It was Sunday’s 12th race at Saratoga, and everything seemed fine until something went wrong. A race official committed a blunder that went unnoticed until after the race had finished and the results were declared officially. This could also mean all wagers will stand as placed, leaving bettors impacted by the incorrect distance without any refunds or adjustments. 

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has initiated an internal review to determine the exact cause of the error. Per insiders, the finale was run at 1 1/16 miles, instead of the 1 1/8 miles it was carded to be. This includes either a misplacement of the starting gate or a breakdown in pre-race checks. Track officials have not yet provided a timeline for when the investigation findings will be released. This is not the first time Saratoga has faced such an incident. 

Per Daily Racing Form’s horse racing reporter, David Graning, coincidentally, it happened exactly seven years and one day earlier when Somelikeithotbrown won a race here that was also contested at the wrong distance. In both cases, the incorrect distance altered the dynamics of the race, raising questions among horsemen and bettors about the impact on outcomes. 

In the last seven years, the NYRA tracks have seen three instances where a race was contested for the wrong distance. The first came on Aug. 8, 2018, at Saratoga, when Somelikeithotbrown won a 2-year-old maiden race meant to be run at 1 1/16 miles but was actually run at 1 1/8 miles after the starting gate was placed incorrectly. The second occurred on May 27, 2024, at Aqueduct, when a race for 2-year-olds was mistakenly run at five furlongs instead of the scheduled 5 1/2 furlongs because of a program graphic error.

The splits and final time shown on the television broadcast indicated something was off. The quarter-mile was recorded in 26.14, the half-mile in 50.38, and the six-furlong mark in 1:23.97, with a final time listed as 2:41.11. Per BloodHorse, that final time would be unrealistic even for a race run at 1 1/2 miles. That incident has fired up a fan debate that is shooting back at the New York Racing Association. Neither the association nor the stewards were spared after the incident came to light.

Horse racing fans fume at Saratoga stewards after horrible mistake

One of the fans exclaimed incredulously, “How does this happen? Lack of Institutional control… something needs to be done. I’m sure the NYRA will send a tweet out bragging about the handle today, too.” While another one wrote, “8 1/2 furlong race, finishing in a rough 2-mile time, and supposed to be a 9 furlong race? That is one wild situation.” How do stewards make a mistake in mapping out the distance? That is basic, according to horse racing enthusiasts.

More fans took potshots at the New York Racing Association, saying, “Only NYRA. Typical NY cr-p,” while others called for repercussions to be iterated over the supposed blunder. They wanted to see someone take accountability, “Someone needs to be fired at NYRA.” Bettors were the most affected. 

This fan couldn’t contain his judgment, “That’s a sin to the bettors.” Ricardo Santana Jr. guided Fidelightcayut to victory in the New York-bred allowance. The race was run at a shorter distance than scheduled. And it had about $4 million in wagers riding on its outcome when factoring in multi-race bets ending with the finale. Fidelightcayut returned $10.80 to win.

Pat McKenna, a spokesman for NYRA, said, “NYRA is reviewing the circumstances around Race 12, which was contested at the incorrect distance of 1 1/16 miles rather than 1 1/8 miles.” The race was made official before the error was acknowledged. So, it will have no impact on the mutual payoffs.