A broadcast of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday on NBC drew 4 million viewers at its peak, when Tiz the Law won the race, according to network officials.

This year’s Belmont Stakes was billed as the first leg of the Triple Crown, due to the rescheduling of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes to this fall. The broadcast was advertised extensively by NBC and its sister networks in the week leading up to the race. It was run at 1 1/8 miles, rather than its traditional distance of 1 1/2 miles, and had a post time of 5:45 p.m. Eastern, roughly one hour earlier than usual.

An executive order issued Monday by the administration of President Donald Trump will bar the issuance of guest-worker visas used by thousands of backstretch workers until the end of this year.

Arlington International Racecourse and the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association finally agreed to a contract for the 2020 and 2021 racing seasons on Monday morning, but the 2020 Arlington meet almost was derailed by a dispute between Arlington and Hawthorne that unfolded during an Illinois Racing Board meeting just after the contract was signed.

Arlington and the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, contrary to strong signals Wednesday, still had not signed a contract as of midday Thursday that would govern race meetings in 2020 and 2021.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a set of rules limiting the use of the whip in races at state racetracks, but the rules were immediately criticized as insufficient by officials of the organization that represents riders nationwide, dashing hopes that the sport had found common ground on a complex and controversial issue that has been a focal point of anti-racing groups.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Members of The Jockeys’ Guild board of directors are not satisfied with rules limiting the use of the crop that were approved Tuesday by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, contending that the rules would endanger riders and horses because of a limitation on the number of strikes that jockeys could apply to a horse.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved rules that would limit the use of the whip at racetracks in the state, potentially setting the stage for similar rules to be adopted in other jurisdictions.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two committees of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Monday morning unanimously approved proposed rules that would limit the use of the whip at racetracks in the state, according to participants in the meeting.

The Louisiana Racing Commission on Friday approved the transfer of 10 Quarter Horse dates from Fair Grounds to Evangeline Downs as part of a plan to run 39 total Quarter Horse dates at Evangeline.

The committee voted to approve the plan by a vote of 9-2, despite objections from the Louisiana Quarter Horse Association, which opposed the plan because the 39 total dates fell short of the statutory minimum. Commission officials said that the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic justified awarding race dates below the minimum.

Parx racetrack in Bensalem, Penn., plans to reopen on June 22 provided the racing commission can bring back employees to provide regulatory personnel following a four-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the track’s horsemen’s group said on Thursday afternoon.