Najja Thompson

Trainer Jena Antonucci, who orchestrated the 2023 campaign of GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate), will be presented with the Big Sport of Turfdom award by the Turf Publicists of America (TPA). The award, which recognizes a person or group of people who enhances coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists, will be given to Antonucci at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's annual awards luncheon in Tucson Dec. 5. Born in Hollywood, Florida, Antonucci, 47, was introduced to the...

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, New York-bred overnight races for 2-year-olds on the NYRA circuit will offer purse amounts matching the race's open-company counterpart, which will directly benefit the state's 2024 foal crop and pave the way to compete for some of the richest purses of any state-bred program in the nation, the association said in a release Wednesday. At the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, maiden races restricted to New York-bred 2-year-olds featured a purse of $88,000 compared to a purse of $105,000 offered for 2-year-olds competing...

The 57th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, focused this year on safeguarding equine welfare and exploring shifts in societal expectations and the sport's response around the world, took place on Oct. 2 at Saint-Cloud racetrack in Paris. Organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), the day-long conference emphasized horse racing in a changing society, safeguarding equine welfare and explore shifts in societal expectations and the racing industry's response around the world. "Today we continued what has been a chief mission throughout the life of the Federation: equine welfare,"...

New York-breds racing in open company at Saratoga this summer will be competing for increased purses, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday. "NYRA is committed to supporting and enhancing the New York-bred program now and in the future," said Frank Gabriel, NYRA SVP of Racing Operations. "These purse increases reflect the sustained growth of the New York-bred marketplace, while also rewarding owners already invested in the program." The purse for registered New York-breds running in select open-company races will be 30% higher than the purse offered for non-New York-breds....

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders' Inc. (NYTB) is partnering again with the online Thoroughbred auction company Wanamaker's to provide a New York-bred horses of racing age sale. The auction has been set for Thursday, Jun. 8, two days before the 155th running of the GI Belmont S. at Belmont Park, Wanamakers announced on Monday. Entries for the sale will close on May 30, and the catalogue will be released on May 31. "We are thrilled to once again partner with Wanamaker's to give buyers and sellers the opportunity to market...

Edited Press Release We Are NY Horse Racing, a coalition of small businesses, labor unions, non-profits, and trade associations aligned to amplify the sport of horse racing's importance to the New York State economy, has released an interactive map visualizing the scope of horse racing's statewide economic impact. In addition to New York's 11 Thoroughbred and harness tracks, this new map displays 249 farms and businesses connected to the sport of horse racing. "This new map clearly shows that upstate and downstate, New York is horse racing country through and...

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc., and SUNY Cobleskill will team up to offer an accredited course for upper-class students in the Animal Science program to experience all aspects of the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. The pilot program will be offered to 15-20 junior undergraduate students that have met prerequisites. The course, which runs from late August to early December, falls in line with the NYTB's goals to make outreach with students interested in equine studies and finding the next generation of the industry's workforce and leaders in racing...

With a 60% majority of New York-bred foals now sired by out-of-state stallions, the board of directors for the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund (NYTBDF) is reaching out to the state's stallion owners to try and spark incentivization ideas that might swing that balance back toward in-state sires. Chief among the concepts that have the most traction so far are 1) recalculating the splits of the fund so that more money flows to stallion owners; and 2) changing rules at tracks so that eligibility in New York-bred races...

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) will honor the 2021 New York-Bred Divisional Champions Friday, Aug. 12 at Saratoga Race Course and Fasig-Tipton Co. in Saratoga Springs. The festivities start with "A Day at the Races" from 1-6:30 p.m. with a dining buffet in The Rail at the exclusive 1863 Club at Saratoga, which will host four New York-bred stakes, worth $500,000 in purses, on the day's card. The proceedings continue across Union Avenue from 7-8 p.m. with the 2021 New York-Bred Annual Awards Presentation and Cocktail Hour at...

Backed by a number of animal rights groups, two New York state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would end payments made to the state's racing and breeding industries from slot machine or video lottery terminal (VLT) revenue. According to a press release issued Wednesday by the animal rights group NYCLASS, the bill would cancel out the $230-million payment made annually to horse racing and breeding and will redirect the money to "help New York's taxpayers, schools, workers and other social programs." NYCLASS has led the effort to ban carriage...

Thomas J. Gallo, III, founder and managing owner of Dream Maker Racing, Thomas J. Gallo III Sales Agency, LLC and owner of Blue Stone Farm, was reelected President of the Board of Directors of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) during a meeting Jan. 21. Mallory Mort, manager of Gallagher's Stud, was reelected as Vice President, while Edition Farm owner Vivien Malloy was again elected Secretary/Treasurer. All three NYTB board officers will serve two-year terms concurrent with their two-year tenure on the board. Board directors are: Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M.,...

New York Thoroughbred Breeders has announced Executive Director Najja Thompson will be appointed, as the NYTB's representative, to the New York Racing Association Board of Directors and the New York Breeding and Development Fund Board of Directors, made effective at a Dec. 18 meeting of the Board. Thompson's appointment fills the vacancies created with the resignation of former Executive Director Jeffrey Cannizzo, who will join NYRA on Jan. 1 as Senior Director of Government Affairs. "I feel very fortunate to represent the interests of breeders in New York with this...