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NYRA, NYTHA, NYTB Launch Video Series

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has joined with the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA) and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) to highlight the economic impact created by Thoroughbred racing in New York. The first piece of this effort is a video released on Thursday.

“Thoroughbred racing in New York state is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact,” said NYRA’s Sr. Director of Communications, Patrick McKenna. “It is a sport that is deeply intertwined with our state’s history, and a source of entertainment for the more than one million fans who ordinarily attend the races at iconic venues like Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.

“Beyond those numbers, the sport drives a broad industry that provides New Yorkers in every county of the state with economic opportunity. The men and women who form the backbone of the racing community–backstretch workers, security guards, union electricians and so many others–have built careers that sustain families and provide a path to a bright future for the next generation.

“[The videos] highlight just a few of these stories. We hope that you have the opportunity to watch the video and to share it with your friends and colleagues. Together, we are New York horse racing.”

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NYRA Reports 19 Percent Increase In Daily Average Wagering During Pandemic-Shortened Year

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced that its 2020 race meets conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course generated all-sources handle of more than $1.8 billion.

Total handle over the 157 race days contested in 2020 was $1,813,935,091 for an average daily handle of $11,553,727, a 19 percent increase over 2019. Average field size for the 1,507 races completed in 2020 was 7.82, a six percent increase over 2019.

Since the resumption of live racing on June 3 through the end of 2020, all-sources handle totaled $1,586,344,888, a $7,059,402 increase over the same period in 2019. Average daily handle from June 3 through the end of 2020 was $13,443,601, marking a 16 percent increase over the same period in 2019.

Despite the loss of 43 race days to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in 27 percent fewer race days and 25 percent fewer races than in 2019, all-sources handle declined year-over-year by just 14 percent compared to the $2,108,126,369 generated in 2019.

At the outset of the pandemic, NYRA voluntarily suspended live racing operations on March 19 to devote all resources, energy and attention to maintaining the health and welfare of the backstretch community. Live racing resumed June 3 when NYRA opened the Belmont Park spring/summer meet to mark the return of professional sports in New York. Since June 3, all NYRA tracks have been operated without spectators and with only a limited number of essential personnel, horsemen and owners on-site.

The abbreviated 25-day Belmont spring/summer meet generated $15,466,198 in average daily handle from all sources, a 42 percent increase over the 2019 spring/summer meet. Despite running 23 fewer days than in 2019, a 48 percent decrease, all sources handle during the spring/summer meet declined by just 26 percent for a total of $386,654,955.

The June 20 Belmont Stakes Day card, which featured 12 races and six graded stakes, highlighted by Tiz the Law's victory in the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, generated all sources handle of $67,753,336.

NYRA held its 2020 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course as scheduled and without interruption. All-sources handle for the 2020 summer meet totaled $702,535,468 compared to $705,343,949 wagered from all sources on Saratoga in 2019. Average daily handle for the 40-day meet was $17,563,387.

The 2020 fall meet at Belmont Park generated $9,923,813 in average daily handle from all sources, marking a 33.6 percent increase over the 2019 fall meet.

Despite running 10 fewer days than in 2019, the all sources handle for the Belmont fall meet totaled $267,942,961, just 2.5 percent lower than in 2019. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYRA adjusted the fall schedule by adding a one-week break following the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga. Consequently, the 2020 fall meet was contested over 27 days compared to 37 days in 2019, a 27 percent decrease in race dates.

The recently concluded Big A fall meet, which ran from November 6 through December 6, generated $9,261,276 in average daily handle from all sources for a 12.8 percent increase over 2019. Conducted over 18 race days, the Aqueduct fall meet generated all sources handle of $166,702,976. The 2019 fall meet, which was conducted over 25 race days, generated all sources handle of $205,249,710. A total of 175 races were run during the Aqueduct fall meet in 2020, equating to 58 fewer than the number of races run in 2019.

NYRA conducted a total of 127 stakes races in 2020, not including New York-bred and NYSSS races, accounting for 25 percent of all stakes run in the United States. Of the 127 stakes, 95 were of the graded variety, representing 25 percent of all graded stakes run in the United States. NYRA hosted 33 Grade 1 stakes in 2020, or 35 percent of all Grade 1 races run in the United States. Due to the myriad impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reorganization of the stakes calendar, 36 stakes races scheduled for 2020 were not run, with 17 of them graded.

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NYJICF Maintains Lower Workers’ Comp Costs

The New York Jockey Injury Compensation Fund (NYJICF) continues its high-deductible workers’ compensation insurance plan in 2021 enabling New York’s horsemen to better control their costs.

“The NYJICF is building upon the incredible progress the New York racing community has made on workers’ compensation in the past three years”, NYJICF and New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA) President Joe Appelbaum said. The NYJICF was able to secure a 15% premium reduction for 2020 to help offset the weeks of racing lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Essentially, the program benefits remain the same for 2021″

The base premium charge will remain at $1,000 for NYRA-based horsemen.
The fees for the first 12 stalls will be free for all trainers for the entire year.
Trainers will continue to receive a $300 per start credit for every off-the-board start at Aqueduct from January through March.

According to the NYJICF, the plan has lowered the cost for jockeys and exercise riders by $4,000 per trainer and $500 per owner in the past two years. In addition, premiums for grooms and hotwalkers have been reduced by 36%.

NYTHA also teamed with the New York Racing Association to approve the use of $2.25 million from the purse cushion as collateral for the high-deductible plan. Provisions in the state budget allow for funds to be used to pay for workers’ compensation for exercise riders and jockeys in New York.

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Rocketry Enjoying Downtime Before Tackling Another Campaign

Centennial Farms' Rocketry, a last-out winner of the 1 5/8-mile Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Nov. 6 at Keeneland, is enjoying some downtime at the farm in Middleburg, Va.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said the now 7-year-old Hard Spun horse will return for another campaign.

“He had a good season,” said Jerkens. “There's not much for him in the winter time, so we're giving him a couple months off at the farm.”

Centennial Farms' Mihos, a 5-year-old Cairo Prince horse, worked a half-mile in 49.77 for Jerkens on the Belmont dirt training track on December 27.

With a record of 14-3-1-3, Mihos finished fourth in the seven-furlong G3 Bold Ruler Handicap on Oct. 31 on a muddy track at Belmont and was second last out on Dec. 11 in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint at Aqueduct.

“There's a mile allowance race next week that we're aiming for. We're hoping for some improvement with him,” said Jerkens.

Jerkens said Shortleaf Stable's Rift Valley will look for additional ground after earning a 69 Beyer when rallying from ninth to score by 1 ½-lengths at second asking in a seven furlong state-bred maiden sprint on Dec. 20 at the Big A.

“He wants to go further. We're looking to stretch him out and then we'll probably try turf when that opens up, too,” said Jerkens.

Bred by Jonathan Thorne, the 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt was a $400,000 purchase at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-Bred Yearling Sale.

Chiefswood Stables' homebred Weyburn, a 3-year-old Ontario-bred son of Pioneerof the Nile, garnered a 67 Beyer when graduating at third asking over a sloppy Aqueduct main track on Dec. 5 when sprinting seven furlongs.

Jerkens said he had considered the Jerome for Weyburn but had to change course.

“We were thinking about the Jerome, but he got sick and that was the end of that,” said Jerkens. “We'll look for the next 'a other than' for him.”

Out of the A.P. Indy mare Sunday Affair, Weyburn is a half-brother to the versatile multiple graded stakes winner Yorkton.

The unraced King James, a sophomore son of Nyquist of the multiple stakes winning Unbridled's Song mare Inspired, worked a half-mile in 49.79 on Dec. 29 on the Belmont dirt training track.

While Inspired was a turf sprint specialist, Jerkens said King James will get his shot on both surfaces.

“He's out of a filly that did all her best running sprinting on the turf,” said Jerkens. “He's doing good but he's still a ways off. We'll see what he can do on the dirt, but I'd imagine the turf will be his thing given his mother. The Nyquists like the turf.”

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