Other News
Michael Gill claimed his twelfth straight Pimlico owner’s title on Sunday when Spring Rush won the $50,000 Skipat Stakes. Gill last made news in May when he announced he was getting out of racing for good, but don’t expect Gill to go anywhere for a while. Although he has scaled his operations back to about 200 horses, Gill is enthusiastic about a two-year-old named Traveling Leroy, who he recently purchased for $250,000 and is considering for the 2006 classic races. (Baltimore Sun)
—
NYRA is positioning itself as best it can to maintain its franchise come 2007:
New York Racing Association officials intend to be among those bidders and have been exploring several models they hope can entice the state government to enter into a private-public partnership. They are also willing to take a harder line, if necessary, by entering into what could be long and costly litigation over who owns the land on which the three tracks stand.
The association maintains that it possesses the deeds to the three properties and has paid more than $422 million in state property taxes since 1955, when it was established as a nonprofit corporation to run the tracks under a state franchise.
“We bought the tracks and have the deeds, and it would be an interesting case to see if the legislature can take away private property,” said C. Steven Duncker, the association’s co-chairman. “But our primary focus has been changing this organization and running it the way the state would want it run.” To that end, the association has replaced top management and implemented a business culture to reverse the $20 million it lost in 2003. For the first time, for example, the association sold a presenting sponsorship, to Argent Mortgage, for this year’s Belmont Stakes. (New York Times)
Teamsters, Jockeys’ Guild Meet
Make of this what you will: “While both groups have represented different segments of racing industry workers for decades, the Jockeys’ Guild and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters met formally for the first time Wednesday to discuss how they can leverage each other’s strength to help improve working conditions for track workers such as jockeys, judges, security personnel, and admission workers.” (Thoroughbred Times)
A Little More News …
Former NTRA commissioner Tim Smith is at work “on a fledgling business effort that associates say is rooted in proposals to privatize the New York Racing Association.” Smith, through a spokesman, refused to comment on the project. (Thoroughbred Times)
The 31st Symposium on Racing begins Wednesday. (Daily Racing Form)
Vote for racing’s Moment of the Year. (NTRA)
Beware: “Horses who race in the Breeders’ Cup events then wheel back and continue to compete in the final two months of that year do terribly,” says Ralph Siraco. (Las Vegas Sun)
Hayward 6-5
“From all indications, Charles Hayward is the right guy at the right time for the New York Racing Association,” writes Matt Graves. “The only question now is if he can get enough done in a three-year window to save the franchise, a proposition that a conservative oddsmaker would probably give no better than a 6-5 number at this stage of the game.” (Times Union)
As Expected
Former publishing executive Charles Hayward was named NYRA president and CEO, effective immediately, this morning. (Daily Racing Form)
About
Jessica Chapel writes and edits in Massachusetts. Railbird is a Thoroughbred horse racing blog published from June 2004 to July 2019. More / Contact
Elsewhere
Find Jessica on Pinboard and Instagram, Railbird on LibraryThing and Twitter.
Etc.
Links
Search
Boston Racing
Spreadsheets/Data
← Home
Copyright © 2000-2026 by Jessica Chapel. All rights reserved.