“What a kind gentleman he was,” recalled NYRA Stakes Coordinator Andrew Byrnes. “Mike took the time to teach me how to do things the right way. I learned a tremendous amount under him. He was one of the best. He was a jewel.”

Prunetti retired to Florida where he continued to volunteer his time until his passing.

“Mike was also a genuinely nice guy, loved the game and loved people,” said Peter McGivney, a fellow NYRA racing official. “Everybody thought the world of him.”

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A panel of New York turf writers, broadcasters, handicappers, racing analysts and photographers will vote on each division and for the New York-bred Horse of the Year. The winners will be announced at the NYTB Awards Dinner sponsored by the New York Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund on Monday, May 13 from 6-9 p.m. ET. at Sacred Saratoga on the property of GMP Farm in Schuylerville. Former jockey and NYRA TV personality Richard Migliore will again serve as host.

“Our organization is excited to celebrate this year's nominees. All are deserving and represent the best in New York breeding and racing. This year's awards will be a special night at an exciting new location,” said NYTB President Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M.

Tickets are available–$150 for NYTB Members and $175 for non-members–for purchase by clicking here or by calling the NYTB Office at (518) 587-0777.

“The New York-bred Divisional Championship Awards is a special night because it recognizes the very best in Thoroughbred breeding and racing in New York,” said Brian O'Dwyer, Chairman of the New York State Gaming Commission and New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund. “On behalf of the New York State Gaming Commission and Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund we are proud to work with NYTB and look forward to celebrating the connections of New York-breds who achieved success representing the New York-bred program last year.”

Also to be honored at the Awards Dinner with 2023 awards will be Broodmare of the Year, Champion Steeplechaser, Trainer, Champion Jockey and Outstanding Breeder.

“NYTB's annual awards is our marquee event. This year's nominees are no exception reflecting the quality and strength of the New York-bred program,” said NYTB Executive Director Najja Thompson.

A list of the 2023 New York-bred divisional championship nominees by category follows:

Champion 2-Year-Old Male: Antonio of Venice (Laoban), El Grande O (Take Charge Indy), The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso), Wynstock (Solomini).

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly: Brocknardini (Palace Malice), Caldwell Luvs Gold (Goldencents), Cara's Time (Not This Time), My Mane Squeeze (Audible).

Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Allure of Money (Central Banker), Eye Witness (City of Light), Hejazi (Bernardini), Maker's Candy (Twirling Candy).

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly: Downtown Mischief (Into Mischief), Gambling Girl (Dialed In), Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic), Stonewall Star (Flatter).

Champion Older Dirt Male: Bankit (Central Banker), Dr Ardito (Liam's Map), Sherriff Bianco (Speightster), Straight Arrow (Arrogate).

Champion Older Dirt Female: Classy Edition (Classic Empire), Know It All Audrey (Shackleford), Timeless Journey (Verrazano), Venti Valentine (Firing Line).

Champion Turf Male: City Man (Mucho Macho Man), Red Knight (Pure Prize), Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro), Therapist (Freud).

Champion Turf Female: New Ginya (Tonalist), Runaway Rumour (Flintshire {GB}), Silver Skillet (Liam's Map), Whatlovelookslike (English Channel).

Champion Male Sprinter: Bold Journey (Hard Spun), Today's Flavor (Laoban), Rotknee (Runhappy), Thin White Duke (Dominus).

Champion Female Sprinter: Funny How (Overanalyze), Maple Leaf Mel, Rossa Veloce (Girolamo), Sterling Silver (Cupid).

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In accordance with standard protocols, Barn 15 will remain under quarantine through at least Feb. 26, 21 days from Willful Desire's first symptoms.

Barn 15 was first placed into quarantine on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. when Cure Curls, trained by Danny Gargan, presented acute neurological symptoms and was subsequently euthanized. Cornell University returned a positive test result for EHV on Sunday afternoon. The quarantine procedures are overseen by Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe, the director of NYRA's veterinary department, in consultation with the NYSGC.

The 34 horses stabled in Barn 15, which is also home to stalls for Jim Ryerson along with Gargan and Rodriguez, are monitored throughout the day for fever and other signs of illness.

During the quarantine period, horses stabled in Barn 15 will not be permitted to enter races or train among the general horse population.

Afebrile/asymptomatic horses stabled in Barn 15 will continue to train in isolation from the general horse population throughout the quarantine.

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3-year-olds can continued to be nominated to the Triple Crown via a $6,000 payment through April 1.

The post Champion 2-Year-Old Fierceness Leads 346 Triple Crown Nominations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Months of preparation culminate with the distribution of food, clothing, toys, and gifts for approximately 250 families just before Christmas each year. (This year, the distribution will take place at the new Chaplaincy Center at Belmont Park on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.)

“It is almost impossible to describe the joy and gratitude these recipients feel each year,” said Karen Chavez, the general manager of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. “Virtually all of the recipients are spending the holidays thousands of miles away from their place or birth and their original home and the donations to this program help them enjoy the holidays in a way that they could not otherwise afford.”

Chavez often hears directly from donors and how it “puts them in the Christmas spirit and helps them enjoy the holiday season a lot more.”

“They are all very glad to pitch in and we are eternally grateful for their humanitarian spirit,” she said.

In the Saratoga area, Stephen Sullivan, the owner of the Olde Bryan Inn restaurant in Saratoga Springs, provides a delicious dinner free of charge to recipients of the gifts which makes for a very special evening.

West Point Thoroughbreds and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation also serve as sponsors of the Sponsor-A-Family Program.

A year ago, the program was able to find sponsorship for every one of the families in need and Chavez said the Chaplaincy is striving to match that achievement in 2023.

Chaplaincy Photo

“It has been a challenging year in many ways, and we would love to bless all these families again this year,” she said.

Online donations for this program can be made on the Chaplaincy website at www.rtcany.org.
To donate by check, please make checks payable to the NY Race Track Chaplaincy and mail to:
NY Race Track Chaplaincy, PO Box 37191, Elmont, NY 11003.

The chaplaincy ministers to the needs of the backstretch community at the NYRA racetracks (Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course) as well as surrounding farms through a wide variety of programs. They include enrichment programs for children, teen mentoring, women's enrichment, social service, and recreational programs, as well as educational opportunities, and non-denominational religious services.

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Switched to the main track after four-straight turf races dating back to a poor performance in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the 3-year-old went off favored Saturday in her second attempt at a graded stake on the dirt (she was fourth in last year's GI Alcibiades). Out moved to the front by an eager Undervalued Asset (Speightstown), Xigera was content to sit a stalking trip in second into the backstretch. A length off that leader through a half mile in :48.46, Julien Leparoux kept his filly under wraps even as Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) began to make an early bid alongside into the far turn. Sandwiched between runners with a quarter left to run, Xigera had plenty left to offer as the pacesetter faded to the inside and quickly moved clear inside the final sixteenth to win going away under a hand ride. Defining Purpose held on for second over a closing Occult (Into Mischief).

“The hindsight is the easiest sight, so now that it's done, it was the right decision [to come here rather than the Breeders' Cup],' said winning trainer Phil Bauer. “I'm overwhelmed. It's a pretty cool race historically. This year, as a whole, has just been phenomenal for Richard [Rigney, owner] and us, and to accomplish what we have is something special and we need to make sure we don't take it for granted. It was the right decision and hopefully, it will springboard her to a 4-year-old campaign that has been as impressive as her last two races.”

XIGERA, the 3YO daughter of @DarleyStallions Nyquist, wins the Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes with @JulienLeparoux aboard for trainer Phil Bauer. pic.twitter.com/wHCDAaI1wx

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) October 28, 2023

Pedigree Note:

Argent Affair, a stakes winner herself, RNA'd at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale for just $100,000 despite producing GSW Forty Under (Uncle Mo) along with GSP Myriskyaffair (Verrazano) and Saturday's winner. A $190,000 yearling, Xigera is one of 21 stakes winners from four racing crops for champion 2-year-old colt and GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist. Damsire Black Tie Affair (Ire), himself a Horse of the Year and GI Breeders' Cup Classic victor, also sired the dam. of MG1SW Mastercraftsman (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Xigera's only younger half-sibling is a weanling Street Boss filly. Argent Affair visited Mo Donegal for 2024.

Saturday, Belmont The Big A
MOTHER GOOSE S.-GII, $250,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-28, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:48.99, ft.
1–XIGERA, 122, f, 3, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Argent Affair (SW, $154,895),
                                by Black Tie Affair (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Caty's Quest, by Norquestor
                3rd Dam: Cataque, by Clever Trick
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($190,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Cedar Hill, LLC (KY); T-Philip A. Bauer;
J-Julien R. Leparoux. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 9-5-1-1,
$576,601. *1/2 to Forty Under (Uncle Mo), GSW, $380,536;
1/2 to Myriskyaffair (Verrazano), GSP, $271,095. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Defining Purpose, 124, f, 3, Cross Traffic–Defining Hope, by
Strong Hope. ($14,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEEJAN). O-Katsumi
Yoshida; B-Colette Marie VanMatre (KY); T-Kenneth G.
McPeek. $50,000.
3–Occult, 124, f, 3, Into Mischief–Magical Feeling, by Empire
Maker. ($625,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC;
B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.
$30,000.
Margins: 3HF, 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.05, 7.20, 2.00.
Also Ran: Julia Shining, Foggy Night, Undervalued Asset, Peak Popularity.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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The new Belmont Park is expected to open for the 2026 spring meet.

The plaintiffs, Jannette Patterson and John Dileonardo, had argued that the New York State Constitution prohibited the state from giving or loaning state funds to any private corporation. The lawsuit, filed in June, was announced by PETA. Its press release issued at the time said the organization was “hoping to prevent a shady deal to fund a private entertainment business with money from New York taxpayers.”

“No responsible private lender would make such a staggering loan to NYRA,” read the original complaint.

But Judge Peter Lynch ruled that the state can issue loans where the loan is predominantly for a public purpose, which, he wrote, was the case with the rebuilding of Belmont Park.

“It is well settled that the constitutional prohibition against State loans to private entities or for private undertakings is not applicable where the loan is for a predominantly a public purpose, and private benefit, if any, is incidental,” Lynch wrote in his decision. “This interpretation of the constitution does not constitute an unauthorized and unlimited grant of an 'exception' to the prohibition, distinct from the enumerated exceptions set forth in NY Constitution, article VII, § 8 (1) and (2). To the contrary, where the appropriation is in furtherance of a predominantly public purpose it simply may not be construed as a private loan or undertaking in the first instance. Funding the renovation of Belmont Park Racetrack constitutes just such a public purpose!”

Lynch referenced a case where a court ruled that the state could contribute $600 million to the $1.4 billion it cost to rebuild the Buffalo Bills Stadium.

“Horse racing fans who attend Belmont Park are no different than football fans who attend the Buffalo Bills stadium,” he wrote. “They are part of the community, and their ability to enjoy the sport of their choice improves their quality of life. Considering Plaintiff's claim that the horse racing industry is in economic straits, it is manifest that the Legislature's funding plan to modernize.”

“The construction of a new Belmont Park will create thousands of jobs, generate billions in economic activity and secure the future of Thoroughbred racing in New York State,” NYRA spokesman Patrick McKenna said after the decision was announced. “This decision recognizes the importance of this transformational project, which will deliver the world-class Belmont Park that New Yorkers deserve.”

NYRA was one of five defendants in the suit. The others were the State of New York; The New York State Assembly; Governor Kathy Hochul and State Comptroller Thomas P. Dinapoli.

The plaintiffs had asked for a preliminary injunction that would have halted the loan. Lynch denied that motion and dismissed the plaintiffs' complaint.

In their complaint, Patterson, Dileonardo and PETA tried to portray racing as a dying sport that did not deserve what amounted to a huge financial shot in the arm from the state. It said that attendance had dropped by 88% since 1978 and that taxes paid to the state from racing had fallen by 90% between 1970 and 2019. The suit called racing a “moribund industry that has seen 41 long-established racetracks shut down in the United States since 2000.”

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The beaten favorite at odds-on in Saratoga's GII Flower Bowl S. Sept. 2 as Parnac went gate-to-wire, McKulick looked to gain an edge on that rival with the addition of a speedy uncoupled stablemate breaking from the inside gate in Idea Generation (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Running over a bogged-down Aqueduct turf course listed as yielding with rain still falling in the area, the field of four set on their way with the two expected pace horses handling the early running with Idea Generation happy to lead the way ahead of Parnac. McKulick stayed in third and that running order remained largely unchanged as the quartet came by the wire with one lap remaining. Idea Generation continued to go on with it, opening up a clear advantage into the clubhouse turn and up the backstretch run before McKulick, who seemed to be getting over the turf better than her rival Parnac, began to move. The Klaravich stablemates were first and second passing the quarter pole and for several moments it looked as though Idea Generation might spring the upset as McKulick struggled to get by on the outside. But with a sixteenth left to run, class ultimately prevailed with the daughter of Frankel putting a bit of separation into the field to win going away as the 1-2 chalk.

“She [McKulick] did great,” said winning trainer Chad Brown. “She was very unlucky in the Flower Bowl, she was clearly the best in that race. She got race ridden a little bit there by the horse that finished last in the race [No. 3, Parnac]. I wanted to make sure we had a pace horse in there to keep it an honest race, but could also do some good in the race. Everything was accomplished today.”

Regarding a potential next start in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 4, Brown added: “I think going a mile and a quarter back to two turns would be good for her, if there's pace like there should be going back to two turns. This filly has proven she can run on firm or bottomless ground like today. She's a very versatile horse and we're lucky to have her in the barn.”

MCKULICK wins the Grade 3 @FasigTiptonCo Waya Stakes with @iradortiz aboard for trainer Chad Brown! pic.twitter.com/7CcTuCf52E

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) October 7, 2023

Pedigree Note:

A daughter of European sensation Frankel, McKulick continues to carry the banner in North America for the Banstead Manor legend. Sourced out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for Klaravich Stables, she is the fourth winner from as many to race out of a group-placed dam who is also responsible for GSW/G1SP Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) and GSW Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Astrelle herself is a half to GSW Porsenna (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and MSW/MGSP Basileus (Ire) (Dream Ahead). She has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Calyx (GB) and a yearling filly by Pinatubo (Ire).

Saturday, Belmont at the Big A
WAYA S.-GIII, $186,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-7, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 3/8mT, 2:20.10, yl.
1–MCKULICK (GB), 126, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
                1st Dam: Astrelle (Ire) (GSP-Eng), by Makfi (GB)
                2nd Dam: Miss Mariduff, by Hussonet
                3rd Dam: Sopran Mariduff (GB), by Persian Bold (Ire)
(180,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Essafinaat UK Ltd (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$110,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 13-5-5-2, $1,615,720. *1/2
to Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}), GSW-Ger; 1/2 to Just
Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Ire,
GSW-Eng, GSP-Fr, $247,982. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Idea Generation (Ire), 118, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Knocknagree
(Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK
TYPE. (340,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $40,000.
3–Sister Otoole, 124, m, 6, Amira's Prince (Ire)–O' Toole, by
Distorted Humor. O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Helen
Barbazon & Joseph Barbazon (FL); T-H. Graham Motion.
$24,000.
Margins: 2, 2 1/4, 8 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 10.50, 8.30.
Also Ran: Parnac (Fr). Scratched: Movie Moxy, Peak Popularity, Personal Best, Romagna Mia (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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“The creation and the opening of this facility is something we have worked for and dreamt about for many years and it is absolutely thrilling to see it become a reality,” said Ramon Dominguez, president of the Board of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy. “It will serve the wide-ranging needs of countless individuals from the backstretch community.”

The chaplaincy ministers to the needs of the backstretch community at the NYRA racetracks (Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course) as well as surrounding farms through a wide variety of programs. They include enrichment programs for children, teen mentoring, women's enrichment, social service and recreational programs, as well as educational opportunities, and non-denominational religious services.

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The mission of the BCCA is to 'provide a safe, supporting and adcademically inspiring environment' for the children of parents working in the backstretch areas of Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga Race Course.

TERF has awarded funds to the BCCA over the last four years which were used to fund their early childhood education program. The BCCA early childhood education program encompasses a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math)-based curriculum to prepare students for elementary school while promoting physical, emotional, social and cognitive growth.

TERF was founded by the late Herb and Ellen Moelis.

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