The Day at the Races: Jan. 14

It hasn’t been a good couple of weeks for the New York Racing Association.

First, it acknowledged that it was overcharging customers for 15 months on certain exotic bets, and then it let a horse win a race at Aqueduct on Lasix, when the horse wasn’t supposed to run on the anti-bleeding medicine.

Now the NYRA is under investigation by the State Racing and Wagering Board for “extending credit” to customers who deposit checks to fund their NYRA Rewards account.

This, however, is ridiculous.

Throughout the country, almost every track or advanced deposit wagering program allows customers to make immediate deposits with checks. NYRA limits those to $1,000 per week, while others allow up to $10,000.

NYRA screens all of its existing customers through a procedure approved by the Racing and Wagering Board in 2008.

While I haven’t been happy with NYRA’s management lately, this investigation is a joke and Robert L. Megna, the chairman of the New York State Franchise Oversight Board, should offer an apology for getting it started.

Preakness winner Shacklefordturned in another breeze preparing for a possible start in the Feb. 11 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. The South Florida track could have all three Triple Crown race winners from last year start that day as Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Iceis also pointing for the Donn, while Derby winner Animal Kingdomcould start on the grass in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.

While Horse of the Year won’t be announced until Monday night, the fans have spoken and easily voted for the Havre de Graceas their choice in a Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association Sweepstakes. More than 12,000 votes were received, with Havre de Grace getting 4,249, easily ahead of Rapid Redux, who won all 19 starts in 2011, with 2,213.

FRIDAY'S CARD

1ST: Favored King and Crusaderled them start to finish but it wasn’t all good for the Rick Dutrow-trainee. On Thursday, Maryland stewards DQd the horse from his victory in the Dec. 17 Maryland Juvenile Championship at Laurel Park. The horse was given his Lasix injection within an hour of the race, which is against the rules in Maryland. Dutrow was also fined $500 and still faces a possible 10-year ban in New York for rules violations.

2ND:Dutrow swept the early double when Regal Strikecaught Tazered,who showed surprising early speed, in the final strides.

3RD: After sweeping the late double on Thursday, trainer Rick Violettesent out his third straight winner when Opus A($9.90) upset the 1-5 favorite Lovely Lil, who lasted for second, saving the show bettors. Of the $117,496 wagered to show in the race, $101,688 was placed on Lovely Lil.