Sunday, November 11 2012

NEW YORK WATCH: UNLIMITED BUDGET

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There was a large deficit between the winner of Friday’s sixth race and the rest of the field as Unlimited Budget ran away to a 9 ½-length debut victory.

Unlimited Budget raced in hand as she prompted the pacesetter through an opening quarter-mile in 22.81 seconds and claimed the lead through a half in 45.97. After brushing off a challenge from 1-2 favorite Brilliant Jewel near the quarter pole, Unlimited Budget needed only moderate urging from jockey John Velazquez to stretch her advantage as Squeal came from off the pace to nab second.

STARFORMER SHINES BRIGHTEST IN LONG ISLAND HANDICAP

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Starformer set a comfortable pace and staved off a late challenge from Mystical Star to register her second stakes win of 2012 with a neck victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Long Island Handicap for fillies and mares on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

LONG ISLAND (G3) QUOTES

Rodolphe Brisset, assistant to winning trainer Bill Mott, of Starformer (No. 1): “Nobody knows [how they will handle the soft going] until you try. We scratched her from the Flower Bowl thinking she may not handle the soft going. She then ran a very good race in the Spinster; she was fourth. I guess if you have to take a shot, it was today.

Saturday, November 10 2012

OLDER SPRINTERS COMPETE IN WEDNESDAY’S NYSS

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sportswriter, already a winner of a New York Stallion Stakes on the turf, will try to win his first NYSS on the dirt when he competes in Wednesday’s $100,000 Thunder Rumble at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Thunder Rumble is one of two NYSS races on Wednesday’s card, the other being the Staten Island for fillies and mares. Both races are seven furlongs.

Friday, November 09 2012

Amerigo Vespucci (2-1) is undefeated in two starts for trainer Tim Tullock. Both wins came at Laurel

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Undefeated Matchmadeinheaven goes for her fourth straight stakes victory Sunday when she takes on six other 2-year-old fillies in the $125,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The six-furlong Fifth Avenue, which will be run as race 7, is the second of two stakes on Sunday restricted to the juvenile sons and daughters of stallions nominated to the series. The $125,000 Great White Way division for 2-year-olds, also contested at six furlongs, will be run as race 3 on the nine-race card.

Thursday, November 08 2012

LIVE RACING AT AQUEDUCT CANCELED THURSDAY, SIMULCASTING AVAILABLE

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack on Thursday, November 8 following a nor’easter that passed through the region Wednesday and left behind several inches of wet snow.

Aqueduct and the Belmont Café will remain open for simulcasting, and Telebet and Internet wagering will be available through NYRA Rewards.

Live racing at Aqueduct is scheduled to resume Friday, November 9.

LONG ISLAND HANDICAP SWAN SONG FOR HIT IT RICH

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hit It Rich, who a year ago won her first graded stakes in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap, will attempt to conclude her career with another victory in the race when she competes at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday.

Wednesday, November 07 2012

LIVE RACING AT AQUEDUCT CANCELED WEDNESDAY

SIMULCASTING AVAILABLE

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack on Wednesday, November 7, due to forecast rain and high winds.

Aqueduct and the Belmont Café will remain open for simulcasting and Telebet and Internet wagering will be available through NYRA Rewards.

Monday, November 05 2012

NYRA TO DONATE $100,000 TO AMERICAN RED CROSS

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced it will contribute to Hurricane Sandy disaster relief in New York with a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross.

“So many communities surrounding Aqueduct Racetrack and Belmont Park were devastated by Hurricane Sandy,” said NYRA President and Chief Operating Officer Ellen McClain. “We want to provide whatever support we can as these areas begin the long recovery process.”

Monday, October 29 2012

AQUEDUCT, BELMONT CLOSED FOR SIMULCASTING MONDAY AND TUESDAY

ELMONT, N.Y. – Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack will be closed for simulcasting on Monday, October 29, and Tuesday, October 30 in anticipation of heavy rain and high winds as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Telebet and Internet wagering through NYRA Rewards also will be suspended on both days.

Wednesday, August 08 2012

NYRA ANNOUNCES BELMONT AND AQUEDUCT FALL STAKES SCHEDULES

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has released the stakes schedules for the 2012 Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack fall meets.

The marquee race day of the 2012 Belmont fall meet is Saturday, September 29, with a card featuring five Grade 1 races, highlighted by the $1 million TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational for older males at 1 ¼ miles on the main track. Additional Grade 1 affairs supporting the meet’s most prestigious race are the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational for turf routers, the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational for filly and mare turf routers, the $400,000 Beldame Invitational for filly and mare dirt routers, and the $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational for dirt sprinters. Also on September 29 is the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap for dirt milers.

Thursday, April 26 2012

ACROSS THE BOARD DOUBLE-DIGIT HANDLE INCREASES DURING 2012 AQUEDUCT WINTER/SPRING MEET

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) saw double-digit gains in on-track handle, total handle and NYRA Rewards account wagering during the recently concluded 2012 Aqueduct Racetrack winter/spring meet, which spanned 78 live racing days from January 1 through April 22.

Total handle on Aqueduct’s races was $514 million, up 22.6 percent from the $419 million wagered on Aqueduct’s races during the 2011 meet, which comprised 73 live racing days. Daily average all-sources handle on Aqueduct’s races was $6.6 million, up 14.7 percent from $5.7 million last year.