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Sports Betting Can Start Sept. 7 at Kentucky Tracks

Although Kentucky's horse racing purses will not directly benefit from recently legalized sports betting, the state's nine tracks on Monday were authorized to apply for retail sports book permits starting Tuesday, July 11. They could start taking bets on games as early as Sept. 7, the first day of the National Football League season.

Online sports wagering, which is expected to eventually account for 90% of an estimated $23 million in sports betting tax and licensing revenues for the state, will be rolled out Sept. 28.

Those dates were confirmed at Monday's Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) meeting at The Red Mile in Lexington, at which the commission unanimously voted in both “emergency” and “ordinary” sports betting regulations.

The emergency regulations will allow the state's tracks to apply for sports betting permits and get up and running by the start of the lucrative football season, while the ordinary regulations will go through a public comment and revision process and will eventually replace the set of emergency rules.

By Kentucky law, sports gambling must be done through the state's licensed tracks, which are allowed to partner with up to three sportsbooks each. The brick-and-mortar permit can be applied to either a track's main location or a licensed satellite facility.

Unlike Kentucky's historical horse race gaming and simulcasting, which both by statute guarantee a revenue stream for horse racing purses, sports betting provides no such direct boost.

In lieu of getting a direct cut of booking sports wagers, Kentucky horsemen will be banking on the potential benefit from crossover opportunities that could convert sports bettors into horseplayers.

With a law signed Mar. 31, Kentucky becomes the 37th state to have legal sports betting.

Six of the seven states bordering Kentucky already take wagers on sports.

The law allows Kentucky tracks to be licensed as sports betting facilities for a $500,000 initial fee and an annual renewal of $50,000.

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New Study Finds Saratoga Generates $371M in Economic Activity

The annual summer meet at Saratoga Race Course generates $371 million in economic activity and 2,937 jobs across the greater Capital Region, according to a new study by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (SCIDA).

The report, which was released Monday during a news conference at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), concludes that the overall economic impact generated by the summer meet has increased by 57% since 2014 across the nine-county Capital Region.

The newly released study, based on data from 2021, finds that Saratoga Race Course is responsible for contributing $7.3 million of tax revenue to New York State, nearly $2.4 million of tax revenue to Saratoga County and nearly $2.1 million to Saratoga Springs. In addition to Saratoga Race Course, the study commissioned by the SCIDA and performed by Camoin Associates, analyzed the impact of Saratoga's major attractions including SPAC, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Saratoga National Historic Park. According to the findings, those four entities generated a total of $647 million in economic impact and 5,770 jobs.

“Horse racing is a powerful engine for the New York economy that supports families and communities in every corner of the state,” said David O'Rourke, NYRA president and CEO. “Nowhere is that more evident than here in Saratoga Springs and throughout Upstate New York, where the popularity and importance of Saratoga Race Course are at an all-time high. NYRA looks forward to welcoming fans back to the Spa for what is sure to be a spectacular summer.”

The report focuses on the economic benefits within a nine-county region, including Albany, Columbia, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties.

The study's findings show that Saratoga Race Course generated $371,067,040 in annual economic impact from three primary sources: Direct ($241,311,827); Indirect ($51,656,531) and Induced ($78,098,682). These categories account for spending on goods and services by visitors and racing participants, on-site jobs, and spending at businesses that supply goods and services to Saratoga Race Course.

To view the complete report, click here.

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GMP Farm to Host Montano’s ‘SMALL’ on July 18

GMP Farm in Schuylerville, New York, will host a special performance of Robert Montano's Off-Broadway show “Small” on July 18. All proceeds benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF).

The acclaimed one-man show was written and performed by Montano, who shares his autobiographical story of his transformation from a tiny, bullied PuertoRican/Italian boy who just wanted to dance, to an apprentice jockey learning the culture of the racetrack, to a professional rider, to self-destructive addict trying to maintain the rigorous demands of jockey life, and finally to Broadway, Hollywood and beyond.

Tickets to the one-night performance are $250 and can be purchased online.

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Fifth Annual Beat Byk NHC Challenge Promotion To Return in July

Steve Byk, who hosts Sirius XM radio magazine 'At the Races With Steve Byk', is once again teaming with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) for the 'Beat Byk NHC Challenge,' offering a seat at the 2024 National Horseplayers' Championship.

Running from July 15 through Sept. 4, Byk will select the weekend stakes races that comprise that week's promotion and announce them his show and on his Twitter page. During the initial promotional period, there will be 17 chances to qualify to the Beat Byk NHC Online Qualifier on September 16. Listeners will be encouraged to either use Byk's selection to win the featured race or try to 'Beat Byk' by selecting another horse.

Those who correctly select the winning horse in each round will advance to a NHC “Beat Byk” online qualifier on September 16. Participants may qualify only once during the promotional period. The winner of the “Beat Byk” online qualifier will represent “At the Races” at the 2024 NHC where qualifiers will be celebrating the NHC's 25th anniversary at the Horseshoe Las Vegas.

NHC Tour membership is required to compete in the September NHC online qualifier. Complete rules for the Beat Byk Challenge can be found on the NTRA website.

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