Fiscal trouble for the NYRA. Final jockey decisions.
In a first-turf allowance race on May 5th, New Madrid took a paltry 5th, 3 ¾ length behind the winner, Kindergarten Kid. Beaten soundly on the home stretch, New Madrid had been neck and neck for the first place. New Madrid’s trainer had been working the horse on turf leading up to the Belmont. Considered a long shot, we may not even be seeing him in Elmont.
It is also not looking good for the owner of Belmont Park, the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Employees of the NYRA woke up today with notice that the three racetracks at Belmont park will close on June 9th unless they can come up with $17 million. Currently they are owed that much by the New York City Off-Track Betting Corp., however that company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The NYRA is seeking to borrow the money from the state of New York, and Governor Paterson has promised up to $25 million to the track, which provides jobs to 1,400 employees.
This news, unfortunately, caused many owners to pull their horses from Belmont and to take them to Monmouth Park in New Jersey. The Belmont Stakes will still run on June 5th this year, but it’s future is uncertain from then on.
Mike Smith will be jockeying Drosselmeyer in this years Belmont Stakes. Drosselmeyer, owned by WinStar Farms, previously jockeyed by Kent Desormeaux has placed in his 2 most recent races, although did not make the graded earnings to run in the Kentucky Derby. Although mounting in 12 Belmont Stakes, Smith has yet to record a win. Winstar Farm’s racing manager likened the switch to what was done with Lookin at Lucky in the 2010 Preakness. Drosselmeye is currently 2-3-2 from 10 starts, with earnings of $210,170.
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