Horse Racing News by Matt Hegarty

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Wednesday approved a settlement with John Velazquez that will require the jockey to pay a $10,000 fine on charges lodged last month related to the Life At Ten incident at the Breeders' Cup last year.

Breeders' Cup will cap the number of players who can participate in a $10,000 buy-in handicapping tournament held in conjunction with the November event at 125 this year, up from 120, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Jockey Eibar Coa plans to ride at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday after spending Monday in a South Florida jail cell on charges of domestic battery, his agent, Tito Fuentes, said on Tuesday.

Horse owners in New York would pay a 2.75-percent tax on purse earnings under a plan proposed by the state's new governor, Andrew Cuomo, to raise money for the funding of the state's racing commission.

Pimlico Race Course will again offer infield patrons at the Preakness Stakes a $20 beer mug that can be refilled unlimited times, the company said on Tuesday when announcing that infield tickets had gone on sale.

The New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed legislation late on Monday night that would direct $30 million over the next three years from a newly created state casino fund to the New Jersey Racing Commission, according to reports.

Total wagering, purses, and race days all fell significantly in 2010 compared to 2009, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Jockey Club, with betting on U.S. races declining to its lowest level since 1995.

Horses running on artificial surfaces suffer fatal injuries at a statistically significant lower rate than horses running on dirt courses, according to epidemiologists who have analyzed data collected for a project tracking equine injuries.

The board of directors of the bankrupt NYC Off-Track Betting Corporation voted on Friday afternoon to delay a plan to close until the state Senate convenes on Tuesday to consider a bill that would allow the company to implement a reorganization plan.

The board of the bankrupt New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation on Wednesday approved a plan that would allow the company to cease operating at the close of business on Friday, ratcheting up the stakes for legislators.