Far Hills’ Centennial Race Meeting To Be Featured On America’s Day At The Races

For its centennial running on Oct. 16, 2021, the Far Hills Race Meeting will be featured on Saturday's edition of America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national television show produced by the New York Racing Association (NYRA). The not-for-profit corporation operates the three largest thoroughbred horse racing tracks in New York, and appears on the networks of FOX Sports.

FS2 will present live coverage starting at 12:30 p.m. ET and concluding at 3:30 p.m. ET—marking the first time the event will be featured on FOX Sports.

“We're so excited to share the thrills and majesty of steeplechase with a national audience,” said Guy Torsilieri, chairman of the Far Hills Race Meeting. “While cancelling last year's race was disappointing, being able to celebrate our centennial with a nationwide audience is even more amazing than we could have ever hoped.”

Larry Collmus, the famed announcer for the Triple Crown and Breeder's Cup, will be calling the races for the running of the Far Hills Race Meeting. Collmus called for NBC on June 6, 2015, when American Pharoah won the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

The 100th celebration of the Far Hills Race Meeting will be the richest of the year on the National Steeplechase Association tour, with $400,000 in total purses for its six races, the highlight of which is the $150,000 Grand National, or race 3.

For more information on the Far Hills Race Meeting, visit farhillsrace.org.

About Far Hills Race Meeting
Far Hills Race Meeting is New Jersey's premier social and sporting event. For a century, the annual gathering has attracted a large fan base with audiences locally, nationally and globally who return, year after year, to watch the world's finest steeplechases, reconnect with family and friends, network, support worthy causes and make memories to last a lifetime. Over the years, Far Hills Race Meeting has given more than $18 million to support local health-care organizations. For more information, visit www.farhillsrace.org.

The post Far Hills’ Centennial Race Meeting To Be Featured On America’s Day At The Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Baffert’s Hearing on NYRA Exclusion Gets Pushed Into ’22

A Jan. 24, 2022, start date for the hearing process to determine whether the New York Racing Association (NYRA) can exclude trainer Bob Baffert from racing at its three tracks was mutually agreed upon by the two parties during a Monday videoconference.

A NYRA spokesperson confirmed to TDN that the schedule was established during the Oct. 11 conference by hearing officer O. Peter Sherwood.

Baffert must answer to a three-count complaint filed against him by NYRA in the form of a “statement of charges.” Those three counts correspond to Baffert's alleged conduct that is or has been “detrimental” to three entities: 1) “the best interests of racing”; 2) “the health and safety of horses and jockeys”; 3) “NYRA business operations.”

NYRA is already defending itself in a federal lawsuit initiated by the Hall of Fame trainer with the well-publicized history of equine drug positives over whether or not NYRA violated Baffert's constitutional rights by trying to ban him outright without any type of hearing back on May 17.

On July 14, the United States District Court (Eastern District of New York) granted Baffert a preliminary injunction that allowed him to race at New York's top-tier tracks pending the resolution of his overall case.

While that ruling allowed Baffert to start horses at Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack, NYRA additionally took the judge's order to mean the association could move forward with drafting a new set of procedures for holding hearings that could suspend licensees who engage in injurious conduct.

After those rules were made public, NYRA, on Sept. 10, wrote a letter summoning Baffert to appear at just such a hearing, presenting him with the statement of charges.

On Sept. 22, Baffert filed a motion asking a federal judge to hold NYRA in civil contempt for trying to schedule any sort of hearing that could once again bar him from participating at NYRA's tracks. He claimed NYRA's move to initiate that sort of hearing was in violation of the preliminary injunction.

But on Oct. 5, a federal judge dismissed Baffert's “contempt” allegations, underscoring that NYRA could, in fact, move forward with its newly created hearing process because it was entirely separate from NYRA's original May 17 attempt at banishing Baffert.

The post Baffert’s Hearing on NYRA Exclusion Gets Pushed Into ’22 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

NYRA: Bob Baffert’s Hearing Scheduled To Begin Jan. 24

The official hearing for Bob Baffert's potential suspension from New York Racing Association tracks will begin on Jan. 24, reports the Daily Racing Form. That date was decided during Monday's initial meeting between NYRA and Baffert's attorneys, which was presided over by O. Peter Sherwood, the retired New York State Supreme Court justice serving as a NYRA-appointed hearing officer.

NYRA issued a statement of charges against Baffert and fellow trainer Marcus Vitali on Sept. 10, and initially scheduled a hearing for Baffert to begin on Sept. 27. However, that hearing was delayed until Oct. 11 as Baffert's attorney requested additional time. Baffert was not expected to participate during Monday's meeting, because it was convened only to schedule future dates and deadlines.

NYRA had notified Baffert ahead of the Belmont Stakes that it was suspending his ability to enter horses in races or have stall space at its racetracks due to his recent history of medication violations (five over a one-year period), the conflicting statements he provided to media around the Medina Spirit scandal, and Churchill Downs' suspension of the trainer.

Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the Eastern District of New York determined that NYRA's suspension of Baffert should not have taken place without some sort of hearing allowing him to address the organization's accusations against him. Although NYRA was asserting its private property rights in the case, Amon said the organization is closely entwined enough with the state that its suspension of Baffert constituted a state action, thereby requiring due process.

The upcoming hearing process, laid out by NYRA in it's official statement on Sept. 10, is not expected to be brief. The hearing may last several days, and Sherwood is not required to issue his post-hearing report with recommendations within a specific period of time.

Once that report has been issued, a panel will review it and issue a final decision within 10 days.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

Here is an archive of stories about Baffert's legal battle with the New York Racing Association:

Additional stories about Baffert's Kentucky Derby positive and ensuing legal battles can be found here.

The post NYRA: Bob Baffert’s Hearing Scheduled To Begin Jan. 24 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

NYRA Partners With Keeneland For Two-Day Breeders’ Cup Challenge Pick 6

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a two-day Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 this weekend featuring select races from the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series presented by America's Best Racing from Belmont Park and Keeneland's Fall Stars weekend.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series consists of the best races from around the world and awards each winner an automatic and free entry into the Breeders' Cup World Championships slated for Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar.

This weekend's sequence kicks off Saturday at Belmont Park with the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh [Race 5, 2:45 p.m. Eastern], a six-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up led by Big Sandy specialist Firenze Fire. The talented field of five includes the upwardly mobile Baby Yoda and versatile Following Sea vying for an all-expenses paid berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Action switches to Keeneland for the next two legs, beginning with the one-mile Grade 1 First Lady [Race 8, 4:44 p.m.] on the Haggin turf course. The Charles Appleby-trained Althiqa, who won the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont and the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga earlier this summer, headlines a loaded field that features Chad Brown-trained entrants Viadera, Blowout, and Regal Glory competing for a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

In Race 10 from Keeneland at 5:46 p.m. – the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile [Breeders' Cup Mile] – the Aidan O'Brien-trained Order of Australia, returns to the course where he captured last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile. A wide array of talented challengers include last year's Turf Mile winner Ivar; last-out Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Mint Million-winner Pixelate; and Grade 2 Bernard Baruch champ Tell Your Daddy.

The second half of the wager continues Sunday from Belmont with the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity [Juvenile Turf Sprint], at six furlongs on turf for 2-year-olds in Race 5 at 2:43 p.m. Leading the way is filly Chi Town Lady, winner of the Bolton Landing for trainer Wesley Ward and the improving Midnight Worker, who makes his turf debut for Hall of Fame Todd Pletcher.

The sequence concludes with a pair of races from Keeneland, starting with the Grade 1 Spinster [Distaff] at nine furlongs for fillies and mares, slated as Race 9 at 5:15 p.m.

St. George Stable's Letruska has won her last four starts, including a last-out half-length score in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on August 28 at Saratoga. Bonny South, runner-up in the Personal Ensign, and millionaire Dunbar Road are among the top contenders.

The 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Bourbon [Juvenile Turf] brings the sequence to a close with Tiz the Bomb, last-out winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile headlining an overflow field of juveniles in Race 10 at 5:46 p.m. Eastern.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is $1 and will feature a low 15 percent takeout and mandatory payout of the net pool. Wagering on the Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country.

Free Equibase past performances for the Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 sequence will be available for download. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Two-Day Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 – October 9/10, 2021:

Leg A: October 9 – Belmont, Race 5 – G2 Vosburgh
Leg B: October 9 – Keeneland, Race 8 – G1 First Lady
Leg C: October 9 – Keeneland, Race 10 – G1 Turf Mile
Leg D: October 10 – Belmont, Race 5 – G3 Futurity
Leg E: October 10 – Keeneland, Race 9 – G1 Spinster
Leg F: October 10 – Keeneland, Race 10 – G2 Bourbon

The post NYRA Partners With Keeneland For Two-Day Breeders’ Cup Challenge Pick 6 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights