About NYRA

We create world-class experiences that advance the sport of horse racing with integrity, safety, and innovation.

Founded in 1955, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) is franchised to run thoroughbred racing at New York's three major tracks—Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course—through 2033.

With a lineage of nearly 150 years, NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State's thoroughbred industry, which contributes more than $2 billion annually to its urban, suburban and rural economy. 

NYRA tracks are proud to be accredited members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety & Integrity Alliance. Leading the industry in safety and welfare initiatives, NYRA tracks have earned “best practice” ratings in virtually every primary area examined by the Alliance since 2009.

A Brief History of The New York Racing Association

On a crisp autumn afternoon in 1954, John Hanes began putting together an idea that would trigger a renaissance in New York thoroughbred racing.

For the most part, the prominent horse owner and member of the Jockey Club traveled to the New York metropolitan area’s thoroughbred tracks in a chauffeur-driven limousine. Once at the track, he would sit in a box.

But on this day, Hanes was on a fact-finding mission to find out what it was like for most guests to visit the track. So he took the train to Belmont Park. Roaming the grandstand, he looked for a decent lunch and a good seat. He found neither. Nor could he even get near the paddock for an up-close view of the horses. “It was useless,” Hanes told Sports Illustrated of his experience. “I never once got to a hot-dog stand, or to a $2 window, or close to a horse—or within range of a comfortable seat.

What Hanes learned that day in 1954 was revealing. Despite New York’s status as the nation’s leading racing circuit, the facilities at the four major thoroughbred tracks— Belmont as well as Saratoga Race Course, Aqueduct Race Track and Jamaica Race Course—were deteriorating. Meantime, increasingly paltry purses were compromising the proud tradition of the state’s tracks in New York. That had become apparent in 1953 when Alfred Vanderbilt’s great champion, Native Dancer earned $18,850 for winning the Travers at Saratoga, compared to the nearly $98,000 and $67,000, respectively, he had earned in Chicago for winning the Arlington Classic and the American Derby.

By then, some guests had started heading to out-of-state tracks where the amenities were more pleasant. There was even talk in racing circles that the iconic Saratoga Race Course, opened a month after the Battle of Gettysburg in August 1863, should be closed down because it was generating little state tax revenue.

The Roots of Rescue

But Hanes was hardly the only prominent New York-based horseperson to be concerned. Some months earlier while speaking to the members of the Jockey Club at the Reading Rooms in Saratoga, Ashley Trimble Cole, the chairman of the New York State Racing Commission, resolved to take action in tackling the issues of thoroughbred racing in New York. “(And) if you gentlemen can’t do something about it,” he told them, “the Racing Commission will find men who can.”

The Jockey Club took note. Moving decisively, Vice Chairman Ogden Phipps named a three-person committee of people with demonstrated business expertise and a passion for thoroughbred racing to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan to restore the luster of New York Racing. Hanes, a former U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury, was one. The others were Christopher Chenery, chairman of the board of Southern Natural Gas Co. and later the breeder of record of Secretariat; and Harry Guggenheim, a director of Kennecott Copper Co. 

The three men met frequently, and by January 1955 had developed a comprehensive reorganization plan based on a deceptively simple idea. New York racing, the committee suggested, would best be served if the four flat-racing New York tracks joined hands under the guidance of a single organization to provide comfort, convenience and a good experience for horseplayers. “In short,” Hanes said, “invite them to come racing instead of inviting them to stay home.”

The committee called their new non-profit organization, The Greater New York Association, later renamed The New York Racing Association (NYRA). Chartered on April 28, 1955, the Association counted on the strong backing of New York Governor W. Averell Harriman, who in his 30s had owned a successful racing stable, Arden Farms, before turning to a career in government. The New York State Legislature complied, and in June 1955 granted NYRA a 25-year franchise grant that guaranteed it a minimum 4 percent of pari-mutuel handle at downstate tracks and 5 percent at Saratoga to be used for capital improvements. That enabled the association to borrow $47 million on a 10-year loan from a consortium of 13 banks headed by the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company in the fall of 1955.

NYRA then bought the stock at New York’s existing metropolitan tracks—Belmont Park, Jamaica Race Racecourse, Aqueduct Racetrack and Empire City— and Saratoga Race Course, upstate. At the Spa, there was concern that the Association would run a concurrent meet downstate and threatening the summer meet’s routine weekday crowds of more than 10,000. But as part of the legislation that created NYRA, Governor Harriman prohibited a simultaneous downstate meet while guaranteeing a minimum of 24 days of racing each summer in Saratoga. 

In the New York metro area, NYRA closed both Empire City and Jamaica and sold the Jamaica property for a housing development. Creating a corporation to be run by the racing officials who received no salaries, NYRA raised some $45 million, which it earmarked for capital improvements at its tracks.

To secure bank financing, NYRA was granted a long-term franchise to operate the tracks. NYRA demolished the old Grandstand at Aqueduct, and in 1959, reopened the new facility. At Saratoga, the track and its drainage system were completely rebuilt, two new barns were constructed and 19 new bunkhouses and three kitchens were added. Racing at the Spa earned a further shot in the arm in 1963 when construction of the Northway provided a direct highway route from exit of the New York Thruway in Albany to the track.

Belmont Park closed as well, in late 1962, and the Grandstand there was rebuilt and modernized before reopening in 1968, just in time for the 100th running of the Belmont Stakes.

Resounding Success

The rescue effort was a resounding success. On September 14, 1959, opening day at the new Aqueduct Racetrack, more than 42,000 fans took note of what was then the most ultra-modern, up-to-date racing facility in North America. Turf writer W.C. Heinz noted something more, namely what he called “a revolution in New York State that should interest taxpayers, legislators, horse lovers and horse racing throughout the United States,” as he wrote in Reader’s Digest.

In those days, Aqueduct’s autumn meet typically ended in mid-November, leaving New York’s thoroughbred tracks dark until the following spring. But in 1975, Aqueduct opens its winterized, one-mile inner dirt track on the former site of the inner turf course to create a year-round circuit of racing on NYRA tracks. In 2011, after NYRA had undergone bankruptcy, Aqueduct Racetrack took another major step forward when Resorts World New York City Casino, operated by Genting New York LLC, opened at the track. As part of the agreement, NYRA created a capital improvement budget that it is using to upgrade the physical infrastructure of all three of its tracks.

In 2012, at the direction of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, a temporary publicly controlled body was put in place to transform the management of thoroughbred racing in New York. At the time, the Governor signed the NYRA Re-organization legislation, he specifically noted the importance of New York State’s industry racing industry as a major economic driver in the state. The industry is responsible for the generation of 17,400 jobs and the contribution of more than $2.1 billion into New York’s urban, suburban economy. NYRA is the cornerstone of the industry segment.

Significant Economic Impact

The economic benefits are particularly apparent in Saratoga. A 2015 study by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) shows that NYRA’s annual summer meet at Saratoga Race Course generates $237 million in economic activity and nearly 2,600 jobs across the greater Capital Region. The report concludes that the economic rewards from the operation of the race course generate as much as $14.2 million in tax revenue for the city, the county and New York State.

These days, it’s likely that the racing enthusiast of 20 years ago walking into a NYRA track would feel right at home while recognizing a host of improvements that have made thoroughbred racing in New York more accessible than ever. Both Saratoga and Belmont Park have playgrounds and a lot of family-focused special events to accommodate the many families who now attend the races.

There are new restaurants and wagering facilities as well as a constantly expanding range of food and entertainment options; and in Saratoga, more picnic tables and a whole-hearted embrace of the “Taste NY” initiative. There are an expanding number of must-see, big event days from the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and the Stars & Stripes Racing Festival at Belmont Park to Whitney Day and Travers Day at Saratoga.

Today’s NYRA fan is likely to be taking advantage of technology by following the races on their smartphones or on big-screen, high-definition televisions in the backyard of Belmont Park or Saratoga Race Course or at Longshots, Aqueduct Racetrack’s 24,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art sports bar and simulcasting facility, which opened in 2014. And they are watching NYRA races using a range of digital wagering amenities, or even at home using Roku.

Record for All-Sources Wagering

A case in point was the 2019 meet at Saratoga Race Course, where for the first time in history, NYRA generated more than $700 million in all-sources handle during the meet, which was conducted over a five-day race week and included the cancellation of a full Saturday card of racing. Wagering from all-sources totaled $705,343,949 a staggering increase of more than $46 million, or 7 percent, over 2018 when racing was conducted for the full 40 days during a six-day week. This year’s handle eclipsed the previous record set in 2017 by nearly $29 million or 4.2 percent.

The banner year was made possible in large part to the extended NYRA team drawn from facilities, finance, marketing and contractors working together under a tight deadline to open Saratoga’s stunning hospitality venue, the 1863 Club. Constructed over the course of only 10 months, the 36,000-square-foot, three-story, climate-controlled building took the place of the old “At the Rail” tents and temporary suites – and was an immediate hit, drawing solid crowds all summer.

Contributing to the success was the NYRA TV team, which produced 192 hours of the acclaimed Saratoga Live broadcast, an unprecedented amount of live television, and also this produced a Travers broadcast, which had previously been a part of the NBC coverage. Also, the NYRA Bets team continues to excel and innovate with numbers that are way above budget expectations and previous years' results. In 2019, NYRA Bets account holders wagered $85 million in total handle year-to-date, $5 million higher than budget and driven by an increase in active users of more than 43 percent.

By working together, NYRA has been able to deliver on the Governor’s desire to see tourism grow as a result of our horse racing operations. In doing so, it has created more jobs and more revenue—and a bright new future for New York’s thoroughbred industry.

Tradition Reimagined at Belmont Park

In May 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul authorized NYRA to utilize a $455 million loan to build new thoroughbred racing facilities at Belmont Park. With state approval secured, NYRA will embark on the most significant racetrack construction projects in modern memory, all at no cost to taxpayers. The centerpiece of the re-imagined Belmont Park will be a new building that will completely replace the existing grandstand and clubhouse.

The new Belmont grandstand will dramatically increase the amount of parkland available to fans throughout the year by expanding the current Belmont backyard. And because of the vehicular and pedestrian tunnels that will soon allow access to the 45-acre Belmont infield for the first time, the new Belmont Park will provide fans and the surrounding community with more open space than ever before.

A new and re-imagined Belmont Park will guarantee the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to New York after a lengthy absence. The Breeders’ Cup announced its commitment to add Belmont to the rotation of host venues following NYRA’s modernization of the facility. Despite the prominent role played in the year-end championships by New York based trainers, jockeys, and owners, the Breeders’ Cup has not been held at Belmont since 2005 due to the facility’s aging infrastructure and lack of winterized hospitality options.

“We are very supportive of the Belmont Park renovation, particularly plans to put in place a world-class facility with fantastic racing surfaces that offer versatility and the ability to address various seasons and weather conditions,” said Drew Fleming, President & CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “As we said before, if you build it, we will come. We look forward to working with the New York Racing Association to bring the Breeders’ Cup World Championships back to the Empire State when the time is right.”

The new Belmont Park is scheduled to re-open in 2026.