SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In response to running Saturday’s last race at Saratoga at the wrong distance, the New York Racing Association implemented new protocols on Sunday in hopes that it won’t happen in the future.
NYRA is requiring verbal notification between the head starter and the stewards to confirm the correct gate locations, according to NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna. In addition, in the coming days, NYRA will add improved visual identifiers to each starting location specific to distance and rail-setting options.
These new protocols became necessary after Saturday’s last race on the Mellon Turf course was run at 1 1/16 miles instead of the 1 1/8 miles at which it was scheduled. The stewards, who initially said the race was run at the correct distance when asked about it by a reporter after the race, ultimately concluded that it was run at the wrong distance, a fact confirmed after the race was made official.
According to a release on Sunday afternoon, the temporary rail was set at 18 feet on the Mellon Turf course, which dictates an alternate starting location to accommodate for the change in distance around the circumference of the inner rail of the track. However, the gate was incorrectly placed at the starting location for a 1 1/16-mile race, according to a release.
Following the incident, staff from NYRA met with the stewards and determined that human error caused the gate to be placed in the incorrect position. According to NYRA, the placement of the starting gate is the responsibility of the head starter in conjunction with NYRA track maintenance personnel.
Scott Jordan is the head starter. He was hired by NYRA earlier this year to replace Hector Soler, who was fired on March 2.
In a release, the stewards issued an apology for the incident, but since the race was made official, there will be no restitution for the bettors or the other horsemen in the race. Fidelightcayut ($10) won the race by three-quarters of a length over 10-1 shot Terminal Velocity, who was a nose in front of 5-1 Charles J, the horse who seemed to be going best at the end and may have benefitted from the race being run at 1 1/8 miles.
Betting on the race totaled $4,656,418, which includes wagers on the pick six, and late pick five and pick four.
“The stewards are responsible for overseeing the integrity of every race here on the NYRA circuit,” NYRA steward Victor Escobar said in a release. “We would like to apologize to the betting public, fans and racing participants for failing to meet those standards on Saturday.”
In addition to Escobar, the other stewards on duty Saturday - and virtually every racing day at NYRA - are Braulio Baeza Jr., the steward appointed by the New York Gaming Commission, and Cody Watkins, the steward appointed by the Jockey Club.
Saturday’s mixup was the second time in eight years that a race was run at the wrong distance at Saratoga. On Aug. 8, 2018, a maiden race scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf was run at 1 1/8 miles. Also, a race for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct on May 27, 2024, was run at five furlongs instead of the 5 1/2 furlongs at which it was scheduled. That mistake was due in large part to the wrong distance being printed in the track program.
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