Todd Schrupp Returns to Racing Coverage as NYRA Freelancer After FanDuel Shutdown

Horse racing's most recognizable television voice is back. Todd Schrupp, cut loose by FanDuel TV on February 13 after 26 years and eight months anchoring the network's biggest events, will join the New York Racing Association's telecast team Thursday. Schrupp made the announcement in a video posted on his X account Monday, confirming he will work with NYRA on a freelance basis.

"Heartbreaking. Just heartbreaking," Schrupp said of FanDuel TV's March 27 announcement that the channel will phase out its horse racing operations by the end of 2027, eliminating more than 100 positions. "You never wanted it to end." But he is already looking ahead. "It's time to move from the past and start looking to the future," Schrupp said. "And when you look in horse racing, the future looks really bright at the New York Racing Association. You look at the remodel of Belmont, they'll have the Breeders' Cup back there next year, so much to look forward to especially on the television side."

Schrupp confirmed NYRA has agreed to bring him on as a freelancer for the remainder of the year. His current commitment covers two weeks in April starting Thursday, then the Belmont Festival at Saratoga in June, with the summer schedule still to be determined. He described what the expanded NYRA platform means for his day-to-day role: "This Thursday, April 9, I will join their television team. You can see me on all their platforms for their television coverage. But I'm exceptionally excited to be a part of America's Day at the Races, in conjunction with Fox Sports."

For fans trying to find him, America's Day at the Races airs on Fox networks, the NYRA YouTube channel, and the NYRA website on live race days at NYRA tracks. The show broadcasts across FS1, FS2, and FOX on live race days and streams free on YouTube and NYRA.com, though a NYRA Bets account is required for the website stream. That free digital access is a meaningful change from FanDuel TV's model, which required a wagering account to unlock full commentary.

Tony Allevato, NYRA's chief revenue officer and the president of NYRA Bets, characterized the FanDuel TV shutdown bluntly: "That's a big hole that needs to be filled." He added, "If you're a horse racing fan that's 45 and under, you've literally only known the world in racing with a TVG or FanDuel TV in it. That going away is a big blow to a lot of people."

NYRA announced plans to expand its horse racing broadcasts in response, weighing options that include adding top-tier tracks to America's Day at the Races and potentially creating a separate digital channel that would provide racing coverage seven days a week. NYRA has worked with Fox Sports since 2016, giving the partnership a decade-long foundation to build on.

What the audience loses is volume: FanDuel TV offered daily national and international Thoroughbred racing, with 60 percent of its workforce expected to be eliminated as the phaseout unfolds through 2027. What it gains, at least in Schrupp's case, is continuity of voice inside a coverage structure that is actively growing rather than winding down. "I'm thankful to be back doing what I love, in the environment I want to be, horse racing," Schrupp said. "I'll enthusiastically take these initial opportunities with an eye on much more in the future."

With the remodeled Belmont and the Breeders' Cup on NYRA's horizon, Schrupp's freelance footing could solidify quickly. The two-week audition starting Thursday is less an ending than a very public job interview.