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Saratoga: Sunday Card Features Mandatory Payout Of Empire 6 Wager

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the Sunday, August 23 card at Saratoga Race Course will feature a mandatory payout of the Empire 6, which boasts a jackpot of $442,574 heading into Friday's nine-race card at the Spa.

Live coverage of all the races in the sequence will be available with Saratoga Live on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances will be available for races that are part of the Saratoga Live broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

Sunday's Empire 6 sequence kicks off in Race 4 at 2:54 p.m. Eastern with a 1 1/16-mile New York-bred maiden claiming route on the inner turf featuring a field of eight led by No Salt, a sophomore son of Tonalist trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

In Race 5 [3:33 p.m. ET], a nine-furlong allowance route for New York-breds, a hard-knocking field of seven features Six Percent for trainer Jimmy Jerkens and last out off-the-turf maiden winner Too Early for conditioner Linda Rice.

A field of eight maiden claiming turf sprinters [and one main-track only entrant] take to the Mellon turf in Race 6 [4:09 p.m. ET] including Mia Bea Star for red-hot trainer David Donk and Silent Empress, a First Samurai bay looking to improve second-time out for conditioner Christophe Clement.

In Race 7 [4:43 p.m. ET], a field of seven sprint six furlongs in an optional-claiming affair on the main track in a wide-open race that includes 11-time winner Pete's Play Call for trainer John Toscano and the Rice-trained multiple stakes placed Mount Travers.

The Grade 1, $500,000 Diana [Race 8, 5:18 p.m. ET], at nine furlongs on the inner turf, will see the Chad Brown-trained Sistercharlie bid for history by becoming the first three-time winner of the historic event in its 82nd running. A salty field of six includes Sistercharlie's five-time Grade 1-winning stablemate Rushing Fall and Canada's reigning Horse of the Year and last-out Grade 2 Ballston Spa champ Starship Jubilee.

Closing out the sequence in Race 9 [5:51 p.m. ET] is a vexing New York-bred maiden claiming route on the Mellon turf as a field of eight looks to graduate at the Spa. Donk and Clement feature again with the Donk-conditioned Ringgood dropping in from restricted maiden special weight company at fifth asking, while the Clement-trained Allied Invasion will look to improve on his 62 Beyer Speed Figure second time out.

The Empire 6 requires the bettor to select the first-place finisher of the final six races of the card. On non-mandatory payout days, if one unique ticket exists, then 100 percent of the net pool, plus the jackpot carryover if applicable, will be paid to the winner. If there is no unique wager selecting the first-place finisher in all six races, then 75 percent of the day's net pool will be distributed to those who selected the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races. The remainder will be added into the jackpot and carried to the next day's Empire 6.

For more information on the Empire 6, please visit http://www.nyrabets.com.

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‘We Cannot Let Our Guard Down’: BEST To Reemphasize Proper Use Of PPE At Saratoga

The Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST) will team up with the Northeast New York Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (NENY-COSH) on Aug. 24-25 to provide one-on-one demonstrations on the proper use of personal protective equipment to the essential workers of the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course. The demonstrations will re-emphasize the continued best practices that have been in place at the racetrack since early March. Each worker in attendance will receive a PPE kit including a mask with filtering respirator, gloves, and hand sanitizer. The project was made possible with the help of a grant from the Hispanics in Philanthropy Essential Fund.

PPE has been supplied, free of charge, to the horsemen and the workers since the start of the pandemic. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Assocation (NYTHA) teamed up earlier this month to distribute 25,000 masks at Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park, bringing the total number of masks and gloves donated to the backstretch community to more than 200,000.

This initiative is the most recent in the ongoing effort to protect the workers from Covid-19. BEST has been working with the NYRA, NYTHA, and the New York division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America since early March to address the issues created by the pandemic. The organizations formed a Task Force Mar. 10 and created the “Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan,” developing policies regarding testing, medical care, quarantine and the mandatory use of PPE, as well as setting up a communication network with the horsemen and the workers, and organizing distribution of PPE, medical supplies, food, and clothing for those in need.

“Since the start, we have been working hard to make sure the workers have everything they need, and this is an ongoing and collective effort,” BEST Executive Director Paul Ruchames said. “We are thrilled that, as of today, we have no active positives in our backstretch community. But we will continue to be vigilant. A key component in keeping the backstretch workers safe is education. NENY-COSH will review the facts about PPE with our workers – how to wear it, how to store, when to discard it.”

The Task Force expanded its Plan and exceeded New York State requirements when Saratoga Race Course opened in July, mandating that everyone working at the upstate track produce a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed on the grounds. This policy includes jockeys, valets, NYRA employees, trainers and their staff, outside vendors, and media. As is the policy at Belmont Park, everyone licensed and approved to be on the property are required to wear a mask, practice social distancing and submit to a daily temperature check.

Signs in English and Spanish are posted across the backstretch as a daily reminder to follow these protocols, and there is a hotline to call should anyone have concerns about Covid-19.

As a result of this diligence, there are currently zero positive cases of Covid-19 at Saratoga Race Course and downstate at Belmont Park.

“NYTHA is committed to improving the lives of the workforce on the backstretch, and our mission has never been more focused than during the fight against Covid-19,” NYTHA President Joe Appelbaum said. “We want to thank NENY-COSH for providing this valuable service to the workers, and the Gaming Commission, NYRA, BEST, and the Chaplaincy for their collaboration during difficult times. We are proud of the hard work and dedication that have gone into this effort, and of our horsemen and workers for their willingness to cooperate and comply.”

Added Ruchames, “Thanks to the partnership with NYRA and NYTHA and the guidance of the New York State Gaming Commission and the Governor's Office, we have been able to contain Covid-19 at our racetracks. But we cannot let our guard down.”

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Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale Moves To Newmarket

In light of Ireland’s widespread 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors, Tattersalls Ireland will stage its September Yearling Sale on Sept. 21 to 23 at Park Paddocks in Newmarket rather than its Fairyhouse headquarters.

“The decision to relocate the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to the Tattersalls headquarters in Newmarket has not been an easy one, but the sale traditionally attracts large numbers of overseas visitors and at present Britain, while also being the source of many of our buyers, is significantly more accessible than Ireland,” said Tattersalls Ireland Chief Executive Officer Matt Mitchell. “The primary objective at Tattersalls Ireland since the outbreak of the global pandemic has been to deliver sales which combine the minimum of disruption with the optimal conditions for both vendors and purchasers alike. We are confident that, bearing in mind the prevailing COVID-19 related restrictions in Ireland, this difficult decision allows us to fulfil this objective and to provide as vibrant a market as we possibly can.”

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Goffs Orby, Sportsman’s Sales To Be Held In Doncaster

Goffs will stage its Orby and Sportsman’s Sales at its Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster this year rather than at Kildare Paddocks in Ireland. The dates for the sales have also been slightly adjusted; the Sportsman’s Sale has been moved a week earlier to Sept. 24 and 25, while the Orby Sale will take place slightly later than planned on Oct. 1 and 2 to allow buyers who wish to attend Books 1 and 2 of Keeneland September to self-isolate for two weeks before traveling to Doncaster.

The location change is in light of the Irish government’s 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors to the country.

“In view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the current Irish and localised protocols, and in the best interests of our clients and the Irish breeding industry, the board of Goffs are announcing today that it will, on a purely once off occasion, stage the Orby and Sportsman’s Sales in the Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster,” said Goffs Chairman Eimear Mulhern. “Goffs shareholders have always sought to provide the Irish industry with an independent sales company with its own ethos, integrity and values and it is in line with this core principle that we have decided to stage the sale at our own premises in the UK.”

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby added, “Naturally our first preference would have been to hold what is the Irish National Yearling Sale in Kildare Paddocks but, given the current issues caused by Covid-19, we judge that is not in the best interests of our vendors who have supported us with a stellar selection of wonderful yearlings. Our job is to attract the widest and most diverse group of buyers to our sales and we feel that can best be achieved in 2020 by moving our yearling sales to our UK site as a one-off to deal with the uniquely challenging problems caused by Covid-19.”

“The showing areas for the yearlings [at Doncaster] are second to none and we will ensure that the facilities for attendees are enhanced as much as possible once we have taken the UK Government’s directives into account,” Beeby added. “In addition Doncaster is easily accessible from every part of the UK and is just 1 1/2 hours from central London by train whilst our superb network of international agents will continue to promote these world-class Orby yearlings around the globe. Alongside that Goffs Online will allow absent buyers to participate in the sale and we will ensure that clear videos of yearlings are available for inspection as well as accommodating any buyers who want to bid by telephone. In short, Orby and Sportsman’s will provide their usual world-class service and the only difference will be geographical on this occasion”.

The remaining Goffs sales programme for 2020 will stay in Ireland, including the Goffs November Foal and Breeding Stock Sale. Any vendors not wishing to sell in the UK will be accommodated in the Goffs Autumn Sale on Nov. 2 to 4.

“The situation with our market-leading foal sale is entirely different as by far the biggest group of buyers are Irish so, to be clear, the November Sale will be held in Kildare Paddocks on its planned dates,” Beeby added. “Goffs foals are true market leaders with Europe’s top-priced foals being sold at Goffs in five of the last six years headed by the world’s best in 2019 at €1.2 million, and this year of all years it makes most sense to sell Irish foals in Ireland whilst the Breeding Stock section will be enhanced with our online platform, videos and agents on the ground.”

The Orby and Sportsman’s sales will continue to have the full support of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

“We would far prefer that the Orby and Sportsman’s Sales be held in Ireland but regrettably, that is not realistic in the current uncertain climate,” said Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh. “Horse Racing Ireland understands Goffs’s decision to relocate the sales on a once-off basis and will support Goffs and Irish breeders in these unique circumstances through the continued and proactive work of our subsidiary, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.”

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