts on closing day. A total of $5,379,911 was wagered on closing day of the Empire 6 for a total pool size of $6,173,478 which included the jackpot carryover. Monday’s five figure payout of $23,794 rivaled several other large Empire 6 payouts over the course of the meet including: $37,064 on August 21; $25,145 on August 14 and $12,547 on August 18.

The 2019 season saw the successful debut of the newest hospitality venue at Saratoga Race Course: the 1863 Club. Constructed over the course of only 10 months, the 36,000-square-foot, three-story, climate-controlled building welcomed thousands of fans who experienced its modern amenities and sweeping views and sightlines of the track during its inaugural season.

The Saratoga meet began with an Opening Weekend celebration to honor New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera. The legendary Yankees star visited the Spa just prior to his induction into Cooperstown as the first unanimous selection in the history of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. During the event, NYRA presented Rivera with commemorative framed blue and white pinstriped silks featuring the closer’s famed number “42”.

On-track handle for 2019 was $146,618,750.

Total paid attendance for the 2019 Saratoga meet was 1,056,053 over 39 days, marking the fifth consecutive season that paid attendance has exceeded one million fans.

Figures for all-sources handle at Saratoga dating back to 2010, the start of the 40-day meet, are as follows:

All-Sources Handle

2010 $551,660,724

2011* $526,251,819

2012 $588,351,964

2013 $586,617,240

2014 $571,163,485

2015 $648,272,805

2016 $647,322,503

2017 $676,709,490

2018 $659,083,459

2019* $705,343,949

*39 race days, due to weather cancellation

Live racing returns Friday, September 6 to Belmont Park for the 37-day fall meet, which includes 45 stakes worth $11.525 million in purse money – an increase of $1.45 million over 2018 – starting at Belmont Park from September 6 to October 6, and concluding at Aqueduct Racetrack, with Belmont at the Big A from October 11 to October 27. The fall championship meet will be highlighted by eight Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers held over two weekends.

For more information, visit NYRA.com for the report on horse racing in upstate New York.

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NY OTBs could shed horse racing operations

January 29, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Off-Track Betting agencies in Nassau and Suffolk counties and across New York could shed their horse racing operations – their main function for nearly 50 years, but also a source of deficits in recent years – under proposals unveiled by the POS Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week.

OTBs would have greater flexibility to operate under Cuomo’s proposed 2019-2020 budget, as they contend with declining racing revenues. The budget proposal would allow OTBs to decide to get out of horse betting entirely or merge with other OTBs, officials said.

OTB officials and experts say Cuomo’s proposal, which must be approved by the state Legislature, may make it possible for betting agencies to pursue bigger moneymakers, such as video lottery terminals and, perhaps eventually, sports betting.

But at this point Cuomo’s proposals are general, and do not set guidelines for what the changes would look like.

“The whole industry is on the phone, trying to figure out what does this mean,” said Phil Nolan, director of Suffolk Off Track Betting.

OTBs were established in six locations in the 1970s to pass along profits from horse betting to local governments and to reduce illegal gambling. In Nassau and Suffolk, the OTBs have significant numbers of patronage employees.

OTBs simulcast races, take telephone and internet bets and operate automated betting machines. In Batavia in Genesee County, Western OTB manages a racetrack at Batavia Downs.

But the OTBs have struggled in recent years as horse racing has declined in popularity and competition has grown from casinos in other states, officials said…

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Racino Failure: Monticello Raceway casino closing

January 27, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Monticello Harness track remains open

MONTICELLO – The casino operation at the Monticello Casino and Raceway will soon close, but the harness racing track will stay open for now.

Empire Resorts, the Monticello racino’s parent company, will close its electronic gaming operations at the track “on or about” April 23, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday.

Forty employees will remain at the raceway, while the operation’s other 160 can take jobs at the nearby Resorts World Catskills casino, also owned by Empire Resorts, or receive severance packages.

“We’re happy about the fact that they have offered jobs to laid-off members, and we’re constructively talking with the company about adding additional severance,” Hotel Trades Council, the union that represents most of the workers, said in a statement.

Empire Resorts Inc. said horse racing will continue. But, in a written statement and in an SEC filing, it made no guarantees about the track’s long-term future.

The goal for now, the company said, is to avoid cannibalizing revenues from the 2,157 slot machines and 150 table games at Resorts World Catskills in the Town of Thompson.

Plus, Empire Resorts, which has averaged losses of between $10 million and $13 million per month since it began its phased opening of the Resorts World Catskills last February, is looking to improve earnings…

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Multi-Purpose Center at Belmont Park Coming Along

January 9, 2019 by Leave a Comment

CHAPLAINCY MAKING PROGRESS WITH FUND-RAISING EFFORT FOR MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER AT BELMONT PARK

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America (NYRTCA) announced today that it has passed the halfway mark in its ongoing effort to raise funds necessary to build a multi-purpose building and chapel on the grounds of Belmont Park in Elmont, NY.

The 5,000-square foot facility will cost approximately $800,000 to build, according to Humberto Chavez, the chaplain in New York.

Personal donations of $100,000 have been made by Lisa and Kenny Troutt of WinStar Farm, Kristine and Chris Kay, New York Racing Association (NYRA) CEO & President and Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson.

Horse owner Michael Dubb, who donated the two trailers where the Chaplaincy is currently housed, has pledged his donation in building materials for the entire facility.

Chavez said that ground-breaking ceremonies for the Chaplaincy Center are tentatively scheduled for the Spring of 2019 with a completion date targeted for the Fall of 2019.

“To have a facility like this has been a dream of mine for the past 15 years,” he said. “Thanks to those who have already made commitments and to those who will be doing so, the backstretch community will now have a place where people can relax, unwind, worship and learn new skills.”

The New York chaplaincy was created in 1986. It ministers to the needs of backstretch community at the NYRA racetracks (Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course) through a wide variety of programs. They include enrichment programs for children, social service programs, recreational programs, educational opportunities and non-denominational religious services.

“Our services have continued to grow through the years and we’ve just outgrown the two trailers we’ve been using as our headquarters,” Chavez said.
Chavez, who was named chaplain in 2003, said he shared his dream with Chris Kay shortly after the 2018 Belmont Stakes. “We discussed how much the backstretch needed a building like this and he quickly said, ‘Let’s make it happen.’”

The new facility will include office space for the Chaplain and his staff, areas for recreation, non-denominational worship, and confidential counseling. There will also be a storage area for the food pantry, and a room to be known as the Cot Classroom, in honor of the late Cot Campbell, a Thoroughbred owner and longtime NYRTCA supporter who passed away in October 2018.

The classroom will be used as a learning center where backstretch workers can learn about financial literacy, computer skills, citizenship issues, social advocacy programs, and cultural learning opportunities.

“Kris and I greatly appreciate the important work of the NY Racetrack Chaplaincy, which provides impactful spiritual services and resources for the backstretch community,” said NYRA CEO & President Chris Kay. ““That is why my wife and I are so pleased to be able to make a personal contribution to support the construction of a new and permanent headquarters at Belmont Park that will properly reflect the central role the Chaplaincy plays in the lives of so many.”

Chavez said that fund-raising efforts are ongoing and that numerous sponsorship opportunities, up to and including the naming of the center, are available. Those interested in making a donation, taking a sponsorship, or further information can write to Nancy Kelly, Board President, at nankelly52@gmail.com or call (516) 287-3289 or visit this link.

The New York chaplaincy is supported by its major sponsors: NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, The Thoroughbred Charities of America, the Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, and the New York Women’s Foundation, as well as by other foundations and numerous individuals.

Source: Press Release

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