The end of the year is the traditional time to bestow gifts, but the state shouldn't rush to give NYRA the racing franchise it's so childishly demanding. Besides forgiving $130 million of existing debt, the state would also front the group $70 million in operating money to get started. This is crucial, because the state racing industry supports 17,000 jobs, and millions of dollars in its profits go to fund education. Even if NYRA does get all or some part of the franchise, three decades is...

He strenuously denies allegations of race fixing, but whatever the outcome of the case, racing's image has been dented by the publicity and other lower profile incidents. Does anyone know why, when the jockeys finish tied on winners, 2nd then 3rd places aren't taken into account? The top jockey prize at any meeting or festival is done this way. The toll on the little men with a huge appetite for success was clear to see as they shared the platform to jointly accept a huge trophy which...

Mellinger responded that he would have to retire his current birds from racing and start with new ones at the Brick Road location because "home is home" to a racing pigeon and they can't adjust to a new place. Special timing equipment documents their return home, sometimes from as far away as Oklahoma, which is 600 miles "as the bird flies. A letter from James and Patricia Kaiser, of 1480 Brick Road, expressed concerns about the bird's "guano," (droppings) and how airborne feather dust...

Amazing ding-dong battle ends as Spencer wins final race on final day of season to draw level Staff and agencies Saturday November 10, 2007 Guardian Unlimited Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer shared the flat jockeys' title after a dramatic and intriguing day of racing at Doncaster produced what many had predicted would be the perfect result. Amazing ding-dong battle ends as Spencer wins final race on final day of season to draw level Staff and agencies Saturday November 10, 2007 Guardian...

Jamie Spencer had just won the 8th and last race of the flat racing season to tie with Seb Sanders in the closest ever battle for the jockeys championship. As jockey Eddie Ahern switched his whip to his left hand to prevent Omnicat going over to the rail the horse then altered course sharply to starboard, unshipped Ahern and bore down on the hapless Sanders. With a hundred yards to go Sanders was in front only for an extraordinary Godolphin-trained debutant called Omnicat to sweep ahead...

It is expected that the seven vacant positions with the 11-member RVL board will be finalised this week after an exhaustive and controversial selection process. The 27-strong rebel group, who included leading trainers Lee Freedman and David Hayes and Makybe Diva's owner Tony Santic, wrote a letter to Racing Minister Rob Hulls declaring that: "Racing revenues and returns to us, the industry participants at the proverbial 'coalface' since 2001, have done nothing but diminish in real terms....