Horses are dropping like flies at Aqueduct racetrack. Since racing began November 30th, 16 horses have been injured and euthanized, most recently on Wednesday, when Hillsboro Bay injured her leg on the inner dirt track and had to be put down. The mile-long inner dirt track uses a special type of dirt over which races are run during the winter months, and it appears to be especially treacherous for thoroughbreds. The New York Racing Association [NYRA] announced that it would move races to the main track two weeks earlier than expected—just as Governor Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to the NYRA insisting they hire an outside investigator. more ›

Governor Cuomo promised no big tax hikes in his 2011-12 budget but that doesn't mean no tax hikes. Just ask horse racers. Slipping into the budget is a new 2.75% "fee" on gross purses earned at the track (which means horses will need to make a few thousand dollars more to be profitable). In the grand scheme of things the fee isn't very much (and most horse owners lose money on their animals anyway), but it does show just how deep into the sofa cushions Cuomo is reaching for change—now to figure out what else he's found. more ›

The State Senate failed to pass a measure rescuing the city's Off Track Betting operation, which has struggled for years. The Times Union reports, "The 29 to 21 voted proceeded mostly on party lines, as leaders of the Senate Democratic conference pushed approval the bill, which was drafted by Gov. David Paterson and passed the Assembly late last month. The bill failed because it did not have 32 yes votes, the bare majority needed for passage." more ›

After laying off 1,300 workers and wracking gamblers' nerves, the Off-Track Betting Corp. may actually get the state bailout they were hoping for. The OTB has said they would have to shut down by Sunday without a lifeline from the State Assembly, and the Assembly is working on a plan to help them out. According to the Daily News, state lawmakers are developing a plan that would thin out OTB management and cut the OTB's payments to the state's racing industry by about 10%. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow said, "We have to do something before the middle of next week, otherwise OTB goes out of business totally." more ›

The city’s Off-track Betting board issued 1,350 pink slips Friday, and today it’s suspended six-figure pay to consultants and executives—but only after interrogation by reporters. "Until a compromise is forged that saves these jobs, we will suspend our pay," the city's OTB President Raymond Casey said in a statement, but documents revealed he planned to continue paying consultants hired to rescue the organization. According to the News, “Four consultants—two with ties to [OTB] Chairman Meyer Frucher—and two law firms stood to make an estimated $4.5 million through June,” even as scores of workers lost their jobs after the institution filed for bankruptcy, demanding a state bailout. Following inquiries by the tabloid, they’ve been cut off. more ›

The Off-Track Betting board voted to close all 66 of its locations on April 11th, unless funding from Albany comes in. Their closing would put 1,300 OTB employees out of work, and Leonard Allen, president of Local 2021, tells the Daily News, "[OTB workers] feel like they're on death row, waiting for an execution." more ›

To keep tickets rolling out, NY off-track betting has tried appealing to the state and even hired sexy dancers—still, unless its bid for bankruptcy is approved the organization says it will be done for by the end of March, leaving 1,400 unemployed. The New York Racing Association, for whom OTB is an important customer, says it's "monitoring the situation closely" but another organization has dismissed the announcement as a "hollow threat." "NYC OTB used the same trick in 2008, the last time they went bankrupt," said New York Thoroughbred Breeders Executive Director Jeffrey Cannizzo. But Robert Garry, the OTB's chief financial officer, insists his organization will be broke by early April and in heavy deficit mid-month, reported the NY Daily News. This means the ticket stoopers might have to find real jobs, too! more ›

The horse racing organization that has threatened to cancel the Belmont Stakes due to monetary woes says it will take the state to court instead of opening its books to auditors, according to the Daily News. The New York Racing Association refused to turn over its records to State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli after he subpoenaed the group yesterday, arguing that because a court has ruled that nonprofit charter schools don't need to open their books to the state, neither should the nonprofit horse-racing organization. more ›

The horse racing organization that threatened to cancel the Belmont Stakes due to monetary woes will be subpoenaed for refusing to open its books. The state is skeptical of the New York Racing Association's claims that it doesn't have enough money to hold the final leg of the Triple Crown, because the organization was awarded $105 million in taxpayer money and had its $200 million debt erased last year, according to the Daily News. more ›

It's a bad week for New York horse racing fans. First, cops nabbed an 18-year-old suspected of having sex with race horses at a Goshen track, now comes news that the Belmont Stakes might be called off because of the state's monetary woes. According to the Daily News, Governor Paterson and state legislators haven't been able to come to a consensus on a revitalization plan for the racetrack, which will run out of money "in the May-June timeframe," according Charles Hayward, president of the New York Racing Association. The race is scheduled for June 5. more ›

Cops caught an 18-year-old suspected of getting it on with horses at the Goshen Historic Track in Orange County. After a six-month sting, investigators used surveillance footage to nab Erick Rivera, who was hit with multiple charges for sexual misconduct with an animal and burglary at the Hudson Valley harness track. The teen allegedly left his rented room near the track and crept into the unlocked stables after midnight at least a dozen times. Officials became suspicious in July when "they found the fillies bridled and immobilized in their stalls during morning checks," according to the Daily News. Goshen Village Police Chief James Watt had this to say about the suspect, who is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail: "This guy makes Michael Vick look like a charter member of PETA."
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The showdown won’t happen tomorrow at the Belmont Stakes. Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby, will not get the chance to avenge his loss in the Preakness to Rachel Alexandra because the filly's owner has decided to rest her out of concern for her long-term health. more ›

Saturday's Belmont Stakes wasn't the swan song for Big Brown. The three-year-old horse will reportedly race again. While they are still searching for an injury to explain the horse's last-place finish in the Belmont, his owners, IEAH, have decided to enter him in the Travers Stakes in Saratoga Springs on August 23rd. The Travers usually attracts the top three-year olds in racing and perhaps it will give us the much-anticipated Big Brown-Casino Drive matchup that was scheduled for last Saturday, but scratched when Casino Drive stepped on a stone. more ›

In the end, Big Brown was nothing more than a tease. Rick Dutrow, Jr., Big Brown’s trainer had guaranteed victory before the race, but his horse was unable to complete delivery. Dutrow’s bluster disappeared in the dust of the Belmont track as his horse went from a 1-4 favorite to dead last in a stunning result Saturday. more ›

Heavily favored Big Brown was only successful at becoming the 12th straight contender to fall short of winning the Triple Crown at the final race since the last time it was accomplished in 1978. That's probably why the Triple Crown is so esteemed, because it's extremely hard to win. The winner of the Belmont Stakes was Da'Tara--the 38-1 longshot who nonetheless led the race from the gate to the wire. more ›

Will he do it or won’t he? That is the only question heading into the Belmont Stakes tomorrow. Will Big Brown become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978 or will he join the nine other horses since then who won the first two legs, only to fall short at the Belmont? more ›

Three-year-old Curlin, jockeyed by Robby Albarado, won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic yesterday after finishing the 1 1/4 mile race with a home stretch run that ended with a 4 1/2 length victory. Curlin set the track record for the distance at Monmouth Park, despite conditions that were left sloppy after days of rain. It was an exciting race, with Curlin even with Street Sense coming out of the final turn--both chasing front runner Hard Spun. Unfortunately, a great race was marred by tragedy. Irish import George Washington, who was a turf runner competing on dirt for only the second time, severely broke a bone in his right front leg. It was necessary to euthanize the animal on the track. more ›

Post time for the 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic at New Jersey's Monmouth Park is 5:35 p.m. this evening, but a number of races will be run over the course of the day. If yesterday's weather and races (one is pictured above) are any indication, conditions are likely to be classified as sloppy. The favorite in the BC Classic is Lawyer Ron, who is running at 5-2 odds in the 9 horse field. more ›

Senate Majority Joseph Bruno's and Governor Eliot Spitzer's epic Choppergate fight grows each and every day. Yesterday, Bruno demanded that investigations be opened to focus on Spitzer's administration and whether Spitzer staffers were engaged in trying to sabotage him. Bruno said, "A lot of people in authority think there was criminality in the executive branch... I want to know how much the governor knew ... This is not going to go away, not going to get swept under a rug." more ›

A lot has changed for women in professional sports since 1905, but in that same time period no female horse has won the Belmont Stakes. Spectators at 139th running of the Belmont Stakes witnessed a little bit of history as Rags to Riches became only the 3rd filly in history to win the race. It was the first filly to win a Triple Crown race since the 1988 Kentucky Derby. Excelling at "Test of the Champion" seems to be in the blood of Rags to Riches. A.P. Indy, her father won the stakes in 1992, and her half brother Jazil won last year. more ›

The Belmont Stakes may be missing Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, and it may only be a field of seven, but that doesn't mean the 139th edition of the race won't be exciting. Some say that this is one of the most competitive fields in recent Belmont history. The odds makers have set Curlin, the Preakness winner, as the 6-5 favorite, a line that will likely come down by post time. The $1 million race is the longest race in the Triple Crown at 1.5 miles and is considered the "Test of the Champion." Odds makers also like Hard Spun (5-2), the horse that finished 2nd in the Derby and 3rd in the Preakness (Curlin finished 3rd in the Derby). Rags to Riches, who looks to become the first filly to win since 1905, is the third favorite at 3-1. more ›

On a windy day at Belmont Park, 18 year-old Fernando Jara rode Jazel to the horse's 2nd win ever. Jara was the youngest jockey to win the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, since 1978 when Steve Cauthen rode Affirmed to the Triple Crown. 1978 also happened to be the last time the Triple Crown was won. Only 61,168 were on hand to witness the day's races. Despite the small crowd on hand, $8,958,323 was bet on races throughout the day. more ›

- Get your seersucker suits and sun dresses out! Tomorrow evening is the 138th running of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown and horse racing's "Test of the Champion." Races on stakes day begin at noon with post time for the Belmont Stakes at 6:33 pm Television coverage starts at noon on ESPN with coverage on ABC starting at 5. The current favorite for the race is Bluegrass Cat, but the winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness will both be absent from the race. Barbaro was injured at the Preakness and the owner of Preakness winner Bernardini decided to rest him. Pre-Derby favorite Brother Derek will also be absent. But that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of fun at Belmont, especially since general admission is only $5. more ›

The 137th running of the Belmont Stakes had been promoted as the rubber match between Giacomo and Afleet Alex, but the duel never materialized. Afleet Alex left the field in the dust, running the fastest final quarter mile at the Belmont since 1969 and winning the race by seven lengths. more ›

Bellamy Road's trainer, Nick Zito, had five horses in the race, but none finished higher than the favorite who eventually finished in 7th. The Brooklyn born Zito was trying to win the 3rd Derby in his career. more ›

Saturday evening, Smarty Jones was attempting to win the Triple Crown, something most people at Belmont Park wanted to happen. It was a chance for Smarty Jones to make history and a chance for the record crowd of 120,139 to witness history. Unfortunately for them, that didn't happen. Smarty Jones lost the Belmont Stakes - the "Test of the Champion" - to Birdstone. more ›

Tomorrow evening, Smarty Jones goes for the Triple Crown at Belmont Park, looking to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to accomplish horse racing's biggest feat. The Triple Crown starts with the Kentucky Derby, followed by the Preakness Stakes, and finally the Belmont Stakes tomorrow. There is plenty of Belmont coverage from The Times, from Newsday, and from the Post. The official Belmont site also has a lot of information. more ›

On Saturday, Smarty Jones set records as he won at Pimlico in Maryland. With his 11 1/2 length victory, Smarty Jones looks to become the first undefeated horse to win the Triple Crown since Seattle Slew in 1977. To do this, he will have to win the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown. Belmont's distance of 1.5 miles is often a tough test for the thoroughbreds, but Smarty Jones looked so strong on Saturday, that it is very possible that the public could see a Triple Crown. Since 1997, four other horses have had the chance to win the Triple Crown but lost in New York - Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, and Funny Cide. more ›