Escobar replaces Hawkins in NYRA stewards' stand

Brook Hawkins, the steward for the New York Racing Association since Nov. 1, 2019, has been fired, Hawkins confirmed Thursday afternoon.

A NYRA spokesman confirmed that Hawkins is no longer employed by the organization, but did not provide details. Later Thursday afternoon, NYRA, in a press release, announced it had hired Victor Escobar, the state steward for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission since 2021, as its new steward. Escobar will join NYRA on Feb. 16.

Hawkins, 55, said he was informed by NYRA on Wednesday that he was being relieved of his duties but said he was not given a specific reason.

“I’m disappointed,” Hawkins told Daily Racing Form in a phone interview. “At the same time, things happen for a reason. We’ll move on and see what happens. I was appreciative of Martin Panza giving me the opportunity to come there and offer my services.”

Panza was NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations at the time of Hawkins’ hiring. Panza left the company in the fall of 2021.

Hawkins took over the role of NYRA steward in the fall of 2019, replacing Braulio Baeza Jr., who took over the role as steward for the New York State Gaming Commission when Steve Lewandowski retired.

Hawkins has served in the racing industry for approximately 35 years, serving as a racing secretary, stakes coordinator, placing and paddock judge. He spent approximately 25 years in Louisiana, from where he joined NYRA after serving as the Louisiana state chief steward, based at Evangeline Downs since 2007, and as a steward at Fair Grounds since 2016.

Hawkins was part of a three-person stewards’ stand in New York that includes Baeza and Samantha Randazzo, the latter who is appointed by the Jockey Club. Stewards’ decisions can often be controversial, none more so than the one to disqualify Brick Ambush from second and place him last in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct on Dec. 16.

Ironically, Hawkins was not in the stand that day as he was on vacation. Juan Dominguez, an accredited NYRA steward, was in the stand on Dec. 16 and he will be in the stand for the three-day race week beginning Friday.

Escobar is a native of New Mexico and the son of retired jockey Victor Escobar Sr. He has previously worked as state steward for the New Mexico Racing Commission and as an Association steward at Rillito Park.

As the Oklahoma steward, Escobar played a central role in the implementation of Category 1 rules at Remington Park and was responsible for public communication with the betting public immediately following stewards’ decisions.

Category 1 rules state that stewards may disqualify a horse only if it improved its finishing position because of that interference, or in cases of dangerous riding.

With regard to interference, New York is a Category 2 state, meaning that Commission rules provide that if the interfere is guilty of causing interference and such interference in the judgment of the stewards has altered the finish of the race, then the interfere is placed behind the offended horse.

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