New York Racing Association | Horse Racing Free Tips

NYRA’s Empire 6 Wager To Continue Daily Mandatory Payout Through March

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced the Empire 6 wager will continue to offer a daily mandatory payout in the month of March at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Featuring a $0.20 bet minimum and 20 percent takeout, the Empire 6 wager requires bettors to select the first-place finisher of the final six races of the card. The full pool, minus takeout, will be distributed to bettors who select the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races on the card.

NYRA established a daily mandatory payout of the Empire 6 for the month of January at Aqueduct as part of a pilot program in response to horseplayer interest in wagers that reward the daily player with the opportunity for impressive payouts.

The daily mandatory payout was extended through February with the pilot project expanded by offering the Empire 6 as a retail-only wager. The pilot project will continue with both caveats throughout the month of March.

Aqueduct will offer 13 racing dates in March with live racing generally conducted Friday through Sunday, with the addition of a special Thursday card on March 25 to make up for weather-related cancellations during the Big A winter meet.

The Empire 6 was launched in August 2019 with a jackpot provision in which the full pool would be paid out only to a single ticket selecting the first-place finisher in all six races, otherwise 75 percent of the day's net pool would be distributed to those who selected the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races with the remainder added into a jackpot and carried to the next day's Empire 6.

For more information, please visit NYRABets.com.

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Aqueduct Announces Updated Jockey Protocols For Winter Meet

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced updated COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys competing at the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet which runs through Sunday, March 28.

As of March 1, out of town riders not established in the NYRA colony may ride at Aqueduct upon completion of two negative COVID-19 PCR tests within five days of race day. Incoming riders will be provided isolated jockey quarters. All COVID-19 testing must be performed in New York state.

Prior to March 1, Aqueduct Racetrack was closed to riders that were not considered members of the NYRA winter jockey colony—as listed in the condition book- as of Dec. 31.

Members of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the Aqueduct winter meet will continue to be required to provide two negative COVID-19 PCR tests taken within a 5-day window in order to return to ride at Aqueduct. Jockeys traveling out of state who have completed the required testing will then be physically isolated in the jockey quarters for three additional calendar days.

In addition to race day safety protocols which include standard health screening and temperature checks, the jockey quarters at Aqueduct have been substantially altered to provide maximum social distancing and reduce density. All areas accessed by jockeys during the regular course of a race day are closed to outside personnel, including credentialed media, and are cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.

Jockeys are not permitted access to the barn area at Belmont Park.

Jockey agents must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test in order to gain access to the barn area. Races will continue to be drawn via Zoom.

Valets working in in the jockey quarters are not permitted in the barn area.

Live racing in March will be offered Friday through Sunday through the conclusion of the winter meet on March 28.

For additional information, please visit https://www.nyra.com.

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Longtime NYRA Assistant Starter Jimmy Tsitsiragos Dies

James (Jimmy) Tsitsiragos, a longtime assistant starter at the New York Racing Association, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 16 at the age of 71.

Born Aug. 6, 1949 in Leonia, New Jersey, Tsitsiragos graduated from Leonia High School in 1967 where he was a beloved football legend nicknamed by his classmates as “Zorba the Greek.” He then attended Texas A&M University as a walk-on for the football team and quickly earned a full scholarship under Head Coach Gene Stallings. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1972, he began his career as an assistant starter for NYRA, loading horses in the starting gate. He said he loved the “spirit” of the horse and built a stellar reputation within NYRA. He can be seen at the 3:05 mark of this video of the 1981 Whitney H. improbably keeping hold of eventual winner Fio Rito after he broke through the gate.

Tsitsiragos is survived by sisters Christine Tsitsiragos and Paula Tsitsiragos, his adored nieces Stella Tsitsiragos and Nota Tsitsiragos, first cousins Louise Ermides and Maria Tsitsiragos and extended family in Greece. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to support the care and well being of retired racehorses. Gifts may be made in Jimmy's name by mail at P.O. Box 834, Saratoga Springs, NY, or by phone at (518) 226-0028.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

The post Longtime NYRA Assistant Starter Jimmy Tsitsiragos Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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NYRA To Offer New York Stakes Turf Bonus And Flower Bowl Bonus

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will see its Turf Triple series for fillies incentivized by a pair of lucrative bonus opportunities at the upcoming Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course meets.

“The bonus system is a win-win for the 3-year-old filly Turf Triple series winners as they progress to their 4 and 5-year-old seasons,” said Martin Panza, NYRA senior vice president of racing operations. “NYRA wants the best turf fillies and mares pointing towards our races, providing our fans with top-class events.”

The Turf Triple series for fillies kicks off July 10 at Belmont with the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational. The series continues with the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8 at Saratoga and is completed by the Jockey Club Oaks at the Belmont fall meet.

NYRA is offering a pair of unique bonus opportunities as further incentive for owners to participate in the prestigious series.

The “New York Stakes Turf Bonus” will provide $315,000 to the owner and $35,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks or Jockey Club Oaks who captures the 2021 edition of the Grade 2, $750,000 New York, a 10-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares to be held June 4 at Belmont

The “Flower Bowl Bonus” will provide $300,000 to the owner and $30,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks or Jockey Club Oaks, who captures the Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl, an 11-furlong test for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on September 4 at Saratoga. The Flower Bowl is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event offering a berth in the Grade 1 Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.

The Turf Triple series, launched by NYRA in 2019, showcases the best 3-year-old turf runners in the country.

Concrete Rose captured two-thirds of the inaugural Turf Triple series for fillies with wins in the 2019 Belmont Oaks and Saratoga Oaks. The France-based Edisa captured the 2019 Jockey Club Oaks.

In August, Godolphin homebred Antoinette, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, won the 2020 Saratoga Oaks ahead of a runner-up effort to Lael Stables' Magic Attitude, conditioned by Arnaud Delacour, in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on September 19. The Jockey Club Oaks was not contested last year due to a reduced stakes schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit NYRA.com.

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