NYRA

NYRA released its COVID-19 protocols Saturday for jockeys riding at the Aqueduct fall meet, which runs from Nov. 6 to Dec. 6. Members of the Aqueduct jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the fall meet will be required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests taken within a five-day window in order to return to ride at Aqueduct. Jockeys traveling out of state who have completed the required testing will then be physically isolated in the jockey quarters for three additional calendar days. Jockeys not currently...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Friday that it has partnered with FOX Sports to present live coverage and analysis of Great Britain's richest race day, QIPCO British Champions Day from Ascot Racecourse. Saturday's special broadcast will air on FS2 from 8:30-11 a.m. Eastern and feature four Group 1 races for 3-year-olds and up, headlined by the £750,000 QIPCO Champion S. and the £650,000 Queen Elizabeth II S., sponsored by QIPCO. Post time for the 10-furlong Champion S. will be 10:40 a.m., with the Queen Elizabeth II at...

The New York Racing Association announced Thursday the schedules for the 2020-21 winter and spring meets at Aqueduct Racetrack. In addition, NYRA announced that the purse increases now in effect across a number of categories at the Belmont Park fall meet will be extended to the fall, winter and spring meets at Aqueduct. Purses for open claiming and maiden claiming races at NYRA are the highest in the country. The open $25,000 claiming category will see a $4,000 increase to $50,000, while the $40,000 maiden-claiming condition will now offer a...

With impressive gains in handle and with the reopening of the casino at Aqueduct, NYRA will increase purses starting Oct. 18 and for the remainder of the Belmont meet. Like many tracks, NYRA was forced to make purse cuts due to COVID-19 related problems that reduced revenue sources. Rather than an across-the-board purse increase, NYRA will put more money into certain categories, in particular maiden races. The purse for an open maiden special weight race will go from $63,000 to $80,000. New York-bred maidens will see a purse increase from...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. will host the Cross Country Pick 5, encompassing five Grade I contests from Belmont Park and Keeneland Race Course Saturday, Oct. 3. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 is comprised of: Leg 1 - Belmont, R7: GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (4:03 p.m.) Leg 2 - Keeneland, R8: GI First Lady (4:51 p.m.) Leg 3 - Belmont, R9: GI Belmont Derby Inv. (5:06...

America's Day at the Races returns this week on FOX Sports and MSG Networks to provide coverage and analysis of racing from Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Delaware Park, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday. After a summer hiatus, the show resumes Thursday with live racing from Churchill Downs and Delaware Park, before transitioning Friday-opening day of the 27-day Belmont Park fall meet--for complete coverage of this weekend's live racing from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs. Produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, the acclaimed national telecast airs...

Richard "Richie" Brosseau, the head starter at the NYRA tracks from 2003 to 2007, passed away Sept. 5. He was suffering from a number of illnesses, including leukemia. A native of Montreal, Brosseau started out in harness racing before coming to the New York Thoroughbred tracks in the early 1970s. He accepted a job as an assistant starter in 1976 before working his way up to head position. He retired in 2007. In 2011, he became a U.S. citizen. "He was a really, really good guy," said Raymond DeStefano, who...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. will host the final Cross Country Pick 5 of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course Saturday, Sept. 5, while teaming up with Monmouth Park, Woodbine Racetrack and Delaware Park. The Cross Country Pick 5 is comprised of: Leg 1 - Saratoga, Race 9: GII Jim Dandy S. (4:21 p.m.) Leg 2 - Monmouth, Race 9: (4:40 p.m.) Leg 3 - Delaware Park, Race 8: (4:45 p.m.) Leg 4 - Saratoga, Race 10: GII Prioress S. (4:57 p.m.) Leg 5 - Woodbine, Race 9:...

NYRA will host a Cross Country Pick 5 that will offer three graded stakes, featuring action from Saratoga as well as Monmouth Park and Woodbine Racetrack Saturday. Live coverage will be available with Saratoga Live on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. The first leg is a juvenile maiden special weight at Saratoga, carded as Race 6. Action will shift to Monmouth in Race 9 with a 4:14 p.m. post for the 1 1/2-mile turf route for older horses. Woodbine will commence the stakes portion of the Cross Country Pick 5...

Luis Grandison, a Black Latino who is a native of Panama and who served as the New York Racing Association's Spanish language race caller from 2014 through March 2020, has sued NYRA claiming he was discriminated against because he was paid less than white Americans who call the races in English. According to a suit filed Tuesday in Brooklyn Federal Court, Grandison was paid $60,000 a year. The suit claims that long-time NYRA announcer Tom Durkin earned $440,000 a year before retiring in 2014 and that his replacement, Larry Collmus,...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. has announced race dates for the 18-day Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet, offering 29 stakes, including 11 graded events, worth $3.41 million in purse money, that will kick off Friday, Nov. 6 and run through Sunday, Dec. 6. Opening weekend of the Big A fall meet, which coincides with the Breeders' Cup set for Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course, includes the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. and the GIII Nashua S. Closing weekend features seven stakes worth $1.4 million beginning Saturday, Dec. 5 with...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. 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 Friday, Sept. 18 and run through Sunday, Nov. 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 Monday, Oct. 12 and return Friday, Oct. 16. The Belmont Park fall meet has traditionally opened on the Friday following Labor Day. Due to the continued...