A US wagering regulator has approved the relaxation of a racing rule that required entries be bracketed for betting purposes in instances of common ownership or trainers.
While stakes races with a purse of at least $50,000 have been exempt from the rule since 2015, the move brings the New York Racing Association into line with most other US jurisdictions.
In confirming the move, New York State Gaming Commission executive director Robert Williams said that there had not been any significant problems since this exception to the rule on coupled entries was was introduced a decade ago.
While the rule change will largely eliminate coupled entries in New York, there will be occasions when runners will be bracketed.
Examples include when three horses are entered by the same trainer or if the state steward determines a reason horses should run as a coupled entry.
"The newly adopted rule will benefit the wagering public by increasing field size while generating additional handle to support New York's horsemen and the broader racing community," the NYRA said.
The NYRA is responsible for running Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga racetracks.
