Starting July 23 at Saratoga and continuing at Belmont Park and Aqueduct, the stewards’ race-day decisions involving the official order of finish will be communicated via the simulcast feed and will also be posted to NYRA.com.
Directly following any decision they make having to do with the official order of finish, including inquiries and objections, the stewards—one appointed by NYRA, one appointed by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, and one appointed by The Jockey Club—will provide an explanation of what happened and the reason for their decision. That information will then be communicated via the NYRA television feed and will be posted on the new Stewards’ Corner section on NYRA.com, located at the following link: http://www.nyra.com/stewards/sar/index.shtml.
“This new policy is a big step forward in providing transparency of the stewards’ decision making,” NYRA president and CEO Charles Hayward said. “Millions of dollars are bet every day at NYRA tracks, and customers should know why decisions are made in the stewards’ stand.”
“We’re thrilled to expand the amount of information available to the wagering public,” NYSRWB chairman John Sabini said. “In addition to our new rule on uncoupled entries that will increase the overall number of betting interests, this new stewards’ communications initiative helps create an even more fan friendly environment at the NYRA tracks.”
“We are fully supportive of any efforts to improve communication to racing fans, and commend NYRA and the NYSRWB for their efforts in this regard,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “This new initiative should serve as a model for other racing jurisdictions throughout the country.”