On Dec. 5, the Board of Directors of the Standardbred Owners Association of New York (representing competing horsemen at Yonkers Raceway) resolved to donate the sum of $5,000.00 to the Goshen Historic Track located in Goshen, New York.
The contribution, which was mailed today, was in recognition of not only the important place the venue holds in our industry, but also in appreciation for the oval’s significant role in assisting racing participants in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a truly dark Spring for pari-mutuel harness racing in New York State, a bright shining light was provided through the kindness of the Goshen Historic Track trustees. First, through the trustees, SOA of NY director Ray Schnittker was able to utilize the facility to accommodate an initial number of qualifiers. These races not only prepared horses for their anticipated return to live racing, but also provided necessary charted lines for the horses, as the USTA sanctioned the events for this purpose.
After the USTA’s approval, the kindness shown by the Historic Track’s personnel and the necessary approval of the track's president Steve Jones, allowed for weeks of qualifiers to be held. The SOA of NY cultivated volunteers to collect fees and helped defray the costs associated with the effort in order to provide a starter, racing office personnel, a USTA qualified Presiding Judge, along with associates and a paddock judge. A teletimer was installed and a company was secured to monitor its proper function on a regular basis, as was a track re-measuring protocol completed. Additionally, the USTA provided an online entry portal and both an ambulance service and disinfecting company were hired.
(SOA of NY)