For more than 50 years, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association has represented owners and trainers at the three New York Racing Association tracks: Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course.
NYTHA was founded to serve as a collective voice for horsemen and to improve the effectiveness of its constituents in the day-to-day business of horse racing, strive to protect the economic interests of all horsemen, and to gain public recognition of the sport.
Membership is open to any owner or trainer who is licensed by the New York State Gaming Commission and who has run a horse in the last two years at Aqueduct, Belmont or Saratoga. The NYTHA board of directors consists of five owners, five trainers and the president, with elections held every three years.
NYTHA places great emphasis on its backstretch employee benevolence program, which accounts for its largest single expenditure. The program includes health, counseling and social services; eyeglass and dental coverage; recreation programs; education including “English as a Second Language” classes, computer labs and the Groom Development Program; scholarships and college financial aid consultation; meal vouchers; and other initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life on the backstretch.
NYTHA STAFF
Andy Belfiore, Executive Director
Dionne Johnson, Business Manager
Lee Buonagura, Executive Assistant
BOARD MEMBERS
Joseph Appelbaum, President
Tina Marie Bond, Owner/Director
Jack Brothers, Owner/Director
Tom Durkin, Owner/Director
Terry Finley, Owner/Director
Robert Masiello, Owner/Director
Leah Gyarmati, Trainer/Director
John Kimmel, Trainer/Director
Linda Rice, Trainer/Director
Richard Schosberg, Trainer/Director
George Weaver, Trainer/Director