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Keeneland Hosts Heroes Day Oct. 23

Heroes Day, presented by Rubicon, will be held at Keeneland Sunday, Oct. 23. The event honors members of the military (active duty and veterans) and first responders (law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and health care workers) and their families with free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seats. A POW-MIA Chair of Honor will be on display in front of The Keeneland Shop to bring awareness to past and current POW-MIA military members through a partnership with The Rolling Thunder Kentucky Chapter 5.

Events Include:

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Family Zone in the North Terrace will have free lunch provided by City BBQ, sweet treats from Griffin's Kitchen and children's activities for Heroes Day families.

Noon Singing of National Anthem by Frank Russell of the Kentucky State Police in the Walking Ring.

1:05 p.m. Winner's Circle recognition of Heather Thompson, RN, Assistant Manager in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at UK HealthCare, after Race 1 trophy presentation.

1:37 p.m. Winner's Circle recognition of Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Deputy Secretary Keith Jackson after Race 2 trophy presentation.

2:09 p.m. Winner's Circle presentation of $5,000 check from Keeneland to Lady Veterans Connect, an organization that assists female veterans.

2:40 p.m. Henry Clay High School Junior ROTC rollout of American flag after Race 4 (post time 2:36 p.m.) on the main track to “America the Beautiful” by Keeneland Bugler Steve Buttleman. Dr. Everett McCorvey will lead the crowd in the singing of “God Bless America.”

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First Responders Day Thursday at Saratoga

Edited Press Release

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will honor police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) for their dedication and service to the community on First Responders Day, Thursday, July 28.

The day will feature free grandstand admission for all first responders with proper identification.

“The New York Racing Association is honored to recognize the brave men and women who answer the call of duty to protect our communities,” said NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke. “We hope our first responders will enjoy a relaxing and stress-free day at Saratoga as we thank them for their dedicated service.”

First responders recognized at the track will include members of the New York State Police, Saratoga County Sheriff's Department, Saratoga Springs Police Department and Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Festivities and events will mark the day and include a race named in their honor and special recognition in the Winner's Circle.

One of the many highlights will include an appearance by the New York State Police Pipes and Drums, who will perform on the track apron following the second and third races of the afternoon. There will also be a trackside demonstration by a New York State Police K-9 unit. A vintage New York State Police car will be on display by the main entrance to Saratoga Race Course at Gate B; as well as a modern-day fire engine featured in the backyard, courtesy of the Saratoga Springs Fire Department which will offer fire safety information and kids activities.

Several first responder agencies will host a recruiting event on track between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Room Porch. Among the participants will include the New York State Police, Saratoga Springs Police Department, State University of New York Police, and Department of Environmental Conservation Police and Forest Rangers. Representatives from each first responder agency will be available to discuss the benefits of a career in public service.

NYRA will donate partial proceeds to the Saratoga Springs Fire Department from all sales on track of the limited-edition, Josh Cellars Reserve Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine will be available in dining areas and at the Josh Cellars gazebo exclusively on First Responders Day in honor of Joseph Carr's father, who was a volunteer firefighter from Rensselaer County. A native of the Capital Region, Joe Carr is the founder of Josh Cellars wines.

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Hamilton Park Meeting Abandoned Following Incident Prior to Racing

Hamilton Park Racecourse's Tuesday card was called off following an incident prior to the 2:15 p.m. first race. Originally racing was delayed until 2:45 p.m., but another delay as emergency services attended to the incident soon occurred and the meeting was abandoned just after 3:35 p.m. The incident involved two RaceTech employees, who operate the cameras on site.

A statement from RaceTech said, “Following a serious incident prior to the first race at Hamilton Park involving a mobile elevated camera platform, two freelance camera operators, Robbie Cotgrave and Kit Campbell, have been seriously injured and taken to hospital. A full investigation is underway into the cause of the incident. Our thoughts and concerns are very much with our two colleagues at this time.”

“About half an hour before the first race an incident happened involving RaceTech operators and a hoist,” said Hamilton Park Clerk of the Course Harriet Graham. “Our emergency teams reacted immediately and then we needed to call the fire service and ambulances, so we had three fire engines on site and the police.

“It took them a long time to assess the situation and extract them and take them off to hospital. During this time the timeline became more and more extended. The decision was we would wait for CID to arrive to see if we could continue racing, but they indicated they wouldn't be making a decision in the short term.

“So, we held a stewards' inquiry and the decision was made to call off racing. Whilst that is a big decision, we felt we had no timeline for when we could start racing and the main thing is all our thoughts are with the two guys who have gone off to hospital for further assessment. Let's hope they are OK.

“In the bigger picture racing is secondary in this situation. A nasty accident has happened, two people are injured. They are having the best care they could have and received immediate attention.”

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said, “We were alerted at 1:35 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29 to an incident at Hamilton Park Racecourse, Hamilton. Operations Control mobilised two appliances to the scene and using an aerial rescue pump firefighters rescued two male casualties who had fallen onto the roof of a vehicle before handing them into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service. Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe and there were no further reported casualties.”

The Scottish Ambulance Service added, “We received a call at 13:38hrs this afternoon to attend an incident at Hamilton racecourse. Two ambulances and two rapid response vehicles were dispatched to the scene.”

A spokesperson for British Horseracing Authority said, “Everybody at the BHA is concerned by the reports from Hamilton this afternoon and our thoughts are with the two RaceTech employees who have been injured. We wish both a full and speedy recovery.”

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