It’s an election year for the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. The NYTHA Board consists of five Owner Directors, five Trainer or Owner/Trainer Directors, and the President. Elections are held every three years, and all qualified NYTHA members may participate in electing the President and the Board of Directors. The process for the next election began in August with the formation of the Nominating and Election Committee, consisting of Chair Tom Morley, Mark Hennig, and Richard Martino.

Nominations for candidates will close at the General Nominating Meeting to be held at Belmont Park on Friday, October 6. Those who cannot attend in person can participate via Zoom conference call.

General Nominating Meeting Details
Date: Friday, Oct. 6
Time: 11:00 am
Place: Belmont Cafe in the Belmont Park Clubhouse

To register for the Zoom, go to:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvd-qgrzguEtWRjj01Lf-grsOYF5M5mbp5.

You must register in advance for the Zoom portion of the NYTHA General Nominating Meeting.

There are two options for eligible members who would like to be included on the ballot for the NYTHA Board.

1) Submit your nomination in writing to the NYTHA Nominating and Election Committee, including your name; current mailing and email address; whether you are an owner, a trainer, or an owner/trainer; and whether you will be a candidate for the Board of Directors, or for President. Nominations in writing can be submitted to Tom Morley, Chair of the Nominating and Election Committee, or by email to Election2023@nytha.com; OR

2) Submit your nomination during the General Nominating Meeting on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. If any member wishes to run for the Board, a nomination can be made from the floor at the General Nominating Meeting. The member must consent in writing to the nomination, and must submit her/his name; current mailing and email address; whether she/he is an owner, a trainer, or an owner/trainer; and whether she/he will be a candidate for the Board of Directors, or for President.

CANDIDATES FOR NOMINATION OR TO SERVE AS A NYTHA DIRECTOR MUST:

(A) Be a voting member of NYTHA in good standing (licensed as an owner or trainer by the New York State Gaming Commission, and listed as a Thoroughbred racehorse owner or trainer in the Equibase owner or trainer records and in an official track program, OR own a minimum of 5% of a Thoroughbred racehorse that starts in a qualifying race within the jurisdiction of this Association) for at least one year immediately preceding the date of her/his nomination.

(B) Remain a member in good standing for the entire term of her/his directorship.

(C) Have started one or more horses a minimum of five times at a NYRA track while a member of NYTHA in the one year immediately preceding the date of her/his nomination.

CANDIDATES FOR NOMINATION OR TO SERVE AS NYTHA PRESIDENT MUST:

(A) Be a voting member of NYTHA in good standing (licensed as an owner or trainer by the New York State Gaming Commission, and listed as a Thoroughbred racehorse owner or trainer in the Equibase owner or trainer records and in an official track program, OR own a minimum of 5% of a Thoroughbred racehorse that starts in a qualifying race within the jurisdiction of this Association) for at least three years immediately preceding the date of her/his nomination.

(B) Remain a member in good standing for the entire term of her/his presidency.

(C) Have started one or more horses a minimum of five times while a member of NYTHA in each of the three years immediately preceding the date of her/his nomination.

Election information, including ballots and proxies, will be mailed in November. There will be an electronic voting option.

The NYTHA Election will be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.

Voting for the NYTHA Election will take place, in person or by proxy, at the NYTHA Annual Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023.

To be entitled to vote in the election, a member must:

(A) be licensed as an owner or trainer by the New York State Gaming Commission; AND

(B) start a Thoroughbred racehorse in a qualifying race within the jurisdiction of this Association during the current and/or prior calendar year; AND

(C) be listed as a Thoroughbred racehorse owner or trainer in the Equibase owner or trainer records and in an official track program, OR

(D) own a minimum of 5% of a Thoroughbred racehorse that starts in a qualifying race within the jurisdiction of this Association; AND

(E) complete the membership self-affirmation form included with the voting package.

All votes must be cast in person or by proxy during the Annual Meeting. In order to vote by proxy, a NYTHA member must complete the proxy authorization and, when necessary, the self-affirmation form attesting to the member’s eligibility to vote, and it must be received, by mail or electronically, no later than the deadline of 5 p.m., EST, on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023.

PROXY AUTHORIZATIONS AND SELF-AFFIRMATION FORMS WILL, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DEADLINE OF 5 P.M., EST, ON SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 2023.

The new NYTHA Board will take office in December 2023.

If you feel you are entitled to vote in the NYTHA Election, but do not receive a voting package, please contact the NYTHA Office at (718) 848-5045, or send an email to: Election2023@nytha.com.