Yonkers Casino/Racetrack has asked NYS and the City of Yonkers to grant them licensing to ‘expand for various projects’ including a ‘community center’ and ‘prettying up the neighborhood.’ (Yonkers Times, 8/14)They should first end the horseracing section of the casino completely.
In addition to trainers being fined for multiple misdeeds, Yonkers Raceway has the distinction of being found guilty of illegally discharging thousands of gallons of untreated human and horse waste into the Bronx River:
https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/07/nyregion/state-lawsuit-says-yonkers-is-polluting-bronx-river.html
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/settlements-agreements/FINALASSURANCE.pdfHorse Racing
is replete with drugging, cruelty and corruption; Yonkers Raceway is a repeatoffender:
Horses have died at Yonkers Racetrack: March 7, 2025 ‘Tuscan Prince’ was killed during a race at Yonkers Raceway; Four Other Equine deaths are listed at this raceway
A horse trainer who raced mainly at Yonkers Raceway was issued a $343,400 fine and three-year ban after the state Gaming Commission said he is responsible for 1,717 equine drug violations.
Peter Tritton has been fined $750 and suspended for 15 days as his horse, Sinbad N, was found positive at Yonkers Raceway on March 1, 2024
In 2023, Travis Alexander was fined and suspended for the presence of PEIMINE and PEIMININE in a post-race sample from a horse he trained at Yonkers Raceway.
https://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rulings-11082024.pdf
NYS pays billions of taxpayer dollars in subsidies and bailouts to racetracks
https://www.timesunion.com/projects/2022/new-york-horse-racing-subsidies
https://nysfocus.com/how-taxpayers-keep-horse-racing-afloat
THOUSANDS OF HORSES BREAK BONES AND DIE AT U.S. TRACKS EACH YEAR:
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.nz/news/five-reasons-why-horse-racing-cruel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoBG9oRynmE
Horseracing is statistically on the decline: The same article admits attendance is down ‘from horse racing’s heyday,’ so the tracks need to add ‘other’ enticements such as community centers, libraries, etc – which are all fine on their own; the racetrack is a blight on all those worthy endeavors. To the members of the Community Advisory Council: The Yonkers Racetrack is a disgrace to this kind, caring community. Racetracks bring greed, corruption and animal cruelty to our beautiful city of Yonkers. The animals can’t speak for themselves: Please reject all requests for licensing by Empire Casino and MGM Grand until the racetrack portion of the casino is closed.
As of this writing, fifty nine racehorses have died at NYS tracks this year alone – gentle, noble horses tortured and slaughtered for the pitiful ‘sport of kings.’ Please don’t support this shameful, avoidable tragedy. For more information on the cruelty and decline of horse racing visit: www.Horseracingwrongs.orghttps://thehumaneleague.org/article/horse-racing-decline
www.youtube.com/watch?v=doHdUrKiley BlackmanFounderAnimal Defenders of Westchesterwww.ADOW.org