Over 100 New Yorkers Rally In Support Of Belmont Modernization

Over 100 people, including union members, backstretch workers, trainers, veterinarians and farmers gathered Monday in Albany, New York, in support of a plan to modernize Belmont Park, which, according to a release, promises significant new job creation and as much as $1 billion in one-time ecomomic impacts while freeing up 110 acres of state-owned land at Aqueduct Racetrack for future development. The project was included in Governor Kathy Hochul's Executive Budget Proposal.

According to a release, Belmont Park's 117-year-old facilities have not been upgraded since 1968 and its modernization will provide a 'critical boost to New York's economy' while creating a world-class sports and hospitality destination when paired with the New York Islanders' UBS Arena adjacent to the track.

An independent economic analysis conducted earlier this year by the We Are NY Horse Racing coalition found that $1 billion would be generated by renovating Belmont Park and create 3,700 construction-related jobs. At least a third of that spending, $136 million, would be spent with Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBES). Upon completion, the release says Belmont Park would support $155 million in annual economic output and 740 new jobs. It is also expected that the modernization will pave the way for the New York Racing Association to bid to host the Breeders' Cup. Belmont last hosted a Breeders' Cup in 2005.

The release indicates that horse racing in the state of New York supports a total of 19,000 and generates $3 billion in economic activity. The project is to be funded through a construction loan from the state–paid back in full with interest–and therefore there is no cost to the state's taxpayers.

“Horse racing is an economic engine for our state, sustaining 19,000 hardworking New Yorkers' jobs and generating billions in economic activity. If we want these benefits to continue, it's critical that we modernize Belmont Park,” said State Senator Joe Addabbo, Chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee. “As we enter the final stretch of budget season, I will continue to work with my colleagues to move this project forward and secure a strong future for horse racing across the state.”

“From Saratoga to Belmont, the immense positive impact horse racing has on New York is obvious–and we owe it to the thousands of families that depend on this sport for their livelihoods to ensure horse racing has a strong future in the Empire State,” said Assembly member Gary Pretlow, Chair of the NYS Assembly Committee on Racing and Wagering. “Building a new Belmont Park will safeguard horse racing for generations to come, drive economic activity, boost the state's tourism and hospitality sectors, and create good jobs for New Yorkers.”

Added We Are NY Horse Racing Spokesman Jack Sterne, “The vast majority of New Yorkers support modernizing Belmont Park, which is why over a hundred people came to the Capitol today to urge lawmakers to build a new Belmont,” said Jack Sterne, We Are NY Horse Racing spokesman. “This project will create jobs and boost New York's economy — and as legislators head into the final stretch of budget negotiations, we're going to continue making our voices heard so this transformative project is included in the final state budget agreement.”

 

 

The post Over 100 New Yorkers Rally In Support Of Belmont Modernization appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Violence’s Raise Cain Upsets Eventful Gotham

Andrew and Rania Warren's Raise Cain (Violence) came rolling down the muddy, sealed stretch at 23-1 to upset an eventful renewal of Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at the Big A.

California invader Carmel Road (Quality Road) set a pressured pace heading into the far turn as the riderless and previously unbeaten Howgreatisnate (Speightster) made for some tense moments leading the big field of 14 after stumbling and tossing jockey J. D. Acosta at the start.

Raise Cain, meanwhile, raced toward the rear through fast fractions of :22.52 and :45.53, and somehow worked his way to the rail from a high draw. He was checked and altered course to the outside as he began to roll leaving the quarter pole and exploded down the center of the stretch beneath Jose Lezcano to win as much the best while matching strides late with the aforementioned loose horse. It was 7 1/2 lengths back to Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) in second. Longshot General Banker (Central Banker) was third.

Raise Cain picks up 50 GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the victory.

Raise Cain, a sharp winner at second asking at Keeneland Oct. 9, took on stakes company in his next three attempts. He finished third in the Bowman Mill S. at Keeneland Oct. 29, second in the Gun Runner S. trying two turns for the first time at Fair Grounds Dec. 26 and fifth over the all-weather in Turfway's Leonatus S. last time Jan. 21.

“He finally had some pace to run into, and I think that's what he's been missing to be honest,” winning trainer Ben Colebrook said. “He never really had any pace to close into except in his maiden win. I don't know that it's necessarily one turn that he needs, but I definitely think pace to close into is what he needs because he's such a relaxed horse and he can make that one big run like he did today. More credit goes to Jose [Lezcano] for the ride. It was just a phenomenal ride.

He continued, “He's bred to go longer and if he were to go on to the Derby, you usually get plenty of pace in there. I think more than anything pace is what he needs. He's never run a bad race. We're nominated to the Blue Grass [at Keeneland] and we'll nominate to the Wood Memorial. It'll probably be one of those two races and we'll see how it plays out and go to whichever race looks like the best option.”

Pedigree Notes:

It's an embarrassment of riches for Hill 'n' Dale sire Violence on this year's Kentucky Derby trail, as Raise Cain joins Violence's champion Forte on the narrowing path to the first Saturday in May. Forte added Gulfstream's GII Fountain of Youth S. to his CV less than an hour after Raise Cain's Gotham victory Saturday. With the addition of Raise Cain, Violence makes it 31 black-type winners and nine graded winners for his Northern Hemisphere-breds. Raise Cain is also one of 92 stakes winners as a broodmare sire for Lane's End pensioner Lemon Drop Kid.

The 13-year-old Lemon Belle is out of 2001 GII Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup winner Queenie Belle, making her a half-sister to 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner and $3.8-million Keeneland November broodmare Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), also dam of two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit). The family traces tail-female to extraordinary English turn-of-the-century racemare Pretty Polly (GB) (Gallinule {GB}), who later turned into an influential broodmare through her daughters.

Raise Cain is Lemon Belle's first stakes winner. She also has a 2-year-old colt by Frosted, who hammered for $12,000 to Laura Kelton at last year's Keeneland September sale, and delivered a Constitution colt Feb. 21. Her most recent trip through the sales ring was at the 2018 Keeneland November sale, where she brought $285,000 from Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds–Raise Cain's breeder–while carrying a full-brother to Raise Cain, since named Nasty Habit and who remains unraced.

Saturday, Aqueduct Racetrack
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $300,000, Aqueduct, 3-4, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.09, my.
1–RAISE CAIN, 118, c, 3, by Violence
1st Dam: Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Queenie Belle, by Bertrando
3rd Dam: Lady Argyle, by Don B.
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($180,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP; $65,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Warren,
Andrew N. and Warren, Rania; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds,
LLC (KY); T-Ben Colebrook; J-Jose Lezcano. $165,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-2-1-1, $268,578. Click for the free Equineline.com
catalog-style pedigree.
2–Slip Mahoney, 118, c, 3, Arrogate–Got Lucky, by A.P. Indy.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 Ylg '21
KEESEP). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Hill 'N' Dale Equine Holdings,
Inc. & Philip J. Steinberg (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
3–General Banker, 118, c, 3, Central Banker–Elusive Jozi, by
Johannesburg. O-Seacoast Thoroughbreds of N. E.; B-Seacoast
Thoroughbreds of New England (NY); T-James W. Ferraro.
$36,000.
Margins: 7HF, 1HF, NO. Odds: 23.50, 6.20, 30.00.
Also Ran: Eyeing Clover, Clear the Air, Mr. Swagger, Lugan Knight, Carmel Road, Radio Red, Transect, Recruiter, Uncorrelated, Clubhouse, Howgreatisnate. Scratched: Fort Warren. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Violence’s Raise Cain Upsets Eventful Gotham appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Spirit of St Louis Wins Easily On Debut At Aqueduct

3rd-Aqueduct, $70,000, (S), Msw, 2-17, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:39.47, sy, 8 1/2 lengths.
SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS (g, 4, Medaglia d'Oro–Khancord Kid {GSW, $167,343}, by Lemon Drop Kid), picked up for $300,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2020, took his time making the races but made his belated debut at 2-1 over a sloppy New York track Friday. Poised just off the lead after enduring contact at the break, the well-related gelding sat a wide trip, chasing three wide up the backstretch as Central Pride (Lord Nelson) paced the field through a :47.43 opening half. Given his cue around the far turn, Spirit of St Louis swarmed up with a five-wide move past the quarter pole to sprint by the leading pair and go clear with a furlong to run. Unchallenged down the lane, he cantered under the wire 8 ½ lengths ahead of post-time favorite Refuah (Daredevil). Khancord Kid, already responsible for the likes of GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint upsetter Bar of Gold (Medaglia d'Oro), GISW, $1,551,000–who has since produced GSW Coinage (Tapit) and $825,000 Saratoga yearling Chulligan (Justify)–and Land Mine (Mineshaft), SP, $158,342, produced a winning 3-year-old filly, Im Just Kiddin (Justify), a yearling filly by Uncle Mo, and is carrying to Medaglia d'Oro for a full-sibling to Spirit of St Louis and Bar of Gold in 2023. Sales History: $300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $38,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Peter M. Brant; B-Chester & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Chad C. Brown.

The post Spirit of St Louis Wins Easily On Debut At Aqueduct appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Feb. 7-13

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.

California

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 02/10/2023

Licensee: Lorenzo Ruiz, trainer

Penalty: $500 fine

Violation: Medication violation

Explainer: Trainer Lorenzo Ruiz, who started the horse Manitowish, who finished third in the second race on Sept. 10, 2022, at Del Mar Race Track is fined $500.00 and assessed one half (1/2) point in accordance with California Horse Racing Rule #1843.4(a) (Multiple Medication Violations – Expires 02/10/24) pursuant to California Horse Racing Board Rule #1887(a) (Trainer or Owner to Insure Condition of Horse) for violation of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1843(a)(b)(d) (Medication, Drugs and Other Substances and Rule #1843.1(b) (Prohibited Drug Substances – Phenylbutazone [Class 4]).

 

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 02/11/2023

Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey

Penalty: Three-day suspension

Violation: Careless riding

Explainer: Jockey Diego Herrera, who rode Lasmuigh in the third race at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 10, 2023, is suspended for 3 racing days (Feb. 18, 19 and 20, 2023) for failure to make the proper effort to maintain a straight course in the stretch, causing interference. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – careless riding).

 

NEW HISA STEWARDS RULINGS

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal, except for the voided claim rulings which were sent to the TDN directly. Some of these rulings are from prior weeks as they were not reported contemporaneously.

One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.

 

Violations of Crop Rule

Aqueduct

Erick Fuentes–violation date February 9; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

Manuel Franco–violation date February 9; $250 fine, raising wrist above the helmet

Jacqueline Anne Davis–violation date February 10; $250 fine, raising wrist above the helmet

 

Gulfstream Park

Jose Luis Ortiz–violation date February 10; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

 

Mahoning Valey Racecourse

Edilberto Dominguez–violation date February 7; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 9 strikes

 

Oaklawn Park

Rafael Jesus Bejarano–violation date February 10; $250 fine, raising wrist above helmet

 

Santa Anita

Armando Aguilar–violation date February 10; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

 

Tampa Bay Downs

Carlos Eduardo Rojas–violation date February 10; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes, on appeal stay requested

Isaac Manuel Jimenez–violation date February 10; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

Carlos Eduardo Rojas–violation date February 11; Rojas is suspended 7 calendar days based on points accumulated for multiple violations and served from Saturday, March 11, 2023 through and including Friday, March 17, 2023. On appeal, stay requested

Melissa Iorio–violation date February 11; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 8 strikes

 

Turfway Park

Alvin Ortiz–violation date February 10; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 8 strikes

 

Turf Paradise

Enrique Garcia–violation date February 8; $500 fine and three-day suspension, 14 strikes

The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Feb. 7-13 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights