NYRA Supports Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce Annual Awards Breakfast

NYRA was a proud sponsor of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce 25th Annual Outstanding Small Business Person and Legislative Awards Breakfast which was sold out with over 650 people from the local business community. The participants were representatives of over 50 Chambers of Commerce in Nassau County. NYRA's Belmont Park was highlighted in a piece about key attractions in Nassau County.

Racing on Long Island - Horses to Horsepower

NYRA was invited to participate in the Long Island Library Resources Council's 14th annual conference on October 9th at the Hoffman Center in Muttontown. Dan Silver, NYRA's Director of Comunications and Media Relations, presented a chronological history of throughbred racing and showed videos of the Belmont Stakes/Triple Crown wins of Secretariat and Affirmed as well as the Triple Crown upset of Smarty Jones by Birdstone. NYRA was joined by representatives of the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Tracks. I was presented with a copy of a book entitled: "That Belmont Look: An exhibition celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Belmont Park" which was prepared by The New York Historical Society.

NYRA donates to Exceller Fund and Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund on Jockey Club Gold Cup Day

Charles Hayward, President and CEO, The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is proud to present a check for $25,000 the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund in the amount of $25,000 following Saturday's first race.


To honor Exceller’s 1978 Jockey Club Gold Cup victory, The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) donated $5,000 following Saturday's second race to The Exceller Fund, a non-profit group which works to transition Thoroughbred horses to a second career off the track. The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA) also made a donation in the amount of $5,000 to the fund. The Exceller Fund additionally acquires horses that might be at risk for slaughter and cares for them until an adoptive home is found.

Garden City Stakes Day

Mayor of Garden City, Robert Rothschild, presented the trophy for the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes on September 12th. Garden City businesses and residents participated in presenting trophies throughout the day representing the local theme.

NYRA hosts The Breast Cancer Research Foundation on Alabama Day

Saratoga Race Course played host to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation ("BCRF") on Saturday, August 22nd - Alabama Day. NYRA President and CEO, Charles Hayward presented a check for $10,000 to Myra Biblowit, BCRF President. The BCRF was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative research. 85 cents on each dollar donated to the BCRF goes directly to breast cancer research and awareness programs. NYRA dedicated the 8th race to the BCRF and all of the horses wore pink saddletowels and the grooms wore pink jackets embossed with the BCRF logo.

Mayor of Saratoga, Scott Johnson, presented a proclamation from the City of Saratoga to NYRA and the BCRF acknowledging NYRA's support in assisting the BCRF in their efforts to fund research and awareness programs.

Saratoga Race Course Receives NTRA Accreditation

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced that Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has been fully accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a complete review of all racing operations at the facility. Saratoga is the eighth racing facility to be so designated by the Alliance. Churchill Downs and Keeneland were accredited in April; Belmont Park received accreditation in May; Delaware Park and Hollywood Park were accredited in June; Monmouth Park was accredited in July; and Arlington Park received accreditation earlier this month. Pimlico Race Course was granted provisional accreditation in May.
The accreditation of Saratoga was the culmination of a lengthy certification process that began with the track’s completion of a 48-page written application and continued as Saratoga hosted several meetings with Alliance officials. The on-site review included inspections of all facets of the racing facility, and interviews with track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers, stewards, regulators and fans. The inspection team was comprised of Ronald Jensen, DVM; racing industry executive Dan Fick and Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. Observing the inspection was the Alliance’s independent monitor, former Wisconsin Governor and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson.
“Saratoga was reviewed on August 5-7 during its current meeting,” said Ziegler. “It exceeded prescribed benchmarks on many fronts, with industry-wide best practices established in the areas of security planning, aftercare and transitioning of retired racehorses and the recording of post-race jockey weights.”
“We are proud to know that Saratoga Race Course, like Belmont Park, meets and often exceeds the exacting standards called for by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance,” said Charles Hayward, President and CEO of the New York Racing Association. “Our next goal is to achieve a similar finding when Aqueduct Racetrack is inspected later in the year.”
The Alliance, formed last October with the goal of establishing national uniform standards in the areas of safety and integrity, includes 55 racetracks in North America and every major national horsemen’s organization. Alliance certification standards cover five broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing environment; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; uniform medication, testing and penalties; and safety research. Within those five categories, specific standards focus on areas including:
Systematic reporting of equine injuries
Aftercare of racehorses
Pre- and post-race veterinary examinations
Post-mortem examinations
Health and safety of jockeys
Riding crops and their use
Horse shoes and hoof care
Safety research
Safety equipment for jockeys and horse handlers
Exogenous Anabolic Steroids
Alkalinizing agents (TCO2)
On-track emergency medical care for humans and equines
Out-of-competition testing
Freezing and retrospective testing of post race samples
Continuing education
Security assessment and training
The accreditation program initially will focus on human and equine safety, but will be expanded to cover additional areas, including wagering security.
Calder Race Course and Del Mar are among the next racetracks that will undergo Alliance review.
The NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance is a standing organization whose purpose is to establish standards and practices to promote safety and integrity in horseracing and to secure their implementation. Information on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found at www.NTRAalliance.com.
The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson, former four-term Governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, serves as independent counsel of the Alliance and will provide public reports on Alliance progress in instituting safety and integrity standards.

NYRA and Other Industry Groups Jointly Pledge More Than $100,000 in Financial Support to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

Hal Handel, NYRA Executive Vice President and COO, presented a check for $50,000 to Diana Pikulski, Executive Director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation ("TRF") in the winner's circle at Saratoga Race Course. Joining Mr. Handel are representatives from The Jockey Club, The Jockey Guild and the New York Thorughbred Horsemen's Association. These industry organizations have jointly pledged more that $100,000 in financial support to the TRF.