Linda Rice establishes single-season NYRA record with 165th training win

Trainer Linda Rice captured a record 165th training win on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit for 2025 when Snide posted a 28-1 upset in Race 4 on Friday, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Snide, who is also owned by Rice, successfully stepped up in class from a runner-up effort in a maiden claiming tilt here in September. The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Tonalist, with regular pilot Kendrick Carmouche at the helm, proved a stubborn foe on the front end in the one-turn mile maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up, outdueling My Sherrona to score by 4 3/4-lengths over the stalking Ellesmere Island in a final time of 1:41.23. She returned $58.18 for a $2 win bet.

"It's a remarkable record and I'm proud to be amongst the trainers here in New York," said Rice, who also sent out 5-1 fifth-place finisher Trango Tower. “I was quite surprised, and I guess the public was too at 28-1.

"She took a long time to come to the races," Rice continued. "I did not want to run her back for maiden $20,000, so I was just looking for an option. It was quite a surprise."

Rice, who is also the leading owner on the NYRA circuit this year with 58 wins, credited her entire team, including assistant Marsha Barrs.

“My team has done a tremendous job all year. We get this done because of them. My office staff, the exercise riders, grooms and hotwalkers – they’re all working hard every day,” Rice said. “We're always trying to continue to improve our stable and our results. Over the past 5-to-10 years, I've really concentrated on New York racing, and the stable has certainly improved along the way.”

Carmouche, who notched his 4,000th career win earlier this year at the Big A, credited Rice for the tremendous achievement.

“Congratulations to Linda Rice. She has had such a strong year, like she has every year,” Carmouche said. “I’m just glad I’m a part of her team. It makes the circle go around. God bless her and her staff, owners and breeders that support her system. I’m very pleased to be a part of it.”

Rice, a 61-year-old resident of Floral Park, N.Y., shared the previous single-season record of 164 with trainer David Jacobson [2013]. Rice reached the 165 figure in 2023 but subsequently lost one win due to a ruling that demoted Afleet Arlene [1/21/23] from victory earlier that year.

Rice has enjoyed a solid 2025 season on the NYRA circuit and is closing in on her second year-end title, having already earned leading trainer honors at the Aqueduct winter [51 wins] and Aqueduct spring [15] meets. She is currently the leading trainer at the Aqueduct fall meet with 24 wins.

Rice noted her appreciation for a loyal group of owners that continue to provide her with competitive stock year round.

“It's quite remarkable,” Rice said. “I train for Mr. Ralph Evans; Jon Clay of Alpha Delta Stable; Barry Schwartz; Chester Broman; Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm and Winning Move Stable to name a few. I'm very proud to have horses with all of them.”

Rice, who conditioned 2015 Champion Female Sprinter La Verdad, has captured a pair of NYRA stakes wins this year, taking the Damon Runyon with Sand Devil and the Say Florida Sandy with Sheriff Bianco.

Rice also noted the success of Light the Way, a $40,000 claim in February, who has since won 5-of-11 starts; and Acoustic Ave, haltered for $45,000 in March, and has since posted an ultra-consistent 8-3-4-1 record topped by a runner-up effort last week here in the Grade 3 Elite Power.

“Light the Way has been an amazing claim. He and Acoustic Ave have been the two best claims for me this year. Hopefully, they'll both have a good winter,” Rice said.

Rice saddled her first winner, Contrabass, in 1987 at Garden State Park and now boasts more than 2,700 wins for purse earnings in excess of $122 million according to statistics provided by Equibase. 

America’s Day at the Races presents live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.