Saturday’s 12th race at Saratoga seemed like business as usual until an unexpected twist surfaced. Officials discovered the wrong race distance only after the horses crossed the wire, with Fidelightcayut, ridden by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., finishing as the winner, and they declared the results official. They mistakenly ran the finale at 1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles instead of the intended 1 ⅛ miles, likely because they misplaced the starting gate or overlooked the issue during pre-race checks. Since the error surfaced after they declared the race official, all wagers will remain valid, and bettors will receive no refunds or adjustments.

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has launched an internal investigation to pinpoint how the mix-up occurred. The race was contested at 1 1/16 miles rather than the scheduled 1 1/8 miles. So, after this huge mistake, the New York Racing Association apologised to the bettors and fans. 

As reported by David Grening of Daily Racing Form, NYRA steward Victor Escobar said, “The Stewards are responsible for overseeing the integrity of every race here on the NYRA circuit.” He also added, “We would like to apologize to the betting public, fans, and racing participants for failing to meet those standards on Saturday.” Notably, this isn’t the first time Saratoga has dealt with a similar mishap.

Over the past seven years, NYRA tracks have been no strangers to distance mix-ups, with three such blunders on record. On August 8, 2018, at Saratoga, Somelikeithotbrown captured a 2-year-old maiden race that should have gone 1 1/16 miles but ran 1 1/8 miles because officials misplaced the starting gate. In May last year, a graphic error in the program led to a race at Aqueduct to be run across five furlongs instead of the intended 5 ½, after an error in the program’s graphic display. But Saturday’s mistake has triggered fans for various reasons.

The splits and final time displayed on the television broadcast immediately raised eyebrows. They clocked the opening quarter-mile in 26.14, hit the half-mile in 50.38, and reached the six-furlong point in 1:23.97. The listed final time of 2:41.11 would not be believable even for a 1 ½-mile event, let alone the distance the race was supposed to cover. For seasoned handicappers and sharp-eyed fans, those numbers all but confirmed that something had gone wrong long before the horses hit the wire.

It was such a huge blunder that even after 24 hours of the race and after apologies by the steward, fans are still fuming at the New York Racing Association. According to New York State Gaming Commission regulations, once race results are declared official, any alteration to the finishing order does not impact the payout. That’s why the stewards’ delay in apologizing, their lack of a refund guarantee, and similar actions continue to fuel issues at the NYRA, leaving fans unsatisfied even after the apology.

Horse racing fans are not sparing the NYRA Stewards, even after the apology

One fan commented on the Stewards’ apology, saying, “Is that it? What steps to help the gamblers and make sure it never happens again? Anything?” While another fan showed his disappointment, commenting, “An apology? That’s it? NYRA has lost me. Been a homer for a long time. No more. Unacceptable response.” The Stewards usually fine jockeys or trainers for mistakes that are outrageous or for breaking the rules. In June, Jockey Kendrick Carmouche was fined $5,500 and suspended one day for using his whip 7 times on Deterministic as he rode him to victory at the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Saratoga. But now, horse racing fans are wondering if the stewards are going to punish themselves or not. 

Keeping that in mind, one netizen said, “Not for nothing, but if a trainer, owner, or jockey makes a mistake that ‘ruins the integrity of a race,’ the stewards usually levy a fine or sanction… But when the stewards do the same exact thing, there’s just an apology??” That comment was also followed by another fan saying, “They are not allowed to fine themselves.” For one fan, the response didn’t come soon enough. “It took them a day to write that paragraph…that says it all,” they wrote. So, after so much backlash, NYRA has decided to make changes to the starting gates on a priority.

Right now, it doesn’t look like bettors are anywhere near recouping their losses. The question is whether the organizers can issue an apology that genuinely convinces and satisfies the fans who put their money on the line.