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volume 62/ # 4
fall
20 15 DEPARTMENTS
2 MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL HBPA
7 INDUSTRY NEWS
12 HBPA NEWS
14
22
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
16 RESEARCH & MEDICATION UPDATE
18 MEDICATION COMMITTEE CORNER
20
MILE HIGH MEETING
2015 RACING SCHEDULE FOR NORTH AMERICA
The National HBPA elects Leroy Gessmann as president at its Summer Convention in Denver
43 AFFILIATE NEWS
FEATURES
28
34
WHERE IS THE POSITIVE?
TRACE ENVIRONMENTAL SUBSTANCES SHOWING UP AS POST-RACE POSITIVES
The National HBPA and the racing industry should focus on the reasons to be optimistic
What every horseman needs to know
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1
hj IN EVERY ISSUE
NATIONAL HBPA 870 Corporate Drive Suite 300 Lexington, KY 40503 P(859) 259-0451 F(859) 259-0452 racing@hbpa.org www.nationalhbpa.com
PRESIDENT/ CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD Leroy Gessmann FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Tom Metzen Sr. SECRETARY/ TREASURER Lynne Schuller CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Eric J. Hamelback VICE PRESIDENT CENTRAL REGION Tom Metzen Sr. VICE PRESIDENT EASTERN REGION Robin Richards VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHERN REGION Rick Hiles VICE PRESIDENT WESTERN REGION J. Lloyd Yother
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MESSAGE FROM
THE CEO
IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THIS POSITION FOR ONLY FOUR MONTHS. ON ONE HAND, IT SEEMS AS IF I HAVE BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE, AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, IT HAS FLOWN BY. WRITING THIS UPDATE AFTER THE NATIONAL HBPA SUMMER CONVENTION IN DENVER HAS GIVEN ME A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR ORGANIZATION’S MISSION AND MESSAGE. BEING ABLE TO MEET, GREET AND BOND WITH AFFILIATE MEMBERS AND THEIR SPOUSES WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I AM SO PLEASED TO SAY THAT I FELT WELCOMED AND EMBRACED, AND MOST IMPORTANT, I WAS MADE TO FEEL THAT I BELONG. I TRULY FELT CONFIRMED AS THE LEADER OF THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION. As we move into the beginning of fall, we are gearing up to continue our opposition to H.R. 3084, the Thoroughbred Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015 sponsored by Representatives Andy Barr and Paul Tonko, which would involve the federal government and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in the regulation of and testing for medication in horse racing. The bill has gained traction as of late, but our recent release of formal press statements has had positive effects. Along with additional press releases opposing H.R. 3084 from the Association of Racing Commissioners International, we are seeing the power of the majority starting to be effective. Make no mistake, however, that grassroots efforts such as emails and personal comments from HBPA members will have a great bearing on how this piece of legislation turns out. At the convention, we recognized a wonderful individual in Linda Gaston of the Arkansas HBPA. From my very first communications with Linda via email, I knew she was one of a kind. The respect and recognition shown to Linda at the announcement of her being the deserving NHBPA Industry Service Award winner was almost overwhelming. “Linda speechless? That can’t be possible” was the theme of the morning. I thank Todd Mostoller and the industry awards committee for a perfect selection. Additionally, we saw a resolution given to Ron Maus from the NHBPA. Ron has been extremely supportive and helpful to me since my coming on board at the end of April. I know I will, as will all the NHBPA affiliates, be forever indebted to Ron for his great service. While he thinks he is retiring, I have a strong sense that he will always be available to lend help and advice when needed. We also ushered in a new president for the NHBPA, Leroy Gessmann of the Iowa HBPA. Leroy brings to the table a strong sense of commitment and passion for the racing industry and horsemen. I look forward to working with Leroy and moving ahead to keep the voices of the HBPA affiliates heard on the national stage. Exiting as president is Robin Richards. Thankfully for me, she will not be going far, as she retains a seat as the eastern region vice president. I could not have asked for a more supportive person to be president. Speaking with Robin almost daily, she offered advice, support and direction. I will always be grateful to her for that. Finally, a recap of the other elections saw Tom Metzen elected as central region vice president, J. Lloyd Yother as western region vice president and Rick Hiles re-elected as southern region vice president. I truly look forward to working with you all. The next few months for the NHBPA will be very busy, the least of which is preparation for our executive committee meeting here in Lexington. Our meeting will be held once again at the downtown Hyatt Regency on October 13 and 14. Make sure that you mark your calendars.
Also in the months ahead, I hope to initiate many new plans that came from this convention’s meetings. One of the more important items will be the preparation of options and proposals for reworking the NHBPA website that I may present to the budget, dues and investment committee. Additionally, I plan to work with the PR committee to develop a specific budget to present with hopes of establishing a line item for advertising needs. I will continue to work with our PR committee and chairman Jon Moss from the Iowa HBPA to aggressively put the message of the NHBPA into the mainstream media. Additionally, I want to present strong and positive information about the racing industry directed at state and federal politicians. I am also looking forward to working with the NHBPA Foundation committee and other affiliates in setting up a scholarship for postgraduate work at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Center. My hope is that the recognition from this scholarship will give the NHBPA some greatly due appreciation and acknowledgment. Long term, I also want to continue to develop revenue streams for the NHBPA. My intention is to work closely with the wagering and alternative gaming committee in examining the expansion of ADWs and their crossover to online/app games. All of these projects will, of course, be prioritized by the needs of our affiliates. I know your needs will always come first. Last but certainly not least, the Claiming Crown is coming up December 5 at Gulfstream Park, and the event for racing’s hardworking, blue-collar horses just continues to grow. A new race for fillies and mares going five furlongs on the turf has been added, bringing total purses for the Claiming Crown to $1.1 million spread over nine races. You can read more about it on page 12, and you will find a nomination form on page 25. I am looking forward to another strong renewal of the Claiming Crown, and I want to thank the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Gulfstream Park and the Florida HBPA for all working together to make this one of the highlights of the national racing calendar. While they seem like small tasks when you are writing them down, I understand the magnitude of my goals. However, I know goals and the plans to work toward them become meaningless if you don’t have the drive to succeed. I assure each and every one of you that I have the drive to succeed. Please enjoy the latest edition of The Horsemen’s Journal, and be with me in my thanks to Editor Denis Blake and Advertising Director Jennifer Allen for once again putting together a great magazine.
SINCERELY,
Eric J. Hamelback
CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Steven Barker Dr. Clara Fenger Brian W. Fitzgerald Lee Shalgos Kent H. Stirling Dr. Thomas Tobin
THE
NATIONAL HBPA
WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS CORPORATE
sponsors AFFILIATES Board of Directors - Affiliates Dr. David Harrington, Alabama J. Lloyd Yother, Arizona Linda Gaston, Arkansas David Milburn, Canada Randy Funkhouser, Charles Town Kent Bamford, Colorado Dave Brown, Finger Lakes William White, Florida Marta Loveland, Idaho John Wainwright, Illinois Joe Davis, Indiana Leroy Gessmann, Iowa Rick Hiles, Kentucky Benard Chatters, Louisiana George Kutlenios, Michigan Tom Metzen, Minnesota R.C. Forster, Montana Jami Poole, Mountaineer Park Barry Lake, Nebraska Anthony Spadea, New England Mark Doering, Ohio David Faulkner, Oklahoma Sue Leslie, Ontario Ron Sutton, Oregon Tim Shea, Pennsylvania Robert Jeffries, Tampa Bay Downs Dr. Tommy Hays, Texas Horsemen’s Partnership, LLP David Ross, Virginia Pat LePley, Washington Glade VanTassel, Wyoming
The views expressed on these pages are those of the authors and/or advertisers, and they may or may not reflect the positions and/or beliefs of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, its officers, or Board of Directors. The Horsemen’s Journal, Volume 62 #4. Postal Information: The Horsemen’s Journal (ISSN 0018-5256) is published quarterly by the National Horsemen’s Administration Corporation, with publishing offices at P.O. Box 8645, Round Rock, TX 78683. Copyright 2015 all rights reserved. The Horsemen’s Journal is the official publication for members of the Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, a representative association of Thoroughbred owners and trainers. HBPA is a non-profit 501(c)6 Kentucky corporation. Members receive The Horsemen’s Journal as a benefit of membership paid by the national office from affiliate dues. Annual non-member subscriptions are $14. Single-copy back issues, if available, are $7. Canadian subscribers add $6. All other subscriptions
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ackerley Images Denis Blake Coady Photography Coglianese Photos/Lauren King Charles Mann MaryAnn O’Connell Dustin Orona Photography Heather Sacha
STAFF Denis Blake Editor 512-695-4541 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org Jennifer Vanier Allen Advertising Director 512-225-4483 509-272-1640 fax E-mail: advertising@hbpa.org Limb Design www.limbdesign.com Graphic Design THE HORSEMEN’S JOURNAL 870 Corporate Drive, Suite 300 Lexington, KY 40503-5419 Phone: 512-695-4541 Fax: 859-259-0452 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org HBPA Website: www.nationalhbpa.com Cover Photo: Horsephotos.com
outside the U.S. add $20 payable in U. S. funds. To order reprints or subscriptions, call (866) 245-1711. The HBPA National Board of Directors has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required of the association. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and/or advertisers and do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of the publisher or HBPA board or staff. Query the editor prior to sending any manuscripts. Periodicals Postage Paid at Round Rock, Texas and additional mailing offices. CANADA POST: Publications mail agreement no. 41530527. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P. O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Horsemen’s Journal, P.O. Box 911188, Lexington, KY 40591-1188.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
hj NEWS
THE JOCKEY CLUB PROJECTS FOAL CROP OF 22,500 IN 2016
The Jockey Club is projecting a 2016 North American registered Thoroughbred foal crop of 22,500, announced Matt Iuliano, the organization’s executive vice president and executive director. The projections for the 2014 and 2015 foal crops were both 22,000. “The projection for the 2016 foal crop is based on reports of mares bred received to date, and we estimate that approximately 80 percent of those reports have been received,” Iuliano said.
Additional foal crop information is available in The Jockey Club’s Online Fact Book at jockeyclub.com/factbook.asp and in the online state fact books. The foal crop projection, traditionally announced in mid-August, is computed by using Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) received to date for the 2015 breeding season. RMBs are to be filed by August 1 of each breeding season. Stallion owners who have not returned their RMBs for the 2015 breeding season are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Interactive registration, which enables registered users to perform virtually all registration-related activities over the Internet, is the most efficient means of submitting RMBs and is available at registry.jockeyclub.com.
INNOVATION CONTEST HEADLINES GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM ON RACING AND GAMING Innovation and technology touch every part of the racing industry from wagering platforms to video of the race to data collection of all forms. Developing innovative ideas is time-consuming and costly and nurturing new concepts in a sport steeped in tradition is difficult at best. Other industries facing similar issues have encouraged and embraced innovation with pitch competitions like the TV show, “Shark Tank.” The University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP), in conjunction with its partners Hai Ng and Vin Narayanan, has announced racing’s first pitch competition. The event, named the Innovators’ Circle, will be held at this year’s Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming. Participants will pitch their ideas or products to top executives in the racing and gaming world. The winning ideas will earn cash prizes; if a judge really likes the idea, an offer for a deal could be made. The event is open to everyone, not just those already involved in the industry. The contest’s website, innovateracing.com, provides a background on
racing and educational tools to help educate racing newcomers who wish to participate. Instructions on how to enter the contest are also found there. “As racing strives to grow in an increasingly competitive gambling environment, we believe that inviting entrepreneurs—who may or may not be involved in horse racing—to pitch their ideas will create tremendous excitement and potentially some new visions for our industry,” RTIP Program Director Doug Reed said. “We know there are thousands of entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators out there who have great products and ideas that could change the horse racing industry,” said Hai Ng, event producer/partner at Neomancer LLC. “We want to create a platform that will let the best concepts rise to the top. Having worked with many start-ups in a wide variety of industries, we have discovered that some of the best innovations come from outside the target vertical; once that breakthrough idea takes hold, the industry latches on and blossoms with it.” The 42nd annual Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming will be held December 7-9, 2015, at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona.
MICROCHIPS TO BECOME REQUIREMENT FOR REGISTRATION STARTING WITH FOALS OF 2017 The Jockey Club’s Board of Stewards has voted to change certain provisions of the Principal Rules and Requirements of the American Stud Book and, as a result, microchips will become a requirement for registration for foals of 2017 and later. The microchips will be used in conjunction with official markings to provide an effective means of confirming the identity of Thoroughbreds for the duration of their lives. Beginning with foals born in 2017, a microchip will be provided with all registration application and genetic sampling kits. In 2016, owners will have the option to request free microchips with registration and genetic sampling kits when they report the birth of a live foal. There will be no increase in registration fees. Microchips are a compulsory component of Thoroughbred registration in
several countries including Great Britain, France, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Italy and New Zealand. “Microchips are a fast, safe and effective measure for enhancing the identification of Thoroughbred racehorses and have proven successful in other countries around the world,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club. “When coupled with official written markings, the use of microchips will improve the efficiency and reliability of the identification process throughout the life of every Thoroughbred.” “We have microchipped Juddmonte’s U.S.-bred foals that are bound to race in Europe for years and it is both easy and safe,” said Garrett O’Rourke, manager of Juddmonte Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. “The practicality that microchipping can bring to Thoroughbred identification makes it an essential. The possibilities it may open up to better manage our horses is very exciting.”
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NEWS
INDUSTRY NEWS
STATS AND EQUIBASE ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP STATS LLC, the world’s leading sports technology, data and content company, and Equibase Company, the Thoroughbred industry’s official database, have entered into a strategic partnership to develop products and services for horseplayers. The announcement was made by STATS’ Executive Vice President for Strategic Relationships, Bill Squadron, during his presentation at the 63rd annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing in Saratoga Springs, New York. “Combining the skill set and sports technology capabilities of STATS with Equibase’s data and expertise will be a win-win for both avid horseplayers and new fans to the sport,” Squadron said. “The predictive algorithms we have
developed for other sports have natural applications that will be leveraged for horse racing. We couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities.” STATS has been established as a world leader in sports technology for football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer. The partnership with Equibase marks a new arena for STATS to enter and will provide an unprecedented product to Thoroughbred racing enthusiasts. “Equibase closely monitors how other sports use data to serve their fans, and we have been very impressed with STATS and their suite of offerings, in particular those for Major League Baseball and soccer’s Premier League,” said Equibase President and Chief Operating Officer Hank Zeitlin. “I am confident our collaboration with STATS will result in a truly innovative product that is unique to anything else currently on the market.”
JIM ROME TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THOROUGHBRED OWNER CONFERENCE Jim Rome, a prominent Thoroughbred owner and the host of “The Jim Rome Show” on CBS Sports Radio and “Jim Rome on Showtime,” will deliver the keynote address at the second Thoroughbred Owner Conference in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in January 2016. Jim Rome
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Hosted by OwnerView, The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the conference will be held at Gulfstream Park January 11–14 during the week leading up to the 45th annual Eclipse Awards Dinner, which is scheduled for Saturday, January 16. OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement and owner licensing. Rome has experienced significant success campaigning horses under the name of Jungle Racing LLC. Mizdirection was a two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner and earned more than $1.7 million. Shared Belief, the Eclipse Award-winning champion 2-year-old, has won five Grade 1 events, including the Santa Anita Handicap, and 10 of 12 races overall. “We are honored to host a conference that will build on the success of the inaugural event last year,” said Mike Rogers, president of The Stronach Group’s Racing and Gaming Division. “This is an event that is both educational and enjoyable for new and longtime owners, and we are proud to host it for the first time in the days leading up to the Eclipse Award dinner.” Attendees will enjoy two days of conference presentations, a welcome reception at Gulfstream Park’s paddock, a gala dinner at Turnberry Isle Resort, a day of racing and multiple opportunities to network with panelists and industry personnel alike. “The inaugural Thoroughbred Owner Conference proved to be a hit with experienced owners as well as those who were considering delving into Thoroughbred ownership,” said Gary Falter, vice president of operations for OwnerView. “Jim Rome’s passion for the racing industry as an owner and fan make him an ideal keynote speaker, one who can vividly describe the thrill of owning a Thoroughbred racehorse.” Gary Player, a legend in the golfing world and a longtime owner, breeder and advocate of Thoroughbred aftercare, delivered the keynote address at last year’s conference. Conference details, including the schedule of events, online registration, host hotel information and other tourism tips, are available at ownerview.com.
30TH ANNUAL TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA)’s 30th annual National Awards Dinner was held September 11 at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. The National Awards Dinner honors the achievements of Thoroughbred owners in the four major North American racing regions and breeders in 23 states and Canada. The following regional owners were honored: Eastern Region Owner of the Year: Juddmonte Farms Midwestern Region Owner of the Year: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC Southern Region Owner of the Year: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey Western Region Owner of the Year: Kaleem Shah The state and Canadian breeders of the year are: Arizona: Triple AAA Ranch Arkansas: McDowell Farm California: Nick Alexander Canada: Sam-Son Farm Florida: Ocala Stud Illinois: Richard and Karen Papiese Indiana: Michael E. and Penny S. Lauer Iowa: William Hobbs Kentucky: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey Louisiana: Charles Craig Smith Maryland: Howard M. Bender Michigan: Arnold Farms LLC Minnesota: Rake Farms New Jersey: Bright View Farm Inc.
New Mexico: J. Kirk and Judy Robison New York: Chester and Mary Broman North Carolina: Steve Laymon North Dakota: Bill Maulding Ohio: 3 Clovers Farm Oregon: Dr. Rodney E. Orr South Carolina: Franklin G. Smith Texas: Estate of Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Virginia: Estate of Edward P. Evans Washington: Todd & Shawn Hansen TOBA also honored Robert Sanford with the Robert N. Clay Award. In partnership with the Equine Land Conservation Resource, this award recognizes a member of the Thoroughbred community who has made an outstanding contribution to preserving land for equine use. Additionally, TOBA honored Fun House as the National Broodmare of the Year. This award offers catalogue designation from the North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee. Owned by Carl Bouckaert, Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard and Jack Michael Pollard Jr., successful competitive eventer Mensa G (Colonial Affair—Fire the Secretary, by Stop the Music) was named the Rood & Riddle Thoroughbred Sport Horse of the Year. This award is presented to the owner of the ex-Thoroughbred racehorse who has excelled in sport horse competitions as tracked by the United States Equestrian Federation. The dinner also included the debut of the Claiming Crown Horse of the Year Award presented by TOBA and the National HBPA. The award, which honors a horse who excelled throughout the year and at the Claiming Crown, went to Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s St. Borealis, winner of last year’s Claiming Crown Tiara. See page 13 for more on this award.
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DEADLY DOPING MEETS ITS MATCH: TRAINERS PRAISE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE // BY:MARKHANSEN
The pressure to win is so enormous that many horsemen resort to whatever it takes to get a piece of the purse or a decent sale… even if it means putting their horses’ lives in mortal danger by doping them with illegal synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) drugs to boost endurance. Veterinarian Gary Smith said, “It’s a problem all over the industry. There is no way horses should be put on (synthetic) EPO.” So how do racers win? How do you gain a competitive edge without harming your horses or risking your livelihood? The answer may be found in a safe all-natural horse supplement that supports natural EPO function. Why is EPO boosting so critical? Just like in people, a horse’s muscles require oxygen for fuel. Red blood cells are the body’s oxygen-carrying cells. A higher red blood cell count = more oxygen = more muscle energy. Elevated muscle energy helps the horse perform harder, faster and longer during endurance events. All horses naturally produce EPO in their kidneys to stimulate production of new red blood cells from bone marrow. In short, EPO is a natural “blood builder.” With EPO doping, trainers try to boost the EPO effect to get a winning performance every time. They use a synthetic EPO (recombinant human EPO), even though the side effects can harm the horse. That’s one reason why it’s illegal. Fortunately there’s another option. EPO-Equine® is a safe, highly effective natural dietary supplement scientifically engineered for performance horses. A Kentucky trainer who refused to give out his name, said, “I don’t want my competition to know about this.” He found EPOEquine to be so effective that he’s dead set against disclosing who he is, who his horses are, or even where he trains and races. He first started ordering a single jar of EPO-Equine® once a month. Now he’s ordering several CASES each month. And he won’t tell BRL exactly why. He said respectfully, “Sorry – no way.” Bioengineers at U.S. based Biomedical Research Laboratories (BRL), first discovered a completely natural EPO-booster for human athletes (and it’s working miracles for top athletes and amateurs around the world). Seeing these results, horse trainers contacted
BRL and asked about using this natural formula for their animals. That’s when the BRL team dug deeper and discovered a proprietary, horse-friendly strain of a common herb that promotes optimal blood-building results. EPO-Equine® is based on the bloodboosting abilities of a certain strain of Echinacea that’s astounding researchers and trainers alike. (It’s not a strain you can find at the local health store.) Veterinarians at the Equine Research Centre in Ontario, Canada ran a double-blind trial investigating the blood building properties of the active ingredient in EPO-Equine in healthy horses. For 42 days, one group of horses was supplemented with the active ingredient in EPO-Equine and another group of horses was given a placebo. The supplement delivered significant blood building results, increasing red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels. Researchers also observed improved blood quality and increased oxygen transport in the supplemented horses. Improved blood levels leads to elevated exercise physiology and performance. The patent-pending formula in EPO-Equine® contains a dozen different herbs, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components combined to promote natural red blood cell production…for remarkable speed, strength and stamina right out of the gate. Trainers find it easy to add just 1 scoop (3.2 grams) of EPOEquine® to the horse’s daily feeding routine in the barn or on the road. Within a few weeks of daily use, you can expect to see increased red blood cell levels with no undesirable side effects. An increase in red blood cell levels can improve muscle performance, supercharge endurance, and enhance recovery after hard exercise. Nothing else is scientifically proven to deliver these benefits in a completely safe and natural formula. Compared to the cost of veterinarians, drugs, icing, tapping the knees, and putting the horse on Bute; or even the consequences of being banned for synthetic doping, EPO-Equine ® is very affordable at the low price of just $59.95 per jar. Or save $180 if you are ready to commit to a larger trial of 12-jar case for just $539.55 with FREE shipping. EPO-Equine ® can be ordered at www.EPOEquine.com or 1-800-557-9055, and comes with a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.
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HBPA NEWS
2015 CLAIMING CROWN SET FOR DECEMBER 5 AT GULFSTREAM PARK Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, will kick off its 2015– 16 Championship Meet on Saturday, December 5, with the 17th running of the $1.1 million Claiming Crown. It will mark the fourth consecutive year the Claiming Crown has been contested at Gulfstream Park. Last year’s Claiming Crown, which had total handle of more than $10 million, featured eight races. This year’s Claiming Crown will feature a ninth race with the addition of a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares with a purse of $110,000. The feature event will again be the $200,000 Jewel, won last year by the 17-1 longshot Catholic Cowboy. Created in 1999 to honor the blue-collar horses that are the foundation of the racing industry nationwide, the Claiming Crown historically has drawn entries from all parts of North America and from many of the country’s leading stables. The Claiming Crown is a joint venture between the National HBPA and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). The Claiming Crown was created to be the claiming horse owner’s Breeders’ Cup—a special racing event for the “average owner” and featuring some of the most competitive horses in the country.
“We’re looking forward to playing host to the Claiming Crown once again and kicking off our Championship Meet with this great event,” said Gulfstream General Manager and The Stronach Group’s Vice President of Racing P.J. Campo. “Support for the Claiming Crown from horsemen around North America has been incredible the past three years, and we’re already getting calls about this year’s event. We’re also looking forward to working with our partners at TOBA and the HBPA to put on another great show.” TOBA President Dan Metzger concurred: “We’re very excited about returning to Gulfstream Park for the fourth consecutive year. The Claiming Crown races averaged nearly 12 starters in the previous three years at Gulfstream and with $1.1 million in purses and the new filly and mare turf sprint, the 2015 event promises another great start to the Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park.” “The National HBPA is extremely pleased that once again we can look forward to the Claiming Crown being held at Gulfstream Park,” said NHBPA CEO Eric Hamelback. “We owe our sincere gratitude to the Florida HBPA and the racing management at Gulfstream Park for having an even stronger commitment in 2015, to ensure this event is a highlight comparable to many of racing’s premier days. Being able to partner with Gulfstream Park and TOBA for this premier event ensures that these races will provide a wonderful opportunity for many owners and trainers throughout the country.” For more information and nomination forms, go to claimingcrown.com or turn to page 25 of this issue.
Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
CLAIMING CROWN HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARDED AT TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and the National HBPA presented the inaugural Claiming Crown Horse of the Year at the 30th annual TOBA National Awards Dinner on September 11 at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. St. Borealis is the winner of the first Claiming Crown The Claiming Horse of the Year Award. Crown, a joint venture between TOBA and the National HBPA, is racing’s $1.1 million showcase for the country’s best claiming horses. The National HBPA’s Industry Awards Committee reviewed the 2014 past performances of all the horses that ran in that year’s Claiming Crown and evaluated the victories of those who won each of the eight races at Gulfstream Park. The committee narrowed down three 12
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finalists and ultimately selected St. Borealis as the inaugural Claiming Crown Horse of the Year. Owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and bred in Kentucky by R-Cher Family Farm LLC, St. Borealis won three of her six starts and earned $96,152. Her three 2014 wins were under the Ramseys’ ownership, and her most notable win was a 1 3/4-length victory in the $125,000 Claiming Crown Tiara. “The $1.1 million Claiming Crown is an important event, not only to the National HBPA, but to our industry as a whole,” said NHBPA CEO Eric Hamelback. “Claiming horses fill the vast majority of race cards at tracks every day across North America, and the Claiming Crown was designed to showcase and reward those hard-working horses along with the owners and trainers who campaign them. We developed this award to further honor a deserving horse who exemplified excellence throughout the year culminating with the Claiming Crown.” “We are very proud to recognize the Claiming Crown Horse of the Year at the TOBA National Awards Dinner,” said TOBA President Dan Metzger. “The dinner honors outstanding achievements in our sport and the Claiming Crown Horse of the Year award is very much deserved.”
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NEWS
Note: Since this report was prepared on August 3, there are likely to have been new developments on the issues discussed below and on others of interest to horsemen prior to publication.
By Brian W. Fitzgerald
NATIONAL HBPA
LEGISLATIVE
UPDATE
FEDERAL MEDICATION LEGISLATION
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On July 16, Representatives Andy Barr (R-KY) and Paul Tonko (DNY) introduced H.R. 3084, the Thoroughbred Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015. The bill would establish a uniform anti-doping program for Thoroughbred horse racing to be developed and enforced by an “independent” Thoroughbred Horseracing AntiDoping Authority (THADA). The National HBPA is on record in opposition to the bill. Under H.R. 3084, THADA would be a nonprofit corporation governed by a board initially composed of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO, five USADA board members and five individuals from constituencies of the Thoroughbred industry who shall be appointed by USADA. However, the bill provides that no board member shall be one of the following: (1) an individual who has a financial interest in or provides goods or services to Thoroughbreds; (2) an official, officer or individual who serves in any governance or policymaking capacity for any Thoroughbred industry representative; or (3) an employee or an individual who has a business or commercial relationship with any of the individuals or organizations described in (1) or (2) above. THADA would have exclusive jurisdiction over all anti-doping matters in Thoroughbred racing. Acceptance of jurisdiction is imposed as a condition for accepting, receiving or transmitting wagers under the Interstate Horseracing Act without regard to the consents required of other organizations and groups. The bill removes from court challenge all rule-making and adjudication by the non-governmental authority, which is otherwise available to contest actions by federal and state regulatory agencies under administrative procedure statutes. The industry would be required to pay all of the costs of THADA, which, with an estimated annual cost of $35 million, would be more than $100 per start. Following the introduction of H.R. 3084, Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) issued a joint press release in opposition to the bill. On June 3, Rep. Pitts introduced H.R. 2641, the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) joined as original cosponsors of the bill. The bill is nearly identical to the legislation that Rep. Pitts introduced in the prior Congress with some new additional language regarding “findings.” Both H.R. 3084 and H.R. 2641 have been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration. As of the end of July, H.R. 3084 had six cosponsors—three Republicans and three Democrats—and H.R. 2641 had two cosponsors— both Democrats. As reported previously, on April 30 Sen. Udall and Rep. Pitts introduced companion bills in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives: S. 1174, Teller All Gone Horseracing Deregulation Act of 2015, and H.R. 2182, Coronado Heights Horseracing Deregulation Act of 2015. The legislation repeals the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978.
S. 1174 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee for consideration. H.R. 2182 has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade for consideration. As of the end of July, there were no cosponsors for either bill.
FEDERAL GAMING LEGISLATION As reported previously, several gaming bills introduced in the prior Congress have been reintroduced in the current Congress. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) reintroduced on February 4 the Restoration of America’s Wire Act, H.R. 707, a bill that would restore the U.S. Department of Justice’s interpretation of the Wire Act prior to its reinterpretation of the Act in December 2011, thereby opening the door to the expansion of Internet gaming. The bill has been referred to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. As of the end of July, the bill had 23 cosponsors—20 Republicans and three Democrats. The subcommittee held a hearing on the bill on March 25 with no additional formal action since then. On June 24, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced S. 1668, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act. Sen. Graham introduced similar legislation on the Wire Act in the previous Congress. S. 1668 is similar but not identical to H.R. 707. As of the end of July, S. 1668 had six cosponsors—five Republicans and one Democrat. Two other gaming bills that have been reintroduced in the current Congress would amend the federal ban on betting on professional and amateur sports that was enacted in 1992 by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) has reintroduced the Sports Gaming Opportunity Act of 2015, H.R. 416. The bill would open up a four-year window from January 1, 2015, through January 1, 2019, during which time any state could legalize betting on professional and amateur sports. As of the end of July, the bill had three cosponsors—two Democrats and one Republican. Three other Republicans and two other Democrats had cosponsored the bill at its introduction but withdrew as cosponsors shortly thereafter. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) introduced in January the New Jersey Betting and Equal Treatment Act of 2015, H.R. 457, which would exclude New Jersey from the federal ban on sports betting and allow the state to offer sports betting limited to New Jersey, if approved by the New Jersey legislature. As of press time, the bill had two cosponsors—a Democrat and a Republican. Both H.R. 416 and H.R. 457 have been referred to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. To date, no formal action has been taken on either bill. On June 25, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) introduced H.R. 2888, the Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2015, to establish a program for the licensing of Internet poker by states and federally recognized Indian tribes and for other purposes. As of the end of July, the bill had two cosponsors—a Democrat and a Republican. The bill has been jointly referred to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services. No other official action has been taken on the bill since its introduction.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S 2015 EQUINE STUDY Phase II of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2015 Equine Study that began in May has been delayed because of the animal health emergency created by the outbreak of the bird flu. Phase II of the study is now expected to begin in the spring or summer of 2016. Phase I of the Equine Study is expected to be completed in the near future.
HORSE TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ACT OF 2015 Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) reintroduced his bill from the previous Congress, the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2015, H.R. 1282, in March. The bill prohibits the transportation of a horse in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another, except a vehicle operated exclusively on rail or rails. The bill has been referred to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. As of the end of July, the bill had 38 cosponsors—32 Democrats and six Republicans. On April 15, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced a related bill, S. 946, the Safe Transport of Horses Act. The bill has been referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. As of the end of July, five Democrats had cosponsored the bill.
PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS ACT On April 28, Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) reintroduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act, S. 1121. The bill had very broad bipartisan support in the previous Congress. The bill would amend the Horse Protection Act of 1970 to prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking horses, Racking horses and Spotted Saddle horses. The bill has been referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. As of the end of July, the bill had 43 cosponsors—35 Democrats, six Republicans and two Independents. On July 28, Representatives Ted Yoho (R-FL) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) reintroduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2015, H.R. 3268. The bill has been referred to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As of the end of July, the bill had 113 cosponsors—59 Democrats and 54 Republicans.
THE SAFEGUARD AMERICAN FOOD EXPORTS ACT OF 2015
H-2B VISA REGULATIONS The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2016 on June 25. Provisions included in the bill would block some of the problematic provisions that were part of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Labor H-2B temporary guest worker program that was issued in late April. The pending Senate bill will now need to be approved by the full Senate.
FEDERAL EQUINE TAX PROVISIONS On July 22, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance approved legislation (no bill number at this time) that would retroactively extend for two years a number of popular federal tax provisions, commonly referred to as “tax extenders,” including a few of interest to horse owners and breeders. These federal tax provisions include (1) the extension of the three-year depreciation for all racehorses placed in service during 2015 and 2016; (2) the extension of the Section 179 expense deduction that allows anyone in the horse business to immediately depreciate up to $500,000 of the cost of investment in any business assets, including horses, with a phase-out at $2 million for assets, including horses, purchased and placed in service during 2015 and 2016; and (3) bonus depreciation, which allows anyone in the horse business to depreciate 50 percent of the cost of new property, including horses, purchased and placed in service during 2015 and 2016. The legislation has not been formally introduced and will need to be approved by the full U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives before being enacted into law, which may not take place until late fall or later.
Ackerley Images
On April 22, Representatives Frank Guinta (R-NH), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) introduced The Safeguard American Food Exports
Act, H.R. 1942. The legislation prohibits the slaughter of horses in the United States and the export of horses to Mexico, Canada and other countries for slaughter. The bill is intended to protect human health from the risks posed by the consumption of horses that have been treated with drugs. The bill makes it illegal under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to knowingly transport or sell horses or horse parts in either interstate or foreign commerce for purposes of human consumption. The bill has been referred to both the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. As of the end of July, the bill had 120 cosponsors—92 Democrats and 28 Republicans. On May 6, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a companion bill, the John Rainey Memorial Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, S. 1214. The bill has been referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. As of the end of July, the bill had 22 cosponsors—18 Democrats, three Republicans and one Independent.
WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
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TECHNOLOGY
hj
+ RESEARCH MEDICATION UPDATE
WELFARE AND SAFETY OF THE RACEHORSE SUMMIT VIDEO REPLAY ONLINE The sixth Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit was held July 8 in Lexington, Kentucky, and focused on racetrack surfaces, equine and jockey injury databases, continuing education and post-mortem programs.
A video replay and all slide presentations from the summit are available at grayson-jockeyclub.org. The conference, held in the Keeneland sales pavilion, once again brought together a cross-section of the Thoroughbred industry, including owners, breeders, horsemen, veterinarians, jockeys, track managers and regulators. Approximately 200 people attended the summit, and almost 1,500 individuals from the United States and around the world watched a live stream. Like the five previous summits held in starting in October 2006, this summit was underwritten and coordinated by The Jockey Club and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and hosted by the Keeneland Association. Dr. Tim Parkin, an equine epidemiologist from the University of Glasgow and a consultant to the Equine Injury Database, discussed risk factors associated with fatalities. He said the risk of fatal injury increases by 30 percent if a horse has suffered a previous injury that was recorded in the Equine Injury Database. Parkin also said that there is a widely held misconception that horses should not run as 2-year-olds when in fact it is better for bone development when they do run at two. He added that the highest risk of fatalities in the United States occurs in sprint races (six furlongs or fewer). In a segment devoted to track surfaces, Glen Kozak, vice president of facilities and racing surfaces for the New York Racing Association, discussed how equipment for track maintenance has evolved and said track superintendents “can always do more” to improve maintenance and safety. “One of the biggest safety factors for track superintendents is evaluating the cushion of the track and the moisture content, and
the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory helps us do that,” Kozak said. “Sharing information with our colleagues at conferences like this is also immensely helpful to all of us.” In a segment on continuing education, Dr. Rick Arthur, the equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board, said, “There has been a cultural change [in recent years], and we have to prove to the public that we are doing our best to care for our horses. We have an obligation to protect both the horse and the rider. We have to care, and we have to be proactive. Continuing education is a way to do that; many injuries are preventable.” Dr. Larry Bramlage, the noted equine surgeon and partner in Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, discussed bone issues and safety in a one-on-one conversation with Bowen. “Good trainers seem to have a sense to push a horse to fitness without pushing him to injury,” he said. “Trainers can sense when horses are thriving and doing well.” Bramlage also emphasized the importance of keeping horses moving and the huge advantage of keeping horses in a field because it keeps their circulation moving. He believes that today’s horses aren’t as tough as they used to be because they are handled differently. To close the summit, Dr. Mary Scollay, the equine medical director for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, moderated a panel focusing on lessons learned from post-mortem programs. She talked about detecting medication usage patterns through the use of out-of-competition testing and expressed concern that medication usage masks unsoundness during high-stress exercise in workouts. Scollay encouraged regulators to use out-of-competition testing and study the medication usage patterns they observe.
GRAYSON-JOCKEY CLUB RESEARCH FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF FREE, ONLINE COURSES In an effort to enhance equine welfare, health and safety and overall horsemanship skills, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced the availability of the first three modules of its Advanced Horsemanship Program. Titled “Understanding and Managing EHV-1,” “The Hoof: Inside and Out,” and “Understanding the National Uniform Medication Program,” the three modules are available as free online courses to any interested individuals. “The need for a ‘continuing education’ program for licensed trainers was identified at the first Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit in 2006,” said Edward L. Bowen, president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. “Many professions, ranging from hairdressers to attorneys, require continuing education, and we certainly feel like this, at least in part, fills a void in the horse racing business.” The Association of Racing Commissioners has developed a model rule requiring at least four hours of continuing education per year for licensed trainers and encourages racing commissions to 16
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adopt that rule. The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Safety Committee subsequently issued a recommendation urging all North American racing authorities to adopt the model rule. Each course takes approximately one hour to complete, and racing commissions can be notified electronically by the person who has completed the online course. The Advance Horsemanship Program and these three modules were developed in collaboration with the North American Racing Academy, which is based at Bluegrass Community & Technical College in Lexington, Kentucky, and introduced at the RCI Convention in Tampa, Florida, in April. Future courses may focus on topics such as immigration, medication use, lameness, basic horse health, and rules and regulations.
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hj MEDICAL
National
H B PA
MEDICATION COMMITTEE CORNER
LASIX SURVEY RESULTS AND H.R. 3084 By Kent H. Stirling Early in June, I got a phone call followed by an email from an outspoken anti-Lasix advocate who raced a champion horse a few years back. He called other horsemen’s groups with the same message to us all. First, how do you know your membership’s position on race day Lasix if you haven’t polled them? And second, what is your membership’s opinion of the federal government naming the U.S. Anti-Doping Association (USADA) to oversee the regulation, testing and enforcement of drugs in horse racing? I thought it would be interesting to take a poll on race day Lasix, but as to that second question? I thought of the industries that have prospered by having the federal government get involved in their business. You will notice I have used the rest of this paragraph to list all those success stories brought on by the involvement of our federal government. A rather short list, but then maybe I missed one. According to H.R. 3084 (which can be viewed online at congress.gov/ bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3084), Congress has “recognized the United States Anti-Doping Agency as an independent anti-doping organization possessing high-level expertise and credibility in the development and administration of an anti-doping program.” USADA has tested all of our Olympic athletes since 2001. Well then, one would think they should know something about equine drug testing since they must have been testing horses in the Olympics competing in dressage, eventing and jumping for more than a decade. What? They have never done a drug test on a horse? So, USADA has zero experience in equine drug testing, and we are going to just turn our industry’s drug testing over to them? In 2014, USADA performed fewer than 9,500 drug tests on our Olympic athletes. Every year in Florida alone, between 16,000 and 20,000 equine drug samples are analyzed, and now USADA is tasked with drug testing for the whole country, which amounts to 320,000 equine samples. Who pays for this monumental drug testing bill? According to this bill, our racehorse owners get the tab, which I would think might just temper their enthusiasm about supporting H.R. 3084. Who would regulate our equine drug testing? H.R. 3084 states a new organization, the Thoroughbred Horseracing Anti-Doping Authority (THADA)— “an independent organization”—will develop and administer the antidoping program for only Thoroughbred horses. American Quarter Horses and Standardbreds are not mentioned in this bill, but then it is basically a Jockey Club bill geared to eliminate race-day Lasix. How independent will THADA be? Well, let’s see. The board will be composed of five USADA board members with USADA CEO Travis Tygart as the sixth member. There will be five other board members nominated from various industry constituencies and chosen by USADA. Should USADA not like those representatives offered for consideration by the industry then they “shall ask each of the Thoroughbred industry representatives to submit an additional list” for USADA to choose from. Sounds pretty “independent” to me! In 2014, when federal legislation was being contemplated, Travis Tygart said, “Stakeholders ought to have input…Everyone in the industry should be 18
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given a voice in that process.” Obviously, he must not have been speaking about H.R. 3084, which was to be introduced a year later. Some other fun facts about this bill just make your head spin, such as, “This act does not modify or eliminate any of the consents, approvals or agreements required by the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA) of 1978… .” Yet in Section 4 of this bill, it indicates that if a track and its horsemen are not in compliance with the wishes of THADA then that track can no longer send its simulcast signal across state lines nor can other tracks send their signals to the non-obedient track. Yep, no interference with the IHA of 1978 there! Also, all of the good work toward uniformity that has been accomplished by the industry over the last few years will be disregarded, and we will likely adopt the international anti-doping standards as the bill suggests. Goodbye, Lasix! Speaking of the Lasix survey as mentioned previously, we did undertake to do one in Florida. Since the Florida HBPA, of which I am executive director, has more than 6,000 members and one becomes a member upon being licensed, we have numerous owner members and some trainer members who may not even own a horse or haven’t owned one, or even a piece of one, in the last several years. I thought it made sense to just poll members who have accounts with the horsemen’s bookkeeper office, which the FHBPA operates. Those whose names are on current accounts with the horsemen’s bookkeeper actually own horses or train them and therefore have real “skin” in the game. In my mind, these are the FHBPA members who should give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down verdict on race-day Lasix. It just so happened that the FHBPA was updating addresses and emails on all of its horsemen’s bookkeeper accounts, so I requested they also ask everyone they spoke with to answer the following simple question: “Do you support the use of race-day Lasix?” Possible answers were, “I support it; I don’t support it; I have no opinion.” So far, we are just about through the alphabet, and only one vote is permitted for those having multiple accounts. When we finish the alphabet we will go back and query members who race under stable names. Thus far, we have spoken to 753 owners and trainers, and the results have been overwhelmingly in support of race-day Lasix. A total of 581 polled support race-day Lasix, while 68 do not. That means that 89.5 percent of active owners and trainers with an opinion support race-day Lasix. I think the “silent majority” is now speaking up in support of race-day Lasix! When we look at those who said they had no opinion, we find that there are now 104 of them. If we add those with no opinion to those who do not support Lasix, we find that 77.2 percent of all owners and trainers who race in Florida support race-day Lasix. I’m sure the results would be the same in any jurisdiction that conducted a similar survey. So now we have research demonstrating that Lasix is efficacious in preventing bleeding, and now we also know those who race horses are clearly in support of its use on race day. Could it be that our Ivory Tower friends only believe in what is best for them to sell their horses internationally and somehow have lost track of what is best for the racehorse?
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Oct. 29 – Nov. 29
Oct. 1 – 12
Oct. 15 – Dec. 13
Dec. 4 – 20
Sep. 10 – 25
Sep. 18 – 27
Sep. 25 – Oct. 25
Del Mar
Fresno
Golden Gate Fields
Los Alamitos Race Course
Pomona at Los Alamitos
San Joaquin (Stockton)
Santa Anita Park
California
Sep. 11 – 27 Nov. 1 – 29
Oct. 2 – 31
Sep. 5 – 19
Dec. 3 – Dec. 31
Churchill Downs
Keeneland Race Course
Kentucky Downs
Turfway Park
Kentucky
Aug. 15 – Oct. 10
Prairie Meadows
Oct. 2 – Dec. 31
Hawthorne Race Course
Iowa
May 1 – Sep. 27
Arlington Park
Oct. 7 – Nov. 28
Gulfstream Park West
Illinois
July 1 – Oct. 3 Nov. 29 – Dec. 31
Gulfstream Park
Florida
May 16 – Oct. 17
Delaware Park
Delaware
Apr. 25 – Oct. 25
Hastings Racecourse
British Columbia, Canada
Oct. 17 – Dec. 31
Sep. 5 – Oct. 12
Rocky Mountain Turf Club (Lethbridge)
Turf Paradise
May 1 – Oct. 24
Northlands Park
Ontario, Canada
Oklahoma
Ohio
May 17 – Oct. 13 June 2 – Oct. 20 Apr. 11 – Dec. 6
Ajax Downs Fort Erie Woodbine
Aug. 29 – Nov. 14
Will Rogers Downs
Apr. 27 – Oct. 24
Thistledown
Aug. 14 – Dec. 13
Oct. 30 – Dec. 29
Remington Park
May 1 – Oct. 10
Apr. 25 – Dec. 4
Finger Lakes
Mahoning Valley
Sep. 11 – Nov. 1
Belmont Park
Belterra Park
Nov. 4 – Dec. 31
Aqueduct
Sep. 12 – Dec. 15
Zia Park New York
Sep. 11 – 27
The Downs at Albuquerque
New Mexico
May 9 – Sep. 27
Monmouth Park
Sep. 5 Oct. 3, 31
New Jersey
Suffolk Downs
Massachusetts
May 1 – Sep. 19
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Sep. 10 – Dec. 31
Nov. 19 – Mar. 27, 2016
Fair Grounds Race Course
Laurel Park
Sep. 30 – Dec. 19
Oct. 16 – Mar. 12, 2016
Evangeline Downs
Delta Downs
Maryland
Louisiana
877-436-1221
Arizona
Alberta, Canada
DATES>>
20 racing 15
Hollywood Casino @ Charles Town Races
Mar. 1 – Dec. 21
Jan. 2 – Dec. 30
Apr. 18 – Sep. 27
Aug. 21 – Oct. 17
Sep. 18 – Nov. 14
May 17 – Oct. 1
Jan. 2 – Dec. 19
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31
Schedule is based on available information at the time each issue goes to press. All racing jurisdictions have differing schedules and policies regarding the granting of future race dates that impact availability.
Mountaineer Race Track
Emerald Downs
West Virginia
Retama Park
Lone Star Park
Presque Isle Downs
Penn National
Parx Racing
Washington
Texas
Pennsylvania
DATES
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JANUARY 15 – APRIL 16
FEATURES
MILE HIGH
Denis Blake
MEETING
THE NATIONAL HBPA ELECTS LEROY GESSMANN AS PRESIDENT AT ITS SUMMER CONVENTION IN DENVER By Denis Blake The National HBPA Board of Directors elected Leroy Gessmann as president of North America’s largest horsemen’s association during the NHBPA’s Summer Convention held August 6-9 in Denver. Gessmann is president of the Iowa
the industry. Hosted by the Colorado Horseracing Association, the convention also included an afternoon at the races at nearby Arapahoe Park. “I am very pleased with the outcome of our National HBPA Summer
HBPA and most recently served as first vice president and central region vice
Convention,” said Eric Hamelback, who presided over his first convention as
president for the National HBPA. Gessmann takes over for Robin Richards, who
CEO of the National HBPA. “This convention gave our members a great mixture
served a three-year term.
of organizational business and educational forums. The overall feeling of our
Gessmann, who owns and operates several family-style restaurants in
members was that of positive energy and re-energized vigor. As horsemen,
Iowa, raced Sure Shot Biscuit, the all-time leading Iowa-bred money earner and
owners and trainers who pursue our profession in the racing industry, we
only millionaire with a bankroll of $1,025,480. Gessmann also owned graded
understand that it is up to us to spread the message of the majority, and that
stakes winner Miss Macy Sue, who finished third in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Filly
message is filled with positive and factual information that needs to be heard.
and Mare Sprint (G1).
It will be up to the National HBPA to ensure the message of our affiliates and
“I thank the board for their faith in me and will do everything I can to keep this organization going in the right direction,” Gessmann said. The board also elected regional vice presidents for the association: Tom
members is heard.” In the Legislative Affairs Forum, the panel pointed out several issues with the recently introduced Barr/Tonko Bill, H.R. 3084, known as the “Thoroughbred
Metzen Sr., president of the Minnesota HBPA, will serve as central region vice
Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015.” The bill calls for the United States Anti-
president and first vice president; Past President Robin Richards, who is on
Doping Agency (USADA) to take over equine drug testing from state racing
the board of the Virginia HBPA, will serve as eastern region vice president;
commissions.
Rick Hiles, president of the Kentucky HBPA, will serve another term as southern
The panel was moderated by Brian Fitzgerald, the NHBPA’s government
region vice president; and J. Lloyd Yother, president of the Arizona HBPA, will
relations liaison. The speakers included Kelley Brooks, principal at the lobbying
serve as western region vice president.
firm Stealey II Inc.; Daniel J. Hartman, division director for the state of Colorado’s
In addition to the elections, the Summer Convention featured NHBPA
division of racing events; William “Bill” White, president of the Florida HBPA; and
committee meetings and forums for horsemen to discuss important topics in
Mark Hillman, a Colorado farmer and breeder and former Colorado State Senator.
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Panelists pointed out USADA’s lack of experience with equine drug testing, especially that USADA did not do the testing for equine athletes during the Olympics, and raised questions about how the testing would be paid for. In the Medication Forum, panelists discussed the past, present and future of equine drug testing. Dr. Steven Barker, professor of veterinary medicine
LETTER FROM THE
PRESIDENT
at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, mentioned how drug testing methods have become so advanced that positives are being called for tests that find trace levels of a substance that could not possibly affect performance and most likely was caused by environmental contamination. “In fact, many [tests exceeding] current threshold levels could just as easily be caused by or exceeded by environmental contamination,” he said. “Our ability to test has exceeded what was intended by the laws. There is no pharmacological effect to these small levels.” Kent Stirling, chair of the NHBPA’s Medication Committee and executive director of the Florida HBPA, moderated the medication forum with a panel that included writer/handicapper Richard Halvey; Dr. Thomas Tobin, professor of veterinary science at the Gluck Equine Research Center and the Graduate Center for Toxicology at the University of Kentucky; Dr. Clara Fenger of Equine Integrated Medicine in Georgetown, Kentucky; and Dr. Barker. Video of selected forums will be posted online in the near future. Linda Gaston, president of the Arkansas HBPA, was bestowed the National HBPA’s Industry Service Award, becoming the first woman so honored since the award began in 1999. Gaston was recognized for her dedication to helping horsemen both in her home state and across North America. The board also presented a resolution to outgoing Western Region Vice President and Washington HBPA President Ron Maus, thanking him for his years of service, particularly in the areas of financial planning and budgeting for the National HBPA. The National HBPA will hold its Winter Convention in Clearwater Beach, Florida, on February 3-7, 2016.
Leroy Gessmann I very much appreciate the support I’ve received from the National HBPA to be your president for the next three years. I have been a huge proponent of the HBPA motto of “Horsemen Helping Horsemen” during the time I have served with my local affiliate HBPA in Iowa, where I’m currently president, and in my many years working with the NHBPA on various committees. It is truly inspirational to have received such support from my fellow horsemen. Before looking to my next three years as president of the NHBPA, I want to sincerely thank two individuals, one who is still with the organization and one who is moving on. Robin Richards has served the last three years as NHBPA President and has done a fantastic job. While it isn’t mentioned often, Robin was the first woman voted in as president of North America’s largest horsemen’s association. That alone is a tremendous achievement and one that we all are proud of her for accomplishing. Along with that, Robin has been instrumental in her work on the federal level, and luckily for NHBPA she will continue to work in that area on our behalf. The second individual I want to thank for his dedication is Ron Maus. Ron and I served as regional vice presidents for the last couple of years and have worked together very well. Ron’s leadership during a transitional time on the budget and dues committee was outstanding, and his expertise in legal and financial matters will be sorely missed. To both of them, I say thank you. I have been a racehorse owner in this industry for the past 20 years and continue to be so, for which I’m very proud. I cannot stress enough that when I look at issues it is from the point of view of an owner and businessman. With that, I want to touch on some of the areas I will continue to focus on. One is the continued use of Lasix (Salix). Continuing the availability of running Thoroughbreds in the United States on Lasix is of paramount importance. It is a
THANK YOU CONVENTION
SPONSORS! Arapahoe Park
Louisiana HBPA
Arkansas HBPA
Minnesota HBPA
Colorado Horseracing Association
Thoroughbred Racing
Daily Racing Form
Association of Oklahoma
Elite Turf Club
Pennsylvania HBPA
Florida HBPA
Racing & Gaming Services
Indiana HBPA
Tampa Bay HBPA
Lavin Insurance
Washington HBPA
medication that is fully regulated and transparent in usage, and most important, has proved its efficacy in the prevention and lessening of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in Thoroughbred racehorses. Second, I will continue to be at odds with any federal legislation that purports to strengthen the Interstate Horseracing Act when it in actuality lessens the role of any horsemen’s association. Any language that attempts to do this is simply not palatable for me, and I will work closely with Congress to make sure these attempts to weaken any horsemen’s rights are not passed. Third, I will strive to push for uniformity across the racing industry from jurisdiction to jurisdiction in all areas, including pari-mutuel regulations, jockey helmet requirements, claiming rules, etc. While many seem to get caught up only on medication issues, the horse racing industry is far broader than that single issue. I will make sure the NHBPA continues to push forward on all fronts to help racing as much as possible. Again, thank you to all who have supported me, and I look forward to reaching out and working with all of the various racing organizations around the country. Leroy Gessmann National HBPA President WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
23
CLAIMING CROWN DECEMBER 5, 2015
CLAIMING RACE
CONDITIONS
DIST/TURF
PURSE
Jewel
3yo & up
1 1/8 M
$200K
ENTRY DAY
Tiara
3yo & up (F&M)
1 1/16 M (T)
$125K
DECEMBER 2ND
Emerald
3yo & up
1 1/16 M (T)
$125K
Iron Horse
3yo & up
1 1/16 M
$110K
REGULAR NOMINATIONS
Express
3yo & up
6F
$110K
NOVEMBER 8TH
Glass Slipper
3yo & up (F&M)
1M
$110K
Rapid Transit
3yo & up
7F
$110K
SUPPLEMENTAL NOMINATIONS
Canterbury
3yo & up
5 F (T)
$110K
DECEMBER 2ND
Distaff Dash
3yo & up (F&M)
5 F (T)
$110K
For qualification criteria and nomination deadlines, call Michael Costanzo at 954-457-6260, www.gulfstreampark.com or the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) at 888-606-8622. Visit our website at claimingcrown.com or e-mail claimingcrown@toba.org. The Claiming Crown is a partnership between the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association & Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
2 01 5
NOMINATION FORM Name of Horse
Year Foaled
Color
Sex
Sire
Trainer Name
Dam
Dam Sire
Claiming Crown Race
Nom Fee Paid*
NOMINATION FEES *Nomination Fee Schedule: By November 8: $100 for each race nominated *Supplemental Fee Schedule: By December 2: $5,000 Jewel $3,000 Emerald and Tiara $2,500 All others
OWNER INFORMATION
(One ownership entity per nomination form)
Regular Nominations must be received or postmarked on or before November 8. Supplemental Nominations must be received by 10:00 a.m. EST on December 2.
PAYMENT METHOD
VISA [ ] MASTERCARD [ ] AMERICAN EXPRESS [ ] WIRE [ ] MONEY ORDER [ ] CHECK [ ]
Name:
Amount Enclosed $
Farm Company:
Cardholder: Card Account #
Address:
Expiration Date
Security Code
City: State/Prov:
Zip:
Tel:
Email:
“I submit this nomination of the above-listed horse(s) in order to make each eligible for participation in the 2015 Claiming Crown, and do so with the understanding that I will be bound by the terms and conditions established by Claiming Crown Ltd. I understand that said conditions are available to me online at www.claimingcrown.com and/or are printed on the backside of this document and are all incorporated herein by reference. Payment is enclosed.�
MAIL TO:
Claiming Crown, Ltd. P.O. Box 910688 Lexington, KY 40591-0668 OR Michael Costanzo Gulfstream Park 901 South Federal Highway Hallandale Beach, FL 3300(954) 457-6260
FAX TO: Claiming Crown, Ltd. OR Gulfstream Park (859) 276-2462
(954) 457-6357
Signature: Date: [
] Owner or [
] Authorized Agent
Faxed nominations must be submitted with a valid credit card number, by the cardholder, and are deemed valid only after the transaction has been processed by the authorized financial institution.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Claiming Crown Ltd. reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to: (1) postpone, discontinue, amend, or change the conditions for all or part of the Claiming Crown program; and, (2) to reject the nomination and/or entry of any horse deemed ineligible or otherwise prohibited from competing in the program. Please return this original with your payment; make copy (front and back) for your files.
See reverse side for important information regarding Claiming Crown rules and regulations which are considered part of this nomination form.
P.O. Box 910668, Lexington, Kentucky 40591-0668, (859) 277-5891 or (888) 606-8622, Fax: (859) 276-2462
All races are limited to 14 starters which have complied with and satisfied the eligibility conditions, and which have been selected in accordance with those conditions. 1. Nomination, Entry and Starting fees are accepted subject to the approval of Claiming Crown Limited (CCL). The propriety of the amount of the enclosed fee will be determined by CCL, and if any such nomination or entry fee is determined to be other than that which is required to be paid in full in a timely manner, the referenced horse(s) may be prohibited from entering and/or starting in a Claiming Crown race in the sole discretion of CCL. The guaranteed purse for Claiming Crown races will be stated prior to the time entry fees are due. Nomination, entry and starting fees are applied to the guaranteed purses. Purses will be distributed in accordance with the distribution schedule set forth in the 2015 Claiming Crown Summary of Conditions, which information is incorporated herein by reference. 2. Payment of horse Nomination fees make a horse eligible for only the current running of Claiming Crown, and does not satisfy any future nomination requirements. Purses shall be distributed by Gulfstream Park (“GSP” or the “Host Track”) after certification that the purse is distributable in accord with applicable statutes or regulations. 3. Nomination and Entry to or in Claiming Crown races is valid only upon the acceptance of and compliance with the rules and regulations governing Thoroughbred horse races adopted by the State where the races are conducted, the rules and regulations of the Host Track, the rules and regulations of CCL, and/or compliance with any decision of the state racing officials, and/or officers of the Host Track, and/or CCL regarding the interpretation and application of their respective rules and regulations. At the discretion of the Stewards, the Host Track, or CCL, and without notice, the entry of any horse may be refused. CCL shall have no liability for the actions of any officials or employees of the Host Track or for any matter under the control of such track, its officials or employees. Purses shall be payable to the rightful parties recognized as such by state racing officials. 4. A horse entered in a Claiming Crown race may be scratched by authorized racing officials for any reason including but not limited to if (i) such horse’s equipment malfunctions, is damaged or lost and cannot be remedied within sufficient time, in the judgment of authorized racing officials, to allow the race in which such horse is entered to start at post time for such race, (ii) the horse does not appear “sound” for racing purposes, or (iii) if any other unavoidable event occurs with respect to a horse entered in a Claiming Crown race, or to its jockey, which cannot be remedied within sufficient time, in the judgment of authorized racing officials, to allow the race in which such horse or jockey is scheduled to participate to start at post time for such race. In the event of a scratch under such circumstances, the Entry and Starting fees may, at the discretion of CCL, be refunded. 5. CCL reserves the right to limit the number of entries in any of the Claiming Crown races. In the event CCL determines it must limit entries they will be selected in accordance with the Claiming Crown conditions regarding field selection or by such other method as CCL may determine in its sole discretion. The Claiming Crown field selection process is set forth in the 2015 Claiming Crown Summary of Conditions and is incorporated herein by reference. CCL reserves the right to modify the distance of any race to accommodate track and/or race safety. CCL reserves the right to transfer any turf race to the main track, or to cancel any, or all, Claiming Crown races without notice prior to the actual running thereof, without any liability, other than the return of Entry and/or Starting fees. 6. In making any application for participation in Thoroughbred racing, it is understood that an investigation may be made by the appropriate authority as to the owner(s) character, reputation, mode of living and financial standing, which investigation may involve interviews with family, personal or business acquaintances. 7. Owner hereby expressly and irrevocably grants CCL the exclusive right to use, in connection with the promotion of the Claiming Crown, the name and likeness of the Owner, of any horse entered or nominated, and of any co-owners, jockeys, trainers, grooms, assistant trainers, colors, logos, silks, and any other associated or identifying characteristics, as well as any other matter relating to the participation of the horse in the Claiming Crown. Promotion by CCL may include, without limitation, televising, broadcasting (including but not limited to on-line and web broadcasting in any form, fashion or manner) and/or recording in any manner the races which are a part of the Claiming Crown and the activities incident to them, and broadcasting, exhibiting and/or exploiting the same by any means now or hereafter known, including, without limitation, licensing such rights to others for uses approved by CCL. Owner hereby expressly, irrevocably and perpetually WAIVES on his behalf and on behalf of his agents and employees (including trainers, grooms, exercise riders, assistant trainers and jockeys) any and all rights he or they may have in connection with any matter referred to in this paragraph, including without limitation, any claim to invasion of the right of privacy, right of publicity or to misappropriation, for infringement of trademark, or other intellectual property rights or for any remuneration therefor. Upon demand, Owner shall cause any of the aforementioned persons to deliver releases to CCL permitting it to use and exhibit such material. Owner understands and agrees that CCL reserves the right to use names, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, symbols, logos, slogans, results, still and motion pictures, videos and audio reports, trailers, promos and other identifying characteristics relating to CCL and the Claiming Crown, and that any such use by Owner of any of them is prohibited without the express written consent of CCL (which may be denied for any reason). CCL reserves all rights to advertise the Claiming Crown in any manner deemed appropriate by CCL in its sole discretion. Owners, trainers, assistant trainers, grooms, jockeys and horses shall not display commercial advertising or promotional material of any kind, including but not limited to, product names, logos and/or slogans on clothing or equipment, including but not limited to the jockey’s attire, before, during, or after the Claiming Crown race in which the horse is entered without prior written approval of CCL which may be denied for any reason. 8. All claims, controversies and/or objections arising out of or related to the application or interpretation of any rules or conditions of CCL shall be decided solely by the CCL Appeals Board. Information regarding the Appeals Procedure for CCL shall be furnished to any person submitting a written request for such information to Claiming Crown Limited, P.O. Box 910668, Lexington, Kentucky 40591-0668, Attn: Appeals Board. Any person wishing to object to any action or decision by CCL in the application of its rules or conditions must, within thirty (30) days of being advised of such action or decision, submit to the Appeals Board a written Notice of Appeal in compliance with the Appeals Procedure and shall be entitled to an oral hearing upon making a written demand as set forth in the Appeals Procedure. The Appeals Procedure shall not be applicable to matters arising under condition 5 hereinabove from which there shall be no appeal. The appeal process noted herein is the sole appeal venue and process and Owner WAVES THE RIGHT, IF ANY, to file a lawsuit to contest CCL’s decision or any appeal therefrom. Any appeal not postmarked or received within thirty (30) days of being advised of the action or decision of CCL shall be DEEMED WAIVED AND FOREVER BARRED. 9. Owner agrees to indemnify and hold harmless CCL and its officers, directors, employees and volunteers (or if for any reason indemnification is not available, to contribute to CCL’s losses and the losses of its officers, directors, employees and volunteers), to the fullest extent permitted under the law, from and against any and all claims, damages, judgments, liabilities, losses, costs or expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees (should CCL select its own counsel which it may do at its sole and exclusive discretion), to which CCL and/or its officers, directors, employees and volunteers may become subject or liable as a result of or arising out of directly or indirectly: (i) any action or conduct of any horses owned by or under the control or direction of Owner while on the race track premises, and (ii) any acts, or failure to act by Owner, any Co-owners, or any of their agents, employees or invitees while on the race track premises. 10. Owner hereby RELEASES, WAIVES AGAINST AND DISCHARGES CCL and its officers, directors, employees and volunteers, to the fullest extent permitted under the law, from any claims, losses, obligations, costs and expenses arising from or due to personal injuries or property damages of any kind or description to the person, property or horses owned or controlled by Owner occurring on track premises. Owner agrees that all risk of loss, injury, damage or destruction to persons or property, including but not limited to, the horses brought onto track premises by or at the direction of Owner, his agents or employees, arising from, due to, caused by, resulting from or in any way, directly or indirectly, related to any cause, including but not limited to accident, theft, fire or otherwise, whether or not caused by or contributed to or by or related to any fault or negligence of CCL and/or its officers, directors, employees and volunteers or the condition of the track premises, are assumed in full by Owner, except as to acts or conditions caused by the intentional, or willful conduct of CCL. Owner agrees that the release and waiver and discharge provisions hereof are intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the law. Owner further agrees that the foregoing provisions hereof regarding such release and waiver and discharge shall not be deemed waived or affected in any way by the fact that CCL does or does not, may or may not, in the future carry insurance coverage against claims where loss is caused by or resulting from damage or injury to property, persons and/or horses while competing on the race track, using the training tracks, stables, roads or any other facilities over the race track premises or in transit thereon. 11. Whenever the term “Owner” is used herein, it shall include the owner whose name appears on the reverse side of this form, all owners, co-owners (or lessees) of horses controlled by or in partnership with the Owner, jockeys, grooms, exercise riders, assistant trainers, servants, employees and invitees of the Owner, and their heirs, representatives, successors and assigns. Owner agrees to provide a copy of this Nomination Agreement to all co-owners of the horses listed on this Nomination Agreement. 12. In consideration of CCL’s agreement to pay the purses described hereinabove, Owner hereby consents to allow CCL and/or the Host Track to contract with any domestic or foreign licensed wagering entity for the purpose of accepting wagers on Claiming Crown races pursuant to the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, 15 U.S.C. sections 3001, et seq. and warrants that no third party or organization has or will be given the right or authority to assert any claim, demand, or cause of action inconsistent with such consent. 13. By signing this form on the reverse side, I hereby certify that I have read, understand and agree to the terms and conditions of this Nomination Agreement including all release and waiver provisions.
2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 S TA K E S
SCHEDULE
FEBRUARY
DECEMBER DATE
STAKES
CONDITIONS
DIST/TURF
PURSE
DATE
STAKES
CONDITIONS
DIST/TURF
12.5.15
Jewel (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up
1 1/8 M
$200K
2.6.16
Donn Hdcp (G1)
4yo & up
1 1/8 M
$500K
Tiara (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up (F&M)
1 1/16 M (T)
$125K
Gulfstream Park Turf Hdcp (G1)
4yo & up
1 1/8 M (T)
$350K
12.12.15
12.19.15
12.26.15
Emerald (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up
1 1/16 M (T)
$125K
Suwannee River (G3)
4yo & up (F&M)
1 1/8 M (T)
$150K
Iron Horse (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up
1 1/16 M
$110K
Fred Hooper (G3)
4yo & up
1M
$100K $75K
Express (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up
6F
$110K
Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint
4yo & up
5 F (T)
Glass Slipper (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up (F&M)
1M
$110K
Ladies Turf Sprint
4yo & up (F&M)
5 F (T)
$75K
Rapid Transit (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up
7F
$110K
2.13.16
Royal Delta (G2)
4yo & up (F&M)
1 1/16 M
$200K $75K
Canterbury (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up
5 F (T)
$110K
2.20.16
Melody of Colors
3yo F
5 F (T)
Distaff Dash (Claiming Crown)
3yo & up (F&M)
5 F (T)
$110K
2.27.16
Fountain of Youth (G2)
3yo
1 1/16 M
$400K
El Prado
3yo & up
7 1/2 F (T)
$100K
Davona Dale (G2)
3yo F
1M
$200K $150K
South Beach
3yo & up (F&M)
7 1/2 F (T)
$100K
Canadian Turf (G3)
4yo & up
1 M (T)
Harlan's Holiday
3yo & up
1 1/16 M (T)
$100K
Palm Beach (G3)
3yo
1 1/16 M (T)
$150K
Rampart (G3)
3yo & up (F&M)
1M
$100K
Herecomesthebride (G3)
3yo F
1 1/16 M (T)
$150K
Mr Prospector (G3)
3yo & up
6F
$100K
Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3)
4yo & up
6 1/2 F
$100K
Tropical Park Derby
3yo
1 1/16 M (T)
$75K
Sand Springs
4yo & up (F&M)
1 M (T)
$100K
Texas Glitter
3yo
5 F (T)
$75K
Tropical Park Oaks
3yo F
1 1/16 M (T)
$75K
Sugar Swirl (G3)
3yo & up (F&M)
6F
$100K
W.L. McKnight Hdcp (G3)
3yo & up
1 1/2 M (T)
$100K
La Prevoyante Hdcp (G3)
3yo & up (F&M)
1 1/2 M (T)
$100K
CONDITIONS
DIST/TURF
PURSE
MARCH DATE
STAKES
CONDITIONS
DIST/TURF
PURSE
3.5.16
Gulfstream Park Hdcp (G2)
4yo & up
1M
$500K
JANUARY DATE
STAKES
1.2.16
1.9.16
1.16.16
1.23.16 1.30.16
Hutcheson (G3)
3yo
6F
$100K
Old Hat (G3)
3yo F
6F
$100K
Dania Beach (G3)
3yo
7 1/2 F (T)
$100K
Ginger Brew
3yo F
7 1/2 F (T)
$100K
Mucho Macho Man
3yo
1M
$100K
Fort Lauderdale (G2)
4yo & up
1 1/16 M (T)
$200K
Marshua's River (G3)
4yo & up (F&M)
1 1/16 M (T)
$150K
Hal's Hope (G3)
4yo & up
1M
$150K
Sunshine Millions Classic
4yo & up
1 1/8 M
$250K
Sunshine Millions Distaff
4yo & up (F&M)
7F
$150K
Sunshine Millions Turf
4yo & up
1 1/16 M (T)
$100K
Sunshine Millions F&M Turf
4yo & up (F&M)
1 1/16 M (T)
$100K
Sunshine Millions Sprint
4yo & up
6F
Sunshine Millions Turf Sprint
4yo & up
5 F (T)
$100K
H Allen Jerkens
4yo & up
2 M (T)
$100K
M
Holy Bull (G2)
3yo
1 1/16 M
$350K
3yo F
7F
$200K
Swale (G3)
3yo
7F
$150K
Sweetest Chant (G3)
3yo F
1 M (T)
$100K
Kitten's Joy
3yo
1 M (T)
$100K
J ANU AR Y
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
S
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
3
13
14
15
16
17
18
M 4
T
W
T
3.19.16
3.26.16
Mac Diarmida (G2)
4yo & up
1 3/8 M (T)
$200K
Very One (G3)
4yo & up (F&M)
1 3/16 M (T)
$150K
Captiva Island
4yo & up (F&M)
5 F (T)
$75K
Silks Run
4yo & up
5 F (T)
$75K
Inside Information (G2)
4yo & up (F&M)
7F
$200K
Any Limit
3yo F
6F
$75K
Spectacular Bid
3yo
6 1/2 F
$75K
Cutler Bay
3yo
1 M (T)
$75K
Sanibel Island
3yo F
1 M (T)
$75K
APRIL DATE
STAKES
CONDITIONS
DIST/TURF
PURSE
4.2.16
Florida Derby (G1)
3yo
1 1/8 M
$1M
Honey Fox (G2)
4yo & up (F&M)
1 M (T)
$300K
Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2)
3yo F
1 1/16 M
$250K
Appleton (G3)
4yo & up
1 M (T)
$200K
Pan American (G3)
4yo & up
1 1/2 M (T)
$200K
Orchid (G3)
4yo & up (F&M)
1 3/8 M (T)
$200K
Skip Away (G3)
4yo & up
1 1/8 M
$150K
Sir Shackelton
4yo & up
7F
$100K
Highlighted dates denote premium stake days. Racing dates are subject to change.
FE B RUA RY F
S
1
2
S
M A RC H
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6 13
5
6
7
8
9
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
14
15
16
17
18
19 20
19
10
11
12
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
17
18
19 20 21 22 23
27 28 29 30 31
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
LIVE RACING DAY
3.12.16
$100K
Forward Gal (G2)
DECEMBER S
PURSE
S
M
A PRI L
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
S
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
3
13
14
15
16
17
18
M 4
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
5
6
7
8
9
13
14
15
16
19
10
11
12
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
17
18
19 20 21 22 23
28 29
27 28 29 30 31
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
SIMULCASTING DAY
901 S. Federal Highway I Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 I gulfstreampark.com
FEATURE
WHERE IS THE
POSITIVE? The National HBPA and the racing industry should focus on the reasons to be optimistic By Eric J. Hamelback, National HBPA CEO National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback with Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm at Old Friends
Recently, I reconnected with a good friend of mine over lunch. He, too, works in the Thoroughbred racing industry and has been a very highprofile executive. During our meeting, we spoke openly about issues challenging the industry and which areas are positive. I am very happy to say the positives are plentiful, and while there are negatives, none of them seem insurmountable as long as compromise is achievable. We know that some facets of the industry do not wish to ever compromise on their beliefs, but, on balance, there is a positive wave moving to the future. The current “evening news model” of reporting is designed to bring out our negatives almost exclusively. I most certainly believe that negatives are important, because how else would we learn, adapt and change for the better? After all, as Henry Ford once stated, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” We live and learn every day, and I am thankful for that fact.
28
HJFALL
15
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC IN THIS INDUSTRY. LET’S GO THROUGH AN EXERCISE AND DISSECT THE PUBLIC MEDIA POSITIONS TO IDENTIFY THE POSITIVES: The racing industry is said to be riddled with abusive and performance-enhancing drugs. Fact: There were 869 (0.5 percent) declared post-race positive tests out of 169,613 horses tested on race day in 2013 (RCI). Compare that to Argentina, which tested 11,432 horses and had a 1.02 percent positive test rate. Many industrial companies would love to have their employee drug screening fall below 1 percent. So why do some within our own industry want to propagate and misinform our public fan base with negative slander? Same message, different connotation.
All of the drug “positives” reflect some attempt by nefarious horsemen to gain an unfair advantage. Fact: The majority of the above-mentioned 0.5 percent was due to overages of legal therapeutic medications. That means medication used every day by licensed veterinary practitioners, medication used for treatment of athletes, medication used for recovery and rehabilitation or medication used for therapy. This majority of overages, or “positives” as deemed by the press, are not illicit or illegal drugs. In most cases, even the overage amount could not possibly have any impact on the horse’s performance at the time of the race, because the overages reflect therapeutic medications administered days earlier. Yet that is how it is portrayed in the majority of our media. Same message, different connotation.
The racing industry is dragging its feet in adopting uniformity within its active racing jurisdictions. Fact: Actually, giant strides have been made toward uniformity. An example can be made in the accreditation of labs that conduct our
tests. In 2008, only five of the 18 U.S. horse racing testing laboratories were rated as ISO 17025 accredited. In comparison, at the end of 2014, 12 of the 15 U.S. horse racing testing laboratories (80 percent) were ISO 17025 accredited. Many states require legislative action to adopt rules, and as a result, they are carefully weighed and take many months for adoption. Additionally, while some jurisdictions felt that adopting the uniform rules first and correcting any problems later was of tantamount importance, others felt that any problems should be corrected before the uniform rules could be adopted. The states’ right to carefully weigh regulatory statutes is a critical part of the democratic process in the United States and should not be ignored or circumvented. Considering the enormous shift that uniform rules represent, the huge strides toward reform and uniformity are nothing short of impressive. Same message, different connotation.
We have no uniformity, and in order to survive, we must have uniformity. Fact: Are we to believe that 100 percent of any objective is always achievable? Has the NFL eliminated 100 percent of the abuse of medication in its sport? Of course not. Will it ever? I would bet against it. Let’s look at how far we have come toward uniformity within medication. Under the current adopted mode of measurement, the National Uniform Medication Program (NUMP), we find 32 jurisdictions within the U.S. Many outside the industry, including some politicians, are told that since 2006 only eight of those jurisdictions comply with our mode of measurement and fall under NUMP. That is a true statement. But isn’t the allegation by some that we are not “moving toward” uniformity? What if the media was given the information that as of April 2015, 25 of the 32 U.S. racing jurisdictions comply with or are in the process of adopting at least two and three stages (out of four) of NUMP. A number of the provisions within NUMP are at odds with state laws, which means that some variation of the program, but never the entire program, will be adopted. Same message, much different connotation.
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The number of starts in the U.S. has declined precipitously over the past 20 years, reflecting a weaker Thoroughbred brought about by our regulatory environment, which is at odds with the international community. Fact:
Up until 2006, The Jockey Club published in its Fact Book a chart called “Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Worldwide.” Now let’s compare stats from 1994 that show the U.S. having 545,305 starts from 67,301 starters. Doing the math, that is 8.1 starts per horse. Yet we continue to hear how our sport is declining. Comparing the top 12 countries in 1994, only Italy (9.1), Japan (8.5) and Canada (8.2) had more starts than the U.S. Fast forward to 2006, the last year The Jockey Club put that chart in the Fact Book. Guess what? The U.S. moved to third on the list. To be fair, the number of starts dropped to 6.31, but the number of starts in Japan and newcomer South Africa also dropped to 7.7 and 6.37, respectively. The comparison is that both of those countries race with no race-day medications, so why their drop if our media says we are ruining our sport? Why would The Jockey Club stop measuring this fact? Same message, different connotation.
We need federal regulation of horse racing because the industry has failed to come up with a cohesive plan. Fact: As I have outlined above, the industry has never been more closely aligned and has never been closer to uniformity. To some, national uniformity has taken too long and, as a result, must be forced into jurisdictions that have resisted some of its provisions. However, the Model Rules are fraught with problems, and as such, the reservations of holdout jurisdictions must be respected. With careful review by thoughtful state legislators, the Model Rules can and will be tweaked until a compromise can be reached that will permit national uniformity. As with many other issues, placing an extra layer of bureaucracy on top of the process will not make the process smoother or faster. Certainly, our HBPA affiliates overwhelmingly do not support any type of federal legislation. I can also state, as a Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Board of Trustees member, that there are several members in that organization who do not support federal legislation. Thus the same is true for other horsemen’s groups. The HBPA is not the only one; we are just the only one taking bullets.
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The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) should be permitted to take control of the regulation of medication in horse racing. Fact: Neither I nor my constituents have any issue with USADA as an entity for testing human athletes. USADA oversees the drug testing of human athletes who are permitted any and all therapeutic medications during athletic competitions with a physician’s prescription. The basic premise and enforcement of drug regulation and testing among USADA participants and the athletes in horse racing are so divergent that it simply makes no sense. Additionally, to give USADA or any other private organization the right to control our industry’s simulcast signal with no veto right (written into the bill) should be concerning to all of us. USADA as an organization has absolutely no equine experience at all. Are you aware that the group does not even test the equine athletes in the Olympics? Are you aware they have $9 million in federal grant money given to them by the federal government? Yet “we” as an industry would still be paying them upward of an estimated additional $20 million per year should this piece of legislation pass. Are you aware that the current bill has no defined financial mechanism on how the program will be funded, yet it is intended to be law? Are you aware that the bill gives USADA or the Thoroughbred Horseracing Anti-Doping Authority (THADA) the right to start from scratch in creating a new listing of therapeutic medications, thus creating the possibility that the work done by and paid for by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium could theoretically has been done all for naught? Are you prepared to have your rights as a citizen put into the hands of a private entity—a board and one weighted six to five for USADA—should a ruling be placed on you as an owner or trainer? There are many questions yet to be answered, and most certainly, “the devil is in the details.” Same message, different connotation.
The breakdown rate in the U.S. reflects poor stewardship of the horse compared to other countries. Fact: Let’s go back to some facts. In 2004, in Victoria, Australia, there were 0.44 fatalities per 1,000 starts, and the United Kingdom reported 0.90 fatalities per 1,000 starts, all from causes on the racetrack. Now compare those figures to numbers we see in The Jockey Club’s Injury Database (from News Releases, March 13, 2015) that
show the U.S. fatality rate in 2014 was 1.89 per 1,000 starts. However, in the U.S., that number is calculated “in fatalities within 72 hours from the date of the race.� It is very important to understand, and often not conveyed, that many other countries only calculate their fatality rate from horses euthanized while on the racetrack. Why can we not get this number from The Jockey Club in order to truly compare stat to stat? Same message, different connotation. Stewardship of the horse similarly means how we take care of all of the horses, including those that never race and those who are retired from their racing career. In 1999, in the United Kingdom, 53 percent of horses from the total foal crop in Newmarket raced (Wilsher et al.,
2006). In Australia, during the same timeframe, the rate was about 30 percent (Bourke 1995). Now compare those figures to The Jockey Club, which did a comprehensive analysis of the breed looking at all foals in North America from 1987 to 1996. It was once available on The Jockey Club’s website but is no longer available. It is still available, however, on archived pages and in any old Thoroughbred Times Stallion Directory. This was a comprehensive analysis, including all horses that raced in any country. The percentage of horses to race from foals in North America during that period was 70 percent. Why does The Jockey Club no longer publish this information? Same message, different connotation.
What would I like to see funded and our industry focus on? Things that would actually help the sport. We need to focus on campaigns and advertising that emphasize the beauty of the animal, the ownership experience, the mating experience and even the foaling experience. Most do not get to experience the excitement of having a foal grow up, begin training and then make it to the races. That experience is palpable and should be shared. We should be providing instruction and explanations to the public about what goes on at the racetrack every single day. We should be focusing on these magnificent animals. We should make clear that our sport exemplifies good stewardship of the animal and that we take care of our own with aftercare initiatives. We need to focus on campaigns and advertising that emphasizes the beauty of the animal and the ownership experience, both racing and breeding. We should be focusing on these magnificent animals. We should make clear that our sport exemplifies good stewardship of the animal and that we take care of our own with aftercare initiatives. We need to focus on educating our fan base and the general public so they understand our wagering game. We should be focusing on the fact that in these economically difficult times our yearling prices have rebounded in the last six years to pre-recession figures, an increase of 66 percent since 2009. We should point out the purse structure in the U.S. had a five-year average of $1.092 billion, but in 2014 we saw purses at $1.112 billion despite intense competition for the entertainment dollar and difficult economic times. Why focus on a one-year or two-year decline when we do not compare investment trends from year to year? Why not acknowledge that our average field size per race over the last 15 years has been 8.1 instead of proclaiming a drastic reduction? In 1960, the average field size was no more than 8.95. We should focus on introducing prospective owners into the sport and we need to keep current owners engaged. Infighting in public will not get that done. We need to realize that we are an entertainment industry whose financial resources come largely from expendable income. If we all want to help drive handle and increase track profits and purse accounts, then we all must focus on the positive.
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Charles Mann
FEATURE
Trace Environmental Substances Showing Up as Post-Race Positives WHAT EVERY HORSEMAN NEEDS TO KNOW By Clara Fenger, DVM, PhD, DACVIM; Steven Barker, PhD; Keith Soring, DVM; Lee Shalgos, Esq.; and Thomas Tobin, MRCVS, PhD, DABT
T
he unveiling of the National Uniform Medication Program came about with much fanfare and publicity. Many states, such as those in the Mid-Atlantic region, signed on quickly, however, others have been more reticent to come on board. The scientific basis for the program’s thresholds, which are supposed to permit appropriate use of the somewhat restricted list of 27 therapeutic medications while preventing unnecessary and excessive overmedication, has hardly been forthcoming, and many hold-out states recognize these problems. Despite the hurdles the program faces from states unwilling to adopt such a restrictive plan and from its internal deficiencies, such as insufficient scientific evidence, the over-regulation of therapeutic medications is not the only drug-related obstacle that confronts racing. Substances used by humans, such as caffeine, cocaine and 34
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methamphetamine; commonly prescribed medications for humans, such as tramadol and anti-anxiety drugs; and even over-the-counter medications like Aleve (naproxen) and Advil (ibuprofen) have all come up as trace-level positives in post-race samples in horse racing. The biggest question surrounding these positives is this: Are these inadvertent environmental exposure, which horses picked up from eating contaminated hay that could perhaps be the result of a groom innocently relieving himself in a stall, or are they evidence of some nefarious activity or an attempt to cheat? In the early 1990s, as the use of crack cocaine rose to a crescendo in the human population, there was a simultaneous rise in the general exposure of the population to trace levels of cocaine. In fact, there are estimates that 90 percent of the paper currency in circulation is contaminated with measurable levels of the illegal substance. People
have even been wrongly accused of drug charges as a result of drugsniffing dog detection when they were only guilty of carrying large amounts of paper currency. Our paper currency is so contaminated with drug residues that a confirmatory level of the major urinary cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine (BZE) at 100 ng/mL in urine is considered by the federal government to be a negative in that it is a forensically insignificant test. Not everyone who handles money will test approaching this level; this is one of the key points of environmental contamination-related positives. They strike randomly, and a number of important factors must align, including exposure to a source, individual metabolism and timing of the sample collection. The need for regulatory cut-offs for a number of environmental substances has been recognized by a number of states that have put such cut-offs in place. For example, in Ohio, there is a level for BZE (150 ng/mL in urine) and morphine (50 ng/mL in urine), with the BZE cut-off being similar to the earlier thresholds adopted by the federal government for BZE as environmental contamination, as detailed in the 2012 National HBPA book World Rules for Equine Drug Testing and Therapeutic Medication Regulation. The potential for environmental residues of therapeutic substances to give rise to equine positives has been demonstrated repeatedly in the scientific literature. When naproxen (Aleve) was administered to horses for 10 days, they continued to show measureable urine levels for more than 45 days. These researchers interpreted this prolonged elimination time as being due to stall contamination with the medication, and consistent with this interpretation, when a horse that received no naproxen was placed in the stall of a naproxen-treated horse, this horse subsequently showed positive for urinary levels of naproxen for three days. This occurred despite the fact that the stall and its manger had been thoroughly cleaned. Similar findings have been reported with flunixin (Banamine). When untreated horses were placed in stalls of horses that had been treated with flunixin for 14 days, the untreated horses tested positive for two of the following 14 days. Similar to what has been identified with BZE in humans, the appearance of an environmentalcontamination positive can clearly be associated with exposure to environmental residues. In another study, isoxsuprine could be identified from the floor, walls, manger and even the cobwebs in the rafters of a stall of a horse that had received a therapeutic regimen of the substance, which was then discontinued for three weeks pre-race. A number of other studies have found similar results for a variety of drugs.
Key factors influencing a positive from environmental exposure How can some substances remain in the environment and therefore pose a risk for inadvertent environmental exposure to the competitive equine athlete? Three key criteria must be met in order for a substance to represent a high risk. The first criterion is that a substance, like
isoxsuprine, must be chemically stable in the environment and therefore persists in that environment. Once it is introduced into a stall, it remains there and hangs around waiting, apparently even in the cobwebs. The second point is that the contaminant must be easily absorbed, which usually means orally absorbed. For an environmental substance to give rise to drug testing problems, it must be able to get into the horse from the environment. Oral absorption is likely route number one, and we know that isoxsuprine is well absorbed orally. This is more problematic than the aforementioned incidental exposure of humans to cocainetainted currency; horses, especially intact males, are well known to seek out urine in stalls, smelling and tasting the waste from any previous occupants to identify who may have been in that stall before them. This animal behavior has no corresponding behavior in humans. Next comes a very interesting point: Although isoxsuprine is well absorbed orally, effective blood levels of isoxsuprine after oral administration are difficult to achieve. Orally absorbed isoxsuprine is so rapidly and effectively metabolized/glucuronidated on its first pass through the liver that it fails to rise to effective plasma concentrations after oral administration. Orally absorbed isoxsuprine is essentially immediately glucuronidated, or changed into an inactive metabolite, while passing through the liver, and it is then shipped as the metabolite to the kidney for excretion. This feature of isoxsuprine yields the highest known concentrations of any equine drug metabolite, peaking at 700,000 ng/mL. Given that about a 700 mg IV dose of isoxsuprine produced this level of the substance in urine, a 1 mg dose could produce a 700 ng/mL urinary concentration, readily explaining the ability of minute amounts of environmental isoxsuprine to produce low ng/mL urinary isoxsuprine glucuronide positives. To summarize, isoxsuprine is chemically stable in the environment, well absorbed orally and for all practical purposes, immediately converted into its glucuronide metabolite and excreted at very high concentrations in equine urine. The take-home message is this: Very small environmental traces of isoxsuprine passed in the urine of one horse and lingering in its stall will result in sufficient isoxsuprine glucuronide in the urine to trigger a positive call for isoxsuprine in any untreated horse that subsequently inhabits the stall. So the keys to an environmental contamination substance are as follows: (1) it must be chemically stable in the environment; (2) it should be well absorbed orally; and (3) it should be excreted in relatively high concentrations in the urine. Any substance with these chemical/ biological characteristics has the potential to be an environmental substance problem in equine drug testing, as we will see.
Tramadol Substances widely consumed by humans for foodstuff (such as caffeine), recreational (such as cocaine methamphetamine) or medical WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
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(such as Ritalin) use or as prescription pain medications (such as tramadol) may well spill over into the equine world as trace environmental substances and show up, usually at trace levels, in racehorses. In contrast to its therapeutic effectiveness as a painkiller in both humans and small animals, tramadol in the horse has failed to show any significant analgesic effects at similar doses. At very high doses, exceeding 10 times the effective dose in humans, by weight, tramadol can induce analgesic effects that may last for less than three hours. This lack of efficacy in equines appears to stem from the rapid inactivation of the active primary metabolite, 4OH-tramadol, by glucuronidation, a unique feature in this species. Nonetheless, this inactivated metabolite is detectable in the horse’s system for a long time after the last administration. Tramadol is clearly stable in the environment. One environmental study looked into the fate and potential impacts of tramadol after its introduction into water. It was found that neither tramadol nor its derivatives formed from exposure to light were significantly biodegradable according to standard test guidelines. They simply remain in the water forever. In Europe, tramadol was third on the list of pharmaceuticals found in wastewater, ranked by median concentration, with the highest wastewater concentration reported being 1,166 ng/L or 1.166 ng/mL. Similar to flunixin and isoxsuprine, tramadol is highly persistent in the environment and could readily serve as a substance of incidental environmental exposure in the horse. On July 11, 2013, at Hoosier Park in Indiana, the harness horse Justice Jet yielded a positive for tramadol. We assume that the actual chemical nature of the analyte was O-desmethyltramadol, and the concentration identified was not available to us at the time of writing. At the time of the identification, tramadol was classified by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) as a Class 2, Penalty Class A substance. However, the trainer involved was apparently highly regarded, with a reportedly 30-year unblemished medication violation record. Additionally, the trainer was unaware of any risk factors, such as individuals prescribed tramadol in the environment of or close to the horse in question. Given the circumstances of this case and the apparently complete innocence of the trainer, a review of the RCI penalty classification for tramadol was requested by the Indiana racing authorities. While tramadol is still listed as an RCI Class 2, Penalty Class A substance, the Indiana authorities chose to penalize the trainer involved with a relatively modest 15-day penalty and a $500 fine, a much less severe penalty than the in-place RCI penalty guidelines would have suggested. It would also be fair to say that in the absence of an identified prescription for tramadol in the racing environment of the horse, this case becomes a simple generic environmental exposure case, with no specifically identified source for the detected tramadol. In a December 4, 2013, case before the New Zealand Judicial Control Authority for Racing, human use of tramadol was considered 36
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to account for exposure of a horse to the drug, in this case a reported identification in a Standardbred racehorse. The trainer/person responsible for the horse had been prescribed tramadol by her doctor for back pain, and the tramadol metabolite O-desmethyltramadol was found in a post-race sample taken from the horse. Under the New Zealand Rules of Harness Racing, the presence of tramadol or its metabolites is prohibited. The person responsible admitted to taking 50 mg tramadol capsules on race nights, and the most likely cause of exposure to the horse was considered to be through contamination of her hands after taking the medication and bridling the horse. The concentration of tramadol identified in the sample was extremely low— 100 pg/mL (0.1 ng/mL), much lower than the limit of detection in the recently published Knych et al. (2013) report. It is also noted that this very low tramadol concentration was not identified in the primary New Zealand testing laboratory but was only identified upon additional and apparently tramadol-unrelated high sensitivity retesting of the sample by the Hong Kong Jockey Club laboratory. The trainer in question was fined $3,300 and to our knowledge was not suspended. In this matter, the New Zealand judicial authority appears to have accepted the likelihood of inadvertent exposure of the horse to very small and pharmacologically insignificant amounts of tramadol associated with the drug being prescribed for medical purposes to the trainer in question. Similarly, in one California tramadol-positive in a racehorse, the trainer was prescribed tramadol for chronic back pain associated with a training accident. This trainer’s horse had tested clean only 10 days earlier, which underscores the random nature of the environmental positive.
“Similar to flunixin and isoxsuprine, tramadol is highly persistent in the environment and could readily serve as a substance of incidental environmental exposure in the horse.” Cathinone Cathinone, a component of the synthetic amphetamine “bath salts,” has been identified in trace amounts in racehorses in Iowa. Bath salts hit the streets in the United States in 2009 as a drug of human abuse, reaching epidemic proportions by 2011, and started showing up in racehorses in Iowa that same year. Further complicating the interpretation of the test, cathinone can be found in urine in some testing systems after the administration of the common antihistamine pyrilamine (TriHist, Anihist), ephedrine (Sudafed) or propanolamine. The first racehorse positive in 2011 was at a level of 3 ng/mL in urine, too low to reflect any pharmacological effect on the animal and consistent with other drugs of human abuse and environmental exposure at low levels. The trainer was summarily suspended and even handcuffed and removed from the grounds in a squad car. Shortly thereafter, other positive tests for cathinone started to trickle in, and over the course of 70 days, there
were 16 trainers involved, encompassing 51 percent of the barns and five different veterinary practices. The sheer number of positives and the low level of the drug in the animals suggested to us that it was likely this was an environmental exposure (Kind et al., 2012). A survey was conducted to identify any commonality among the positive identifications of cathinone, and none could be identified. Hay and several species of broad leaf plants from local farms were analyzed without success, and the source of the contamination could not be identified. Human drug testing was inconclusive as well. However, based on the levels found in the positive tests, an environmental contamination cut-off was determined to be 10 ng/mL, which was adopted by the Iowa Racing Commission as a new regulatory threshold. The cathinone positives have slowed down in Iowa after this initial spike, but regulators remain convinced that these positives resulted from some exposure in the environment, possibly of plant origin, although simple contamination from human recreational use cannot be ruled out.
“The sheer number of positives and the low level of the drug in the animals suggested to us that it was likely this was an environmental exposure.” Methamphetamine Another emerging substance of inadvertent environmental exposure in horses is methamphetamine. Like many of the other substances of concern, methamphetamine has become a widespread drug of human abuse. A recent case involving a cluster of trace concentration methamphetamine positives in Canada provides a classic example. These events started when a Michigan trainer purchased a large used horse trailer shortly before shipping her American Quarter Horses to race at Ajax Downs near Toronto. The three horses that shipped in this trailer raced within two days of shipping, and all three tested positive for picogram urinary concentrations of methamphetamine, while another horse, which shipped in a different trailer, also raced but tested negative. This circumstance presents a classic cluster of very low picogram concentration methamphetamine positives, two occurring on day one and one the second day post-shipping, with a horse not shipped in the suspected trailer testing negative. The Ontario investigators interviewed the trainer and, as part of their review, tested a number of samples from the trainer’s equipment, including a sample from the manger area of the trailer. This trailer sample turned up positive for methamphetamine at 22 ng/mg, providing a clear-cut environmental source for the methamphetamine identified in the horses shipped in this trailer. The most likely interpretation of these events is that this trailer, at some time in its previous life, had housed an illicit methamphetamine laboratory and that traces of methamphetamine remained in the newly purchased
trailer and transferred to the horses during shipping to Canada. Similar environmental-related methamphetamine contamination of humans working in or around methamphetamine synthesis facilities are well understood. What is interesting, however, is that this is the first clearcut link between an environmental source of methamphetamine and a classic cluster of low concentration environmentally driven equine methamphetamine identifications. As with isoxsuprine, we can also estimate the dose of methamphetamine required to give rise to these reported identifications. Work by Ohio State University researchers performed in the early 1970s shows that administration of a 150 mg dose of methamphetamine (a comparable dose to the effective dose in people) to a horse will yield a peak urinary methamphetamine concentration in the region of 7,000 ng/mL. Simple arithmetic shows that 1 µg of methamphetamine, or 1/150,000th of the effective dose investigated by the researchers in Ohio, is all that is required to yield urinary concentration of 47 pg/mL, a concentration very close to the lowest urinary methamphetamine concentration reported in this Ajax Downs cluster, which was 56 pg/mL, or parts per trillion in urine. Methamphetamine adheres to the three key factors of an inadvertent environmental exposure: (1) it is a chemically stable substance that is (2) orally absorbed from the environment of a horse and (3) can appear in urine at extremely low concentrations, but such findings are indicative of nothing more than totally minuscule exposure of the animal to the substance in question. Further, the pervasiveness with which methamphetamine is used as a substance of human abuse greatly increases the likelihood that it will overlap with an unsuspecting population of horses.
“As with isoxsuprine, we can also estimate the dose of methamphetamine required to give rise to these reported identifications.” Other drugs of human and animal use There has also been a recent flurry of low-level positives for O-desmethylvenlafaxine, the major metabolite of venlafaxine, better known as the anti-depressant Effexor, in Canada, the United States and recently India. As with tramadol, routes of human contamination of the horses are thought to be the same. In a small study conducted by Canadian authorities, a horse was dosed with venlafaxine, and an aliquot of the horse’s urine was apparently poured on hay. The hay was placed in a “clean” stable, which housed a “clean” horse, rapidly leading to the horse becoming positive for O-desmethylvenlafaxine. Indeed, low levels of this metabolite have also been found in supplements. This is similar to the sildenafil or Viagra positives seen several years ago, where a supplement source for the drug was identified in products produced by a compounding pharmacy.
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Across the United States and Canada, there have also been a number of very low-level levamisole positives. Levamisole, an “oldtime” wormer approved by the FDA for use in cattle and commonly used off-label for horses, was originally categorized as an RCI Class 4 substance but has been reclassified as a Class 2 with a Class A penalty. It has experienced a resurgence in usage in horses in recent years as a result of its immune-stimulating properties and has been widely recommended by researchers in the field of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Additionally, levamisole is very environmentally stable, is routinely used in food animals and can be found in fertilizers made from their excrement. Experiments are currently underway to determine how much of this compound is taken up into food products such as corn and whether or not this is a potential source for some levamisole positives. Nonetheless, levamisole can be found in runoff from organic fertilizer-treated fields. The list of such instances could continue, and many more cases for low-level positives in racing could be cited. This is, in many cases, the result of our ever-increasing ability to detect pharmacologically insignificant amounts of drugs commonly used by humans and other animals in equine samples. More and more of the positives being called approach the low picogram (1,000th of a nanogram)/mL level and are being treated by many racing commissions as if they were pharmacologically effective levels normally seen immediately following administration. There is, in such cases, no distinction being made between “trace” and perhaps even “ultra-trace” levels arising from environmental sources and what a true attempt to influence performance actually requires. Zero tolerance or no tolerance for the finding of a substance, regardless of the level, has once again reared its ugly head but is now armed with more sensitive equipment than ever before. As more therapeutic medications are prescribed to humans and used in food animals, as more enter the environment of the horse by a variety of mechanisms and as more medications and recreational substances go into our wastewater, foods, feeds, supplements and even the air, we will eventually reach a point where the sensitivity of our testing and the pervasiveness of these drugs will cause ever greater numbers of positives for the racing industry. If we fail to address these facts, the consequences are an ever-increasing suspicion of corruption in racing from the calling of drug positives at irrelevant levels that inevitably erode confidence in the integrity of the industry. The attempts by several of the controlling associations to subsequently regulate common therapeutics by placing thresholds on useful veterinary products at the same level as may occur from contamination will only add to this problem. It is possible that their attempts will only result in the opposite of what they desired.
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Conclusions For reasons that are unclear, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium is uninterested in setting thresholds/cut-offs for inadvertent environmental exposure, despite the obvious need and at times specific requests for such guidance by regulators and horsemen’s organizations. It is incumbent upon the regulators that police racing to distinguish between unavoidable trace-level environmental exposure with no effect on the animal or the competitive event and no intentional malfeasance. Innocent and unavoidable environmental sources should be considered in every instance in which low levels of substances are identified in post-race samples. Identification of trace levels of substances of human abuse should be carefully investigated and policies should be enacted to prevent the improper penalization of innocent horsemen. In fact, in New York, the Court of Appeals has ruled that testing laboratories for humans could be held liable for calling positives on drug levels consistent with environmental contamination.
Guidance for horsemen The primary source of environmental contamination positives in racehorses is exposure to humans who have handled or are taking prescription medications or illegal substances. The best defense is careful oversight of your shed row. If any grooms are suspected of illegal drug use, drug testing with hair is by far the best option, followed, where necessary, by their removal from the care of the horses. Any grooms taking prescription medications should be warned to wash their hands thoroughly between taking their medications and handling horses. Tongue ties are of particular importance. Use only new tongue ties on race day, and do not allow grooms to carry them in their pockets, where they may be commingled with prescription pill fragments. Carefully admonish grooms and riders not to urinate in the horse’s stalls. Even over-the-counter pain medications, like Aleve, have been implicated in positive tests as a result of careless urination by a groom in a horse’s stall. Horsemen and veterinarians should be cognizant of the source of their medications and supplements. Positives may result from the use of supplements and compounded materials prepared and sold by less reputable compounding pharmacies that contain unidentified drugs. Often claims that sound too good to be true are exactly that. As the medication rules become more onerous, horsemen must be ever more proactive in controlling the environment of their charges. Even when we have controlled everything in our shed rows, there will still be inadvertent environmental contamination positives because we cannot control the ship-in barn. Horses live in barns and not maximumsecurity facilities. We can only hope that the regulatory pendulum swings back toward reason and that our regulators can determine a way to avoid the unfair penalization of innocent horsemen.
Suggested additional reading www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/ stateline/2013/10/17/should-drug-testing-labs-be-liablefor-faulty-results www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/syntheticcathinones-bath-salts
Legendary XT
The Kerckhaert Legendary XT is available in sizes 4, 5, 6 & 7 - fronts only.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/cocaine-contaminatesmajority-of-american-currency/ Kind AJ, Soring K, Brewer K, Eisenberg R., Hughes CG, Hartmann-Fishbach P and Tobin T. 2012. Cathinone and related “bath salt” substances—detection in equine urine and potential sources. In press, the 19th International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. Wennerlund I, Ingvest-Larson C, Kallings P, Fredrickson E, Bondesson U. 2000. Pharmacokinectics and urinary excretion of naproxen after repeated oral administration in the horse. In RB Williams, E Houghton, JF Wade (Eds), Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians (195–200). Cambridge, UK. Norgren A, Ingvest-Larson C, Kallings P, Fredrickson E, Bondesson U. 2000. Contamination and urinary excretion of flunixin after repeated administration in the horse. In RB Williams, E Houghton, JF Wade (Eds), Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians (377–380). Cambridge, UK. Russell CS, Maynard S. 2000. Environmental contamination with isoxsuprine. In RB Williams, E Houghton, JF Wade (Eds), Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians (377–380). Cambridge, UK. Knych HK, Corado CR, McKemie DS, et al. 2013. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of tramadol in horses following oral administration. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 36:389–398. Loos R, Carvalho R, Antonio DC, et al. 2013. EU-wide monitoring survey on emerging polar organic contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents. Water Res 47:6475–6487.
WHY PROFESSIONAL FARRIERS CHOOSE THE KERCKHAERT LEGENDARY XT here are just some of the reasons:
KERCKHAERT LEGENDARY
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Heel Bevels
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Wider Sole Relief
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Sandblasted Finishing on the Hoof Side
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Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of the publisher or National HBPA board or staff. ALABAMA HBPA Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has called a special session regarding a balanced state budget plan. Legislation to create a state lottery and legalize casino-style gambling, being touted as a cure for the state’s financial ills, has been approved by the Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee on a 6-2 vote. The bill will now go to the full Senate, where it is still considered very controversial. A nonprofit foundation created by business interests to push the bill is headed by former Auburn football coach Pat Dye, who was quoted as saying, “The long-term needs of state government, the education needs of the state would all be helped by taxing gambling.” As of this writing, we have dispersed $8,800 in Alabama-bred supplemental purse funds. That leaves us with a balance of $11,200 on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep the notifications coming in, either by email to nancy.m.delony@ms.com or by phone to (205) 969-7048. If you know of someone running an Alabama-bred, pass the information on. When people from out of state call regarding the Alabama supplemental purse, I like to ask where they heard about the program, and an overwhelming majority say they read about it in The Horsemen’s Journal. Proof that it pays to keep up with the National HBPA!
Elaine Carroll helps retired racehorses at her Bar-El Farm in Montgomery, Alabama. Once an OTTB is advanced enough in their re-training, Carroll seeks potential buyers that will be the perfect match. She matches a person with a horse based on personality, wants and needs. “It’s very important to me, along with the previous breeder/owner/trainer, that these horses are placed in homes that have the horse’s welfare at their best interest,” she added. “I have been very fortunate to be able to do that and made several friends who still stay in contact with me about their horse. I have had some amazing horses come here. They all have a piece of my heart.” ALABAMA HORSEWOMAN FINDS SECOND CAREERS FOR THOROUGHBREDS One special horse Carroll had named Earthquake ended up her personal It all starts with a glimmer of hope that the Thoroughbred foal a breeder horse after race retirement. Bred and raced in Louisiana by Maximo Lamarche delivers into the world will be a future Kentucky Derby winner. But considering and Federico Del Toro, he was re-trained and then competed by Bar-El Farm’s only one horse from approximately 22,000 foaled each year will make it to that main rider Sallie Johnson. Unfortunately, Carroll lost him to colic. coveted winner’s circle at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, to most, “Sallie and I were devastated,” she said. “He had such an eventing career it’s just an unrealized lifelong dream. ahead of him, so much talent.” That’s where Elaine Carroll of Bar-El Farm in Montgomery, Alabama, Even now it’s hard for Carroll to talk about him, and Sallie still rides with comes into the picture. She brings home some of the Thoroughbreds that aren’t his name engraved on her saddle. Shortly after Earthquake’s death, Carroll’s Kentucky Derby caliber. These off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) come to Carroll’s good friend Lora Pitre of Peach Lane Farms in Louisiana found Earthquake’s farm when their racing careers are over. Many retired racehorses are sound, weanling brother, purchased him and gave him to Carroll as a gift. Now a great horses but are just not fast enough to compete successfully on the track 3-year-old, he is at Bar-El, and Carroll has high hopes for him. any longer. Carroll re-trains these OTTBs for second careers such as in show OTTBs are quickly becoming known worldwide for being versatile, sturdy jumping, eventing, fox-hunting, dressage and trail riding. and willing to please. Thoroughbreds are more than the “first Saturday in May.” Carroll makes several trips a year to the Louisiana tracks, inspecting and choosing horses that she feels have potential in second careers. Because of the connections she has made in the breeding and racing industry there, she is ARIZONA HBPA able to visit the stable area that is restricted to horsemen licensed by the state racing commission. The Arizona HBPA and Turf Paradise track management are busy gearing “Most of the horses that come here are bred and raced by Marcia Lamarche up for the October 17 race meet kick-off. Stall applications were due August 9. and Lora Pitre,” she said. “I’m always excited about Mrs. Lamarche’s horses The bottom purse has been increased to $7,000 for the upcoming meet. because they are sound, have good brains and are easy to re-train.” The barn ends have been painted along with both racetrack rails. Management The horses Carroll chooses on these trips then go to her farm for re-training. is busy preparing the backstretch for the return of horsemen. Once a horse just off the track comes to Bar-El Farm, they usually are given about We hope to draw not only the returning natives but new barns as well. With one or two weeks to adjust to their new life away from the track. The horses usually Phoenix’s great winter weather, lots of recreational activities, like world-class settle into a routine very quickly. Depending on the individual, some are lunged for golf, and the length of the meet, Turf Paradise will be a draw for horsemen. We about a week or so and then started under saddle. Once under saddle, they start a anticipate an excellent jockey colony to return for the meet. lot of slow, methodical work. They learn how to stand to be mounted, walk quietly, Joining the staff at Turf Paradise for the upcoming meet will be Ramiro trot, canter both ways and how to bend and be supple going both directions. Flores as track superintendent and Robert Fox as track announcer. Ground poles are introduced, and then jumps are slowly added. Beginning July 1, the Arizona Department of Racing is now under the “I haven’t had a horse here who didn’t enjoy jumping,” Carroll said. direction of the Arizona Gaming Department. Under new Governor Doug Ducey, “Most of our horses go on to eventing careers and have done very well. These the departments were combined as a cost-saving measure to the state. At this are not finished horses but have had enough basics to go on to continue their time we are not clear as to the effect this will have on racing. training. The clients range from ages 14 to mid-40s, experienced young riders to The HBPA office will be open during the race meet on live racing days professionals.” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on Saturday and Sunday the hours will be 8 a.m. WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
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to 1 p.m. On dark days the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can contact the office by phone at (602) 942-3336, fax at (602) 866-3790 or email at azhbpa@outlook.com. We look forward to the upcoming race meet.
ARKANSAS HBPA OAKLAWN BUMPS PURSES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD STAKES The strongest Triple Crown prep schedule in the country just got even stronger for 2016. Oaklawn Park, where American Pharoah launched the first successful Triple Crown campaign in 37 years, has made several enhancements to its 2016 stakes schedule—most notably increasing the purse of the March 19 Rebel Stakes (G2) from $750,000 to $900,000. American Pharoah dominated both the Rebel and $1 million Arkansas Derby en route to his Triple Crown success this year. Oaklawn also increased the purse of the February 15 Southwest Stakes (G3) from $300,000 to $500,000. When coupled with the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes in January, Oaklawn now offers more than $2.5 million in stakes purses for 3-year-olds with Triple Crown aspirations. “It’s amazing to think of how far our 3-year-old stakes program has come over the last dozen years,” Director of Racing David Longinotti said. “The Rebel’s purse was $125,000 in 2003 and is now the richest prep in March. Thanks to the success of our overall business plan, we’ve been able to deliver on the promises we made to our racing fans several years ago. Our goal has always been to bring the highest quality of racing to Arkansas. This is a testament to that commitment.” Since 2004, when champion Smarty Jones won the Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby before victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Oaklawn’s 3-year-old stakes program has produced eight horses that have accounted for 12 Triple Crown race victories. In addition to Smarty Jones and American Pharoah, this list also includes dual Classic winner Afleet Alex, two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and champion 3-year-olds Summer Bird and Lookin at Lucky. Oaklawn has also significantly boosted purses for several of its key stakes for older horses, highlighted by the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), which was increased from $600,000 to $750,000 for 2016. The Razorback Handicap (G3), the last local prep for the Oaklawn Handicap on March 19, was increased $50,000 to $300,000. The boosts to the Oaklawn Handicap, which shares the card with the Arkansas Derby on April 16, and the Razorback, which is part of the Rebel Day undercard, help create two of the richest days in Oaklawn history. Rebel Day will feature $1.5 million in stakes purses, and Arkansas Derby Day will feature $2 million in stakes purses.
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“It’s going to be tough to duplicate this year’s Rebel Day when we had two champions making their seasonal debut with American Pharoah and Untapable in the Azeri, but we are definitely excited about the possibilities for 2016,” Longinotti said. “Multiple stakes days have proven successful all over the country, and we feel confident we have created two of the best days of racing in North America.” Other significant changes to the 2016 stakes schedule include a $100,000 increase to the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) on April 10, which will now be worth $400,000. The Carousel Stakes for older female sprinters on April 14 received a $50,000 boost to $150,000. In addition, all five Arkansasbred stakes were raised $25,000 to $100,000, and the Northern Spur and Instant Racing Stakes, which share the card with the Oaklawn Handicap and Arkansas Derby closing day, April 16, were both increased $25,000 to $125,000. Oaklawn’s 2016 live meet begins Friday, January 15, and continues through Saturday, April 16. The highlight of the season will once again be the Racing Festival of the South, which runs Saturday, April 9, through Saturday, April 16, and features nine stakes worth $3.65 million. OAKLAWN BEGINS WORK ON NEW BARN, OTHER STABLE AREA IMPROVEMENTS Oaklawn Park has begun construction of a new barn that will replace one of the oldest barns in the stable area and will be ready for the 2016 live racing season. The new barn, a steel beam and cinder-block wall construction, replaces Barn #2, one of the few remaining older, wooden barns in the stable area. It will be similar to the track’s most recent barn, which was constructed between the 2006 and 2007 live seasons and named after Smarty Jones. No word yet on which famous racehorse with ties to Oaklawn the new barn will be named for. “Long-range, we’d eventually like to replace all of the older barns with more modern structures,” Oaklawn Plant Superintendent John Hopkins said. “We’ve come a long way toward that goal already.” The removal of Barn #2, along with another structure that was used by the maintenance department, will allow Oaklawn to gain hundreds of additional public parking spaces. In addition, the oldest horse path to the racing surface is also being replaced by a new on/off gap positioned on the south turn. “Oaklawn has always been committed to racing first, and it’s exciting to be in a position where we can make improvements year after year to our racing program and stable area,” Director of Racing David Longinotti said. “Having Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby winner American Pharoah become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years was the most exciting moment in the history of Oaklawn, and we’re looking forward to continuing that momentum into next year.” Horses will begin arriving November 16. CHARLES TOWN HBPA ANALYZING THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE LIVE THOROUGHBRED HORSE RACING AND BREEDING INDUSTRY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY By Randy Funkhouser, Charles Town HBPA President For many years, the Thoroughbred industry has been the largest employer in Jefferson County. According to a 2012 economic impact study performed by the West Virginia University Better Business and Economic Research Bureau, this industry was calculated to provide 3,449 jobs, $48.8 million in yearly employee compensation and a total annual economic impact of $159.4
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million to Jefferson County. These figures represent only the impact by breeders, trainers, owners and their employees; obviously, it is much larger when Penn National Gaming Inc.’s business and employees are added to this total. What will Jefferson County do if we lose this industry? Local businesses (such as feed, tack and equipment suppliers; veterinarians; and insurance agents) will be jeopardized, farmers will lose their local market for the sale of hay and straw, children will be uprooted from the county school system as their families seek to find employment at tracks and farms elsewhere, welfare and community services will find it difficult if not impossible to provide care for those who remain to seek jobs, banks will suffer foreclosures, etc. How has our industry fallen into such dire straits? I suggest through a combination of adverse legislative actions and competition from neighboring states. When Jefferson County voted to allow slot machines at the track in 1996, the Racetrack Video Lottery Act’s legislative findings declared that the law was designed to protect the state’s pari-mutuel facilities: “The Legislature finds and declares that the existing pari-mutuel racing facilities in West Virginia provide a valuable tourism resource for this state and provide significant economic benefits to the citizens of this state through the provision of jobs and the generation of state revenues; that this valuable tourism resource is threatened because of a general decline in the racing industry and because of increasing competition from racing and lottery products offered by neighboring states; and that the survival of West Virginia’s pari-mutuel racing industry is in jeopardy unless modern lottery games are authorized at the racetracks.” The original Racetrack Video Lottery Act defined how revenue from slot machines would be distributed according to a formula defined in the law to various stakeholders: the state, the racetrack operators, purses, breeders funds, counties and municipalities, etc. The original distribution formula worked; out-of-state owners and breeders invested in new farms protecting agricultural green space, hired hundreds of resident citizens as employees “and provided millions of dollars of new economic revenue to the Eastern Panhandle. In 2001, however, the Legislature changed the revenue distribution formula through a 10 percent “benchmarking” bill that designated any revenue above revenue collected in 2001 as “excess terminal revenue.” “From 2002 through 2014, this bill has resulted in decreasing horsemen’s purses at Charles Town over $250 million from the statutory distribution contained in “the original bill. Another major revision enacted in 2005 established the Workers’ Compensation Debt Reduction Fund that reduced the percentage of revenue going to purses by $11 million per year and applied that to the state’s workers’ compensation debt fund. From 2005 through 2014, this bill has reduced horsemen’s purses at Charles Town by nearly $60 million. A provision in the original bill stipulated that whenever the workers’ compensation debt fund was paid in its entirety, the annual $11 million appropriated would revert back to the purse fund. It is projected that this debt will be paid in full in 2016, resulting in an anticipated $6 million annual infusion into our purse fund. However, last year in the first special session of the 2014 Legislature, this provision was changed and deemed to expire, and language was inserted to subject roughly half of all previously allocated purse monies to appropriation. Needless to say, this assault on purses and breeders awards has resulted in a combined decline in gross lottery terminal income from 15 percent in fiscal year 1995 to 9.7 percent in fiscal year 2013 to 6.3 percent in 2015. Purses for fiscal year 2015 are projected to be $27 million, a decline of nearly $4 million from fiscal year 2014, and $23 million for fiscal year 2016. This decline has created instability and uncertainty in our business, and with the passage of
last year’s bill, it will only get worse. Like any other businessmen, horsemen and breeders have to plan their business four to five years in advance, allowing time for mares to be bred and foal and the offspring to grow before racing. It is an expensive and risky business. Without a stable and adequate revenue source projected for the future, most horsemen will either move to another state or close down their farms and businesses. This appears to be completely inconsistent and contrary to the intent of the 2007 West Virginia legislative findings to the West Virginia Lottery Racetrack Table Games Act that states: “The Legislature finds that horse racing and dog racing and breeding play a critical role in the economy of this state, enhance the revenue collected at the racetracks, contribute vital revenues to the counties and municipalities in which the activities are conducted, provide for significant employment and protect and preserve green space and that a substantial state interest exists in protecting these industries. Furthermore, it finds that the breeding and racing of Thoroughbred horses is an integral part of West Virginia’s agriculture, and that agriculture is a critical ingredient in West Virginia’s economy. It further finds that the operation of table games pursuant to this article, at racetracks in this state that hold racetrack video lottery licenses and licenses to conduct horse or dog racing, will protect and preserve the horse racing and dog racing industries and horse and dog breeding industries, will protect and enhance the tourism industry in this state and indirectly benefit other segments of the economy of this state.” SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT THOROUGHBRED RACING IN JEFFERSON COUNTY The horse industry has been subjected to a shell game of legislative promises made followed by legislative promises broken. The people of Jefferson County cannot afford to allow our farms, tourism industry, agricultural green space and the thousands of jobs and economic dollars created by the horse industry in our county to be destroyed by these broken promises. The Charles Town HBPA urges all citizens in Jefferson County to show their support of this historic and vital economic industry by signing a resolution supporting live year-round Thoroughbred racing at Charles Town. Resolutions can be downloaded, signed by friends, neighbors and family members, and then mailed or delivered to the Charles Town HBPA Inc. office at 835 E. Washington St., Suite 106, Charles Town, WV 25414, or signed electronically on our website at cthbpa.com. WVRC RETIREMENT PLAN FOR BACKSTRETCH PERSONNEL Retirement plan account statements for plan years 2010 and 2011 are available in the HBPA office. Please stop by the office to pick up your copy. Please Note: These statements are for 2010 and 2011 only.
FLORIDA HBPA GULFSTREAM INCREASES PURSES 10 PERCENT On July 10, Gulfstream Park announced a 10 percent purse increase to begin July 23. The “spring” meet began when the Championship meet ended on April 6 and ran through June 30. During those 58 race days, overnights paid averaged just under $196,000 without including overnight handicaps, which are by definition part of the makeup of overnights. Including them would bring overnights paid to about $215,000 a day. Starters per race were a steady 8.1. The “summer” meet began July 1, and through July 26, overnights paid averaged just under $224,000 a day. When one included stakes, average purses WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
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paid for these 16 race days were more than $317,000. Don’t forget the Million Dollar Summit of Speed was run during this timeframe, which increased total purses paid significantly. Starters per race during this period averaged a healthy 8.9. The bottom line is that the spring and summer meets at Gulfstream are becoming more and more successful. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Kent Stirling and I have just returned to South Florida from the NHBPA Summer Convention in Denver. It was the first convention that I have attended, and I found it was time very well spent. The presentations and discussions were on issues that are global in nature but individually impact the various regions of the country. I found the information disseminated about governmental regulations and pending legislation to be most helpful. Updates on the never-ending medication and testing issues were well received. Being asked to be a speaker on one of the panels was flattering and a privilege. Thanks to the Colorado horsemen for sponsoring the event, which included an interesting trip to Arapahoe Park. Kudos to National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback and his team for putting on a first-class, well run and informative event. William P. White, Florida HBPA President DR. SELWAY LASIX STUDY World-renowned surgeon Dr. Stephen Selway has undertaken a possible six-month study on Lasix in 2-year-olds, specifically 2-year-olds that run in maiden special weight races. When Selway learned that Gulfstream was going to begin writing non-Lasix races for 2-year-olds in July, he decided this was a great opportunity to do a rather large study on 2-year-olds racing with and without Lasix. He proposed to scope for free every 2-year-old racing in a maiden special weight whether Lasix was permitted or not. He would scope these babies one to two hours after their race with an endoscope containing a camera. The recorded video image of the horse’s lung would then be sent to a panel of independent veterinarians to grade the degree of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH, or bleeding) on a scale of 0-4. The horse’s attending veterinarian could also be present to look through the scope, and any blood seen in the lungs would be reported only to the trainer and the attending veterinarian. Selway would then take a blood sample from the scoped horse, which would be sent to a laboratory in Colorado to be evaluated for the amount of Lasix that might or might not be in the sample. All of the results of Lasix detected in the sample would be confidential, as would the results of Selway’s scoping. Selway is to be congratulated for donating this immense amount of his time for what could be a very important Lasix study. All costs of doing this study, such as paying for blood samples to be evaluated, have been covered by Selway arranging private donations from some of the industry’s most wellknown owners. It appears that Gulfstream is writing a non-Lasix race in each condition book for maiden special weights, one for the boys and one for the girls. The first two non-Lasix races were carded for July 18 and 19, and both 4 ½-furlong races were split. The fillies raced fields of 12 and 10, and the next day the colt’s races both went with nine starters. Why the great interest in non-Lasix races? Two things: (1) they were run at the shortest distance carded, and (2) these race carried a $65,000 purse. The normal 2-year-old maiden race carries a purse of $48,000, so these non-Lasix races carried a 35 percent higher purse, which meant there was added incentive to run in the non-Lasix races. 46
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CHAPLAIN LAPOINTE’S “NEW” VAN Chaplain Tom LaPointe of His Place Ministries, which has served South Florida horsemen and their tracks for more than 20 years, realized that the 2003 Ford van with more than 170,000 miles on the odometer was on its last legs as a service vehicle, so he came to the FHBPA looking for help in securing a newer van, as the FHBPA had helped him purchase the van 10 years ago. Tom and his assistant chaplains use this vehicle to pick up food donations from the food bank, Whole Foods, 7-11 warehouse and BB&T sports arena. This food is distributed among those on the backside and among those in track maintenance. He also uses the van for special events like trips for backside employees and their children to places like the beach, the zoo, Rapids Waterpark and countless drift fishing trips. The “new” van, pictured with Chaplain LaPointe, is a 2014 Ford that seats 15 and only has 18,000 miles on the odometer. The FHBPA got together with Gulfstream Park, and they split most of the cost of this vehicle. The Chaplain said, “I am most appreciative of the financial assistance I received from the FHBPA and Gulfstream toward buying this van. This van permits me to do things I couldn’t do with the old van while never having to fear that our van would break down again. Whenever I need help with anything, the FHBPA is always there for me.” BACKSIDE DOINGS Thirty men, women and children from Gulfstream Park and Gulfstream Park West (formerly Calder) went to C.B. Smith Water Park for a day of fun and food (pictured)…Later, a larger group of 50 backsiders boarded a bus and also went for a day of fun and food at Rapids Water Park… Chaplain Tom LaPointe and his assistants also hosted barbecues at both Gulfstream facilities and beautiful Palm Meadows Training Center (pictured). More than 750 backsiders enjoyed the food and drink…The summer soccer league began with six teams participating.
INDIANA HBPA CANDIDATES NAMED FOR 2015 INDIANA HBPA ELECTION The Indiana HBPA will hold elections for its president and for all 10 board
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2015 INDIANA HBPA CANDIDATES President Joe Davis Michael Lauer Owner Candidates (5 seats available) Gale Bess Jerry Carden Blaine Davidson Kathryn Kunz Duran Penny Lauer Neil McCrary Kenneth Meyer Steve Phillips Larry Smallwood Roger Spiess Trainer Candidates (5 seats available) Chuck Brown Steve Fosdick Jay Holden Marvin Johnson Michael Lauer Michael Mann Donna Taylor
Ray Paquette
Dennis Claramunt Kim Hobson Ron McKay Merrill Roberts Diana Weaver
Kim Hammond Randy Klopp Tianna Richardville
2015 NUMBERS: SO FAR, SO GOOD At the halfway point of the 2015 meet, the Thoroughbred handle has generated much-improved numbers, aided by enhanced simulcast revenues. The live handle is down by just under 10 percent. This is possibly a reflection of day racing on Fridays this year versus night racing on Fridays last year. The good news is, however, overall handle at Indiana Grand is up approximately 20 percent compared to the same race date last year. The gaming revenues at Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand that drive a significant portion of our funding are slightly up compared to last year. Revenues run one month behind, so the July comparison is reflective of June revenues. For fiscal year 2016, we are roughly $440,000 ahead of last year’s slot revenues, after one month in the new fiscal year.
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of directors positions this year. Eligible members interested in running for office could nominate themselves by entering their names at the HBPA trailer through July 1. Then a general nomination meeting was held July 2 at 11 a.m. in the track kitchen. For 15 days after the nomination meeting, eligible candidates also had the opportunity to have their names entered if they turned in a petition supported by 15 eligible members’ signatures. No one entered the election via petition this year. Election committee members Cindy Huber, Mike Weaver and Mike Nance met and certified eligibility. By August 15, eligible candidates filed biographies and position papers with the Indiana HBPA executive director. Those biographies and position papers were compiled, with ballots and return envelopes, and sent to all eligible Indiana HBPA voters before September 1. This year, eligibility requirements for voting include payment of $5 per start in dues by trainers and owners. Dues must be paid up, in accordance with the Indiana HBPA Bylaws, within 30 days in order for a member to be eligible to vote. On October 1, all ballots will be counted and totaled at the office of the accounting firm supervising the HBPA election process, in the presence of the HBPA election committee and candidate representatives. The new board and officers will begin their three-year terms on October 8. All election procedures are defined and governed by the Indiana HBPA Bylaws and Constitution passed by the board and approved by Indiana HBPA members in December 2014. If you have questions about the election process, contact Executive Director Mike Brown at (317) 903-4382 or brownpreston@indy.rr.com.
We are working to find a way to shift revenue into the Indiana program from the unrestricted program. Because of the large number of Indiana program races needed to fill cards early in the meet when open races were not filling, Breed Development funds—and, ultimately, races—are being closely watched. If nothing changes, the Indiana Grand race office says it will have not much more than $40,000 average per day for the rest of the 2015 meet in available funds for breed development races. At press time, the results of President Joe Davis’ efforts to work with track officials to shift additional revenue into the Indiana program were still unknown.
IOWA HBPA BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THOROUGHBRED RACING AND BREEDING IN IOWA Country music superstar Toby Keith is among those who are convinced that blue skies remain ahead for the Iowa Thoroughbred industry and for racing at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino. “I have the ability to race my horses anywhere in the country, but I send them to Iowa because the purses are lucrative, the racing is competitive, the racing surface is safe and always well-maintained, the facility is fan-friendly and modern, and the staff does a great job,” said Keith, the owner of Dream Walkin’ Farms, which won the $100,000 Saylorville Stakes with Ghost Locket during the prestigious Prairie Meadows Festival of Racing on June 26. Over the past few years and with bipartisan support in both houses of the state Legislature and from Governor Terry Branstad, a longtime supporter of racing, the Thoroughbred industry has stabilized in Iowa and continues to support the statewide agricultural network. Favorable legislation passed in 2011 established a minimum of 67 live Thoroughbred racing dates at Prairie Meadows each year and a minimum 11 percent of the facility’s gross gaming revenues for purses each year. Since those issues were resolved, the Iowa HBPA, which represents more than 1,200 Thoroughbred owners and trainers, and the management team of Prairie Meadows have moved forward in a spirit of cooperation with impressive results that bode well for the future. In a single year—2014 to 2015—the positive results include the following: • Thoroughbred breeding in Iowa increased 17 percent. This counters the national trend in which foal crops have stayed flat. • Combined on-track and off-track wagering at Prairie Meadows increased 19 percent. • Attendance on-track is up. Year-to-date through June is above yearly projections of 4.6 percent. • Horsemen and women from out-of-state and around the country are coming to Iowa to participate in the Thoroughbred program and are contributing to the local and state economy. • Prairie Meadows’ backside stall use is up 5 percent during its peak usage. • Starters per race average 7.3 and remain stable, while other tracks in the region and across the country have difficulty filling races. “The upswing we are experiencing is dramatic, and every trend indicates that will continue,” said Leroy Gessmann, president of the Iowa HBPA and a longtime owner and breeder in the state and also the newly elected president of the National HBPA. “Although there were some tough issues we had to work through, the horsemen and track management have come together to ensure that the Thoroughbred industry not only survives but thrives in this state that has a long and proud history with horse racing.”
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Gary Palmer, president and CEO of Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, said, “We see racing continuing to be a part of our overall business and don’t have any plans or desires to change that. Horse racing is integral to the state of Iowa’s agricultural business and benefits the state substantially by having this homegrown industry. While we may invest $20 million in purses and another $10 million in running the racing operation, the economic impact of horse racing in our state is significant.” While there has been some recent opposition expressed concerning Prairie Meadows’ live racing schedule change, Palmer explained the reasoning. “Horse racing is an added incentive to bring fans and their families out to the entire complex, which is why Prairie Meadows advocated a Thursday through Sunday racing schedule,” he said.
2016 RACING MEET AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS Next year’s race meet has been tentatively agreed to regarding purses and race dates contingent on Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approval. The Iowa HBPA and Prairie Meadows were informed by the commission that all yearly outstanding issues needed to be resolved a couple of months earlier than usual. With that in mind, both Prairie Meadows and horsemen worked hard not only to meet the new deadline but also to beat it by at least a month. The inset calendar is the agreed upon race days with the post times yet to be determined. Please check the Iowa HBPA Facebook page for the latest information on the 2016 race meet.
EIGHTH ANNUAL IOWA CLASSIC PARADE The Iowa HBPA participated in Prairie Meadows’ eighth annual Iowa Classic Parade. The theme this year was “racing.” The float for the HBPA was brought together with the help of Mike Mescher. Mike is the proud owner of the customized El Camino with the appropriate racing flair needed for this year’s parade theme. Many thanks also to this year’s parade participants—jockey Terry Thompson’s son and daughters. Terry’s son Damian, dressed in jockey silks, rode with the model of Iowa-bred Sure Shot Biscuit, while Terry’s two daughters, Baleigh and Sydni, walked alongside the car passing out candy and baseball cards that highlighted the racing career of Iowa’s first million-dollar racehorse. PRAIRIE MEADOWS 2015 MEET COMES TO AN END Prairie Meadows’ 2015 meet ended on August 8 for a total of 67 days of racing. The meet was highlighted by the running of the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap on June 27. The Cornhusker was won by Golden Lad, who is owned by E. Paul Robsham Stables LLC and trained by Todd Pletcher. Two other Grade 3 stakes where held that day, the Iowa Derby and Iowa Oaks. The Derby was won by Bent on Bourbon, owned by Bourbon Lane Stables and trained by Eddie Kenneally. The Oaks was won by Sarah Sis, who is owned by Joe Ragsdale and trained by Ingrid Mason. The final day of races was capped off with Iowa Classic Night. Seven Iowa-bred stakes comprised the race card featuring the best horses Iowa has to offer. The Donna Reed (filly and mare) and Ralph Hayes (colts and gelding) stakes for older horses were won by Rallydownthealley and Oh My Gravy, respectively. Rallydownthealley is owned by Danny Caldwell and trained by Federico Villafranco. Oh My Gravy is owned by Russel Placzek and trained by Kelly Von Hemel. The Dan Johnson Memorial Sprint, run in recognition of the longtime Prairie Meadows racing supporter and writer for the Des Moines Register, was won by Shock Hazard, who is owned by Jody Mueller and trained by Jon Arnett.
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TWO HONOREES ENTERED PRAIRIE MEADOWS HALL OF FAME ON AUGUST 7 Press Release from Prairie Meadows Prairie Meadows selected two honorees to enter this year’s Hall of Fame on August 7: Jack Peters—Peters is one of 10 brothers and sisters raised on his parents’ farm in Clifton, Illinois. In 2009 Peters retired after 45 years in agribusiness, having held various management positions during his career in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. Peters served as chairman of the board of directors for Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack and Hotel and currently sits as past chair. He breeds and raises American Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds and races them in Iowa, Oklahoma, Indiana and Minnesota. He served two consecutive terms as president of the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association and has been a member of the American Quarter Horse Association’s Racing Committee for eight years. Peters also served two years on the American Feed Board. In his leisure time, Peters and his wife, Charlotte, enjoy spending time with their five children and 11 grandchildren. Chuck Schott—Schott is from Perry, Iowa, and has lived there since 1967. He has served as the service manager at Burk Ford Sales, the manager of Bruce Thoroughbred Farm and the horsemen’s liaison at Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack and Hotel. Schott also served as past president of the Iowa Service Managers Club and the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners
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IOWA HBPA NON-RACING OFFICE HOURS With racing now complete at Prairie Meadows for this season, the office off-season hours will go into effect. The hours will be approximately Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can contact the Iowa HBPA at (515) 967-4804 or via email at info@iowahbpa.org.
KENTUCKY HBPA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The effort to end the use of Lasix (Salix or furosemide) on race day has ramped up considerably. As I reported earlier, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission passed a regulation that would allow Kentucky racetracks the opportunity to card and run Lasix-free races. While they maintain there would only be a very limited number of Lasix-free races offered, there is nothing in the language of the regulation indicating the number of Lasix-free races that can be scheduled. We have been meeting with legislators and appearing at hearings to voice our opposition to the regulation. We appreciate the efforts of Dr. Clara Fenger and Peter Ecabert, general counsel of the National HBPA, on behalf of horsemen. By now you have probably heard of the federal legislation that would appoint the United States Anti-Doping Association (USADA) to oversee the racing industry’s medication program. The legislation is the product of The Jockey Club’s efforts. The media blitz that accompanied the rollout of the bill is laced with inaccuracies. First, The Jockey Club would have you believe that the horsemen’s and tracks’ veto rights of simulcasting, in accordance with the Interstate Horseracing Act, are unchanged. However, if the tracks and horsemen agree to send the simulcast signal to certain states, USADA can then override that decision and choose not to send to those jurisdictions. This added layer of USADA’s veto power could be devastating to purses, since nearly 90 percent of our purses are generated from simulcasting revenue. Next, the cost of USADA’s involvement, estimated in the range of $20 to $40 million by The Jockey Club’s own accounts, will be funded strictly by horsemen as a fee for running their horses. Finally, the legislation will eliminate race-day Lasix under the guise of achieving consistency with international Thoroughbred horse racing jurisdictions. Matt Iuliano, executive director of The Jockey Club, when asked, sidestepped the issue of eliminating Lasix by claiming USADA would ultimately make the call on such issues. It is especially disheartening to see Congressman Andy Barr’s name as a sponsor of the legislation. Earlier, he had assured members of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Kentucky HBPA in a joint meeting that he supported uniform medication nationwide, which included race-day Lasix. We urge all horsemen to unite against this horrible piece of legislation, which will: • Eliminate race-day Lasix. • Allow USADA to endanger our purses by arbitrarily vetoing simulcasting to other states. • Allow USADA to charge an enormous fee to run your horses. Contact the KHBPA to see how your voice can be heard.
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Association and was a regional director for the Racetrack Chaplaincy Program of America and a member of the American Quarter Horse Association’s Racing Committee. Schott and his wife, Katie, have been married for 48 years. They have a son, Timothy, and a daughter, Ann, both married and living in Des Moines. The Schotts are also blessed with five wonderful grandchildren.
Good luck in your racing endeavors, Rick Hiles, Kentucky HBPA President GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT Horsemen who are informed by the stewards that they have a positive test are thrust into a situation that may jeopardize their reputation and in some instances their livelihood. Testing has become so sophisticated that positives are regularly listed in picograms (i.e., trillionths of a gram). Contamination from other sources, including human contact, horses shipping into receiving stalls that have not been properly sanitized and a host of other viable possibilities, can create a scenario that even the most cautious trainers may find themselves in by being in the unenviable position of defending themselves against a positive test for a horse under their care. The trainer responsibility rule (TRR) requires that a trainer will be responsible for the presence of a prohibited drug, medication substance or metabolic derivative, including permitted medication in excess of the maximum concentration in horses in his or her care. Additionally, a trainer will prevent the administration of a drug, medication, substance or metabolic derivative that may constitute a violation of this administration. In many jurisdictions, stewards take the TRR to mean there is no defense to the trainer’s predicament. There are no mitigating circumstances that can alleviate or lessen the established penalties for the various classifications of medications found in the horse’s system. A substance may be found in a horse’s system in such a minute amount that it could have no pharmacological effect on the horse’s performance. Yet, “a positive is a positive” is the customary response from stewards to this defense. It is frustrating to horsemen when they determine the reason for the overage in their horse’s system may be totally unrelated to anything that they have intentionally done, but because of the TRR, they are still held accountable. However, recent decisions in various commission and court proceedings may provide horsemen with at least an opportunity to explain the justification as to why the horse’s sample was compromised. Then the stewards or hearing officers will be required to consider the mitigating circumstances and use their discretion in deciding the outcome. One such decision is that of Daniel Werre, who was contacted by the stewards and informed that the post-race sample of one of the horses he trains who had recently won revealed traces of levamisole, a Class A prohibited substance. Werre explained during his initial hearing with the stewards that his horse was not intentionally administered the medication. In fact, another of his horses was being treated with levamisole to treat equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in the stall adjacent to the horse with the positive. The split sample indicated that the substance was identified at a rate of 2.6 nanograms. A nanogram is one billionth of a gram. The stewards, after hearing the evidence, found Werre liable for a Class A violation. They suspended his license for one year and fined him $5,000. In addition, the stewards ordered disqualification of the horse and a forfeiture of the purse. Werre subsequently appealed the stewards’ ruling, but as is often the case, the administrative hearing officer determined that Werre was ultimately responsible under the trainer responsibility rule and recommended that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) affirm the stewards’ ruling. Werre next filed an appeal with Franklin Circuit Court. He raised several issues in his petition including: (1) the stewards failed to consider mitigating circumstances, (2) the classification of levamisole as a Class A substance is per se arbitrary and capricious, (3) the classification of levamisole as a Class A substance violates Werre’s right of due process of the law and (4) the KHRC failed to demonstrate the propriety of the penalty imposed. WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
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The court overruled the KHRC on several issues. Judge Phillip Shepherd found that there were numerous mitigating circumstances that the KHRC failed to consider when imposing a penalty requiring a one-year suspension of Werre’s training license. Judge Shepherd also indicated in his ruling that the KHRC has misclassified levamisole as a Class A substance. He explained that a Class A substance is described as having no legitimate therapeutic indication in the equine athlete and has not been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Yet, levamisole has both a therapeutic use and is FDA-approved. The improper classification of levamisole led the KHRC to impose a penalty on Werre that was not proportionate to the seriousness of the violation, and this should have been regarded as a mitigating circumstance. The KHRC’s failure to consider the mitigating circumstance described above when penalizing Werre was an abuse of discretion. Given this internal inconsistency, the court agreed that the classification of levamisole as a Class A substance is arbitrary and capricious. Judge Shepherd was highly critical of Dr. Mary Scollay, KHRC equine medical director. He cited two separate instances, Stewart v. KHRC and the present case, where Scollay, the expert witness for the KHRC, testified that she was unaware of any literature describing the effect of levamisole on horses. In the present case, Scollay appeared again as the expert witness for the KHRC and testified that in her opinion levamisole has a stimulatory effect on horses and that was based on literature she read about humans using levamisole to cut cocaine. Judge Shepherd decided that Scollay’s testimony in Stewart was similar to the testimony she provided in this case (i.e., the attempt to extrapolate the potential effects of a drug on the horse solely from literature concerning its effect on humans). In Stewart as here, Judge Shepherd determined that the KHRC cannot meet its burden and prove the propriety based on evidence about the effects of drugs on humans. Accordingly, based on the evidence, the court found that the KHRC did not meet its burden of showing the propriety of the one-year suspension of Werre’s trainer’s license and overruled the KHRC in favor of Werre. In 2014, Princess of Sylmar finished second in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap for trainer Todd Pletcher. Her post-race test results revealed an overage of the corticosteroid betamethasone. The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) has established thresholds for 26 medications, including betamethasone, which make up the National Uniform Medication Policy. In a newsletter circulated by Indiana Horse Racing Commission Executive Director Joe Gorajec, he provides a question-andanswer section from RMTC Executive Director Dionne Benson, DVM. Benson, in response to the question “How were the thresholds developed?”, explains as follows, “The majority of the thresholds were developed using research studies funded by the RMTC or studies shared with the RMTC from similar international studies…Most of the studies have been published or are in the process of being published in peer-reviewed journals.” Yet during a recent National HBPA medication panel discussion, experts emphasized that 19 of the 26 medications with established thresholds have no research to support the findings. Karen Murphy, Pletcher’s attorney, successfully argued that the betamethasone regulation was built on a foundation of sand. She advised that any state considering adopting the uniform medication regulations developed by the RMTC should hit the pause button. “You cannot defend a regulation without peer-reviewed research,” Murphy explained. Apparently, Delaware’s Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Division agreed with Murphy’s assessment, since he recommended the case against Pletcher be dropped.
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The decisions in both the Werre and Pletcher cases may be instrumental to horsemen attempting to prove their innocence in an unjust medication violation. HORSEMEN SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR JACK CONWAY AS GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY During the Churchill Downs spring race meeting, KHBPA Vice Presidents Frank Jones and Dale Romans, along with other horsemen, held a successful fundraiser for Jack Conway’s quest to become the next governor of Kentucky. Ron Geary, owner and operator of Ellis Park, in conjunction with the Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis, sponsored another popular event with Conway, which was well attended. Conway presented the trophy to the winning connections of Groupie Doll Stakes winner Call Pat, who is owned by Myron Miller and trained by Brad Cox. Conway is currently Kentucky’s Attorney General and is also an owner of Thoroughbred racehorses with his father, Tom Conway, who is a director of KHBPA. It is vitally important for Kentucky’s racing industry to support Jack Conway for governor. He has first-hand knowledge of the importance of racing, both for the jobs it creates and for Kentucky’s economy. THE HBPA IS YOU The HBPA, established in 1940, is an organization of owners and trainers numbering approximately 30,000 nationally in 23 states and Canada and more than 6,000 in Kentucky. The association is governed by a board of directors consisting of owners and trainers volunteering their time and elected by the membership every three years. The HBPA is committed to working for the betterment of racing on all levels. The HBPA represents owners and trainers on several fronts: • The HBPA is present in negotiating sessions with each racetrack regarding purse structure, equitable share of simulcast revenues, overall track safety, sanitation and security. • The HBPA provides benevolence to horsemen in need, education and recreation programs to the backstretch, and various insurance packages that include—free of charge to members—fire and disaster insurance and claiming coverage. Visit one of the fully staffed HBPA offices at the currently running racetrack in Kentucky for details. • The HBPA works in conjunction with the chaplaincy program and the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund to provide support and benefits for horsemen. • The HBPA supports scientific research and marketing initiatives on a regional and national level to help promote interest in Thoroughbred racing. • The HBPA is at the forefront in litigation and legislation on issues involving horsemen’s rights in regard to interstate simulcasting, proprietary rights, casino gambling, therapeutic medication, sports betting and many other areas of concern to horsemen. How can I join? You are invited to drop by the HBPA office to meet the staff and learn more about current projects and how you can get involved in helping to improve the industry. There are no membership fees. Remember, this is your organization. Become an active participant and one of the horsemen helping horsemen. To join, all you need to do is fill out our membership card and fax, mail or email it back to us. For more information, please visit our website at kyhbpa.org and click on “How to Join.”
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LOUISIANA HBPA
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs 2015 Race Meet
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LOUISIANA HBPA RACING EMPLOYEES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDRAISER Racing Employees Assistance Program (REAP) is an organization that supports the good work of our Chaplain Dwight Brown and provides financial assistance to horsemen in need. REAP held its annual fundraiser at Evangeline Downs in late July. First was the David P. Banks Memorial Golf Tournament held at Farm d’Allie Golf Course in Carencro. The tournament was a huge success with 16 teams playing. Boyd Gaming and Evangeline Downs provided lunch for all players. Later that week, we held a REAP “Night at the Races.” Our sponsors presented trophies for each race to both the winning owner and jockey. The winner of the reverse drawing was Dwayne Gallineau, winning $3,000. The silent auction was a raging success. For all our efforts, we raised in excess of $26,000. We would like to thank everyone who supported this year’s events. If you would like to help REAP, contact Charlotte Clavier at (337) 234-2382. BACKSIDE BENEVOLENCE FUND BANQUET The Backside Benevolence Fund held its annual Chaplain’s Awards Banquet on September 10 at the Horseshoe River Dome in Bossier City. The evening included a live auction, silent auction and raffle. Proceeds from the event help the fund continue its support of the Louisiana Downs Chaplaincy, thrift store and laundromat. If you would like to help the fund, please contact Chaplain Jimmy Sistrunk at (318) 560-7466.
MICHIGAN HBPA 2015 HAZEL PARK MEET: WHAT HAPPENED? 1. Why did the Hazel Park meet end on August 8 instead of September 12? There was a shortage of funds in the Thoroughbred account to fund races beyond August 8. 2. How much money was needed to complete our dates for 2015? Our shortage for overnight funding was between $400,000 and $500,000 to finish the meet. 3. Why did we run out of purse money? Hazel Park and the MiHBPA applied for 40 days of Thoroughbred racing in October 2014. This application was based on the facts on hand at that time, specifically that all three racetracks in Michigan would continue operations in 2015. We did not anticipate that the Standardbreds would not sign an agreement with Sports Creek for 2015, allowing the continuation of funding for purses at other tracks. We had hoped that the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) would have granted an extension in contract talks at Sports Creek to allow that track to continue operations. We also did not foresee that the MGCB would close Sports Creek on January 1, 2015. The closure of Sports Creek alone resulted in a reduction of $400,000 of purse money available for Thoroughbreds at Hazel Park. 4. What was done in January 2015 to compensate for the loss of the Sports Creek money? The Hazel Park meet began with an overall reduction of purses by 7 percent over 2014. Additionally, the MiHBPA recognized that we would be able to save about $150,000 in purse money by reducing the number of races per day to eight races instead of nine races per day. This has been done in past years in Michigan, and this is exactly what was being done in many other (and much more profitable) racetracks throughout the country this year, like Arlington, Thistledown, Santa Anita, etc. This request was denied by the MGCB. 54
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Hazel Park continues to draw big crowds for Thoroughbred racing.
As the Hazel Park meet continued, the starting fees and the purses were further cut three times to save money for
funding of the overnight purses. 5. What else was being done to cover the shortage? There is more than $1 million sitting in an “escrow fund” overseen by the MGCB. This is money that was generated by Hazel Park Raceway and, by statute, is earmarked for use by Hazel Park for Standardbred/harness racing at Hazel Park. Since the Standardbreds no longer race at Hazel Park, it was anticipated that the MGCB would re-appropriate these funds to Thoroughbreds and/or Standardbreds. Since there is nothing specifically in the racing act that directs how this money should be divided, the MGCB chose to let the money sit in escrow and not be distributed. Hazel Park earned the money and believed that the funds should stay at Hazel Park for Thoroughbreds. The Standardbred association (Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association) believed that all or most of the million dollars should be transferred to Northville Downs for use in purses at that track. We (the MiHBPA) believed that the money should be split, either 60-40 or 50-50, between the two tracks and the two breeds. In the end, our letter to the MGCB clearly indicated that a split of the million dollars on a 50-50 basis would allow Hazel Park to complete our 40 days and the 2015 meet. The MGCB declined that request as well and issued an order to end the meet. It is unfortunate that the MGCB, via its communications and press releases, decided to attribute the early closure of Hazel Park Thoroughbred racing to “overspending” while ignoring the impact of the Sports Creek closure and the refusal to allow eight races instead of nine races per day. The MGCB could have also used its discretionary authority to help promote Thoroughbred racing by making any decision regarding the million dollars held in escrow. 6. Why are we in this situation to begin with? Since Governor Granholm issued an administrative order placing horse racing with the Michigan Gaming Control Board, seven tracks have closed. Those closures have created a stress factor on the remainder of the industry due to an outdated set of regulatory laws that “pool” the financial resources of the tracks and distribute them in an unfair and uneven manner. Currently, Hazel Park and Thoroughbred racing contribute more than 65 percent into this “pool,” but our return distribution is less than 47 percent. We are seeking legislation to properly and fairly correct these issues. 7. How do we fix this? Our legislative proposal includes a “breed-specific distribution model” that clearly states that money earned on Thoroughbred wagering goes to Thoroughbred purses and money wagered on Standardbred races goes to Standardbred purses. This is one of many clear, fair and much-needed changes that need to be made to the outdated 1995 Racing Act. 8. What else can we look forward to? Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW). It is currently estimated that $100 million is wagered illegally in Michigan every year through out-of-state ADW providers. None of this illegal revenue goes to the state of Michigan, the
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MEET TRACK ANNOUNCER JOSH BROWN Aside from the continuation of the recordbreaking crowds attending the races at Hazel Park this year, one of the absolute “bright spots” of this meet was the new race announcer. Over the roaring crowd, we hear Josh Brown’s building enthusiasm as he calls the positions of the horses. As the Thoroughbreds turn for home and while the American Quarter Horses are streaking for the finish line, Josh keeps everyone at the edge of their seats with his engaging and Josh Brown enthusiastic style. Aside from calling the races every night at Hazel Park, Josh hosts the closed-circuit handicapping show prior to each race. Josh, 37, hails from Hershey, Pennsylvania, and was a former caller at Charles Town, Penn National, Rosecroft and Ocean Downs. “I do what I love,” Josh stated. And that he does. Asked if he will return for the 2016 meet, Josh has every intention. “The crowds are amazing at Hazel Park,” he said. “It makes it more exciting with such enthusiastic fans.”
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MINNESOTA HBPA It’s been a busy summer in the Midwest this year; there have been many days of cliffhangers, close calls, record-breaking mutuel payouts, record handle and record attendance! In addition to marketing a great horse racing card, Canterbury puts on a great show that draws avid race fans and families alike, including racing zebras, camels, wiener dogs (on the Fourth of July), bull dogs, mascots and children (every Sunday after the races)! In addition to zebras and camels, the “Extreme Day” card had some interesting match-ups. How does a two-furlong Thoroughbred race, a 110yard American Quarter Horse race or a combined turf and dirt race run simultaneously sound? KIDS SUMMER CAMP This season the MN HBPA partnered with a local church, community education, the YMCA, a 4-H program and other local organizations to send
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racetracks or the horsemen. A pilot ADW product is in place at Hazel Park and has been waiting for approval from the MGCB for more than one year. Interestingly, Advanced Depot Lottery (Internet Lottery) was quickly approved in Michigan this year and is showing considerable growth. Let’s not forget that on any given live Thoroughbred racing night at Hazel Park, more Michigan racing fans come to watch live Thoroughbred races than all of the Ohio tracks, West Virginia tracks and Pennsylvania tracks combined. Our horsemen, our fans and our partners in the agricultural community all recognize this. It is our continued hope that Lansing and the MGCB will, at some point, also pay attention to our efforts.
the backside children to a summer day camp. While their parents were training and tending to the needs of the horses, the kids received free breakfast and/or lunch and participated in activities, such as playing soccer, working on crafts, swimming, reading and learning about water safety, health techniques and instruction for safety while home alone. The 12- to 16-year-olds had opportunities to participate in local soccer programs, and local participants came to Canterbury Park to make use of the activity-friendly infield of the training track for sports and the chapel for some basic science instruction, like rocket-building and robotics. Patrick Simmons, originator of the Esperanza summer program, stated, “Growth of the program is expected to continue as other community businesses and organizations become involved, as the HBPA did this summer. Their involvement allowed us to expand. “The first years we had soccer for kids ages 12 to 16 on Mondays and Wednesdays, but we’ve added Tuesdays and Thursdays this year because of the space Canterbury provides and because of the financial support,” he added. MINNESOTA RACING INDUSTRY STRENGTHENS THE GROOM POPULATION THROUGH GROOM ELITE On July 1, the MN HBPA held a graduation ceremony and dinner celebrating the certification of the 13th groom education class of the Groom Elite Program. Available through a grant from the Minnesota Racing Commission (MRC), a class of 14 composed of grooms, owners and an assistant trainer received certification in various levels of the Elite Program. Jesse Overton, former MRC chair who himself is a graduate of the 101, 201 and Elite Trainer programs, was a guest speaker. He remarked how the MN HBPA has been an industry leader in offering classes and lectures in basic and continuing education for the various interests and occupational groups connected with the racing industry. Minnesota’s program has been an amazing and somewhat unique model for the industry. Canterbury Park has been a great supporter of this program, evidenced by its continued contributions of daily class lunches and hosting a wonderful buffet for the graduates and their families and friends. In addition to track and private practice veterinarians and track security, we have many trainers and volunteers to help in teaching the class and doing assessments. Requests for the next class are already starting to come in! As our 2015 meeting comes to a close, with the final day of the live meet September 12, we are grateful for the new trainers who have made Canterbury Park their home for the summer and for dedicated returning horsemen, whose reappearance shows that there is no better place to race! Mark your calendar to be in Minnesota in 2016 for increased purses and summer fun!
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MOUNTAINEER PARK HBPA WEST VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RACING INDUSTRY The West Virginia Racing Commission established a committee to make recommendations to the West Virginia Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, which was charged with studying the racing and gaming industry. The commission committee was divided into subcommittees to make recommendations on various issues such as marketing, racing days and schedules; modernizing the code; and revenue enhancement and economic growth. This is the first time a committee of participants from throughout the industry has been asked to work together to provide constructive solutions to the problems the racing industry is facing. The committee was scheduled to have a report completed by the end of August.
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WEST VIRGINIA DERBY: A GREAT DAY FOR RACING Todd Pletcher, a seven-time recipient of the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding trainer, won the Grade 2, $750,000 Madefromlucky West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort with Madefromlucky. Madefromlucky drew clear in the final furlong to prevail by 1 ½ lengths under jockey Joe Bravo. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of nine, Madefromlucky registered a final time of 1:51.40 for the 1 1/8-mile distance on a fast track. Wagering from all sources on the nine-stakes Mountaineer card totaled $3,003,673, up 6.6 percent from West Virginia Derby Day last year. The feature Looks to Spare was fortified by arguably the finest undercard in Mountaineer’s history. Looks to Spare claimed victory in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes. Claimed for $5,000 last April and appearing in a field loaded with accomplished graded stakes horses, Looks to Spare took the lead in mid-stretch and drew off under DeShawn Parker to a 2 ½-length score for trainer Otabek Umarov. The 5-year-old gelding, who went off at 74-1, returned $150.60 for a $2 win wager—the highest payout ever for any stakes on a West Virginia Derby card. 56
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DeShawn Parker is the all-time leading jockey in career wins at Mountaineer with 4,524. He also holds the track record for stakes wins with 19. 2015 RACING SCHEDULE The West Virginia Racing Commission recently ruled to reduce the number of live racing days at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, which would end the racing meet on October 17. The legislative reductions to the purse account have dramatically reduced the funding, resulting in the need to reduce days. WEST VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION RETIREMENT PLAN FOR BACKSTRETCH WORKERS The West Virginia Racing Commission Retirement Plan for Backstretch Workers prior to 2009 has been distributed. If you were a participant and have not received this final distribution, please contact the HBPA office. The contributions in the new retirement plan for program years 2010 and 2011 have been allocated, and reports are also available in the HBPA office. The Mountaineer Park HBPA has recently updated its webpage at mphbpa.com. Also, visit our Facebook page for announcements and information.
NEBRASKA HBPA The Nebraska HBPA has moved its home office from Omaha to Columbus, Nebraska. The new mailing address is: Nebraska HBPA, P.O. Box 1440, Columbus, NE 68602. Please make the appropriate changes to our address, as mail will no longer be accepted at the old address. Also, Carolyn Legenza has been named the new secretary/treasurer for the Nebraska affiliate. Legenza has been working for the past several years as the horsemen’s bookkeeper at the tracks. She will continue to serve in that capacity as well. If you have any questions about our new contact information, please ask Carolyn or Lynne Schuller. Linda Hoffman will also continue to work in the HBPA office at the tracks and will take on some additional responsibilities as well.
NEW ENGLAND HBPA SUFFOLK DOWNS TO RACE THREE DAYS THIS FALL By Lynne Snierson There will be live racing after all at Suffolk Downs in 2015, thanks to the New England HBPA chapter funding the rent of the racing facility and the operating costs from pari-mutuel revenue. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission gave formal approval on August 6 to the application of Suffolk Downs for racing on September 5, October 3 and October 31—all Saturdays—and the average daily purse distribution will be in excess of $500,000. Each of the three Saturdays will be presented as a festival of racing, with fun for the entire family and a host of complementary children’s activities. Last September, the ownership of Suffolk Downs announced that when the 2014 meet concluded that year on October 4, it would mark the end of live racing at the 80-year-old track. The decision came as a consequence of the track’s gaming partner, Mohegan Sun, being by-passed by the gaming commission for the single Boston area casino license in favor of Wynn Resorts, which is developing a $1.75 billion casino only two miles from the stable gate at Suffolk Downs.
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OHIO HBPA About one month of live racing remains in a record season at Thistledown. The average daily purse distribution this season is the highest in the more than 80-year history of the track at more than $155,000 per day.
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The New England chapter of the HBPA initially hoped to lease the track and operate a meet of up to 65 days this year, but due to a significant shortage of race-ready horses as well as sufficient funds to cover operating and administrative costs, it soon became obvious that a meet with more than three days was neither possible nor economically viable. The NEHBPA Board of Directors was then able to work out a two-year agreement, which is supported by the board of the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, with Suffolk Downs for the abbreviated meet. The gaming commission also approved the distribution of $1.2 million for purses for the three days from the state’s new Race Horse Development Fund, which was established as part of the 2011 expanded gaming legislation to help the struggling Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. Additional funding was released from the fund to cover a portion of the operating and administrative costs of the NEHBPA. The fund is supplied by a percentage of the license fees and revenue from the sole slots parlor and three future casinos, and the total allotment for the two breeds is to be split 75 percent/25 percent, Thoroughbred to Standardbred, with 80 percent for purses, 16 percent for breeders and 4 percent for backstretch welfare. The breeders association will also contribute to purses, specifically for three stakes races restricted to Massachusetts-breds with a purse of $50,000 for each, on every one of the three racing days. That brings the daily purse distribution to an average of $550,000 per day, with only Saratoga Race Course and Del Mar offering higher purses. Moreover, purses will be paid back to fifth, with an owner’s reward of $800 paid for finishing sixth and back. There will also be a $200 shipping bonus for trainers. The condition sheets, which are available at equibase.com, call for at least 12 races per day for the first festival day, with preference given to horses that competed at Suffolk Downs in 2014, as long as those horses qualify for the conditions. Entries for September 5 closed on September 1. NEHBPA President Anthony Spadea was pleased the gaming commission approved the dates, and he expressed the wish that it will lead to more live racing dates in the near future to enable all of the local horsemen to get back to work. “We’re very happy that we’re going to be racing, and this will help some of our horsemen in the next few months,” he said. “We hope that this is a fresh start, and it will help bring a brighter future to New England racing.” Although Suffolk Downs is the venue for live racing in 2015–16, track ownership is proceeding with development plans for the 160-acre property, which is considered to be one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on the East Coast. To ensure that the horsemen will control their destiny in the future and to help preserve the 62 Thoroughbred breeding farms in the statewide agricultural network, the NEHBPA soon will announce the filing of a bill in the state legislature. The bill would create a non-profit corporation, the Massachusetts Agricultural and Equine Corporation, to construct a new racetrack and equine center in another community. NEHBPA officials were also working with state lawmakers on legislation and bonding issues prior to filing the bill.
Thistledown will host the Best of Ohio on Saturday, October 10. The Best of Ohio consists of five $150,000 stakes events for Ohio-breds in various divisions. Racing fans across the country have responded well to the improved product on the track at Thistledown this year as average daily all-sources handle is up more than 50 percent from 2014. Mahoning Valley Race Course will begin its second season of live racing on Friday, October 30. After opening day, live racing will be conducted on a four days per week schedule—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday—through the end of the meet on December 30. After a brief break for the New Year’s holiday, live racing will resume there during the first week in January. Mahoning Valley is expected to offer approximately $110,000 per day in total purses during the fall meet, up approximately 30 percent from the first season at the track. Average daily purse distribution during the 2015 winterspring meeting at Mahoning Valley came in at just over $84,000 per day. After several delays due to an extremely wet spring, turf racing began in July at Belterra Park. The new seven-furlong course features a state-of-theart moveable safety rail and is the only turf course in the state. Live racing continues at the Cincinnati-area track through October 11. Average daily purse distribution, which is approximately $71,000 this season, is expected to increase to more than $80,000 in 2016 as a large purse overpayment from the 2014 racing season should be paid off by early next year.
THOROUGHBRED RACING ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA HBPA) REMINGTON PARK ANNOUNCES 10 PERCENT PURSE INCREASE TO OPEN MEET Remington Park was pleased to announce an across the board 10 percent increase in overnight purses just days ahead of the opening weekend of the 2015 Thoroughbred season. The 67-date season began August 14 and continues through December 13. The Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (TRAO) approved the 10 percent increase for all overnight purses, effective with the first night of racing. The boost in purses will place Remington Park at an estimated $230,000 for daily average purse distribution. Open company maiden special weight races will now be worth $33,000. Maiden special weight races for Oklahomabreds will increase to $42,750. Open allowance company races will now be worth $44,000. “We are ecstatic to see horse racing in Oklahoma as strong as it’s ever been,” TRAO Executive Director Danielle Barber said. “During a period in our industry when declines have become an unfortunate trend, we are proud to be moving the purses at Remington Park in a positive direction.” Since being purchased by Global Gaming in 2010, increases in pari-mutuel handle during the Thoroughbred season at Remington Park have become the norm. The revitalization of the facility and grounds, along with new marketing initiatives, is cause for the developments. “We’ve grown our relationship with TVG through a sponsorship agreement for several years now which has helped in getting our racing product out to core ADW players,” noted Matt Vance, vice president of operations at Remington Park. “Since TVG’s acquisition of HRTV last year, the nightly racing schedule has been revamped and will now include Remington Park on HRTV regularly beginning this season. We are pleased to see our racing go into even more homes with the addition of HRTV broadcasting.”
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2014 OKLAHOMA CHAMPIONS HONORED The fourth annual Oklahoma Thoroughbred Champion Awards Banquet was held July 31 at the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. Hosted by the Thoroughbred Racing Association Okie Smokey was named the 2014 Oklahoma-bred Horse of Oklahoma and of the Year. Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, the event honored the 2014 Oklahoma-bred champions and leading owners and breeders. Congratulations to all the winners! ORSE OF THE YEAR, CHAMPION THOROUGHBRED RACING STOCK AND H CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBRED FILLY Okie Smokey (Cavvy—Spooky Okie) Owner: Richter Family Trust CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBRED FILLY Zealous Vision (The Visualiser—American Sound) Owner: Center Hills Farm/Big Sugar Racing LLC CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBRED COLT/GELDING Shotgun Kowboy (Kodiak Kowboy—Shotgun Jane) Owner: C.R. Trout CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBRED COLT/GELDING Fesstune (Omega Code—Fess) Owner: Clark Brewster CHAMPION AGED THOROUGHBRED MARE More Than Even (Stephen Got Even—Sallybrooke) Owner: Doyle Williams C HAMPION AGED THOROUGHBRED STALLION/GELDING AND CHAMPION MALE SPRINTER Okie Ride (Candy Ride [Arg]—Tic Tic) Owner: Richter Family Trust CHAMPION OKLAHOMA-BRED THOROUGHBRED HORSE, MIXED MEETS Lainy’s Sweetness (Omega Code—Lainy’sagolddigger) Owner: Ra-Max Farms LLC CHAMPION FEMALE SPRINTER Dancing Diva (Affirmatif—Midsummer Magic) Owner: Harmony Stable LLC CHAMPION FEMALE TURF RUNNER Bringinginthelute (Midnight Lute—Starry Pie) Owner: C.R. Trout CHAMPION MALE TURF RUNNER Perfect to Please (Pleasantly Perfect—Your Pleasure) Owner: Elada D. Kirk 58
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LEADING OWNER AND LEADING BREEDER OF THOROUGHBRED RACING STOCK Richter Family Trust LEADING DAM OF THOROUGHBRED RACING STOCK Spooky Okie Owner: Richter Family Trust LEADING SIRE OF THOROUGHBRED RACING STOCK Omega Code Owner: Robert Zoellner/Clark Brewster LEADING OWNER OF SIRES OF THOROUGHBRED RACING STOCK Stallions LLC CLAIMER OF THE YEAR What Lola Wants (Don’t Get Mad—Tulane) Owner: Catherine Lokey INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARD John Smicklas THOROUGHBRED CHARITIES OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES JULY AWARD OF MERIT WINNER Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) announced the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program (OTRP) as the July recipient of its Award of Merit. Launched in January in celebration of its 25th anniversary, TCA has honored nearly 20 recipients to date this year. Recipients are nominated by the leadership of various state Thoroughbred owner and breeder associations and honored at their annual awards ceremonies. On July 31, representatives of OTRP were acknowledged with the Award of Merit at the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma’s awards banquet in Oklahoma City. Started in 2007, OTRP is a nonprofit organization that works to transition non-competitive Thoroughbreds from the racetrack into new careers through rehabilitation and retraining. OTRP also provides permanent sanctuary for horses not suitable for adoption. Award of Merit nominees consist of individuals or organizations working to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds or the people who care for them. Both achievements are reflective of TCA’s all-encompassing mission to help Thoroughbreds and the people who care for them on the backstretch and the farm.
HBPA OF ONTARIO GAMING EXPANSION AT WOODBINE On July 8, the Toronto City Council voted 25-19 in favor of the casino expansion at Woodbine Racetrack. “This is good news for horse racing, an important step in the process of expanding and advancing horse racing with gaming at the Woodbine site,” HBPA of Ontario President Sue Leslie said. CHANGES TO THE ELIMINATION GUIDELINES FOR CLENBUTEROL On June 18, the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) released the upcoming changes to the elimination guidelines for clenbuterol, effective September 1, 2015: The current elimination guideline for the 0.40 mg oral dose given twice daily for five days of clenbuterol (Ventipulmin) contained in the 2011 edition
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POSITIVE TESTS AND CONTAMINATION The HBPA of Ontario continues to wrestle with the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency and the Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) to address the issue of contamination as it results to positive tests. This is a complicated issue that requires patient but unrelenting pressure to have those in control understand the harm that is being created by the approach now taken and penalties handed down. We believe the ORC and CPMA are slowly becoming more open to discussion and understanding of the pressures and unfairness of the penalties related to the contamination level positives. We continue to have a lively exchange on this topic and believe slow progress is being made. ORC/AGCO MERGER UNDERWAY The merger of the Ontario Racing Commission and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is now underway. As a result, several changes are taking place at the ORC effective July 6. First, Steve Lehman, who has been with the ORC since 2008 and serving as CEO and executive director for the last two years, has accepted a position with the AGCO as executive advisor, audit and financial investigations. The ORC board would also like to announce that, effective immediately, Jean Major has been appointed as CEO and executive director of the ORC. He also continues to act as CEO and registrar of the AGCO. This move will provide consistent leadership across both agencies while we transition to a single agency, intended to take effect April 1, 2016, subject to legislative approval. “The merger of our two agencies confirms the government’s commitment to horse racing and is in keeping with the industry’s desire to move the province’s gaming strategy forward,” ORC Chair Elmer Buchanan said. “It further demonstrates the government’s commitment to supporting a sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario.” TESTING FOR COBALT TO COMMENCE AUGUST 1 IN ONTARIO The Ontario Racing Commission issued a Notice to the Industry on June 3, 2015, advising that Ontario would begin testing for cobalt with a threshold of 50 ng/mL in blood, as of August 1, 2015. Racing participants are reminded that all horses that have been selected to provide an official sample (blood), as defined by the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency, will also be tested for cobalt. Once the CPMA has completed the official testing, the ORC will subject the sample to enhanced testing for the presence of cobalt. On July 17, Steve Suttie, executive director of the CPMA, wrote to ORC CEO and Executive Director Jean Major. The letter summarized the CPMA’s continuing research on cobalt and provides additional information to help racing participants make informed decisions on the use of cobalt in racehorses. The ORC will also be implementing a policy that allows for trainers and owners to have a claimed horse post-race tested for cobalt at their own expense.
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of the Schedule of Drugs booklet will be increased from 72 hours to 168 hours (seven days). CPMA is temporarily removing the elimination guideline for the 0.30 mg intravenous single administration until further studies are completed. The 0.32 mg oral single administration will no longer have an elimination guideline. There are several medications that may be used as alternatives for clenbuterol. The CPMA provides elimination guidelines for some of these substances in the 2011 Schedule of Drugs booklet. The changes to clenbuterol will be published in the next version of the Schedule of Drugs booklet, which is expected to be released later this year.
If you wish to have a horse tested that you have claimed, please note that on the Official Claim Form. Please note that if a claimed horse is found to have unacceptable levels of cobalt during an approved post-race test, the judges/stewards have the authority, at the option of the claimant, to rule a claim invalid. The ORC believes that cobalt testing is not only a matter related to the integrity of horse racing but, more important, an animal welfare issue. When administered in appropriate quantities, there is likely very little performance benefit to cobalt, but when used in excess, this element can be toxic to horses. “TALKIN’ HORSES” SEASON TWO Season two of “Talkin’ Horses” is well underway. From saying goodbye to the legend Dan Loiselle, the introduction of Woodbine’s new track announcer Robert Geller and a sneak peek at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms’ foaling process to a trip down to beautiful Fort Erie Race Track for Father’s Day, the “Talkin’ Horses” team offers a jam-packed 30-minute show, giving viewers the opportunity to experience the pleasures that Ontario’s Thoroughbred industry has to offer. “Talkin’ Horses” airs every Saturday on CTV2 at 11:30 a.m. and CTV at 1 p.m. To catch up on missed episodes, check out their website at talkinhorses. com and follow them on Twitter @talkinhorses, Facebook.com/TalkinHorses or Instagram @TalkinHorsesTV.
OREGON HBPA Summer fair racing is well underway in Oregon. Our summer fair meets are critical to the overall success of racing in Oregon and complement our one commercial meet at Portland Meadows very nicely. The summer fair circuit kicked off at the Eastern Oregon Livestock race meet in Union. Leading trainer was Scott Stewart with three wins, one second and two thirds from seven starts. Bill Hoff was second with two wins and two seconds from 11 starts. Al Peone had two wins and two seconds from four starts. Stewart also was leading owner for the meet with three wins and two thirds. Second in the owner standings was Scott Peone with two wins and one second while third was Tim Abraham with two wins from two starts. Congratulations, owners and trainers! The Grants Pass race meet started June 20 and ran through July 12. Leading trainer was Jason Homer with nine wins, three seconds and two thirds from 15 starts. Judi Yearout had six wins, one second and one third from 12 starts. Bill Hoff had 28 starters with five wins, five seconds and four thirds. Homer also was leading owner with seven wins, two seconds and one third, and Yearout was second with six wins, one second and one third. Glory B Stables LLC, owned by Harvey and Mary Boyle, placed third with three wins, one second and two thirds. Congratulations to everyone! Our third summer race meet in July was the Crooked River Roundup in Prineville. This meet had one of the best years for pari-mutuel handle with a total of $228,878. The attendance was outstanding. Leading trainer was Jason Homer with three wins, two seconds and two thirds from eight starts. Juan Sanguino had 12 starters with three wins, two seconds and one third. Teresa Skinner (assistant trainer Ham Williams) had two wins, two seconds and one third. Bern Kent was the leading owner with two wins and two seconds. Emil Randy Abrahamson Jr. had two wins and one third from three starts, and Tim Abraham started two and won two. Way to go, everyone! Josie Stavers, owner of TruFormRacing, provides these statistics and is a tremendous asset to summer racing and our industry. The standings include WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM
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Thoroughbred, American Quarter Horses and mixed races. The next time you see Josie, give her a great big thank you! Our President Ron Sutton, Vice President Debbie Funk, Secretary/Treasurer Nick Lowe and Executive Director Randy Evers put in many hours working with the Stronach Group to put together a contract for our next race meet here at Portland Meadows. A proposal was brought to our board on June 28 and was approved. The backside opened up for training on September 5 with live racing starting October 5 and closing February 16, 2016. Racing will take place on Mondays and Tuesdays with one Sunday for the special day of racing for our Oregon-breds. The Oregon HBPA partnered with the Tillamook County Fair Grounds to open its racetrack and backside facility to anyone who wanted to train there. It opened on July 20 and stayed open until September 2. A big thank you to Don Averill for helping us complete this project and all of his great work in helping racing in Oregon. Lastly, we are saddened by the passing of one of our board members, David Runyon. David was an owner and trainer who won his first race in 1977 and as recently as last year. He served on the HBPA board for many years. He will be greatly missed. Our hearts and condolences go out to his beautiful wife, Patty, and all the Runyon family.
PENNSYLVANIA HBPA INACTIVE HORSEMEN’S BOOKKEEPING ACCOUNTS The PA HBPA announces inactive accounts in the horsemen’s bookkeeping account at Penn National. In accordance with the Live Racing Agreement, Penn National furnished a list of accounts that have been inactive for a period of four years. Holders of inactive accounts should contact the PA HBPA at P.O. Box 88, Grantville, PA 17028, telephone (717) 469-2970 or fax (717) 469-7714. All inactive accounts that remain unclaimed one year after the date of this publication will be paid to the PA HBPA’s Benevolent Fund. The names on those inactive accounts are set forth below: A & J Racing Stable LLC & Nickel Dime Stable; A-1 Air & Ice Service Co. Inc.; Ace of Heart Racing Team Inc.; Timothy Ahern; Alpine Stable Ltd.; Amling, Jeffrey, S & Hudson River Farms; Amy Fauceglio & Chris Fauceglio; William D. Anderson; AR Partners 2008 LLC; Astoria Stud LLC and Michael Petro; Gerald Attard; Balmora Farm; Windy Ann Barco; Harold Barlow Sr.; Hector Berrios; Clive Black; Blue Eyes Brooklyn Girl Stable; Kevin Bogart; Edgar Botello; Herman Braude; Charles H. Brown Jr.; Donna Burnham; Bus No. 9 Ranch; Lerro, McGrath & Zacney, LLC; C S W Stable; Marvin Cain; Captain Jack Racing Stable LLC; Carousel Racing Farm LLC; Casino Royale Farm; Donald Chapman; Charlie Kline and Brenda Pointer; Ciletti, Larry and Orlando, Joe; Circle W Stable; CJZ Racing Stable, Hare Forest Farm, & Patrick Wakelin; Clarity Stables; Cohen, Kenny & Cesplo, Robert; Elizabeth Cole; Conaway and Sons Racing LLC; Kimberly Contreras; Maggie P. Couse; Cowart, Steve & Wild Horse Stables; Clark W. Crumbaugh; Susan Cushing & Joseph & Karen Feeley Jr.; D’Arrigo Racing Stable; Maria Daly; Luigi G. Damasceno; Dark Hollow Farm; Karel A. De Ridder; Denning Stables LLC; Thomas W. Di Zerega; Keith C. Dickey; Joseph F. Dirico; Dragon Squared LLC; Drake Racing Stables; Jerry Durant; Eclipse; Pamela Edel; Epona Racing LLC; Gregory Equine; Estate of Joseph Zeoli; Tammi Faber; Karen S. Farrar; Fawkes Racing Inc.; Louis V. Filoso; Richard Foreman; Fontier Stables LLC; Leslie J. Frost; Frost, Tammy and Pat; Judith I. Gaebel; Deborah Gager & Leslielyn N. Hardesty; Leonard Goldberg; Goodman, Gerald, Fulton, John and Pregman, John; Shiffner Woll and Blackman LLC; Patrick H. Griffin; 60
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Half Hollow Racing; Mike Harrington; John C. Harvey Jr.; Douglas Hawkins; Neal Hayias; Alvin D Haynes. Jay Goldman & Kiaran P. McLaughlin; Arnold Heft; Judy A. Helmbrecht; Craig Hench; Herbert Cooper and Mark O’Dwyer; Jorge Herrera; Hickory Plains LLC; Kevin Hirai; Hang Jung Hong; Hope’s Racing Stable; Horgan Thoroughbred’s LLC; James Hough; Justin Howell; Karen Hughes; Stacey Hurley; Hurricane Racing; HWH Thoroughbreds LLC; In The Bag Racing Stable; Jack Jacobson & Larry Gorgo; Jack Jacobson and Wanderers Stable; Jack Jacobson; Jacques, Dennis and Eileen; William J. Jennings; Jester, Michael and Gasper, Donna J.; Jilsie’s Gigalo Stables Inc.; Jerry W. Johnson; Sylvia Johnson; Jack Craig Jones; John Keegan; Kel Jer Farm; Kensington Stables LLC; At Last Farm LLC; John L. Kill-Kelley; Knightquest Stables Inc.; Koriner, Brian, Lyons, Janet and Peskoff, Jeremy; La Surestada Stables; Lambi and Juanito Racing Stable; Chris Landicini Jr.; Ernest E. Latsha; Anthony A. Lenci; Harold Lerner; Levine, Peter and Nahorniak, Stephen; Levine, Peter, Hagel, John and Nahorniak, Stephen; Bruce Levy; Todd Lichti; Edward S. Lipton; Little Timber Ranch LLC; Theresa Lomas; Arlene London; Longball Stables LLC and Knable Stable; Los Aguacates LLC & Off The Hook; Larry Lowry; Gail Lunan; M & L Stable; M L B Racing; Maltese Cross Stables; Michael A Mandara; Jon A Marshall; Ramon F. Martin; Anthony Mashintonio; William Mayberry; Maynard Farm and JVH Inc.; Thomas M McCann; Noreen McCrossen; Laurie A. McDowell; John F. Meehan; Jose Antonio MendezElias; Bradley C Merrell; Mid-Atlantic Promotions Inc.; Dwight D. Moose; Robert Mosco; Moya Racing LLC; Murphy Equine Investments LLC; Timothy Murphy & David Brown; Andrew J. Murtaugh; New Beginnings LLC; Noreen C. McCrossen, et al; Nunley, Randy, Crigler, William H., Myers, Dennis W., Vallorani Jr., Joseph; Olney Stable LLC; Louise E. Oppenheim; Over Creek Stables LLC; Jerry Palonicola; Panther Gap Stable; Barry Parducci; Renee Parks-James; Pasq & Pasq Inc.; William D. Pate; Joanne Patten; Anthony Pearce-Batten; Pegasus Stud LLC; Michelle L. Peoples; Eddie Persaud; Petra Svenson & Robert Groat Stable; Jack G. Poole Jr.; Port Stable; Christopher Progno; Robert C Pruet Jr.; Francis Puleo; Mark Joseph Racanelli; Kristine Raszewski; Joanne E. Raymond & Ronald B. Abrams; Rayzin The Bar Thoroughbreds; Oswald H. Redman; Nick Rennekamp & Bill Rennekamp; Risingstar Stable Inc.; John A. Rispoli; Roberta Mendenhall & Steven Bertrando; Lawrence P. Roman; Orlando Rose; Rosebrook Farms LLC; Richard J. Rossi; Daniel Rossiter; Randolph D. Rouse; Royal Cat Thoroughbreds; Ruberto Racing Stables Inc.; Ruby Rose Stable; Run Fast and Win Stables LLC; Albert Sanges; Savannah Stables LLC; Richard Schibell; Elizabeth J. Schultz; James F. Schurman and Steve Klesaris; Lloyd L. Scott; Seaside Stables LLC; Danny Self Jr.; Marilyn Fazo Seltzer; Sequoia Stables LLC and Short Straw Stables; George Sheehan; Michael J. Shevy; Laura Thiel Shull; Charles Simon Racing Inc.; Cheryl Smith & Outlaw Farm; Susan M. Smith; Bagwandeen Stable; Rohan A. Sucki; Katherine Sutphin; Sycamore Ridge Stables LLC; Synergy Stables; T.M. Beattie and Christy Kaempfer; Alan N. Terner; Tim McGowan & Kenneth McGowan; Carlos Torres; Richard Torrone; Townsend Thoroughbreds Inc.; Thomas Turner; Unlimited Thoroughbreds; Ruben Valdes; Angel A. Vergaray; Charlotte T. Vest; Virginia Kraft Payson LLC; Voss III, Ronald L. and Humphreys, Jerry; David Wade; Rosebrook Farms LLC; Barrett Warner; Wellwood Stables; Western Resources Racing; Michael M. Whitehead Sr.; Alfred B. Wood; Penny Woolley; W. Kirk Wycoff; Heather A. Young; Christine Marie Yourchisin; Josephine Yourchisin. PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS NEWS We had a deer problem at Presque Isle Downs this summer. The deer first appeared one at a time on the racetrack during training hours…then during the races…and then they started to prance on the racetrack in groups…also during the races. Race fans found them cute and interesting, and horsemen at first thought them a nuisance; however, the jockey colony found them to be
NEWS
VIRGINIA HBPA VIRGINIA EQUINE ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES FALL RACING SCHEDULE After Colonial Downs, Virginia’s only pari-mutuel race track for flat and harness racing, shut down last fall, the Virginia HBPA, along with the state’s harness horsemen, steeplechasers, and breeders, formed the nonprofit Virginia Equine Alliance to establish and maintain new racing venues in the state. On July 1, the Alliance was formally recognized by the Virginia Racing Commission. That meant that under state law, the Alliance began receiving 4 percent of all Virginia online wagering through TVG, TwinSpires and XpressBet. On an annual basis, that is projected to be about $3 million. The VHBPA and the harness horse association each receive for purses 5 percent of the estimated $75 million of annual online handle in Virginia. With the cooperation of the Maryland tracks and their horsemen, the Alliance quickly put together a schedule of flat, harness and steeplechase races for this fall. It starts on Sunday, September 20, with a day of flat racing and wagering at the Great Meadow turf course in The Plains, Virginia, just west of Washington, D.C. That course is a large rolling one much like Kentucky Downs. Great Meadow usually hosts tens of thousands of tailgaters for steeplechase racing in the spring and fall. The schedule continues on Saturday, September 26, with five Virginia-bred stakes races at Laurel Park across the Potomac River in Maryland. The five turf races, with $60,000 purses, are the Jamestown (2-year-olds short), the Brookmeade (fillies and mares long), the Bert Allen (long), the Oakley (fillies and mares short) and the Punch Line (long). On Sunday, September 27, there is an open Virginia-bred flat race on the turf as part of the steeplechase card at the Foxfield racecourse in Charlottesville, Virginia. Harness racing follows on the weekends of October 10, 11, 17 and 18 at the Oak Ridge track south of Charlottesville. There is another Virginia-bred open flat
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downright dangerous, and after a couple of near misses, the jockeys refused to ride…and rightfully so! Ever hit a deer with your automobile while driving? Not a very pretty picture. The damage can be extensive and at times fatal. Two racing programs had to be shortened due to the precocious deer’s propensity to frolic on the Tapeta racing surface. On June 22, we canceled the remainder of the card after the third race due to deer on the racetrack. The second was a near miss with a large buck running across the racetrack during the fourth race on June 28. This buck came within a couple of strides of striking jockey Mario Pino, who was leading the pack. Mario, much revered and highly loved and respected by this horse community, happens to be one of Presque Isle’s most treasured assets. He is the 10th-winningest jockey in the history of racing in North America. Mario is currently vying for leading jockey honors at the track. We certainly don’t want him or any other jockeys injured. We also are concerned for the horses. So we canceled the remainder of the card. A meeting was held June 29 between the horsemen and management to resolve the problem. The following day, they met with representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission. Together, they came up with temporary solutions that included mowing the tall grass in the centerfield and adjoining areas and changing to an earlier post-time (5:25 p.m. to 3:05 p.m.). Apparently, the deer are a “dusk till dawn” creature and mostly stay put and rest during daylight hours. In addition, they recommended a 10- or 12-foot fence be erected around the perimeter of the racetrack. This fence is being erected as of this writing. The horsemen and the jockeys wish to extend thanks to senior management at Presque Isle Downs for the prompt attention given to solving this problem.
race on the turf as part of the fall steeplechase meet in Middleburg, Virginia. Racing returns to the Great Meadow course on Saturday, October 24, for the International Gold Cup steeplechase meet, with five steeplechase races and at least three flat races on the turf. Racing concludes on November 7 at the Montpelier steeplechase meet in Madison, Virginia, which will host a Virginiabred race on its dirt track. Finally, if legal claims alleged by the defunct Colonial Downs are resolved, our open graded turf stakes, renamed the Commonwealth Derby (G2), the Commonwealth Turf Cup (G2), the Commonwealth Oaks (G3) and the All Along (G3), will also be run in Maryland at Laurel in September. The Alliance plans to return those graded races to Virginia next year, when hopefully we will have a turf course in Northern Virginia ready for an expanded schedule of flat racing.
WASHINGTON HBPA 2015 GENERAL MEETING The annual Washington HBPA general meeting was held on July 8 in conjunction with the WHBPA election nominating meeting. Approximately 50 owners, trainers and guests attended the event held in the Morris Aldhadeff Sales Pavilion at Emerald Downs. Phil Ziegler, president of the newly formed Emerald Downs Inc., opened the meeting and shared positive statistics from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s first year of ownership of the Auburn racetrack. He enthusiastically reported that the horse population, attendance and handle have all increased for 2015 and took questions and suggestions from attendees. In his address, WHBPA President Ron Maus commented on the industry optimism that has been flourishing since the tribe’s purchase of the racetrack last November. He talked of a renewed hope and comically announced that he and his wife “were breeding again.” More seriously, he emphasized the uninterrupted positive relationship between the WHBPA, Emerald Downs and the Washington Horse Racing Commission as the pivotal factor for the future for Washington horse racing. Maus also discussed the need for regional collaboration of race meets and breeding programs to make Pacific Northwest racing more sustainable for participants. Finally, he spoke on the value of the Washington HBPA’s affiliation with the National HBPA, especially with regard to addressing medication and simulcast issues that threaten the viability of racing in our region. Executive Director MaryAnn O’Connell reported on various WHBPA initiatives, including the helmet buy-back program, workers’ compensation and the tribal youth services intern program. Although only in the early discussion phase, the program would match tribal youth with trainers who are willing to hire an intern for their stable. The program would provide wages for the interns in exchange for the education they receive from the trainers. Other possibilities include incorporating the nationally recognized Groom Elite program into the education requirement for interns. It is O’Connell’s hope that a pilot program can begin during the summer of 2016. A question-and-answer session followed the general meeting. 2015 WHBPA NOMINATING MEETING — ELECTION BY ACCLAMATION Per the Washington HBPA bylaws regarding election processes, a membership nominating meeting was held on July 8. After a review of the election process and eligibility requirements for candidates, Nominating Committee Chair Bob Cappelletti announced the committee’s nominees and then solicited nominations from the floor.
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There was one nominee for president, seven nominees for owner director and five nominees for trainer director. The nominees were as follows: president—Pat LePley; owner director—Roy Brewer, Andy Evans, Jack Fabulich, Ron Maus, Debbie Pabst, Sue Spooner and Keith Swagerty; trainer director— Robbie Baze, Diane Garrison, Jeff Metz, Greg Moore and Blaine Wright. By July 31, all nominees had submitted an affidavit of candidacy as required by the bylaws. Based on start information submitted plus verification by InCompass owner reports, it was determined that owner director nominees Roy Brewer and Andy Evans did not meet the eligibility requirements of five starts at 100 percent ownership for each of the prior two calendar years and were disqualified as candidates. The WHBPA wishes to acknowledge Mr. Brewer and Mr. Evans for their willingness to serve and hopes they get involved in the WHBPA in some capacity in the future. On August 3, the board of directors followed the bylaws’ procedure for election by acclamation to be utilized in the event that the number of eligible candidates was less than or equal to the number of board positions available (i.e., if all candidates were running unopposed). Upon receipt of candidate affidavits and verification of eligibility, the lack of a need for an election was confirmed by WHBPA staff and the board. In accordance with the WHBPA bylaws, the election by acclamation was ratified by the board, and the new 2016–2018 board will begin its three-year term of service one week after the original election date, which is October 13. 2016–2018 WHBPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Pat LePley Honorary Lifetime Director: Murdock MacPherson Owner Directors Trainer Directors Jack Faublich Robbie Baze Ron Maus Diane Garrison Debbie Pabst Jeff Metz Sue Spooner Greg Moore Keith Swagerty Blaine Wright HELMET BUY-BACK PROGRAM Although adopted in July 2013, WAC 260-12-180 regarding the use of safety helmets by all persons on horseback had not been enforced through February 2015 as the Washington Horse Racing Commission had yet to figure out the logistics of enforcing helmet safety standards on licensees. The rule reads: “(1) When on association grounds, all persons on horseback must wear a securely fastened safety helmet that meets current standards for equipment designed and manufactured for use while riding horses as established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM 1163), UK Standards (EN1384 and PAS-015); or, Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZ 3838).” Although WAC 260-28-295 part (o) of the trainer responsibility rule puts the onus on trainers to ensure “that all the trainer’s employees wear a safety helmet and safety vest while on horseback,” in practice it has been the outrider who has warned riders regarding noncompliance. For the 2015 meet, the stewards were under direction to step up enforcement. After negotiating a phase-in period, Executive Director MaryAnn O’Connell reported on the success of the “helmet buy-back program,” which the Washington HBPA initiated to help licensees to comply with the racing commission’s rule requiring helmets with approved safety standards. In a cooperative effort financially supported by Emerald Downs, the WHBPA and the racing commission, the program provided a $100 voucher in return for an unrated helmet. The objective of the program was to provide incentives for compliance and to remove non-safety-rated
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helmets from the racetrack and from further circulation. Since the program, outrider Donny Smith reports 100 percent compliance with the WAC. Thanks to Lazy K Tack, Smart Pak and Kathy Connell for helping facilitate the program. Helmets turned in to the program are being donated to a charitable organization to be distributed to an impoverished part of the world where riders have no helmets available. THANK YOU TO RON MAUS AND THE 2012–2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Washington HBPA staff would like to acknowledge and thank outgoing President Ron Maus and 2012–2015 board members Jack Fabulich, Pat LePley, Keith Swagerty, Sue Spooner, Robbie Baze, Terry Gillihan, Diane Garrison, Greg Moore, Margo Lloyd and Karla Laird for their service to the horsemen and association over the past three years. Each is to be commended for being among the few who are willing to donate their time and talents to represent horsemen and strengthen the industry. Described as one of the toughest and most unappreciated positions, the WHBPA board is made up of volunteer owners and trainers who are busy running other businesses yet take time to serve the membership. The staff commends and wishes to express gratitude to the 2012–2015 board, which has endured one of the toughest economic stretches for horse racing in many years. The professional and cooperative manner in which the board educated themselves and tackled issues is unprecedented. Their willingness to compromise to form consensus demonstrated a genuine trust in each other and in the WHBPA staff. The board consistently showed the desire and ability to work cooperatively with management and the Washington Horse Racing Commission, which united the industry leadership and helped make horse racing better for all participants. As president, Ron Maus always ran an efficient meeting, communicated well with the membership and took on a major role at the National HBPA. Also an unprecedented move by any past WHBPA president, Maus agreed to run as a board member for 2016–2018 so the association can retain some of his valuable leadership and expertise. Maus was also honored by the National HBPA at its summer convention in Denver with a board resolution thanking him for his years of service, particularly in the areas of financial planning and budgeting for the organization. A genuine thank you to all outgoing board members for your service and leadership with special appreciation to all the 2016–2018 returning board members who have committed to staying another three years, bringing experience and continuity to the association. MaryAnn O’Connell and Lanna Allen EMERALD DOWNS UNVEILS JUMBO VIDEO SCREEN Horse racing has officially hit the big screen at Emerald Downs. On July 31, Emerald Downs unveiled its new jumbo-sized video screen for its live racing audience. Affixed behind the toteboard and in front of the grandstand, the 25-by-47-foot video screen can
INDIAN RELAY RACING COMES TO EMERALD DOWNS The Battle of the Horse Nations featured nine races over a three-day period earlier this summer at Emerald Downs. With some 72 participants and 48 horses competing for $35,000 in purse money, each two-mile race featured one rider but utilized four horses. In addition to a rider, each team had three “holders” and two “muggers” who readied and caught horses during the race. The Emerald Downs event marked the first of 15 sanctioned Professional Indian Horse Racing Association (PIHRA) events in 2015, a series that culminates in Billings, Montana, with the All Nations Indian Relay Championships on September 17-20.
MaryAnn O’Connell
Heather Sacha
NEWS
WASHINGTON RACING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2015 The 2015 Washington Racing Hall of Fame banquet on August 8 featured inductions of one trainer, jockey, male horse, female horse and breeder. In a special ceremony in June, Robert Geller Emerald Downs founder Ron Crockett presented outgoing track announcer Robert Geller with the highest Hall of Fame honor. The only Emerald Downs track announcer in recent history was inducted into the Lifetime Achievement category, becoming only the eighth member to be so honored. After calling some 16,000 races and 667 stakes races, he leaves as one of the most beloved and respected figures in track history. Geller, 55, left Emerald Downs to take a position at Woodbine in Toronto. Trainer Wesley Ward and jockey Gary Boulanger headed a stellar field of 2015 Washington Racing Hall of Fame inductees. Travel Orb, Washington’s Horse of the Year in 1965 and 1966, was elected in the male horse category, and Ropersandwranglers, winner of 10 stakes at Emerald Downs from 1996 to 1998, won the filly and mare division. Herman Sarkowsky, the iconic Seattle businessman who bred and raced three state champions and also campaigned 1993 Eclipse Award winning 2-year-old filly Phone Chatter, was inducted in the breeding division. Washington Racing Hall of Fame voting is composed of 16 voters, four each from the WTBOA, WHBPA, Emerald Downs and media. Four finalists were chosen in each category.
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be seen nearly throughout the entire facility. Viewing angles have already been tested from south of the grandstand to more than halfway up the North Park. Track President Phil Ziegler said the video screen is a “game changer” in how fans watch and enjoy the races at Emerald Downs. “There are many families that enjoy being by the rail, but they couldn’t see most of the race,” Ziegler said. “Now they will see all the action plus replays.” During live racing, Emerald Downs will show its house feed on the video screen, which includes each race and replay, paddock analysis, produced features and horsemen interviews. However, Ziegler expects that there will be several other opportunities that come with the new screen. The big screen is one of the many improvements fans and horsemen have benefited from since the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe purchased the track late last year.
“Indian Relay Racing is the most exciting sport anyone has ever seen,” PIHRA Director Gary Fellers said. “It is the first American sport and the first extreme sport.” At Emerald Downs, four regional groups were represented with competitors from 15 different tribes. Some of the horses competing included He’s a Goblin, Our Eagle Boy and Untilifindyou, all of whom raced at Emerald Downs. Many on-track horsemen commented that they were impressed with the horsemanship and care provided and established connections for future homes for OTTBs. The event was a huge success for Emerald Downs and relay participants. Plans for making it an annual partnered event are in the works. GETTING TO KNOW WHBPA PRESIDENT-ELECT PAT LEPLEY Running unopposed for the president position of the 2016–18 WHBPA board of directors, previous two-term owner director Pat LePley was elected by acclamation by a quorum of members at the 2015 Washington HBPA nominating meeting. The motion and action was later ratified by the full board after LePley submitted an affidavit of eligibility as required by the association bylaws. LePley and his wife, Carol, live in Bellevue, where he has maintained an active law practice handling accident and insurance cases for nearly 40 years. The partnership races horses at Emerald Downs and in California and Arizona. During his term on the WHBPA board, LePley has worked collaboratively with board members and the executive director to overhaul the association bylaws, improve the rate and premium structure of workers’ compensation and assure regular communication of membership to the race office with respect to the condition book. In a statement to membership, LePley conveyed the following: “Despite the good fortune that we are experiencing in Washington from stable and financially sound track ownership, serious challenges still face us. Our workers’ compensation program is complicated and consumes the bulk of the WHBPA staff’s time. Without the stewardship of the WHBPA and constant vigilance, the program would collapses at every level for owners and trainers. Several years of financial hardship and declining live handle have left the financial resources necessary to run our association in a precarious position. Stabilizing those resources, keeping our staff and protecting our benevolence programs is a priority. Our relationship with track ownership has been open, harmonious and cordial for several years. My contacts with representatives of the new ownership group lead me to believe that we will continue to enjoy an excellent working partnership with track management. We both have a mutual goal of not only improving the racing product for fans, but protecting the welfare of our horses and allowing our members to make a fair living. Thank you for asking me to serve in this position. I look forward to working with all the owners and trainers who race in Washington State.” LePley will officially take the WHBPA president position on October 13.
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#83J
$18.95/Set of 4 $16.50/Set of 4
•
$8.95
12+ $8.49each Buy 8 Get 1
FREE
Electrocharge Finish Line
VACS Jersey No Bow Bandage
www.bigdweb.com
2.2lbs 4 lbs
SalE
Helps prevent tying up. All-natural, aids locomotion.
#V7 Sold in Pairs 10” $10.75 Reg $11.95 12” $11.65 Reg $12.95 14” $12.55 Reg $13.95 16” $14.35 Reg $15.95 18” $15.25 Reg $16.95
Nitrofurazone Dressing #299 1lb $6.25ea 12+ $5.95ea 24+ $5.75ea 144+ $5.49ea
100% pure Himalayan Salt licks are full of naturally occurring minerals such as iron, potassium & magnesium.
JC’s X Tie Up FinishLine
Super soft and absorbent fleece fabric with a center of dense sponge-like foam.
$6.95ea $6.49ea
Big Dee’s Tack & Vet Supply
6+
$29.90each
OTC
Color: Black, Blue, Red or White
Colors: Black, Blue, Gold, Kelly Green, Pink, Purple, Red,
#2568
3M Rundown Patches #1748 4 per Pack $2.95 25+ $2.45ea Sewn on all around with strong poly thread, and Vac’s exclusive stitching.
CoFlex Andover
3+
Himalayan Salt Lick
$5.00 Gift Card
Lowest Price of the Year!!!
$9.95
$32.95
Whil Prom e otio Lactanase Packets Buy 20 Get 5 Last n Contains key ingredients ! FREE of Same Size needed to release energy $2.99 from both carbohydrates and fats. #15L $9.95 12+ $9.25ea 100+ $8.95ea
*Price Includes Instant Coupon
#628G
#42U
#R-126 #78246
$5.00 OFF Instant Coupon
$5.95
Buy 6 Get 1 FREE Buy 12 Get 3 FREE
Zimecterin Gold
FREE
Ulcergard Merial
Works rapidly to build up and restore electrolytes, salts and trace minerals. #1042 2-Dose $7.75 12+ $6.75each Buy 3 Get 1
10% OFF
800-321-2142
Lyte Now 3-Dose Paste
FREE of Same Size
Instantly provides twice the amount of minerals lost during 1 hour of sustained physical activity. #25N $12.95 12+ $11.95ea 36+ $11.25each
Source Code: HBPA
S EC O ND NATI ONAL
THOROUGHBRED OWNER CONFERENCE January | 2016 Don’t miss this First-Class Entertaining and Educational Event that includes a chance to: • Socialize and Network with Industry Leaders • Meet Owners from the U.S. and Canada • Hear Experts Discuss the Hottest Industry Topics for New and Longtime Owners • Experience Exceptional Dining at Turnberry Isle and Host Venue, Gulfstream Park • Make Plans to Stay After the Conference and Attend the 45th Annual Eclipse Awards
REGISTER NOW! Visit ownerview.com for more details
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Thoroughbred Owner and CBS Sports Personality
JIM ROME
PRESENTING SPONSORS: KEENELAND ASSOCIATION O THE STRONACH GROUP O WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT Hosted by OwnerView, a joint venture between The Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association