NYRA to Allow Hollendorfer at Belmont, Saratoga

One day after The Stronach Group gave Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer 72 hours to vacate Santa Anita Park, the New York Racing Association announced June 23 it planned to honor the agreement it had with Hollendorfer for stalls at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. 

TSG ruled Hollendorfer off all of its tracks after American Currency suffered a fatal injury during a workout on Santa Anita's training track June 22. The 4-year-old gelding became the 30th horse at the track to die from injuries sustained during racing or training since the meet began Dec. 26 and was the fourth of Hollendorfer's trainees.

Sunday's card marked the conclusion of the Santa Anita meet.

NYRA's director of communications, Pat McKenna, released the following statement: 

"NYRA's equine safety program sets the industry standard and has led to demonstrably safer racing operations at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course. Since 2013, NYRA has successfully implemented extensive reforms and made significant investments to modernize track surface analysis by upgrading relevant technology, equipment, and facilities while providing veterinarians with the independent authority required to properly monitor Thoroughbred health. These efforts and investments stem from an organizational culture that prioritizes the health and welfare of horse and rider above all else. NYRA tracks are safer now than at any point in recent memory.

"The safety protocols in place at NYRA, including veterinary inspection of all horses seeking to compete, extend to all trainers and their assistants and have been effective in improving the safety of racing and training.

"Mr. Hollendorfer is currently utilizing stall space at Belmont Park and was approved for stalls at Saratoga Race Course for the 2019 summer meet. NYRA will honor those agreements, and he will be permitted to stable and enter horses at both Belmont and Saratoga.

"Advancing measures to ensure safe racing and training is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and close coordination with horsemen, regulators, owners, racing officials, and industry partners. NYRA's commitment to continuously analyzing and improving safety protocols does not waver."

Hollendorfer moved about 20 horses this spring to Belmont Park with assistant Don Chatlos to compete in East Coast stakes races, including horses owned by Larry Best's OXO Equine. Currently at Belmont, Best's 3-year-old colt Rowayton is pointing to the July 6 Dwyer Stakes (G3).

In addition to Santa Anita, Hollendorfer also stables and races at California's Golden Gate Fields, another TSG-owned track.

"Individuals who do not embrace the new rules and safety measures that put horse and rider safety above all else will have no place at any Stronach Group racetrack," TSG said in a statement Saturday. "We regret that Mr. Hollendorfer's record in recent months at both Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields has become increasingly challenging and does not match the level of safety and accountability we demand. Effective immediately, Mr. Hollendorfer is no longer welcome to stable, race, or train his horses at any of our facilities."

Hollendorfer told the Daily Racing Form his 46-horse string at Santa Anita is moving to Los Alamitos Race Course and his 40 horses at Golden Gate Fields are moving to Alameda County Fair Grounds in Pleasanton, Calif.

Late Saturday, Los Alamitos owner and chairman Edward Allred released a statement welcoming Hollendorfer to his track.

"Los Alamitos will gladly provide stalls to Jerry Hollendorfer, a Hall of Fame trainer and an unexcelled horseman," Allred said. "Unless forbidden by the California Horse Racing Board, we intend to permit entries from Hollendorfer. We do not feel he should be a scapegoat for a problem which derives from a number of factors."

The Los Alamitos summer meet runs June 29 through July 14.