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The New York Senate has passed the latest emergency appropriations bill to keep the government going. This one will keep racing at Belmont, Saratoga and even Aqueduct going as well. I spoke to a Senate staffer who confirmed that the $25 million NYRA loan was included in this week's budget extender, and that the measure passed the Senate this evening. As of this writing, there was no word of the Assembly's approval, but that chamber was expected to approve the loan even on a standalone basis. [And reports now are that the deal is done.]

NYRA officials had failed in their attempt to have the measure included in the emergency legislation as of last Friday. But on Monday, the governor did include it, which made it odds-on for approval. Legislators even voted for the state worker furloughs that they bitterly opposed rather than shut down the government.