NYRA's Jockey Club steward will soon need to be replaced due to visa issue

Cody Watkins, The Jockey Club steward at the New York Racing Association tracks since early 2025, will need to be replaced soon after the June 6 Belmont Stakes due to his inability to extend his visa to work in the U.S., The Jockey Club confirmed on Tuesday.

Watkins, a former steward for the British Horseracing Authority, was tabbed in January of last year by The Jockey Club as part of an international stewards exchange program. He had previously served as a steward at a handful of major race meetings in England, including Epsom and Goodwood.

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A spokesperson for The Jockey Club, Shannon Luce, said that the organization would not have a comment on its plans to replace Watkins. At the time of his hiring, Luce said that Watkins was not technically an employee of The Jockey Club because of the international exchange program.

New York statutes require The Jockey Club, NYRA, and the New York State Gaming Commission to each appoint a steward to the stand. The NYRA steward is Victor Escobar, and the NYSGC steward is Braulio Baeza Jr.

Watkins had replaced Samantha Randazzo, who was fired in 2024 after 18 months on the job. During the time between Randazzo being fired and Watkins being hired, the NYRA safety steward, Juliet Kagno, had filled in as The Jockey Club steward.

In a previous version of this article, a steward for The Jockey Club was misidentified. Her name is Samantha Randazzo, not Samantha Rizzo.

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