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Welcome to On The Lead, the monthly newsletter of The New York Racing Association. We will keep you tuned in to all of the ongoing excitement at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course.
In each issue, we will update you on important news and look ahead to the featured promotions, events, and stakes races for the coming month. You will read fun and enlightening interviews with our trainers and jockeys and receive the latest information about our NYRA Rewards program. And as an added bonus, you can download eye-popping wallpaper and watch thrilling race replays!
On The Lead is your one-stop communication to catch up on the action at the NYRA tracks. We hope you enjoy this issue!
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 Don't miss the special New York Showcase Day Festival at Belmont Park on Saturday, October 18. In addition to seven New York-bred stakes races worth $1 million in purses, the day will feature great activities in the Belmont backyard. From 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the Festival Tent, there will be a number of sampling displays, including hand-rolled cigars, warm shaves, whiskey/wine tasting, a Rolex watch display, and much more. For the younger crowd, the backyard area (from 12 noon - 4 p.m.) will also have a fall carnival with hay rides, a bouncy game, pumpkin carvers, a pumpkin patch, a scarecrow hunt, a caramel apple station, and two face paint artists. It will be a celebration not to miss!
 Legendary Hall of Fame jockeys Angel Cordero Jr., Pat Day and Laffit Pincay Jr. will be at Belmont Park on Thursday, October 2, as the Breeders’ Cup Legends Tour makes the second stop on its multi-city tour. The three riders will meet and greet the fans at an autograph session from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Belmont Park grandstand colonnade. Accompanying the Legends will be a 20-foot photographic exhibit highlighting memorable moments in Breeders’ Cup history.
 Get into the game with the Pick the Pros and Ponies contest every Sunday during the Belmont Park Fall Meet. Not only can you watch all of the NFL games each week, you can also participate in a contest to win $1,000. All you have to do is select the winners of four designated NFL games and two designated Belmont races. Call (516) 488-6000 for more information about the Pick the Pros and Ponies contest.
 NYRA Nation, the official fan club of The New York Racing Association, is off to a strong start! Joining NYRA Nation is completely free, and members will receive an official member card, a custom lapel pin (on-track sign-ups only), and gain access to many exclusive benefits, including automatic entry into random draws to win a VIP Day at the Races, NYRA Gift Packages, and much more. Sign up for free at the NYRA Nation entry page or in person at the track.
 Your Event...Our Venue...Imagine the Possibilities! The NYRA Group Sales team has a brand new website, located at www.nyragroupsales.com. The site features cutting edge graphics and has all the information you need to make your next group outing a tremendous success. Visit the site right now to get great information on bringing a group of any size to beautiful Belmont Park in the fall.
 Saturday and Sunday mornings at Belmont Park offer entertainment for the entire family with the beloved Breakfast at Belmont program. It provides a behind the scenes look at the world of racing by allowing fans access to otherwise restricted areas of Belmont Park including a tram tour of the remarkable stable area. There is also a demonstration that gives kids an up close and personal look at the starting gate. In addition, the Paddock Show with Sheila Lindquist is a must see for racing fans and novices alike as she explains a horse’s daily routine and equipment.
 Sensational bands will electrify the Belmont Park backyard with live music every Saturday and Sunday in September. The groups include Buddy Merriam & Backroads, Jimmy Nations, The Invisable Band, The Denice Given Band, Sal Vivo & Friends, Rockjunky, J Blake & The Earthquake, and The Jack Grace Band. Combine the unmatched thrill of thoroughbred racing with the tantalizing tones of these tremendous bands.
 Enjoy October holiday racing at Belmont Park. Monday, October 13 will feature a special Columbus Day card to celebrate this important day in our country’s history. Racing fans are in for a special treat with the 16th running of the Pebbles, a mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies with a $100,000 purse. |
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 The final month of racing in 2008 at Belmont Park is packed to the brim with compelling stakes action. With eight graded races on the docket and the biggest day of New York-bred stakes of the year, October promises to be a great one for racing fans.
 The graded action kicks into high gear the first Saturday of the month, October 4. The top 2-year-olds in the country will square off with visions of Eclipse awards on the minds of their connections. The fillies will strut their stuff in the Frizette (GI), going a one-turn mile on the main track. Last year’s winner, Indian Blessing, went on to be named 2007 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and has turned into one of the fastest horses in training.
The juvenile colts have their own chance to shine on Saturday, October 4 with the  137th running of the prestigious Champagne (GI), run at a one-turn mile on the main track. This race has been won by legends of the sport such as Seattle Slew (1976), Alydar (1977), Easy Goer (1988), and most recently War Pass, who was named 2007’s Champion 2-Year-Old Colt. If the Frizette and Champagne weren’t enough, the day also includes the Jamaica Breeders’ Cup Handicap (GII), a premier race for 3-year-olds going 1-1/8 mile on the grass.
 Another graded race follows the next day, Sunday, October 5, with the Jerome Breeders’ Cup Handicap (GII). This mile test on the dirt is one of the last chances for 3-Year-Olds to run in a race restricted to their own age group. It’s a race that has been witness to devastating performances, including Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), Discreet Cat (2006), and most recently Daaher (2007).
The month’s second weekend is highlighted by the Athenia Handicap (GIII) on Saturday, October 11. The race is run going 1-1/16 mile on the turf and is open to 3-year-old and up fillies & mares. Sunday, October 12 gives the girls a chance to sprint on the lawn in the Xtra Heat Handicap, for 3-year-old and up fillies & mares going 6 furlongs on the grass. The holiday weekend closes out on Monday, October 13 with the Pebbles, a mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies.
 New York, New York! It’s all about the New York-breds on Saturday, October 18 as Belmont Park plays host to seven New York-bred stakes races worth a whopping $1 million in purses. The day is headlined by the Empire Classic, a $250,000 race for 3-year-olds and up going 1-1/8 mile on the main track. Adding to the excitement that day is that in all likelihood, Banrock will try to sweep the four-race NY-bred turf series in the Mohawk Handicap, a 1-1/8 mile race for 3-year-olds and up.
The final weekend at Belmont Park for the year features three thrilling graded races. The card on Saturday, October 25 includes the Knickerbocker Handicap (GIII), for 3-year-olds and up going 1-1/8 on the turf, and the Sport Page Handicap (GIII), for 3-year-olds and up at 7 furlongs on the dirt. The ultimate graded stakes race during the Belmont Park Fall Championship Season is the Turnback The Alarm Handicap (GIII), a race featuring 3-year-old and up fillies & mares getting tested at the 1-1/8 mile distance on the main track.
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 The New York Racing Association officially emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Friday, September 12, effectively creating the new New York Racing Association. The new NYRA was selected by the State to continue operating racing pursuant to State legislation enacted on February 13, 2008 which awarded NYRA a 25-year franchise to run Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park, and Aqueduct Racetrack, which NYRA has operated since 1955. “Today’s birth of the newly constituted, not-for-profit NYRA is the culmination of complex negotiations that will secure and enhance the interests of Thoroughbred racing in New York for the next 25 years,” said NYRA Chairman C. Steven Duncker.
 With his victory in the 90th running of The Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday, September 27, Curlin surpassed the $10 million mark in earnings and became the richest thoroughbred in the history of the sport. Prior to the race, the earnings record was held by Cigar, who amassed $9,999,815 during his career, spanning 1993-96.
 Be sure to check out NYRA Video, the official Youtube channel of The New York Racing Association. This groundbreaking website will host a slew of informative and entertaining NYRA programming, including Trips & Traps, a weekly recap show hosted by Andy Serling and Eric Donovan. The show will highlight races from the prior week that feature interesting horses to watch out for in the coming months.Questions, comments, and suggestions about the show are encouraged, and can be emailed to trips&traps@nyrainc.com.
 The New York Racing Association is proud to be part of the new Global Shoes exhibit at the Long Island Children's Museum. The exhibit, which opens Friday, October 3, explores the everyday world of shoes to introduce children and families to people and places around the world. The bilingual exhibit also features a local component, Neighborhood Soles, displaying shoes associated with Long Island people and professions. Included among those are a horseshoe worn by 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide (currently stabled at Belmont Park), and Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado's riding boots. Global Shoes will run through January 4, 2009. For additional information, contact 516-224-5800 or visit www.licm.org.
 Saratoga Race Course will be featured on the hit television show American Chopper – Thursday, October 16 at 9pm on TLC. The Teutul brothers, Paul Jr. and Mikey, experience a day at the races at the sport’s most historic venue.
 The 2008 Aqueduct Winter Meeting starts on Wednesday, October 29. The normal racing schedule will remain Wednesday through Sunday with an earlier 12:30 p.m. post time. As always, there will be a myriad of tremendous graded stakes, highlighted by the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (GI) on Saturday, November 29.
 In order to offer an enhanced wagering menu, Rolling Daily Doubles and additional Superfecta opportunities are available during the Belmont Park Fall Meeting. Superfectas are offered on NYRA races without entries or fields that have at least eight betting interests carded, or seven if a late scratch occurs from paddock to post. Three Chimneys Farm joined the ever growing list of prestigious NYRA sponsorship partners. They now become the title sponsor of the $250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (GI), the most significant race for 2-year-olds run at Saratoga Race Course. The agreement also gives Three Chimneys on-track exposure at Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park, and advertising in the track program. Located in Midway, Kentucky, Three Chimneys Farm is home to many top thoroughbred stallions, including Dynaformer, Rahy, and Smarty Jones. The world-renowned breeding operation is also the future home of current 3-year-old superstar Big Brown. |
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 Each month we’ll take a trip to the backstretch and visit with a different jockey or trainer. For this issue, the focus is on Alan Garcia, one of the top up-and-coming jockeys in all of thoroughbred racing. At the age of 22, this Peruvian-born pilot became one of the youngest jockeys to win the Saratoga riding title. Garcia captured the title by winning 39 races during the recent 2008 Saratoga meet.
Garcia makes his home in Elmont, N.Y.
Q: How did you first get involved with horses?
My father and grandfather were both jockeys. Early on I was a big soccer player, but eventually I realized that riding horses was what I really wanted to do.
Q: Do you remember your first win?
My first win in this country is a really good story. It actually came on my 18th birthday, October 2, 2003, in the first race that I rode in this country. I was on a horse at the Meadowlands named Batum who hadn’t won in 14 starts and was sent off at 60/1 odds. He had been racing close to the pace, but I got him to relax going into the first turn and on the backstretch. I swung him out for the stretch run and he unleashed a big rally to win by a half-length. I was so excited that I started crying. I knew I had made it.
Q: You pulled off an absolute shocker in the Belmont with 38/1 Da’Tara. Did you think you had a chance going into the race?
To be honest, no I didn’t. I just wanted to ride my race and let Da’Tara feel comfortable. I was happy to be part of history and running against Big Brown. But wow did Da’Tara ever run a huge race! Nick Zito said the day before to let him go and that’s what I did. He broke well and really settled around the first turn and into the backstretch. During the run to the far turn Big Brown seemed to be trying hard and my horse was well within himself.
Q: Before this year’s Belmont Stakes, many casual racing fans may not have been familiar with you. After your win on Da’Tara and your amazing Travers Stakes day, they certainly do now. Do you consider yourself one of the top jockeys in the sport?
It feels good, but I’m not sure I am at that level yet. I’m going to continue to work hard and learn from great jockeys like Edgar Prado and John Velazquez. The more success you have the harder you have to work.
Q: Do you have any specific friendly rivalries with other jockeys?
I am very friendly with everyone, but once the races start I have a job to do and the friendships get put on hold until we cross the wire. Guys I am particularly close to include Edgar Prado, John Velazquez, and Garrett Gomez. 
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 Two tickets to the Breeders’ Cup Party at Belmont Park could be waiting for you! If you are a NYRA Rewards member earning 2,500 points or more in September 2008, keep an eye on your mail for an exclusive invitation to Belmont Park’s red carpet accommodations celebrating the 2008 Breeders’ Cup on Saturday, October 25, 2008. The invitation includes an RSVP card for qualifying members to select either the Party tickets or a one month DRF.com deluxe past performances subscription package. Party tickets are limited and available to qualifying members first come, first served, so reply to the RSVP card as soon as you receive it. Members selecting the Party tickets will receive a mailed package with credentials, parking and admission tickets. For DRF.com package recipients, a redemption instructions letter will be mailed.
 NYRA Rewards Internet Wagering now features online funding! Log in at https://wagering.nyra.com and click on the yellow Funding tab for more information. Click on the e-check icon to deposit by Electronic Funds Transfer, the easiest way to fund your wagering account without paying costly transaction fees. Also with Electronic Funds Transfer, you have the option of Express Funding to receive immediate credits to your wagering account. Our Express Funding service is free and you can instantly deposit and wager up to $500 per day! Daily and weekly limits apply. Just click on the “Enroll in Express Funding” link to sign up or complete and submit an enrollment form. And for your convenience, online funding also offers credit card deposits and EFT withdrawals.
 Nothing is more important to racing fans than valuable racing data. Last year, NYRA Rewards offered eligible members a special promotion to simply step up play by 10% to receive a monthly DRF.com subscription package. This October, promotion letters are going out again to give our best racing fans an opportunity for a one month DRF.com past performance subscription including racecards enhanced with Moss Pace figures and Formulator 4.1 data access to results charts and lifetime PPs. Eligibility for GIVE IT 110% is based on historical NYRA Rewards account activity and identified members will receive a promotional invitation by mail during the second week of October. For questions about your eligibility, please email nyrarewards@nyrainc.com. Members qualifying for a DRF.com prize will receive redemption instructions in November.
With no minimum balance, no transaction fees, and cash back rewards, now is the time to sign up and start enjoying racing’s finest wagering platform offering unparalleled privileges! To learn more about NYRA Rewards, click here for a brochure.
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 Curlin is the featured attraction for this month’s computer wallpaper and race replay. A 4-year-old son of Smart Strike, Curlin won the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on September 27. In doing so, the reigning horse of the year surpassed the $10 million mark in earnings and passed Cigar as the all-time leading thoroughbred in terms of earnings. It was Curlin's second straight victory in the race, making him the first horse to win back-to-back Gold Cup's since Skip Away accomplished the feat in 1996 and 1997. Click here to go to the wallpaper and replay download page.
 This month for On The Lead we are thrilled to bring you a special podcast with Kiaran McLaughlin, one of the top trainers in all of thoroughbred racing. He just captured his first ever
Saratoga
training title, winning 17 races at the recently concluded meet, including graded races with Abraaj and Shakis. Among other greats, Kiaran trained Invasor, one of the top horses of our generation. Click here to listen to the podcast.
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