The Horsemen's Journal - Fall 2024 by The Horsemen's Journal

HORSEMEN’S

THE HORSEMEN’S JOURNAL

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

Serious Conversations

National HBPA Conference at Prairie Meadows Racetrack tackles no-effect thresholds, HISA, CAW and more

Burden of Proof

Examination of specific cases of adverse analytical findings

Long-Term Plan

The term “forever home” comes up often in the world of racehorse retirement, but is it as common or practical as it is desirable?

DJ Fuller, a member of the starting gate crew at Horseshoe Indianapolis, continues his career after enduring the devastating loss of his young daughter this spring

NATIONAL HBPA

3380 Paris Pike

Lexington, KY 40511

P (859) 259-0451

F (859) 259-0452

racing@hbpa.org www.hbpa.org

PRESIDENT/ CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD

Dr. Doug Daniels

SECRETARY/ TREASURER

Lynne McNally

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Eric J. Hamelback

VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHERN REGION

Rick Hiles

VICE PRESIDENT CENTRAL REGION

Joe Davis

VICE PRESIDENT WESTERN REGION

J. Lloyd Yother

VICE PRESIDENT EASTERN REGION

Naomi Long

THE CEO

STRAIGHT

TALK ABOUT THE 5TH CIRCUIT’S FINDING THAT HISA’S ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

There has been a lot said and written about the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ opinion that was issued July 5. Most of you know me and know that I am and always have been known for my truthfulness— sometimes to a fault. So, I am here to provide honest and candid answers to our horsemen and women— including if there is no immediate answer—as to where horse racing stands in the wake of the 5th Circuit’s 3-0 decision that the enforcement mechanism of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act is unconstitutional. This information was first spelled out in an extensive interview that Daniel Suhr, the National HBPA’s lead attorney on our lawsuit, did with Steve Byk on his July 9 “At the Races” program, along with information provided by Suhr, myself and others who have been working on this issue on behalf of the National HBPA.

With the 5th Circuit striking down part of HISA but the 6th Circuit upholding it, where do we stand?

It’s important to note that our case in the 5th Circuit has been sent back to District Court Judge James Wesley Hendrix in Lubbock, Texas, to render a new decision that takes into account the appellate finding that the enforcement mechanism is unconstitutional. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed for an en banc (all the judges in that appellate court) hearing, but that request was denied on September 9. As I stated when this motion was originally filed, all this did was delay the inevitable. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act remains unconstitutional. We can now safely say that 15 other federal court of appeals judges looked at this, and not one of them voted to review 5th Circuit Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan’s decision and opinion. We would like to believe that now HISA and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) will take the appropriate and proper action and cease and desist from any further unconstitutional and illegal enforcement activity until the Supreme Court has an opportunity to review this matter.

I do want to be clear that, as of now and in the near future, HISA and HIWU rules are in place, and they are the law in states in which HISA has been operating. Nothing can or should be changed in those states until the lower district court issues the relief to the plaintiffs, which includes the National HBPA. The plaintiffs are entitled to a court order that protects their rights in whatever form that may be. Keep in mind that this was one more stage in a process.

Doesn’t the 5th Circuit ruling only apply to racing states in that circuit—Texas and Louisiana?

As of this letter, we don’t have an answer to that because we haven’t had a final ruling yet. Much has been incorrectly said and written by making assumptions. I am not going to do that, and those who have done that are selfishly deflecting from the truth, which for now is that we do not know. We are going to have to wait, after surviving the en banc request, to get a final ruling from the lower court that supplies us with those details. But in other cases, in which the litigants are successful, they are entitled to relief from the decision in which their arguments prevailed whether or not they’re located in that particular geographic district.

You have to set Texas and Louisiana aside, remembering that Texas doesn’t export its signal and therefore isn’t subject to HISA regulation and Louisiana (along with West Virginia) is covered by a separate ruling from a separate court on a separate legal basis. Even setting those aside, we think the ball is now in HISA’s and the FTC’s court to explain how they are going to comply with this ruling. They need to tell us how they are going to enforce these rules in a way that is constitutional and compliant with the court’s decision.

There are 31 active Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions; as of now the states of Texas, Louisiana, West Virginia, Nebraska, Oregon and Wyoming are not racing under HISA and HIWU. Whose rules are being applied to the remainder of the jurisdictions?

As of today, the Act still applies, and we wait to see what relief will be granted from the 5th Circuit ruling. An example may include Florida, which currently operates under HISA and HIWU. If precedent holds and plaintiffs are granted relief, Florida could very well return to state racing commission control. The same could be said for all the states that are named plaintiffs in the National HBPA lawsuit. The reality remains that the Act has now been declared unconstitutional three separate times, and with the plaintiffs covering a broad array of horsemen from a broad array of jurisdictions, plaintiffs outside of Louisiana and West Virginia are due their relief. It is true we will have to wait and see regarding the answer, but that is the reality of where we currently stand.

Why do the HBPA’s legal representatives say HISA has been blocked, and why do some HISA advocates largely dismiss the 5th Circuit decision as a minor ruling and say that the majority of the Act has been upheld as constitutional?

I can’t and won’t speak for other people. What we know is that the National HBPA has challenged the constitutionality of the Act twice, and both challenges have proven there are unconstitutional aspects of the law. Our mission all along has been to ensure one way or the other that the rights of horsemen and horsewomen are protected. To date, we have proven that the Act has constitutional flaws. Also, to date, Congress has seemingly effected a correction, thus fixing the initial aspect of unconstitutionality. However, as of the July 5 ruling, Congress has not provided a possible fix, and we believe this opinion cannot simply be a written fix. But that’s for Congress to decide.

But what about the 6th Circuit’s finding that the Act is constitutional? What about people affected by that circuit? Is the Supreme Court going to have to make a determination?

We think ultimately that a Supreme Court ruling will be the obvious answer here. We prevailed in the 5th Circuit. That’s a different result than the 6th Circuit reached. When circuits disagree and especially when one circuit has said an act of Congress is unconstitutional, those are natural circumstances for the Supreme Court to review a case and issue a decision that governs the whole country.

It felt like the 5th Circuit went out of its way to say it largely agreed with the 6th Circuit and that only the enforcement portion is under further scrutiny here. If the panel wanted to say the entire undertaking was unconstitutional, why did they not say that?

The enforcement protocol is essential to the system. While HISA’s ability to make rules was upheld with the legislative fix, if you have rules that can’t be enforced, there are no consequences for violating the rules. HIWU and all of that enforcement infrastructure are essential as a key pillar of the overall scheme. If you knock one of the two pillars for the overall scheme out, the scheme falls. One solution is that Congress can revisit the entire scheme and come up with a scheme that is constitutional. Currently it’s a flaw at the foundation. We think Congress will have to do something new and different because this scheme will not work under the decision we received.

This seems like a very picayune element that was singled out by the arch-conservative judges on this panel.

Read the opinion and it’s very clear: This is not a one-sentence fix like the last time around. The court calls it “a radical departure” from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules, which are supposed to be analogous. The court lists long parts of statutes that are in the FINRA rules that are not within the HISA scheme. These differences span multiple paragraphs and

not just paragraphs of statutes but real power. For example, the SEC has the power to remove board members—something the FTC does not have with HISA. Those are real governing powers.

This is not picayune. This comes down to something very fundamental— the Constitution, the Fourth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, your right against unreasonable searches and seizures, your other constitutional rights. Those are fundamental. Right now, we essentially have a private police department—unrestrained by all of the protections you’d otherwise have under the Constitution—that can run around and conduct searches and tests and then levy sanctions and fines without having to follow all the constitutional protections a defendant would have in any other administrative procedure and any other industry. That is a real problem. It’s something worth fighting about.

Every American has the right to due process if the government comes after us or accuses us of committing a crime or committing some other violation of the law. You have the right to a lawyer. You have the right to an impartial adjudication. You have the right to privacy and protection. In order for the government to come into your home, they have to have a search warrant that has been issued by a judge. None of that exists under HISA, and to the extent that it does exist, it’s only because they voluntarily choose to give it to you. It’s not required, and they do not have to respect people’s rights.

Do horsemen who are assessed a penalty or suspended summarily on the basis of HISA rules have legal standing to defy HISA/HIWU rulings?

We strongly recommend that everyone follow the law. However, we would expect to see this argument replicated in other courts and other proceedings. The 5th Circuit’s reasoning is extensive—about 15 pages of opinion. If others choose to make that argument to other judges in other courts and administrative judges, we think it is a strong, powerfully persuasive argument that those courts and bodies will take seriously.

Let me end this by saying once again that we entered this fight to do our due diligence to make sure horsemen are protected and that this federal implementation was right for the industry. After three unconstitutional rulings, the trace-level positives causing havoc for owners and trainers, the flip-flopping and non-enforcement of their own rules, admittance of non-uniform lab standards and laboratory failures, it would be very hard for anyone to say that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act as written is in the best interest of our industry. It’s time we all see that and make the changes that are in the best interest of our equine athletes and our horse racing participants.

SINCERELY, ERIC J. HAMELBACK

WOULD

AFFILIATES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS - AFFILIATES

Dr. David Harrington, Alabama

Lloyd Yother, Arizona

Bill Walmsley, Arkansas

James Miller, Charles Town

Kim Oliver, Colorado

Dave Brown, Finger Lakes

Jim Watkins, Illinois

Joe Davis, Indiana

David McShane, Iowa

Rick Hiles, Kentucky

Benard Chatters, Louisiana

Jason Uelmen, Michigan

Justin Revek, Minnesota

Garald “Wally” Wollesen, Nebraska

Anthony Spadea, New England

Dr. Paul Jenson DVM, New Mexico

Joe Poole, Ohio

Joe Offolter, Oklahoma

Ron Sutton, Oregon

Sandee Martin, Pennsylvania

Mike Dini, Tampa Bay Downs

David Ross, Virginia

Pat LePley, Washington

The opinions, representations and viewpoints expressed by the authors in the articles contained in The Horsemen’s Journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions, representations and viewpoints or the official policies or positions of The Horsemen’s Journal, National Horsemen’s Administration Corporation or National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association Inc. and its affiliates (collectively “HJ”). HJ is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to or reliance on any information contained within this issue. Information in this issue may become outdated due to the rapidly changing nature of the horse industry. The publication of any advertisements or articles should not be construed as an endorsement of any product, service or position unless specifically stated.

The Horsemen’s Journal, Volume 71 #3.

Postal Information: The Horsemen’s Journal (ISSN 0018-5256) is published quarterly by the National Horsemen’s Administration Corporation, with publishing offices at 3380 Paris Pike, Lexington, KY 40511. Copyright 2024 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

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. Kimberly Brewer

Dr. Clara Fenger

Jennie Rees

Jen Roytz

Peter Sacopulos

Dr. Thomas Tobin

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Denis Blake

Coady Photography

Fasig-Tipton Photo

GRC Photo

Gwen Davis/Davis Innovation Hodges Photography

Michelle McShane NYRA JJ Zamaiko Photography

STAFF

Tom Law Editor P (859) 396-9407 hj@hbpa.org

Michelle McShane Advertising Director P (515) 508-1811 info@hbpa.org

Limb Design www.limbdesign.com Graphic Design

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COVER PHOTO Coady Photography

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 nonmember subscriptions are $25. Single-copy back issues, if available, are $7. Canadian subscribers add $6. All other subscriptions outside the U.S. add $20 payable in U.S. funds. To order reprints or subscriptions, call (859) 259-0451.

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.

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THE STARS COME OUT—ALONG WITH BRIGHT, VIBRANT FALL FOLIAGE—FOR THE NOVEMBER SALES SEASON IN KENTUCKY.

NTWAB Recognizes ‘Team McPeek,’ Backside Learning Center

THE CONNECTIONS OF THORPEDO ANNA CELEBRATE THE FILLY’S VICTORY IN THE GRADE 1 COACHING CLUB AMERICAN OAKS AT SARATOGA. MEMBERS OF THE TEAM LED BY SHERRI AND KENNY MCPEEK (FAR LEFT), JOCKEY BRIAN HERNANDEZ JR. (HOLDING TRAY) AND DANNY RAMSEY (WITH FLOWERS) ARE AMONG THE WINNERS OF THE MR. FITZ AWARD FOR TYPIFYING THE SPIRIT OF RACING FROM THE NATIONAL TURF WRITERS AND BROADCASTERS.

Team Kenny McPeek—the many people and horses involved in the unforgettable year for the trainer’s stable—will be honored along with the Backside Learning Center, multiple Eclipse award-winning Turf writer Sean Clancy and broadcaster Laffit Pincay III during the 64th annual National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) Awards Dinner in Del Mar, California, on Wednesday, October 30.

The awards dinner will be held at The Brigantine Del Mar, located just a mile from the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, which will host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships November 1-2.

In honoring Team Kenny McPeek with the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit of racing, the NTWAB recognizes the trainer and his staff, exercise rider Danny Ramsey, jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. and the horses’ owners, whose collective efforts and promotion of the sport have created fans and cultivated excitement in horse racing.

This year, McPeek became just the third trainer in history to pull off what is known as the Oaks-Derby Double when Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan won the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Fans and media continued to benefit from Team McPeek’s engagement throughout the summer. Mystik Dan competed in the other two legs of the Triple Crown, finishing second in the Preakness and eighth in the Belmont Stakes, and at Saratoga, Thorpedo Anna captured the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes and Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks before running second against males in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes.

The Backside Learning Center, a Louisville, Kentucky-based independent nonprofit organization that provides support and resources for the community of racetrack workers and their families at Churchill Downs and surrounding tracks and training facilities, earned the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing. The center offers access to education and programs for youth and adults that support health and well-being, holistic support through comprehensive case management and human services, and a support system for family empowerment while emphasizing culture and community engagement.

Clancy is the recipient of the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in Turf writing. A champion steeplechase jockey who embarked on a journalism career after his riding days, Clancy, with his brother Joe, started Steeplechase Times in 1994 and The Saratoga Special in 2001. He won his first Eclipse Award in 2009 in the News/Commentary category for “Life’s Work” in The Blood-Horse about the estate sale of the late Hall of Fame trainer Sidney Watters Jr. Last year, he was honored for his story “The Worst Test” about the fatal breakdown of Maple Leaf Mel in the Test Stakes that appeared in The Saratoga Special

Pincay, the son of one of the greatest jockeys in the history of the sport, is the recipient of the Jim McKay Award for broadcast excellence. Part of the HRTV team from 2002–15, he joined ESPN’s telecast of the 2007 Breeders’ Cup and later became a key part of coverage of the American Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup on NBC. Since 2019, he has worked as a host for the Fox/NYRA broadcasts seen daily during all of New York’s meetings, including Belmont and Saratoga, as well as coverage of Oaklawn Park’s biggest events like the Arkansas Derby.

TCA Annual Grant Awards Top $1 Million

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) announced in early September that it awarded grants totaling more than $1 million this year to 86 organizations.

The grants went to 56 aftercare organizations, 21 backstretch and farm worker programs, five equine-assisted therapy organizations, three Thoroughbred incentive programs and one research organization. Grant recipients can be found at tca.org. Over the past 34 years, TCA has awarded more than $27 million in grants.

TCA grants were bolstered this year by a generous bequest from the late California Thoroughbred owner Nancy Messineo, who was devoted to the well-being of animals and specifically horses. She was a strong supporter of Thoroughbred aftercare efforts and routinely worked to rehome her former racers. In addition to TCA, Messineo’s estate bequeathed funds to the California Retirement Management Account, the Wild Horse Sanctuary, the Red Bucket Sanctuary and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

With a record number of grant applications received this year, TCA’s board of directors established clear funding priorities for grantmaking. Working with the TCA Grants Committee, the board determined that funding emphasis would be placed on approved organizations working to serve the backstretch and farm employee communities as well as nontraditional aftercare organizations. TCA defined nontraditional aftercare organizations as those that are either working to provide on-track placement services for retiring Thoroughbreds or to incentivize equine enthusiasts to choose a Thoroughbred as their next mount.

“Each year, TCA’s Grants Committee works hard to ensure that we are an outstanding steward of the donations that we receive,” said Erin Halliwell, executive director of TCA. “This year is no different, as the committee carefully reviewed over 100 applications. Our grants are only possible thanks to our generous donors, and we are thrilled to be able to support so many impactful, effective and change-making organizations in our industry because of this support.”

Grant applications for the 2025 grant cycle will be available in mid-January.

HORSEMAN LABOR

For international labor needs including:

• I-9 Compliance

• P-1/P-1S Jockey and Valet visas

• H-2B Temporary Worker visas

• H-2A Agricultural and Farm visas

Horseman Labor Solutions assists in the immigration visa process for individuals who are:

• Jockeys

• Exercise Riders

• Grooms

• Hot Walkers

• Stable Attendants

• General Laborers

Three-Peat: Godolphin Sweeps TOBA National Honors

Sparked by the inspirational Horse of the Year campaign of Cody’s Wish, Godolphin again came away as the big winner at the 39th annual Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) National Awards Dinner in early September at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, Kentucky.

Godolphin, the global racing and breeding operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, came away with the National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year titles for the third consecutive year. The TOBA honors followed almost in lockstep with the Eclipse Awards hauled in by Godolphin for the past few seasons. Godolphin earned its fourth straight Eclipse Award as outstanding owner in 2023 and a third consecutive crown as outstanding breeder last year.

Kate Galvin, sales and communications manager for Godolphin USA, paid tribute to the namesake of Cody’s Wish while accepting the TOBA National Owner of the Year title.

“I just want to dedicate this award to Cody Dorman,” she said, according to BloodHorse

Cody’s Wish was named after Cody Dorman, a boy born with WolfHirschhorn syndrome, which severely restricts body movements. As part of a Make-A-Wish Foundation visit, Dorman, in a wheelchair, bonded with a foal at Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm in 2018. That foal was named Cody’s Wish, and

VINNIE VIOLA (FAR LEFT) OF ST. ELIAS STABLE AND MIKE REPOLE (BLUE SPORT COAT) OF REPOLE STABLE WERE HONORED BY TOBA WITH THE COT CAMPBELL PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR FOR 2023.

beginning in 2022, the bond became a national story as Cody’s Wish developed into a top-flight racehorse and Cody Dorman and his family attended many of his races. Sadly, Cody Dorman died on his return home to Kentucky the day after watching Cody’s Wish win the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

2023 State and Canadian Breeders of the Year

Transcripts, Video Replay of 72nd Round Table Available

Transcripts and the video replay from the 72nd annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing held August 1 at the Excelsior Springs Event Center in Saratoga Springs, New York, are now available at jockeyclub.com.

The conference featured keynote speaker Todd Gralla, principal at Populous, a global design firm that focuses on sports and entertainment from stadiums and arenas to event spaces and urban environments. Gralla discussed racetrack projects around the globe, including the ongoing redesign and reconstruction of Belmont Park, which integrates today’s technology into racetrack operations while retaining racing’s traditions.

Joe Asher, board chair of the Wilson Center and the former CEO of William Hill US and president of IGT’s PlaySports business, discussed the intersection of horse racing and sports betting, and Meghan Rodgers, senior vice president

of public affairs for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, provided an overview of the organization’s Safety Runs First campaign.

Gary Fenton, managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing, discussed horse racing’s present and future in California, and Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer of 1/ST Racing, shared how California has improved the safety of its athletes, including the use of technology at the track.

The Jockey Club Round Table Conference was first held on July 1, 1953, in The Jockey Club office in New York City. The following year, it was moved to Saratoga Springs. Each year, the conference features discussions on critical industry topics, including aftercare, equine safety, marketing and national uniformity and often provides international perspectives and viewpoints from outside the Thoroughbred industry.

“We are... first, last and always...

horsemen.”

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

• Racetrack maintenance equipment

• Equine Medical Transport Ambulance (patent pending)

• Safety rails & mile markers

• Racetrack building & refurbishing

• Used equipment

It PAYS to NOMINATE

ATTENTION OWNERS:

ALL 2023 foals by the following stallions are eligible to nominate to Iowa Stallion Stakes, regardless of what state they are foaled in.

One time payment, due Dec 2nd makes your 2023 foals eligible for a 2yo and a 3yo stakes.

■ Won the ($74,760) 2024 ITBOA Stallion Futurity Season donated by Spendthift Farm

■ Won the ($78,513) 2024 ITBOA Stallion Stakes Season donated by Mighty Acres FLAT HANBY by FLAT OUT

• NO ENTRY FEE FOR THE STALLION OWNER INTO THE STALLION AUCTION 2024 Stallion Auction, December 7-16 www.iowathoroughbred.com for donation form and more info JUST CALL ME LUCKY by GORMLEY

■ Won the ($77,819) 2024 ITBOA Stallion Filly Stakes Season donated by Darby Dan Farm TAPITURE'S LADY by TAPITURE

are also due December 2nd for Iowa Bred Foals born in 2023. Visit www.iowathoroughbred.com for nomination forms

STALLION OWNERS:

Consider donating a season to the ONLY Stallion Auction where YOU could receive up to $15,000

• ALL foals born in 2026 by your stallion, regardless of what state they are foaled in, are eligible to nominate to our 2028 ITBOA Stallion Futurity for two year olds and 2029 Stallion Stakes for three year olds.

• Proceeds from the season’s sale will be solely designated to the ITBOA Stallion Futurity & ITBOA Stallion Stakes

Coady Photography

ATTENTION STALLION OWNERS & FARM MANAGERS

S SEASON DONOR FORM FOR 2025 BREEDING SEASON

• ALL foals born in 2026, regardless of what state they are foaled in, are eligible to nominate to our 2028 ITBOA Stallion Futu rity for two year olds and 2029 Stallion Stakes for three year olds. (3 yo race will have a filly AND a colt/gelding division)

• EASY one time nomination of only $200 for the foals to nominate; which means MORE of your foals will be eligible to run in a Black Type race. 2024 Stallion Futurity, Stallion Stakes & Stallion Filly Stakes had total purses of $231,092!!!

• The ITBOA will mail nomination forms to ALL breeders with a foal by your stallion

• The opportunity to receive $15,000 to the Stallion Donor with our Stallion Incentive Bonus Program, $195,000 paid out so far!!!

• All sale prices will be kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL between the buyer, the seller and the ITBOA.

• Seasons will be sold online through www.thoroughlybred.com, ending on December 16th. Only E Bay like website dedicated to the thoroughbred industry!

• Donations are not split with the season donor and/or stallion owner. Only 100% donation seasons accepted.

• Bidding will begin at $500 unless a higher reserve is set. Any reserve must be in writing. Reserves are defined as “the minimum a season may be sold for”.

• Proceeds from the season’s sale will be solely designated to the ITBOA Stallion Futurity & ITBOA Stallion Stakes

• YOU decide if to allow a Breed Back if no foal in 2026.

• NO ENTRY FEE

• You can provide up to five pictures to be used on website and provide a link to the stallion ’s page and/or farm website.

# of Seasons

*Breed Back

To Each Stallion Standing Farm 2025 Stud Fee State Yes or No?

*This will allow a breed back in 2026 if the mare does not conceive, aborts the fetus, or does not produce a live foal which s tands and nurses in 2026. Applicable only if the stallion is standing at the same farm in 2026.

Donor: (as it is to appear in advertising. Please print)_____________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Authorized Signature:__________________________________________Print

Email pictures and website links to itboa@msn.com by November 20th to be included in our advertising. Donations WILL be accepted until the day of the auction.

Please fill out and submit to:

Fax: 1-888-505-3556

Email: itboa@msn.com Or mail to: ITBOA

1 Prairie Meadows Dr Altoona, IA 50009 800-577-1097

up to $15,000 Special Instructions, Reserves, Website Links, etc: (this may be left blank) If your season does not sell, would you like to buy it for the minimum to make ALL the foals eligible for the Stallion Futurity & Stallion Stakes? _____Yes _____No

Hernandez Earns 2024 Mike Venezia Memorial Award

Brian Hernandez Jr. added to his stellar season when selected in August as the 2024 Mike Venezia Memorial Award recipient by the New York Racing Association (NYRA).

Hernandez, winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby aboard Mystik Dan and Kentucky Oaks on Thorpedo Anna, was chosen by a committee composed of members of the Venezia family, representatives of the Jockeys’ Guild and retired Eclipse Award-winning jockey Richard Migliore. Hernandez was recognized at Saratoga Race Course August 23.

“As a rider, I try to win races on the track and represent the sport as best I can off the track,” Hernandez said. “To be recognized with the Venezia Memorial Award is an honor.”

The Mike Venezia Memorial Award is presented annually to a jockey who displays the extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship that personified Venezia, who died as the result of injuries suffered in a spill in 1988. Venezia, a native of Brooklyn, New York, won 2,313 races during his 25-year career.

“From the outset of his career, Brian has been a true representative for horse racing and a professional in every way,” said Terry Meyocks, president and chief executive officer of the Jockeys’ Guild. “As the winner of the Venezia Award, he joins a group of elite riders who have distinguished themselves as role models and pillars of the racing community. We thank NYRA for continuing this tradition and congratulate Brian on his accomplishments.”

Hernandez’s triumph in this year’s Kentucky Derby took place the day after his commanding wire-to-wire win in the 150th Oaks, making him one of only eight riders to capture those races in the same year and the first in 15 years. Since then, the 38-year-old Hernandez has won two other Grade 1 races aboard Thorpedo Anna, both at Saratoga—the Acorn Stakes June 7 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and the Coaching Club American Oaks July 20.

Hernandez is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, and hails from a racing family. His father, Brian Hernandez Sr., is a former jockey, and his brother Colby and

sister Courtney are Louisiana-based jockeys. He rode his first winner in 2003 at Louisiana’s Delta Downs. In 2004, Hernandez Jr. was honored with the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey and in the years since has built a career at the pinnacle of the sport.

Hernandez won his first Grade 1 stakes aboard Fort Larned in Saratoga’s Whitney in 2012. That same year, he won the 1,000th race of his career at Ellis Park and completed a remarkable season, on his 27th birthday, by capturing the Breeders’ Cup Classic aboard Fort Larned at Santa Anita Park. He notched his 2,000th win in 2019 at Fair Grounds. Hernandez has more than 2,580 wins and purse earnings in excess of $134.2 million.

The Venezia Memorial Award is a 13-inch bronze sculpture with a title that reads, “The Jockey, A Champion.” Hernandez joins a legendary group of riders who have won the award previously, led by Venezia, who posthumously earned the inaugural award in 1989.

Other winners include Bill Shoemaker, Chris McCarron, Angel Cordero Jr., Jerry Bailey, Mike Smith, Pat Day, Laffit Pincay Jr., Robbie Davis, Eddie Maple, Gary Stevens, Jorge Chavez, Mike Luzzi, Dean Kutz, Richard Migliore, Patti Cooksey, Edgar Prado, Ramon Dominguez, John Velazquez, Jon Court, Mario Pino, Kendrick Carmouche, Joe Bravo, Javier Castellano, DeShawn Parker, Julien Leparoux and 2023 winner Junior Alvarado. HJ

BRIAN HERNANDEZ JR., REGULAR RIDER OF KENTUCKY OAKS WINNER THORPEDO ANNA (PICTURED) AND KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER MYSTIK DAN, EARNED THE 2024 MIKE VENEZIA MEMORIAL AWARD FROM THE NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION. NYRA PHOTO

Comin’

Back, '18 B G (Competitive Edge-Maydell)

B’s Turning Point, '17 B G (Country Be Gold-Awesome Annie B)

Dr. Z’s Elsa, '20 C M (Race Day-Lady Joy)

Bryton’s D J, '18 B G (Treasure Beach (GB)-D J Trip)

Jais’s Solitude, '16 B G (Afleet Alex-Privacy)

The Makeover Champions program invites members of the Thoroughbred racing industry to demonstrate public support for former connected horses who are entered in the retraining competition. Learn more and sign up today by scanning the QR code below.

Lute’s Angel, '19 Dk B G (Midnight Lute-Discreetly Elusive)

Dr. Doug Daniels Reelected National

HBPA President

NATIONAL HBPA PRESIDENT DR. DOUG DANIELS (LEFT) AND NHBPA CEO ERIC HAMELBACK JULY 26 AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS RACETRACK

Dr. Doug Daniels, a horse owner and equine veterinarian in Virginia, was reelected by unanimous acclamation for a second three-year term as the National HBPA’s president and chairperson of the board.

Daniels was reelected during the National HBPA’s full board meeting that ended the organization’s annual conference, which included three days of panel discussions and presentations at Prairie Meadows Racetrack.

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“There was a lot more to do these last three years than I ever dreamt,” Daniels said after the meeting, a reference to the National HBPA’s and many of its affiliates’ legal challenges to the constitutionality of the legislation that created the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) corporation. “I hope now, in the next three years, it will be a lot less contentious and a lot more meaningful from the standpoint of our horsemen looking forward to positive change. I look forward to doing all I can in the process.”

Heading Daniels’ agenda is working for passage of the Racehorse Health and Safety Act (RHSA), introduced September 26, 2023, by Congressman Clay Higgins of Louisiana. The RHSA would replace HISA with a system that accomplishes the same goals but with full transparency, much more input by horsemen, science-based regulations and a far cheaper price tag.

“The top priority is getting the RHSA accepted and in play, getting people behind it, getting more people behind the HBPA, instead of the contention that has existed the last couple of years,” Daniels said. “There are a lot of people behind the scenes who are very much in favor of what we’re doing, but they feel forced to play the politics and not their conscience.”

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Daniels is a member of HISA’s Horsemen’s Advisory Group.

“I’m one of the last members of the original group to phase out,” he said. “Would I get renominated? I don’t know. Right now, there seems to be a lack of representation for the small-time horsemen, and it’s getting a little more so. All the new appointees are fabulous people and fabulous horsemen, but they don’t represent the same segment of the industry that I might, including the segment that can’t afford HISA.”

Daniels was unopposed when he was elected National HBPA president for the first time in 2020. National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback said Daniels’ being not only a horse owner but a veterinarian has proved invaluable, especially in the current environment.

“In these challenging times, I can’t overstate the importance of Dr. Daniels being our national president and chairman of the board and also being a practicing equine veterinarian,” Hamelback said. “His knowledge and understanding of equine sports medicine is really integral in how the National

HBPA has been navigated as we stand up to make our industry better, safer and more fair for everyone—our equine and human participants alike.

“On top of it, he’s just a great guy,” he added.

Daniels said he’s able to be a much better president because of Hamelback. “None of this could happen without the guy who’s carrying the water,” Daniels said. “It’s a thankless job. It’s his efforts that keep the group together and cohesive.

“But what too many people don’t get is that, while Eric agrees with what we’re doing, he takes total direction from our board of directors,” he continued.

“He is, however, a tremendous resource for the board and for me with his incredible passion and knowledge of the entire industry, top to bottom, and how it interrelates. He really deserves more accolades and appreciation from the industry than he gets. I’m not the only one who feels this way, but it’s easy for me to say this man is the driving force behind our efforts.”

Time for Trouble Earns Claiming Crown Horse of the Year

TIME FOR TROUBLE (OUTSIDE) BECAME A TWO-TIME WINNER OF THE CLAIMING CROWN IRON HORSE LAST YEAR AT FAIR GROUNDS.

Time for Trouble has been selected as the 2023 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, due to his being only the third two-time race winner in the history of the annual event created to honor the hard-knocking warhorses that populate America’s racing programs largely out of the limelight.

The announcement was made in June by the National HBPA and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), co-founders of the Claiming Crown. The Claiming Crown races are for horses that have competed at a certain claiming level (or less) during a designated time frame. The event is staged each year by the National HBPA and TOBA in conjunction with the host track and with an assist from the state HBPA affiliate.

Time for Trouble, two-time winner of the Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse, was selected as Claiming Crown Horse of the Year among the eight winners last December at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. The 2024 Claiming Crown will be held November 16 at Churchill Downs in Louisville for the second time in three years.

Now 7, Time for Trouble is the first horse in the program’s 25 years to win

the same Claiming Crown race in back-to-back renewals. The only other twotime winners are Al’s Dearly Bred, who won the 2001 and 2006 Emerald, and Antrim County, who won the 2008 Iron Horse and 2009 Jewel.

“It’s definitely a great achievement,” said Louisville-based trainer Jeff Hiles, who co-owns Time for Trouble with Thorndale Stable’s Paul Parker of Paducah, Kentucky. “We’re going back in it this year if he stays healthy. In order to do that, he’s going to have to be on top of his game because those races are difficult. He’s been a really good horse for us.”

Hiles, the son of longtime Kentucky HBPA president Rick Hiles, and Parker claimed Time for Trouble three years ago for $8,000 at Churchill Downs. Their good luck started by out-shaking 12 others who also dropped a claim for the gelding.

Time for Trouble has earned eight of his 11 career victories and $575,027 for Hiles and Parker. That includes the Claiming Crown Iron Horse—for horses who have run for a claiming price of $8,000 or less—in 2023 in New Orleans and in November 2022 at Churchill Downs.

The son of English Channel started 2024 by winning a money-won allowance race at Oaklawn Park, followed by a third and a pair of fourths in graded stakes. He’s Hiles’ top money-earner in a training career in its sixth full season since working as an assistant to Kenny McPeek.

The Claiming Crown Horse of the Year is voted on by the National HBPA’s Industry Awards Committee, which is chaired by Pennsylvania HBPA Executive Director Todd Mostoller. Time for Trouble, Hiles and Parker were recognized at the 39th annual TOBA National Awards Dinner September 7 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington.

“Time for Trouble is a poster boy for how claiming horses, even at cheaper levels, can rise up to compete in racing’s upper echelon with good horsemanship, a dream and some luck,” Mostoller said. “These horses give smaller stables the hope that they, too, can someday land the proverbial Big Horse.

“For the vast majority of horsemen, that doesn’t mean a Triple Crown, Breeders’ Cup or necessarily a graded stakes horse, though that can happen,” he continued. “Rather, they’re very good horses at their own level of competition

and take their owners and trainers on a joy ride, adventures that can include running in the Claiming Crown and being part of a big day of racing.”

Parker vouches for that.

“It’s wonderful that they give an award like this, anything you can do for guys like me,” said Parker, who owns the popular 1950s diner Parker’s Drive-In

in Paducah. “It’s great to get any kind of accolade at the level I play at. I’ve got one mare I breed. I’ve got a shot of getting a good horse one day. But am I ever going to win the Breeders’ Cup? Am I able to even think about getting a Horse of the Year? I doubt it. But to get Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, that’s something.” —Jennie Rees

Shotshell Punches Ticket to Claiming Crown Iron Horse

Cecil Peters’ Shotshell rolled to a front-running 71/2-length victory in the $50,000 Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse Claiming Crown Prep July 26 at Prairie Meadows Racetrack, receiving an automatic berth in the corresponding Claiming Crown race November 16 at Churchill Downs.

HORSE IN NOVEMBER.

Trainer Jose Gonzalez, in his first season at Prairie Meadows after many years in New Mexico, said his plan is to send the 4-year-old Shotshell to the 11/16-mile Claiming Crown Iron Horse, which, like the prep race, is for horses that have raced at least once for an $8,000 claiming price or cheaper during their career.

“He’s an awesome horse for us,” Gonzalez said. “We’re just blessed to have him. Thanks to the owner for giving us the opportunity. If he comes back healthy and safe, the Claiming Crown will be the plan. Obviously, we had this race circled, and it worked out. We’re pretty blessed.”

The Claiming Crown, created by the National HBPA and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association in 1999, provides claiming horse owners and trainers their own version of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The multirace program gives Thoroughbred racing’s workhorses a day in the spotlight in recognition of their importance to filling out race cards across the nation.

The Claiming Crown prep was staged in conjunction with the National HBPA

Conference held in Prairie Meadows’ event center. In addition to Shotshell, runner-up Cost Basis (trained by Tim Martin) and third-place Ember (trained by Matt Williams) also secured spots in the Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse if their connections choose to run. Final purses were not set by late August, but the Iron Horse purse will be at least $100,000.

Gonzalez applauded Prairie Meadows and its horsemen for staging a Claiming Crown prep with a big purse.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “Great for the owner, great for the fans, great for a small stable like us, so we’re very grateful. We’re a family operation, my wife and three kids, and we all work together.”

Shotshell, who is a son of Horse of the Year Gun Runner out of the Tapit mare Tapalite, became eligible for the Iron Horse when he ran second in a “nonwinners of two” race for $5,000 claimers last December at Turfway Park.

NATIONAL HBPA PRESIDENT DR. DOUG DANIELS PRESENTS THE TROPHY TO SHOTSHELL’S CONNECTIONS AFTER THE GELDING’S VICTORY AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS.

He’s been claimed four times, the last for $7,500 by Peters February 9 at Sam Houston Race Park. After racing in Texas, Shotshell was sent to Gonzalez and improved to 2-for-3 at Prairie Meadows in the Iron Horse prep.

Gonzalez is hoping Shotshell gives him his first starter ever at Churchill Downs.

“It would be an honor for us to go to the granddaddy of them all,” he said.

—Jennie Rees HJ

SHOTSHELL ROLLS TO VICTORY AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS IN A CLAIMING CROWN QUALIFIER THAT CARRIES AN AUTOMATIC BID INTO THE CLAIMING CROWN KENT STIRLING MEMORIAL IRON

JACK COADY PHOTOGRAPHY

SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS

NATIONAL HBPA CONFERENCE TACKLES NO-EFFECT THRESHOLDS, HISA, CAW AND MORE

By Jennie Rees

AMONG THE JAW-DROPPING THINGS LEARNED AT THE 2024 NATIONAL HBPA CONFERENCE HELD AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS JULY 23-27:

• Thirteen sharks tested off the coast of Rio de Janeiro all had cocaine in their systems.

• Horse owner Brent Malmstrom has spent more than $620,000—with no end in sight—fighting the twoyear suspension handed to trainer Jonathan Wong after one of Wong’s horses tested positive for the widely prescribed diabetes medication metformin. Malmstrom doesn’t even own that particular horse.

• Almost 40% of total wagering on Ohio’s three Thoroughbred tracks comes from computer-assisted wagering (CAW) groups.

The National HBPA Conference isn’t the kind of convention where you just attend cocktail parties, play golf and schmooze. National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback puts together serious conversations about the serious issues facing our industry as well as sessions with speakers offering information on topics about which horsemen might not even know they need to know.

KENT STIRLING MEMORIAL MEDICATION PANEL: ESTABLISHING NO-EFFECT THRESHOLDS AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR THE INDUSTRY

The conference came right as the National HBPA was urging horsemen to send comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in support of the HBPA’s petition requesting implementation of no-effect testing thresholds for foreign substances that can be inadvertently transferred to—and linger in—a racehorse. (More than 1,100 horsemen and those interested in the industry sent comments to the FTC by the deadline. Thank you to all who submitted comments.)

The goal is to pattern horse racing testing after human testing, eliminating minuscule findings that have no impact on a horse’s performance. When called as a rules violation, those findings make innocent horsemen look like cheaters, unjustly destroying reputations and careers.

Dr. Clara Fenger, a veterinarian and one of the nation’s top researchers on environmental transfer and contamination in racehorses, used the cocaine sharks to illustrate the prevalence of environmental contamination in today’s world, driving home how testing has sprinted past today’s drug and medication policies. Connecting the relevance of sharks to Iowa and other racing jurisdictions, Fenger cited the Horseracing Integrity and

THE NATIONAL HBPA CONFERENCE MADE ITS WAY TO ALTOONA, IOWA, AND PRAIRIE MEADOWS RACETRACK IN LATE JULY.

THE

MEMORIAL MEDICATION PANEL FEATURED DR. CLARA FENGER AND DR. THOMAS TOBIN, WHO DISCUSSED ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFER AND CONTAMINATION IN RACEHORSES, NO-EFFECT THRESHOLDS AND OTHER RECENT TOPICS INCLUDING METFORMIN POSITIVES.

Safety Authority (HISA) enabling legislation that states that HISA-covered horses “should compete only when they are free from the influence of medications.”

Fenger’s point is that testing many substances to the limit of detection— meaning that if the lab can find it, it’s a violation, no matter how tiny the amount, even if it doesn’t impact a horse’s performance—actually goes against the federal law that set up the HISA corporation. She said HISA has justified not having more threshold levels by saying that certain substances have no business being in a racehorse at any level.

“Those certain substances have no business in a shark at any level either,” Fenger said.

Also on the panel were Dr. Thomas Tobin, the world-renowned researcher and pioneer in equine testing, and Dr. Rob Holland, another equine practitioner who globally consults on infectious diseases. They were joined by trainer Ron Moquett, who shared his own expensive story on environmental transfer.

All four made the case that racing must adopt no-effect thresholds in racehorse testing for substances that are readily present in the environment. Such policy requires science-based testing levels, below which any trace-level findings are disregarded because they have no pharmacological effect on a horse. Tobin, who has worked on determining realistic no-effect thresholds for 30 years, has called them “irrelevant” findings.

The National HBPA and CEO Eric Hamelback have been the leading advocates for no-effect thresholds, saying it is unfair to sanction trainers and penalize their owners when horses are disqualified from purse money for the presence of a tiny amount of a substance they couldn’t have prevented and that made no difference.

Holland said every horse that races could potentially pick up trace levels of a prohibited substance from 20 to 30 different and routine contact points. Those might include contact with not just the trainer or groom but a van driver, a horse drinking out of another horse’s water bucket in the test barn, the prior horse in that stall in the receiving barn, pony riders, assistant starters, outriders, the testbarn employee known as the “pee-catcher,” veterinarians and many others.

Holland said as part of an investigation into the risks of environmental contamination, they swabbed 12 stalls at a track that has a large yearling sale and all 12 tested for dexamethasone and acepromazine, which are not allowed to be in a horse’s system for a race. He said one of the swabs was high enough that it would have triggered an adverse finding in a racehorse. Even with thorough cleaning, he said the honeycomb design of the stall floor mats made it impossible to eliminate all the dirt.

“That stall should be subject to a $25,000 fine and two years where you can’t compete if they treated the racetracks like they treat the trainers,” Moquett joked.

“That’s why we have to explain these things to people,” Holland added. “There are things that are out of your control as a trainer.”

Holland said the diabetes medication metformin, for which the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)—HISA’s testing and enforcement arm—has called a number of adverse findings, lends itself to environmental transfer. Metformin is given daily to humans in large doses and is excreted in its original form. That’s a problem given a backstretch habit of humans urinating in a stall when a bathroom isn’t handy.

“The fact that 20 to 30 individual contacts could occur, and that’s the No. 3 drug in the world to treat humans, your odds of getting urine environmental transfer are getting higher and higher with metformin,” Holland said. “I give a lot of tracks credit. They saw there weren’t enough bathrooms, so they put porta potties everywhere. The problem with porta potties is how do you wash your hands?”

Holland and Fenger also are involved in a project with the U.S. Geological Survey testing the water at racetracks.

“Metformin, caffeine, codeine, tramadol—many of these medications at low levels are coming out of your water sources, because they can’t get it out of the treatment plant areas,” Holland said. “We’re building a database for this. If [your horse] came in contact with metformin from an individual but you’re also drinking low levels in your water, that could be enough to get you over the threshold level for a test in a racing situation.”

Moquett, a member of HISA’s Horsemen’s Advisory Group, learned the hard way how easy it can be for a horse to pick up a substance banned for racing.

He was cited in November by HIWU for his horse Speed Bias’ post-test finding for a local anesthetic. Through spending a lot of money and effort, Moquett was ultimately held blameless, though the horse remained disqualified from purse money. What happened is that Moquett had a different horse castrated in a stall nine days earlier, with the veterinarian using the same anesthetic to inject the testicles—all duly reported to HISA—before Speed Bias shipped in to run out of the same stall.

Fortunately for Moquett, the track’s barn video documented the effort the trainer’s crew underwent to strip, clean and sanitize the stall on three separate occasions.

“We’re trying to explain to the people in charge to set levels to where you’re not catching and accusing for things that have no effect on racing,” he said.

Moquett stressed that trainers also must make it clear to employees that “it’s not OK to urinate in the stalls. It’s not OK to take your Red Bull in [the stall] with you. It’s not OK to put your coffee cup in a feed tub.”

DOING HAS THE BIGGEST EFFECT ON THE OUTCOME OF OUR SPORT.”

KENT STIRLING

VETERAN TRAINER RON MOQUETT ENCOURAGED THE NATIONAL HBPA AND ITS AFFILIATES TO CONTINUE FUNDING THRESHOLD STUDIES, SAYING “MORE THAN ANYTHING GOING ON TODAY, THE WORK THEY’RE

Fenger praised the National HBPA and its affiliates for providing funding for the threshold studies. Moquett encouraged HBPA affiliates to keep the money coming, saying, “Probably more than anything going on today, the work they’re doing has the biggest effect on the outcome of our sport.”

STATUS REPORT ON HISA

Jonathan Wong became the first trainer to have a horse test positive for metformin in the HISA era. He currently is serving a two-year suspension meted out by HIWU.

“No one should ever be at risk to losing their entire economic viability by no fault of their own,” said Brent Malmstrom, a West Coast businessman in the technology industry. “And that is something that is happening and will continue to happen until change occurs.

“There is fundamental unfairness where you can blatantly label someone a cheater when they’ve never had any opportunity to defend themselves,” he added. “Back then you were labeled and branded and suspended as a cheater before you even had the results of the drug analysis. … Now I understand the rules have all changed since then. But many of these changes have not helped our situation.”

Daniel Suhr, the lead attorney for the National HBPA and 12 affiliates’ court challenge in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and prominent Indiana equine attorney Pete Sacopulos, a racehorse owner and breeder who represents the North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians in the litigation, were also on the panel moderated by National HBPA General Counsel Peter Ecabert.

“Back in July [2023], my trainer received a notification from a HIWU investigator at 7:40 in the morning, a Saturday morning on the Fourth of July weekend, that he received a positive for the drug known as metformin,” Malmstrom said, speaking via Zoom. “[Wong] had 18 hours to disperse 150 horses because he was immediately suspended. We talk about the health and wellness of the animal, but under no circumstances was that a brilliant idea to say he’d have 18 hours to disperse 150 horses.

“I really felt if we went in, we’d explain the facts and our set of circumstances, and there would be an amicable solution and resolution at the end,” he added. “What I’ve come to realize, it doesn’t matter what any of these trainers do or don’t do. … Unless you can prove source, nothing else matters. Think about it in a practical situation. You receive a notice roughly 30 days after the fact, so you don’t have the ability to go in and investigate to discover what happened.”

Malmstrom said he hired the best lawyers and experts available for the arbitration hearing.

“Unfortunately, what I found is when you challenge this entity, they don’t like it,” he said.

He said they asked HIWU “what they are doing to investigate these [receiving barn] situations; their response was, ‘It’s not our job to investigate.’ ”

Malmstrom said an FTC administrative law judge ruled that HIWU has no chain of custody “as it relates to our case. So, they can’t actually say that the blood and urine drawn actually relates to the animal. Their rules, unfortunately, say they don’t have to actually be able to demonstrate [chain of custody].” He said his legal team twice requested DNA testing on the samples and was denied. HISA and HIWU ultimately announced that they are not enforcing sanctions on new cases until more research is done on the effect of metformin on horses. They said the new policy would not be retroactive, so Wong remains suspended, although he subsequently started racing horses in Louisiana, which under a separate court challenge received a stay to prevent HISA’s rules from being enforced in that state.

HBPA ATTORNEY SUHR: 5TH CIRCUIT ‘A GREAT OPINION’

Even if it didn’t give horsemen everything they hoped for, Suhr termed as “a great opinion” the 5th Circuit’s finding announced July 5 that while HISA’s rule-making procedures were constitutional, its enforcement of those rules is not. The suit was in a 45-day waiting period while the FTC and the HISA corporation decide if they will appeal.

With the 6th Circuit upholding HISA’s legality, the split among jurisdictions is likely to land the case before the Supreme Court, according to Suhr. Suhr expressed confidence that, if the case goes to the high court, the majority of justices will rule in favor of the horsemen and strike down HISA.

“For the last five years, there has been a consistent pattern where six of the justices are deeply skeptical of what I’ll call the modern administrative state,” he said. “But I don’t want to give up on getting all nine justices. There are three other justices, though, who come from a different ideological basis. They’re really concerned about the rights of criminal defendants. They’ll be just as offended as Judge [Kyle] Duncan [of the 5th Circuit] was at the idea that we’re going to have people running around roughshod over people’s rights.”

In introducing the panel, Hamelback called it “a new day” in the wake of the 5th Circuit while noting that the horsemen’s organization long has pushed for national uniformity done in a scientific fashion.

“When we started down this path after the [HISA] bill was signed into law, I felt I made it very clear publicly that the stance of the National HBPA is, and remains, to do our due diligence to protect horsemen,” Hamelback said. “We want a level playing field. We want cheaters out of the game. But how are we going to do it in the best way possible to protect horsemen, and is this Act the right thing to do? Now we can justly say this Act as a whole is not right for horsemen and the horse racing industry and it’s not doing what is necessary to protect the horse.”

CAW: WHY HORSEMEN’S GROUPS SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION

Pat Cummings, executive director of prominent horse owner Mike Repole’s National Thoroughbred Alliance, opened the computer-assisted wagering panel by saying that CAW references “a very small number of horseplayers who are using some sort of automated programs to place bets.”

“They develop finely honed systems, algorithms that sense vast amounts of data, and place their bets in very quick fashion, oftentimes right before the race begins,” he said. “They are able to batch bets. My research [indicates] that there

NATIONAL HBPA GENERAL COUNSEL PETER ECABERT (LEFT) MODERATED THE PANEL “STATUS REPORT ON HISA” WITH DANIEL SUHR (CENTER), THE LEAD ATTORNEY FOR THE NATIONAL HBPA AND 12 AFFILIATES IN THE 5TH U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS, AND PROMINENT INDIANA EQUINE ATTORNEY AND OWNER AND BREEDER PETE SACOPULOS (RIGHT).

Are You Covered?

What is it?

A program to protect your assets in case of an injury or damage to property arising from your equine activities (breeding, racing, sales, training). This is not a substitute for workers’ compensation coverage.

What Does It Cover?

• Liability claims arising from injuries to participants (non-employee jockeys and exercise riders)

• Contractual liability (i.e. hold harmless in Race Track Stall Agreements)

• Premises and Operations liability coverage for all equine operations including breeding, boarding, training, and racing.

How Much Does It Cover?

Each member additional insured has their own $1,000,000 coverage for each occurrence or offense and $2,000,000 general aggregate. Damage to premises rented to you or occupied by you with the permission of the owner is provided with a limit of $50,000. Medical payments coverage applies as well in the amount of $5,000 per person.

PAT CUMMINGS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL THOROUGHBRED ALLIANCE, SAID THERE ARE ABOUT 10 TO 12 TOP-TIER PLAYERS IN AMERICA WHO USE AUTOMATIC PROGRAMS TO PLACE BETS AND THOSE PLAYERS “PROBABLY REPRESENT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $2 BILLION AND $3 BILLION OF U.S. THOROUGHBRED RACING’S $11.6 BILLION WAGERED LAST YEAR.”

are 10 or 12 top-tier players in America who are using this approach to wager on horse racing. Those 10 to 12 players probably represent somewhere between $2 billion and $3 billion of U.S. Thoroughbred racing’s $11.6 billion wagered last year. So, in a race here tomorrow night, there may be $4,000 in the win pool at one minute to post. And when the race goes off, there may be $10,000 in the win pool. In the last one or two tote cycles, a chunk of that money has come in from these players betting in an automated fashion. Their program may say to them, ‘Bet $125 on the 5, $272 on the 4 and $357 on the 6.’ And of course, they’re betting exactas and trifectas, every pool they’re allowed to bet.”

The criticism of CAWs is that they can discourage ordinary horseplayers because of how they can influence the odds, which might not show up until the race becomes official. In addition, the biggest players can get substantial rebates from the track operators. On the other hand, horsemen’s purse accounts could take a huge hit if the CAWs went away because they account for such a large percentage of overall betting.

“These CAW customers have vast teams working for them doing various forms of analytics,” Cummings said. “They’re betting pretty much every race, every track, every pool, every day. They are your biggest customers. The story that emerges is what effect does that have on the average horseplayer who is engaging with your product?”

Some racetracks have become owners of betting platforms for CAW players, with 1/ST (Stronach Group) and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) buying into Elite Turf Club and Churchill Downs Inc. owning Velocity. Dave Basler, executive director of the Ohio HBPA, acknowledged that contract negotiations have become more difficult when track ownership also is an investor in a betting platform catering to CAW players.

Jack Jeziorski, president of NYRA Content Management Solutions, assured the audience that “there’s somebody there physically hitting the key to put those

bets in. And part of that is because most racetracks don’t go off at post time, so you can’t set it to go off automatically. A typical time is the first horse going into the gate, they’ll place the first batch of bets, and then maybe a batch or two after that.

“We’re not looking to take advantage of players or have them have a bad experience,” he added. “But at the end of the day, not a lot of people make money in this game. [CAWs] have vast amounts of data and are always looking for another piece of data to add to the model. The true difference is that these guys get the best rebates and the speed in which they can get those bets in.”

Basler said “close to 40%” of the wagering on his state’s three tracks comes from CAWs. He said what directly impacts both the Ohio horsemen’s and tracks’ bottom lines from betting are the host fees charged to each outlet for a track’s signal.

“The other part of the equation that sometimes doesn’t get enough consideration—I think enough—is the volume that they do,” he said. “There’s a tipping point. The CAW players are very cost-sensitive. Depending on what your takeout is and your host fee is, that can get to a point where your handle becomes less. The CAW players are unquestionably your biggest customers. I don’t care which track you’re at.”

Jeziorski said less than 20% of NYRA’s betting comes from CAW players.

“What you really should be looking at is how much are these guys taking out of the pool versus how much they’re paying the track and the horsemen in host fees,” he said. “If that ratio is out of whack, then you need to be looking at how to adjust it. The easiest way to adjust it is the host fee being charged.”

Cummings said that with so much purse money now generated by other forms of gaming, tracks lose sight of “the importance of wagering connecting with customers on a day in and day out basis.”

“I’d really like to challenge the horsemen’s groups to spend more time focused on how do you exercise your rights as horsemen to ensure that massmarket customers, ordinary bettors stay engaged in the sport you cherish,” he said. “Horse racing needs all of its customers. It is the negative effect that one group of customers causes another. When you adjust for inflation over the last 20 years, the non-CAW play is down more than two-thirds. We have seen an erosion of our mass-market customer base. That’s really bad.”

‘MONUMENTAL FIRST STEP’: FIXED-ODDS BETTING AT SPORTSBOOKS GETS TOEHOLD IN COLORADO

Discussing fixed odds as a new betting product for horse racing has become a fixture at the National HBPA Conference, led by industry consultant Michele Fischer, who also is vice president of SIS Content Services, a subsidiary of the largest horse racing content supplier to global bookmakers/sportsbooks. But this time the panel had the added twist of fixed-odds betting on horse racing actually launching at a sportsbook (bet365) in Colorado in February.

Fischer called it “a monumental first step,” saying that racing is attractive to sportsbooks globally and should be part of the U.S. offering.

“Sportsbooks want quality 24/7 content with good margins,” she said. “Horse racing provides it and more.”

The panel featured Ed Fenasci, executive director of the Louisiana HBPA; Kim Oliver, president of the Colorado Horse Racing Association; and Dan Hartman, associate partner for regulatory and government affairs at GMA Consulting. Hartman previously served as Colorado’s director of gaming and played a pivotal role in establishing the state’s sports betting program. Both Bally’s Arapahoe Park Horse Track and its horsemen receive source-market fees from all sports betting on horse racing in the state.

DAVE BASLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OHIO HBPA, SAID ALMOST 40% OF WAGERING AT BELTERRA PARK, THISTLEDOWN AND MAHONING VALLEY RACE COURSE COMES FROM COMPUTER-ASSISTED WAGERING.

DENIS BLAKE

Racing resumes May 2025

Race days guaranteed by law

Purses guaranteed by law

Total purses of over 14 million in 2024

Stakes program of over 3.2 million

Iowa Bred stakes program totaling $1,150,000

Breeders’ awards paid first - fourth place

Colorado is the second state (after New Jersey) to begin offering fixed odds on horse racing and the first to make it part of a sportsbook.

Tracks and their horsemen must weigh the benefits of adding horse racing to a jurisdiction’s sports betting products with the possible cannibalization of its pari-mutuel wagering versus introducing horse racing to a massive number of sports bettors who may have never been exposed to the sport. In the case of Colorado, it was an easy decision, with Oliver saying they were struggling just to keep horse racing alive.

“We are small and really didn’t have anything to lose,” she said.

The advantage of fixed odds is that players lock into odds on a horse race, just as they do betting football, basketball or, in Colorado, a myriad of sports including table tennis, on which $10 million a month is bet. Fenasci has been working for several years to bring fixed odds to Louisiana, where a portion of every bet placed on other sports goes to racehorse purses and the breeding fund.

“Why do I get so excited about fixed-odds sports wagering on horse racing?” Fenasci asked. “Why am I so optimistic? One, it generates revenue for the tracks and purse money for my horsemen directly from the exciting product that is horse racing. There are people doing sports wagering on pingpong—and at a pretty good volume. A horse race is 100 times more exciting.”

Fenasci also said the direct tie to the product is appealing.

“At some point, you’re always worried that a legislative body might feel why are we giving them all this other gaming money that has nothing to do with horse racing,” he said.

The panelists expressed hope that if fixed-odds betting on racing expands, it will get some committed sports betting enthusiasts interested in racing. Thirtyeight states and the District of Columbia now offer betting on sports since the Supreme Court in 2018 overturned the federal law banning it everywhere except for Nevada and Atlantic City.

“It gets our exciting horse racing product in front of a much larger customer base and in new and innovative ways,” Fenasci said. “If you have a product and you want to sell it, do you just want to be in the mom-and-pop store around the corner? Or do you want to be on Amazon and Walmart? That’s what we get when we get our product on FanDuel, DraftKings and all the other big operations that are actively promoting, actively seeking customers.”

AMPLIFYING RACING IN A NEW LIGHT

Annise Montplaisir, co-founder and executive director of Amplify Horse Racing, and Price Bell, general manager of Mill Ridge Farm and one of the founders of Light Up Racing, talked about their new grassroots initiatives designed to create a new generation of racing fans and potential workforce and to promote horse racing in a positive light while countering misinformation.

Light Up Racing, patterned off a similar initiative in Australia, launched in November 2023. It has already responded to more than 3,200 inaccurate social media posts, Bell said. Notably, it quickly launched on social media a video interview with equine surgeon Larry Bramlage about the successful surgery and promising prognosis for Just Steel, who suffered a leg fracture in the Preakness Stakes. The video effectively countered social media posts suggesting that Just Steel was dead or would die shortly, changing the narrative to the care racehorses get and advances in veterinary medicine.

Bell said that racing “must get away from sticking its head in the sand” while hoping any potential controversy would go away and instead should face such situations head on with accurate and timely information.

“We have the opportunity to grow our sport by sharing the incredible experiences with our horses,” said Bell, a sixth-generation horsemen who also was a founder of the Horse Country program that makes many Kentucky horse farms available for public tours. “Transparency fosters trust and credibility. Alone, we

ANNISE MONTPLAISIR, CO-FOUNDER AND HEAD OF THE AMPLIFY HORSE RACING INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE CANDIDATES TO POTENTIAL JOBS IN HORSE RACING, SAID THE NONPROFIT REACHED MORE THAN 17,000 YOUNG PEOPLE LAST YEAR WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY.

can do very little; together we can do so much. It’s the power of the horse that brings us together.”

Light Up Racing’s mission is to get more and more racing people involved in setting the narrative, expanding a circle of information that transcends just those in the industry and finds its way into the mainstream public.

Montplaisir, who grew up and became a passionate horse racing fan in North Dakota, laid out Amplify Horse Racing’s efforts in its short existence to become the American racing industry’s youth arm through an array of programs and experiences. She said that in 2023, its first year with a full-time staff of two, the nonprofit reached more than 17,000 young people with information about the Thoroughbred industry.

At the time of the conference, Amplify Horse Racing had in-person activities in seven states in 2024, with expectations of reaching more than 30,000 people by year’s end. Montplaisir said Amplify wants to work with horse groups to bring youths to the track. She cited a recent summer program held at Hawthorne racetrack in Cicero, Illinois, sponsored by the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. She said of the five high school students who participated in the program, “four came away wanting to be equine veterinarians.”

She said Amplify’s next step is employing regional ambassadors to expand the reach nationally.

Ron Moquett, speaking from the audience, said it’s imperative for horsemen to get involved, noting that cellphones provide virtually everyone “a megaphone in your pocket.”

“There’s nothing as important as this,” Moquett said. “Every one of us owes it to the horses, to the industry, the little bit of energy it takes to say something good about what we do for a living.”

RATINGS HANDICAP RACES UPDATE

Horsemen were given a preliminary update on a move to bring ratings handicap races to America. Such races, a fixture in other parts of the world where the claiming game isn’t prevalent, were discussed as a way to get larger fields. Since the conference, Equibase announced it will work on an algorithm to produce the ratings. Horses could only be entered in a race that matched their performance ratings. The idea is to put horses of similar ability—at least at that time—together in races without owners being afraid to lose their horse via a claim.

The panel, titled “Race Conditions: The Art of Classifying and Filling Races,” also featured a detailed explanation of how races are assigned, or stripped of, graded status. The panel included Andy Schweigardt, senior director

of industry relations for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA); David O’Farrell, general manager of Ocala Stud and TOBA chair; and longtime racing official Rick Hammerle, a consultant for 1/ST Racing and director of racing operations at Kentucky Downs.

The panel stressed that ratings handicap races would complement and not replace claiming races, adding a category they think will prove popular.

REHOMING RETIRED RACEHORSES

Aftercare is an annual topic at the HBPA conference, and few people have been involved in retraining and rehoming retired racehorses as long as Anna Ford.

Ford, who with her mother founded New Vocations Racehorse Adoption in 1992, noted that the term “aftercare” wasn’t used in the industry when they began. She said that in the past 10 years, the awareness “of the need for aftercare has grown greatly. It started primarily when social media came on the scene. Even 10 to 12 years ago, you’d ask trainers, ‘What do you do with your horses then they retire?,’ and most of them really didn’t have an answer. Fast forward to 2024 and ask them, they have an answer 99% of the time.”

Ford said that last year, New Vocations’ nine facilities took in 618 horses from 70 racetracks and adopted them out to new homes in 38 states. She said the average length of stay to be rehabilitated, if necessary, and retrained is 121 days before being adopted out. The average cost of the stay, including veterinary care, is $4,500, with the average adoption fee being $1,400.

Kirsten Green, executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project, explained that organization’s market-based approach to aftercare, culminating in the increasingly popular Thoroughbred Makeover event at the Kentucky Horse Park. That’s where horses that had their last race or published work within the prior 18 months are retrained to compete in 10 disciplines for more than $100,000 in prize money.

Green said more than 4,700 horses have been impacted by the Thoroughbred Makeover from its 2013 launch at Pimlico Race Course through 2023. The result has been increased demand for retired racehorses, helping to take some of the costs of retraining those horses away from aftercare facilities.

Veterinarian Stephanie White, president of Hope After Racing Thoroughbreds (HART), spoke of the importance of Iowa’s only accredited aftercare facility. Since HART’s 2011 launch, 152 horses have gone through the program, with 127 adopted out. The horses all have a connection to Prairie Meadows Racetrack.

The panelists all said funding remains challenging along with the need for volunteers.

PURSE ACCOUNTS: TRUST BUT VERIFY

Gunner laCour, president of CHRIMS Inc., cautioned horsemen at the HBPA conference to know all their revenue streams and every aspect of those streams or they risk leaving money on the table. CHRIMS specializes in pari-mutuel distributions, settlements, editing and reporting and is the only independent provider of settlements in the United States. LaCour said whether horsemen’s groups opt to use his nonprofit or another company, they should enlist a company that can provide daily audits to ensure horsemen are getting all the purse money to which they are entitled in an increasingly complicated environment.

“All of these can lead to the potential for distribution discrepancies, even if there is no intent,” he said during a presentation titled “Show Me the Money.” “Trust but verify. You can have these great relationships with these tracks … or maybe just get rid of the first two words, just verify. Make sure your horsemen are getting everything they’re entitled to. Be proactive instead of reactive. Know the data. If you understand your data, that’s power. Make sure you’re staying on top of it.” HJ

ANNA FORD, KIRSTEN GREEN AND STEPHANIE WHITE ADDRESSED THE CONFERENCE ON AFTERCARE IN THE PANEL “REHOMING RETIRED RACEHORSES.”

DENIS

BLAKE

OTHER CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

• The conference’s keynote address was given by Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, who saluted the creation of jobs, agribusiness and tourism made possible by Iowa’s racehorse industry—and the impact of the National HBPA and its Iowa affiliate, helmed by President David McShane and Executive Director Jon Moss.

“The HBPA stands as a pillar of support for horsemen across the nation, advocating for fair treatment, safety and the integrity of the sport,” Gregg said.

• Nine-time winner Uncaptured Storm, who won at least once for each of his owners after changing hands five times last year via the claim box, was honored as the National HBPA’s 2023 National Claiming Horse of the Year.

“This is a tradition that is a backbone of the industry and certainly a backbone of our organization,” Hamelback said, adding that the candidates for the award “are very successful. But it doesn’t mean that success is defined by purse account. It’s not what they’ve earned as much as what they’ve done.”

Former majority owner Rick Burnsworth, unable to attend, sent a message read by National HBPA President Dr. Doug Daniels that said in part: “I was thinking about this award the other night, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Wow. This is as blue-collar as it gets. Who doesn’t want to win the Kentucky Derby, etc.? To achieve this award, you have to get up and compete every day of the year. No time for a let-down, and Storm never had one.”

• The benefit providers luncheon panel included Assembly Pointe Financial CEO Rischi Sharma on innovative ways to provide cost-effective benefits to retain employees. Minnesota HBPA board member Claudia Gobble, a human resources professional in multiple industries and a lifelong racing participant, and Dr. Reid McLellan, founder of the Groom Elite horsemen’s education program, also participated.

• National HBPA sponsor Steve Andersen discussed Equine Equipment’s dedicated manufacturers’ incentives to the horse world on farm equipment, mowers, paint and more.

• Susan Martin, who heads sales and marketing for The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., provided her annual update to horsemen on all the new data products available on equineline.com, the industry’s premier source for Thoroughbred pedigrees, race records, stallion progeny, broodmare produce records and other reports.

• Horsemen in town on the eve of the conference attended a reception at owner Dennis Albaugh’s complex that includes the world’s largest collection of vintage Chevrolets. Please contact the Arizona HBPA office with any questions. azhbpa@outlook.com | 602-942-3336

Upcoming Economic Impact Study attention arizona horsemen!

The Arizona HBPA, Quarter Horse Association, and Arizona Breeders Association will be working to secure legislation next year to guarantee our State purse Enhancement into the future. To help accomplish this goal we are working with the University of Arizona on doing an Economic Impact Study. The important thing about this study is the input from ALL of the industry participants. Each of you will be receiving a questionnaire to fill out for the study. It is very important to complete this form and return in a timely manner. If you enjoy the higher purses that the supplement provides, make sure you do your part and return the forms.

Burden of Proof

Examination of Specific Cases of Adverse Analytical Findings

By Kimberly Brewer, DVM; Clara Fenger, DVM, PHD, DACVIM; Peter Sacopulos; and Thomas Tobin, MRCVS, PDF, DABT

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has been in place since May 2023, and a stark difference in how horsemen are able to defend themselves under the new regime became evident with one of its first cases.

The proof of a violation remains largely the same and is based on two premises: (1) an adverse analytical finding (AAF) from an official laboratory (also known as a positive test) is prima facie evidence that a violation has taken place, and (2) the trainer has strict liability (similar but not identical to the absolute insurer rule) for the presence of the substance in the horse. Unbeknownst to covered persons, and unwritten in the regulations, was the set of rules of evidence upon which the cases were to be adjudicated.

In one of the first cases adjudicated under HISA’s rules, attorney Alan Pincus served as counsel for covered person Mario Dominguez, whose horse had a cobalt overage only two days into the new regulations. Pincus received a communication from Canadian barrister James Bunting as counsel for the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU). This was a curious turn of events because a lawyer not admitted to the bar in any jurisdiction in the United States could hardly be well versed in American law.

Evidence was provided to Pincus that exclusively included cases that had been decided before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The casual reader’s first knowledge of the CAS likely occurred during the recent Olympic Games in Paris. American gymnast Jordan Chiles was awarded

and subsequently stripped of the bronze medal in the floor exercise in women’s gymnastics with the final decision being handed down by the CAS.

The first time that the American horse racing industry became aware that adjudication of its sport was based on the CAS rules was after the regulations had been implemented. Further, the results of any hearing would not be appealed to the CAS, as in the case of Jordan Chiles, but rather to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and subsequently to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The adjudication process is based on a set of rules of evidence but cannot even be appealed to the organization that came up with those rules. It’s no wonder that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals thought this process was unconstitutional.

HISA Regulation 3120 covers the proof of violations. HIWU must have only a positive test or AAF to establish a violation. All laboratory methods, limits and requirements are presumed to be valid. Laboratories are presumed to have conducted analysis and chain of custody according to their standards. In several cases, the horseman has been unable to question anything done by or in the laboratory that led to the AAF, or that information is limited. This is particularly concerning when cases already heard have shown one laboratory failing to meet minimum standards for producing a laboratory report and another losing its accreditation and HIWU contract.

More concerning is the fact that this privately crafted rule results in the covered person being prohibited from mounting a viable defense, which is a clear violation of the covered person’s constitutionally guaranteed right of due process.

Isoxsuprine

Just over a week after the HISA regulations went into effect, trainer John Brown received an AAF for isoxsuprine. His pony, Bucky, had been housed in the barn for five years and had been administered isoxsuprine daily for navicular disease for that entire span of time.

Isoxsuprine has a long history of causing environmental-based positive tests, starting in the 1990s.

In 2000, the International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians presented a series of studies on the topic of environmental contamination, and one of the papers included isoxsuprine. That study noted that even the cobwebs in the rafters of the stall where a horse was treated with isoxsuprine tested positive for the drug.

The HISA classification of isoxsuprine as an S0, Banned Substance, is based on its lack of approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite this lack of approval, isoxsuprine is expressly permitted by the FDA as a component of a compounded formulation for horses, making its use perfectly legal. The violation for Brown resulted in an 18-month suspension and a fine of $12,500. Being financially unable to retain counsel to mount and prepare a defense, Brown accepted the penalty.

On June 7—after Brown’s race but before the AAF notification—trainer Dennis VanMeter, a disabled Vietnam veteran, shipped his horse Templement to Thistledown racetrack. Given the mile distance at Thistledown between the receiving barn and the paddock, VanMeter routinely shipped his horses to the stalls of his friend Brown, whose stalls were much closer to the paddock. In his usual custom for his friend, Brown moved his pony, removed the feed and water buckets and cleaned the stall before his friend shipped in. Templement entered his “ship-in” stall soon after his arrival at about 9:15 a.m. at Thistledown and remained there until leaving at about 3:45 p.m. for pre-race activities, spending a total of about six and a half hours in the apparently isoxsuprinecontaminated stall.

Templement was selected for post-race drug testing after his last-place finish and tested positive for isoxsuprine at an estimated 471 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) in urine, an unusual call for HISA/HIWU, which generally reports plasma identifications. Ohio had an in-place threshold of 1,000 ng/mL in urine only 17 days earlier. The test results for Templement were a clear blood sample and a urinary concentration below the pre-HISA Ohio regulatory threshold for isoxsuprine and a pharmacologically irrelevant trace-level identification.

The case went to a hearing, at which evidence was presented that VanMeter did not and could not have possibly known that the horse previously occupying his “ship-in” stall had been treated with isoxsuprine. The arbitrator agreed that VanMeter bore no fault and issued no penalty for the trainer. The horse was ineligible to race for 60 days for a pharmacologically insignificant amount of a drug transferred from a stall he occupied for only six hours. After managing to prove no fault of his own for the positive test for Templement, VanMeter had a horse he could not race for 60 days and the legal bills from defending himself. There was no burden of proof for HIWU other than a report from the laboratory.

Mepivacaine

The bar for providing proof that a horseman is not responsible for a positive test from stall contamination is high under the HIWU regime.

Trainer Ron Moquett’s story is an unusual variation on this theme involving the local anesthetic mepivacaine. On October 20, 2023, the Mitole colt Atomic was surgically castrated standing under sedation in an assigned racetrack stall at Keeneland Race Course with mepivacaine used as the local anesthetic. Castrating a colt is a nontrivial procedure, so the dose of mepivacaine was

generous: 400 milligrams (mg) administered subcutaneously over the surgical area and 300 mg injected directly into each testicle for a 1,000 mg or so total dose. During the surgical procedure, blood from the surgical site and also the mepivacaine-containing testicles themselves came into significant contact with the stall floor and possibly other areas of the stall. Atomic occupied the stall until October 23.

The stall was thoroughly cleaned and on October 25, a horse named World Fair was placed in the same stall. He raced the following day, finishing fourth, and was not selected for drug testing. The stall was thoroughly cleaned with Pine-Sol, an all-purpose cleaner, and the walls and floor were carefully scrubbed. These processes were performed twice, and the stall was then allowed to dry followed by fresh bedding being placed in the stall.

On the morning of October 28, Moquett trainee Speed Bias arrived at Keeneland to run that afternoon in the Grade 2 Hagyard Fayette Stakes. Speed Bias entered the stall at about 10 a.m. and was held there except for the required veterinary checks and pre-race evaluations. The gelding would have left the stall about 45 minutes prior to the 5:18 p.m. post time, for a total time in or around the stall in question of about six and a half hours.

Given that eight days had elapsed since Atomic’s surgical procedure and the stall had undergone a thorough cleaning prior to Speed Bias shipping in, the possibility of a mepivacaine or other contamination event was not even considered by Speed Bias’ connections.

Speed Bias finished third in the Fayette Stakes, and post-race urine (6 p.m.) and blood (6:04 p.m.) were taken. To the best of our knowledge, the blood sample tested negative, a critical piece of exculpatory information, but the urine sample tested positive for 3-hydroxymepivacaine, which is the Phase 1 metabolite portion of the 3-hydroxymepivacaine glucuronide molecule, the major Phase 2 urinary mepivacaine metabolite detected in horse urine after exposure to mepivacaine. The HIWU medication rule lists 10 ng/mL of 3-hydroxymepivacaine in urine as the regulatory threshold for mepivacaine. The sample in question tested at 84 ng/mL.

The split sample analysis confirmed the primary analytical report, and Moquett was offered a smaller fine and a shorter period of suspension in exchange for his admitting fault and “wrongdoing.”

HORSES IN BARNS AND STALLS AT RACETRACKS CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH CONTAMINANTS EVEN IF ALL THE PROPER STEPS ARE TAKEN.

Moquett declined the offer and elected to defend his integrity and make clear the unexpected environmental origins of this chemical identification. Because his staff had carefully cleaned the stall prior to putting Speed Bias in the stall, Moquett “never imagined that there was a possibility for a contamination positive from that.” Moquett also was able to obtain video evidence from the racetrack of the series of events surrounding the stall in question, including the thorough cleaning of the stall.

At the hearing before HISA’s Internal Adjudication Panel, Moquett’s counsel presented testimony from an expert veterinary toxicologist. Scientific questions presented to this expert concerned whether the mepivacaine metabolite concentrations detected were pharmacologically significant, to which the expert’s answer was no. The expert further testified that the concentration was consistent with inadvertent environmental exposure, and it was also made clear that this reported identification could have resulted from mepivacaine contamination of the stall transferring to the horse in question. It was further presented that the mepivacaine metabolite identification was in no way evidence that the horse had been administered mepivacaine for a competitive benefit. The expert’s evaluations were all accepted by the HIWU adjudicators.

The HIWU authority opted not to fine or suspend Moquett, although Speed Bias was disqualified from his third-place finish in the Fayette and the purse money was ordered returned. The HIWU ruling also noted that “the stall mats used at Keeneland are constructed in a manner that is conducive to trapping and retaining dirt from the stall floor, even when subjected to normal cleaning practices.”

Not every racetrack has cameras that can be used to prove one’s innocence. Not every circumstance is amenable to such thorough cleaning by the horseman. In many cases, a horse is standing on a horse van while the stall is being prepared. If the considerable effort put forth by Moquett and his staff to avoid contamination is not enough to prevent a positive test and the proof must be provided by video documentation, this could happen to anyone. Without the video, the consequences most likely would have been much worse. What about the horseman who ships into a stall without full knowledge of what has happened there before he ships in?

Although Moquett was not penalized, one would think that a simple presentation of the facts to HIWU could have resulted in a similar outcome without the high price tag of the legal fees and expert costs associated with going to the hearing. One would think that, with all of the authority given to HIWU to conduct its own investigation, it could have readily come to the same conclusion.

Sotalol

Jessica Howell works on a private farm, where she trains her only horse, Levanter.

Levanter finished fourth in his debut in a maiden special weight March 16, 2024, at Turfway Park. A month later, Howell was notified of an AAF for sotalol. The laboratory detected 750 picograms (pg)/mL in Levanter’s blood. Howell qualified for and was appointed a pro bono attorney. No expert was consulted on her behalf.

Sotalol is a beta-blocker used in horses and humans. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrythmia in racehorses, and sotalol is part of the current standard of care for treatment of this condition. It is reasonably well absorbed orally in both humans and horses, having close to 50% oral bioavailability in horses. Following oral administration to horses, sotalol has a mean plasma half-life of about 15 hours, and no adverse effects have been noted following 1 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) oral doses. Oral doses of 2 to 4 mg/kg/day twice daily are used and expected to produce blood concentrations between 1,000 ng/mL concentrations and 500 ng/mL trough concentrations—concentrations in the range of what is known to be therapeutically effective in humans. Blood concentrations below 1 ng/mL can easily be considered irrelevant.

While atrial fibrillation is common in horses and sotalol is commonly used in these horses, Levanter did not suffer from atrial fibrillation. However, a horse in the adjoining stall was on layup for this condition and was being treated. Based on what we know about isoxsuprine, orally administered drugs can present a high risk for inadvertent environmental transfer.

The expert for HIWU stated in a report that, because the horse that had been treated for atrial fibrillation had left the barn 60 days before Levanter’s race, there was no risk of contamination from that source. So, coincidentally, the only HIWU AAF for sotalol, a beta-blocker with minimal chance of affecting racing performance, happened in a horse stabled next to a horse taking sotalol, and HIWU concluded that contamination could not possibly be the source.

The facts argue against the HIWU expert.

Sotalol has been widely detected in surface water such as lakes and streams and in soil and sludge in worldwide sources. Degradation of sotalol in the environment is mostly by photodegradation, or breakdown by UV light from the sun, a fact overlooked by the HIWU expert. Since stalls are not subjected to sunlight, the degradation of sotalol would be slower than in typical environments such as surface water and soil.

Howell elected to take the penalty. She was already unable to hire her own attorney and was unable to hire an expert. She was unable to mount a defense. She was also unable to pursue an appeal to the FTC or a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In short, Howell was unable to produce a ticket to enter the “Due Process Room.”

To paraphrase the famous “Soup Nazi” character from an episode of Seinfeld: “No due process for you.”

Integrity

HISA and HIWU have taken their mandate very seriously, identifying and penalizing horses and horsemen for even the slightest infraction. What they have missed is that integrity is about more than penalizing picogram quantities of environmental substances transferred to horses. Integrity is about justice and a level playing field, not about random identification and penalization of environmental contamination.

Investigations should be directed toward determining the facts surrounding an AAF, and when the investigation leads the investigators to exoneration of the horsemen, the evidence should be followed. The requirement is that the horsemen must investigate the positive test and provide evidence to exonerate themselves when it is HIWU that has the power of investigation, the power of subpoena and all of the information about what goes on in the laboratories.

In each of the cases outlined above and many others, the positive tests were beyond the control of the horsemen and the levels found in the horses were consistent with inadvertent transfer from the environment.

It’s time that HIWU works for the entire industry and conducts good faith investigations that include all the evidence surrounding an AAF. Proving a horseman’s innocence should be just as important as proving their guilt. HJ

By Jen Roytz

rowing up around the backstretch, Chris Pepplitsch was used to horses coming and going and learned from an early age not to get too attached to any specific one. When she decided to enter the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) Thoroughbred Makeover in 2018, part of the draw was that it would allow her to find a horse she could fall in love with and keep forever.

Pepplitsch’s friend had a horse she had recently gotten off the track but had decided would not be suitable for her dressage aspirations. The horse was, however, steady, sure-footed and kind, all great qualities for a trail partner. Pepplitsch bought the beautiful bay gelding, and together, they trained for and competed in the Competitive Trail division of the Thoroughbred Makeover a year later. But as time progressed, Pepplitsch and These Are the Days (or “Chief,” as she called him) were not able to develop the partnership she had hoped for, through no fault of their own.

“Over the past several years, as I have aged, I’ve had some physical injuries, and I have not been able to ride in the way I once did,” Pepplitsch said. “My limitations and the horse’s needs became misaligned. It took me several years to accept this as truth, then to admit that my continuing to allow him to stand in the pasture doing nothing was actually doing him a disservice.”

Pepplitsch worried that rehoming a horse she intended to keep forever would put him in jeopardy, but she also did not want the best years of his life to be spent standing idly in a pasture. She felt that between her Western riding background and her physical limitations in the saddle, rehoming him herself would not be in either of their best interests.

“I decided if I were going to rehome this elegant, athletic Thoroughbred, perhaps sending him to a trainer well-versed in training Thoroughbreds off the track to introduce jumping to his resume might widen the market of potential buyers that could give him a wonderful home,” Pepplitsch said. “Fortunately, that decision paid off, and he found an excellent home where he is jumping and extremely well cared for.”

In the world of racehorse rehoming, the term “forever home” comes up often, and in theory, it’s a beautiful concept. Those retiring a horse from the track want that horse to go to a place where it will be loved and properly cared for during the rest of its days.

But is a forever home as common or practical in practice as it is desirable in theory?

Seldom are people’s life situations consistent from one year to the next, let alone over the course of a horse’s typical post-racing lifespan of 20 to 25 years. People get married, have kids, change jobs, get divorced, move, develop new hobbies or, in Pepplitsch’s case, have a physically limiting ailment.

Pepplitsch said that rehoming a horse she intended to keep forever was one of the hardest things she’s had to do, but she firmly believes it is what ended up being in the horse’s and her own best interests.

Also, not every horse is the right fit for every rider from a riding ability, or rideability, standpoint. While some riders may be skilled, savvy and agile enough to tackle the initial months of a Thoroughbred’s transition from racehorse to riding horse, others may simply be interested in having a fully trained off-track Thoroughbred or even one that is transitioning downward from its peak competitive years and is well-suited to offering less experienced riders confidence-building learning opportunities. And depending on a horse’s age, level of training, temperament and physical capabilities, the horse may not be suitable for certain jobs.

For these reasons, many in the rehoming community strive to seek suitable homes versus forever homes.

According to RRP Executive Director Kirsten Green, the best way to responsibly rehome a horse is to find someone who is the right match for where a horse is in its life at that moment.

“The first home after racing is the most pivotal one, but it shouldn’t be thought of as the last home that horse will ever have,” Green said. “In the same way that a racehorse won’t always compete at the same level [on the track], there will be times in a horse’s life off the track that they will need to step down or have the ability to step up in what is being required of them physically.”

Green said that the goals and ability level of the average non-professional rider will typically change about every five or so years, and most horses’ training and physical abilities will advance and then eventually begin to decline over the course of their 15 to 20 years of off-track life.

“There is often not a static, one-size-fits-all situation that spans 15 to 20 years,” she said.

Each year Green and her staff at the RRP put on the Thoroughbred Makeover, a competition for horses in their first year of retraining after racing. Based on the data the organization has collected from the horses and riders who have participated in the competition over the years, roughly a third of the horses are offered for sale or adoption at the conclusion of the competition, with others changing hands once they are considered “finished” in their off-track training.

Green explained that not every rider has the ability or knowledge base to be successful with a horse in its first year off the track. In addition to needing to be comfortable riding a more energetic, forward horse and guiding it through many of its off-track “firsts,” people need to have an advanced understanding of nutrition, hoof care, injury rehabilitation and the equine psychology of young Thoroughbreds.

“Unlike Warmbloods or Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds are available at a significantly lower price point, which means sometimes people get them without actually understanding or being able to afford the process of transitioning them from a racehorse to a sport horse,” Green said. “That’s why the Makeover is such a good environment. Those who are less experienced in doing so have the backing of the RRP and a network of seasoned professionals they can access for guidance, and for those wanting a horse that is more advanced in its off-track training, it is a great place to horse shop.”

How To Find the Right Home

There is no one-size-fits-all approach for rehoming a horse at the conclusion of its racing career, so a horse’s racing connections must identify a plan that is right for both them and their horses.

“Some racehorses’ connections have farms to which their horses can go to be let down, while others have relationships with certain aftercare organizations or private retrainers,” Green said. “Others still might utilize listing agents or their local CANTER affiliate to offer their horse for sale to their network of equestrians.”

Regardless of which option is right for them, a horse’s connections need to do their due diligence to be sure the person or organization is skilled enough and financially capable to manage the horse’s transition to off-track life successfully.

“I encourage racehorse owners and trainers to take the time to ask questions and get to know the person and situation they are considering sending their horse to,” Green said. “There needs to be clear communication about expectations on both the buyer’s and seller’s side. Does the person interested in acquiring the horse have the experience to handle and manage its transition? Are they planning to train and resell it within a certain amount of time, or do they intend to keep it as a longer-term riding partner? Does the horse have any previous or current injuries, or does it have behavioral quirks that its new owner should be mindful of?

THE RETIRED RACEHORSE PROJECT HOSTS THE THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER, A COMPETITION FOR HORSES IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF RETRAINING AFTER RACING, ANNUALLY AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK IN LEXINGTON.

“This discussion should also include the terms of a contract or bill of sale, such as a no-slaughter clause or being required to notify the racing connections if the horse has a change in ownership within a certain amount of time,” sheadded.

Horses that are tougher rides, have behavioral issues or need rehabilitation for an injury can often become viable options for the average amateur equestrian after several months or years of proper care and training but would overwhelm the same person if they got them straight off the track.

“Where a horse ends up most immediately post-racing will define where that horse will go and what it will develop into,” Green said. “People who work in this space professionally, nonprofit and for profit, should have the skills to assess the horse, know what they will be able to do physically and mentally and coach them through that transition, from training, nutrition, rehabilitation, buyer/adoption network and screening, assessing the horse’s temperament appropriately.” HJ

COURTESY OF

A Day in the Life… …of an Assistant Starter

By Jen Roytz

And a Day You Wouldn’t

Wish

on Anyone

Horseshoe Indianapolis Assistant Starter David “DJ” Fuller is no different. His alarm goes off well before sunrise each morning, and after getting ready and spending a bit of time with his kids, he heads to the track to help with gate work during morning training.

But on the morning of Monday, April 25, 2024, Fuller received a call from his wife that would stop any parent in their tracks. When they had put the kids to bed the night before, their youngest daughter, Whitlee, had not been feeling quite herself. It didn’t seem like anything major; she was just a bit lethargic. When she still wasn’t feeling well that morning, they figured it would be a good idea for his wife to take her to their pediatrician.

“I got a call from my wife that they had done a few tests and didn’t like how her heart looked; it was enlarged,” Fuller said. “They told her to take Whitlee to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. Whitlee never left that hospital.”

Whitlee had been born three years earlier with several small holes in her heart. They were expected to close over time with no long-term side effects, and her parents had taken her for regular checkups to monitor the condition. In fact, nearly a year prior to that fateful April 25, she had received her final checkup with her doctor and had been given the all clear.

Once at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, Whitlee was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood and circulate it to the rest of the body. She was admitted to the intensive care unit, where she stayed for roughly a week.

“Once they started treating her in the ICU, we all thought she was getting better,” Fuller said. “Soon after, they transferred her to a regular floor and had a shift change that brought in a different doctor. He felt she wasn’t making the progress she should be, so he ordered an MRI. She flatlined in that MRI.”

While doctors were able to restart Whitlee’s heart, her brain had been deprived of oxygen for several minutes, resulting in a significant loss of brain function. She never regained consciousness.

She was under too long without oxygen. She was on life support for five days, but there was no brain activity, so we had to make the decision to take her off of life support, and she passed soon after.

WHITLEE FULLER, BUBBLY, TALKATIVE AND A “TINY ADULT,” LOVED TO GO TO LUNCH WITH HER MOM AND DAD, ALYSSA AND DJ FULLER.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Fuller is a lifelong racetracker. He grew up in Prescott, Arizona, and nearby Chino Valley around the racehorses—Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds—that his stepdad and grandfather had. And as a teenager, Fuller was drawn into the industry.

“I’ve done everything from work as a valet and tattooed horses to working on gate crews,” Fuller said. “I worked as a groom most of my junior and into my senior year of high school and even took out my trainer’s license when I turned 18. I’d get to the track at 4 a.m., get horses trained and get to school by 8. That was a grind. I went to the gate crew after that; it was just a more dependable job.”

The horsemanship Fuller learned from his family and in those early jobs has proven invaluable in his role as assistant starter at Horseshoe Indianapolis and in his other roles with gate crews at Churchill Downs, Turfway Park and the Red Mile’s Quarter Horse meets. As assistant starter at Horseshoe, he works in the mornings, helping to acclimate young horses to the starting gate and helping older horses with gate issues work through their anxiety.

“People think it’s just putting horses in the gate, the starter pushes the button and they’re off, but it’s so much more than that,” he said. “It’s a lot of horsemanship and horse psychology.”

DJ FULLER, A MEMBER OF THE STARTING GATE CREW AT HORSESHOE INDIANAPOLIS AND A LIFELONG HORSEMAN, IS THANKFUL FOR THE COMPASSION AND SENTIMENT SHARED BY MEMBERS OF THE GREATER RACING FAMILY DURING HIS FAMILY’S TRAGIC LOSS.

COURTESY OF THE FULLER FAMILY

—David “DJ” Fuller on the loss of his daughter Whitlee

People did so much for us without us ever asking, and so many people from different tracks and states that we didn’t even know— tracks I’ve never even been to— reached out just to share their concern. It was such a comfort and just made me feel grateful to be part of this industry in a way I’ve never experienced before.

DAVID “DJ” FULLER

Horseshoe

Indianapolis

Assistant Starter

Horsemanship is as much an art as it is a skill. Fuller says he has seen all versions of it—and, in some cases, a lack thereof—on racetrack backsides around the country, but he feels that working on the gate crew is one of the places it can truly make or break how a horse feels about the starting gate and can potentially have a significant impact on their career.

“A good gate hand is a good horseman, and sometimes I worry that’s a dying breed,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with some exceptionally good crews in my career. To these guys, it’s not just a paycheck; it’s a career. You can just tell a good horseman by how they carry themselves around the gate and the horses. They read the horses so well and have a tremendous amount of respect and compassion for them. You see it in how they approach and interact with the horses, especially in cases when a horse is nervous or scared.”

Fuller explained that he and his fellow gate crew members will get information about any horses coming to school in the gate and on race day. The notes will tell the gate crew what the horse is like to load or if they need any special equipment or considerations, such as pads (for horses that are sensitive or ticklish around their hind end) or a chain shank to be handled while loading. These notes also will tell them if the horse is the type that behaves better if loaded first or last or if it is the type that will stand quietly in the gate without a handler at its head.

If a horse has had a bad experience on race day, it likely will visit the gate crew one or more times before its next race to work through whatever issue was demonstrated.

“I love working with the horses in the mornings,” Fuller said. “That’s when our horsemanship comes out and you’re able to actually work with horses and help them get through their bad habits and fear. You can look at a horse and how they act and react, and that can tell you if their behavior is coming from a place of fear, if they’re just trying to be naughty or if they are worn out and just mentally done. Horses try to talk to us, and it’s our job to listen.”

Fuller is usually at the track from 7 to 10 each morning. With post time for the first race at Horseshoe not typically until 2 p.m., he usually takes that time in between to go home to be a dad and a husband or take his wife and any kids who aren’t in school out for lunch.

“Whitlee used to love to go to lunch with Mom and Dad,” Fuller said. “She was always bubbly and talkative and acted older than she was—just a great kid. She would just sit there and act like a tiny adult, eating her taco or whatever, just like the grownups.”

RACING COMMUNITY STEPS UP

When a family loses one of its members—especially the youngest one—it is nothing short of gut-wrenching. The sadness and despair also can bring a very lonely feeling.

In the days following Whitlee’s passing, Fuller and his wife, Alyssa, focused their attention on their children. To their surprise, that is also when their racing community focused its attention on them.

“We were so consumed with our grief and so taken aback by the support we got,” Fuller said. “My boss, Ray Kuwik, encouraged me to take as much time as my family and I needed, and Eric Halstrom, the general manager of the track, reached out soon after to reiterate what Ray had said.”

In addition, Horseshoe Indianapolis hosted and catered a reception for the Fuller family and their friends after Whitlee’s funeral, and many from Horseshoe’s backside, as well as from racetrack backsides across the country, reached out to Fuller to share their condolences.

“People did so much for us without us ever asking, and so many people from different tracks and states that we didn’t even know—tracks I’ve never even been to—reached out just to share their concern,” Fuller said. “It was such a comfort and just made me feel grateful to be part of this industry in a way I’ve never experienced before.”

Fuller also credited Otto Thorwarth, the racetrack chaplain at Horseshoe, for helping to guide him and his family through the very difficult process of losing their daughter and planning her service. In addition, the effort people made to reach out and let Fuller and his family know they cared played a significant role in helping him and his family heal.

“Many of the people I work with are men, and we aren’t always great about expressing our feelings,” Fuller said. “But the things they did to let me know they were there for my family and me—from kind words and texts to just a simple look on their face—it made such a difference. If I learned one thing from all of this, it’s that when someone is going through something awful, don’t be afraid to reach out. Don’t let not knowing the exact right thing to say stop you from saying or doing anything at all. The amount of people that made an effort to show they cared, that meant the world.”

HJ

In the early years, the sport of horse racing seemed simple. There was no simulcasting, discussion of appropriate marketing strategies, super testing or betting via direct computer links. There was no NTRA, THA, TOC, TOBA, UTTA, AQHA or other organizations representing horsemen’s interests.

Horsemen have a habit of taking care of their own. If someone was sick or down on his luck, they “passed the hat,” taking up collections, which is a time-honored tradition among racetrackers.

It was in 1940 in New England that a group of committed horsemen brought into existence what is now known as the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. From this meager beginning the National HBPA has developed into an organization representing the horsemen’s interests on a myriad of issues.

Today, there are nearly 30,000 owner and trainer members throughout the United States and Canada focused on a common goal—the betterment of racing on all levels.

With this purpose in mind, we welcome and encourage all horsemen to join the National HBPA, and we urge our members to take an active role in the direction and policies of our organization. It is our members who make a difference.

We horsemen are the National HBPA.

We are Leading into the Future and we are…… Horsemen Helping Horsemen

ALABAMA HBPA

Dromas Tops Bobby Jr.

To Win Alabama Crimson Tide

Dromas battled stablemate Bobby Jr. through the stretch before inching clear late to win the inaugural $50,000 Alabama Crimson Tide Stakes August 21 at Louisiana Downs. Run at 6 furlongs for Alabama-bred 3-year-olds and up that have never won a stakes, the Crimson Tide gave Dromas his first victory for owner Lila Sessums’ Live-Lee Farm and trainer Sherman Savoie. Dromas, a 3-year-old colt by Divide and Conquer out of the Yes It’s True mare Vidi Vici, was bred by Dennis and Mary Ellen Murphy.

Bobby Jr., a homebred for Live-Lee Farm trained by Savoie, finished second, with Unaffiliated, owned and bred by Laurie Sanderson and Nanette Cartier and trained by Denise Schmidt, third.

The $50,000 Alabama Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Louisiana Downs was scheduled for September 14.

Many thanks to the Louisiana horsemen for their support of our Alabamabred horses.

The Magic City Classic will be run at Fair Grounds in December, with a confirmed date to be determined.

We continue to work through our lobbyist to educate legislators about horse racing and the economic impacts to the state. They seem to be listening.

Nancy M. Delony

Executive Director, Alabama HBPA

ARIZONA HBPA

Arizona Fall Update

Arizona HBPA President Lloyd Yother negotiated a three-year contract for the HBPA with Jerry Simms of Turf Paradise last spring, securing Arizona racing for the next three years. The HBPA was able to get Simms to agree to improve the backside and track surfaces and to secure an acceptable food and beverage service for the grandstand and track kitchen. Unlike in previous years, Simms was very cooperative during the negotiations. We want to thank him for his willingness to collaborate with the horsemen in coming to this three-year agreement.

HISA and the state put together a long and extensive list of projects for Turf Paradise to accomplish before opening for racing. At the time of this writing, General Manager Vince Francia and his crew have been doing a lot of work to complete the list, including watering and mowing the turf course. Plans called for overseeding starting September 1. All potholes have been filled in the barn area roads. The L row barn area has been cleaned up; removing the pens and grading the area are still on the to-do list. Several water lines have been replaced or repaired on the backside, and a new 10,000-gallon water storage tank has been added for the track.

Turf Paradise also has ordered two new green harrows to match the two existing green harrows to make the track more consistent. A new GPS system has been added to the blade to ensure the track slope levels are maintained.

Turf Paradise is working at making conditions safer and better for horsemen. Will it be perfect? No, but I think you will see an improvement over the previous

year. The Arizona HBPA and Turf Paradise are asking horsemen to take some pride in the barn area and keep it maintained.

As of August 22, Turf Paradise has the backside kitchen food and beverage vendor secured, and food and beverage service for the grandstand is close to being secured. I’ve seen a sneak preview of the different menus, and it would be a significant improvement over last year’s service. Keep your fingers crossed that Turf Paradise secures the vendors.

Important dates to remember: The backside opens to set up stalls September 23. Horses can start coming in September 25. The main track opens for training October 1. The race meeting starts November 2 and runs through May 3, 2025.

This year proved a real fight for us to maintain our state enhancement fund. We had to agree to $4 million instead of the $5 million we received in previous years.

The Arizona HBPA, Quarter Horse Association and Arizona Breeders Association will be working with our lobbyist Bas Aja to secure legislation next year to guarantee our state purse enhancement into the future.

To help accomplish this goal, we are working with the University of Arizona on an economic impact study. The study is quite costly but necessary to help explain to the legislature how important racing is to the Arizona economy.

The important thing about this study is the input from all of the industry participants.

Each of you will receive a questionnaire to fill out for the study.

I cannot stress how important it will be to complete this form and return it to the university in a timely manner. If you enjoy the higher purses that the supplement provides, make sure you do your part and return the forms.

Leroy Gessmann

Executive Director, Arizona HBPA

ARKANSAS HBPA

Big News From Oaklawn Park

Horsemen will have 4 million reasons to race their best 3-year-olds in Hot Springs during the 2025 Kentucky Derby prep season.

Oaklawn Park President Louis Cella announced this summer that the purse for the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, won this year by eventual Kentucky Derby champ Mystik Dan, has been bumped from $800,000 to $1 million. The boost brings total purses to $4 million for the track’s Derby prep series, which starts with the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes in January and includes the $1.25 million Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and $1.5 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

In addition to the 47 traditional stakes that offer $16.2 million in purses, Oaklawn is introducing 10 restricted overnight stakes, each with a purse of $145,000, bringing the total to $17.65 million. Many of the new overnight stakes will be used to further strengthen the racing cards on premier race days such as Southwest Stakes Day, Rebel Stakes Day and Arkansas Derby Day.

The first condition book for Oaklawn’s 2024–25 racing season has been printed and mailed. Horsemen also can download the book from Oaklawn’s website.

Horsemen are reminded that stall applications for the 2024–25 Oaklawn season are due Monday, September 30. Applications also have been mailed along with condition books. The track opens for training Monday, October 28.

Help Your Fellow Horsemen

Make a Tax Deductible Donation to the National HBPA Foundation

The National HBPA Foundation, a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) fund, was developed as a safety net for horsemen and horsewomen when other forms of assistance are unavailable or have been exhausted after disaster strikes. Every year the National HBPA Foundation helps horsemen and horsewomen make it through difficult times such as disease quarantines at a racetrack or natural disasters like floods and fires by providing tens of thousands of dollars in needed assistance.

“It was just fabulous. I can’t thank the HBPA enough; I really appreciate all that they do. It’s because of the National HBPA Foundation combined with our insurance and other supporters like Fasig-Tipton’s Blue Horse Charities, we were able to build this kind of barn.”–Old Friends’ Michael Blowen after receiving aid from the National HBPA Foundation following a barn fire.

The National HBPA Foundation extends heartfelt gratitude to the Estate of Bob Reeves for its generous donation. The contribution will make a significant impact on our motto, “Horsemen Helping Horsemen.” Bob Reeves’ legacy of compassion and generosity will continue to assist Horsemen everywhere as we work towards the Foundation’s mission. We appreciate honoring his memory in such a meaningful way. Scan the QR code or visit https://nationalhbpa.com/remembering-bob-reeves/ to read the Winter 2023 The Horsemen’s Journal article remembering Bob Reeves.

To make a tax deductible donation to the National HBPA Foundation and make a difference in the lives of your fellow horsemen and women who may find themselves in need, either:

• Log onto https://nationalhbpa.com/donate/ to make a credit card donation

• Mail a donation check made payable to National HBPA Foundation to: National HBPA Foundation, 3380 Paris Pike, Lexington KY 40511

HBPA

The HBPA offers a free medical clinic for all licensed trainers and their employees.

The clinic is open the following days and hours:

• November 5, 12, 19 and 25: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tuesday, December 3, and then every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the meet: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Prescriptions: All prescriptions from the medical clinic can be picked up on clinic days after 3:30 p.m. at the HBPA office.

Flu shots: Available at the medical clinic during clinic hours

Chiropractic clinic: Dr. Emily Hollingsworth Clem will start Thursday, December 5, and then be available every Thursday during the meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the medical clinic.

Dental and eye doctor appointments: Come to the HBPA office to make an appointment to see a dentist or eye doctor.

Walmart shuttle: Every Monday a shuttle will leave the Oaklawn Chapel at noon to take any licensed stable employees to Walmart. The bus will leave Walmart at 1:30 p.m. to return to Oaklawn.

IOWA HBPA

Iowa HBPA Hosts National Convention

The National HBPA convention was held in Iowa this year, hosted by the Iowa HBPA, at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. The opening reception, hosted by Thoroughbred owner Dennis Albaugh, took place at his acclaimed car museum in the Des Moines suburb of Ankeny. The convention ran from July 2327 and covered a variety of topics, including computer-assisted wagering, fixed odds and a status report on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

There were 110 attendees, slightly fewer than expected due to flight cancellations. The Iowa HBPA gifted each attendee a custom bottle of bourbon and a glass, with the bourbon purchased and stored by HBPA board member Joe Kelly.

Highlights of the convention included a discussion with Iowa living legend Allen Poindexter and the keynote by Lt. Governor Adam Gregg. Allen shared his journey into horse racing, his successes and challenges in the industry and much more. Allen has achieved significant success in Iowa and is recognized as one of the Midwest’s leading breeders and owners. Gregg spoke about the importance of racing and breeding within the state and its impact on agriculture statewide.

To conclude the convention, all attendees were invited to a night of racing hosted by Prairie Meadows. The featured race that night was a Claiming Crown prep with a $50,000 purse for horses that have raced for an $8,000 claiming price or lower during their careers. The top three finishers earned automatic entry into the 11/16-mile Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse, part of the eight-race Claiming Crown series to be held November 16 at Churchill Downs. Shotshell, trained by Jose Gonzalez, won the prep and is set to give Gonzalez his first starter at Churchill.

The convention was a success, and we are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our state to horsemen and HBPA board members from across the country.

Prairie Meadows 2025 Racing Season

We are starting our collaboration with Prairie Meadows Racetrack for the 2025 racing season. Our primary goals are to preserve racing opportunities, maintain the number of racing dates and secure the highest possible purse structure.

We also will address potential post-time adjustments and improvements to stabling conditions with Prairie Meadows for Thoroughbred horsemen.

Discussions are still in the early stages, and we do not have any specific information to share at this time.

Iowa HBPA Office Hours and Information

When the race meet at Prairie Meadows concludes, the office will transition to off-season hours, operating Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can reach the Iowa HBPA at (515) 967-4804 or via email at info@iowahbpa.org.

To stay updated on news and developments in Iowa, follow us on Facebook at Iowa Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Inc., on Twitter @IowaHBPA or sign up for our email updates at info@iowahbpa.org. Additionally, visit our website at iowahbpa.org for more information.

KENTUCKY HBPA

Fall Racing in the Commonwealth

As we approach the fall, there’s no better place to be for horse racing than right here in Kentucky. Our state continues to be the epicenter of the sport, offering record purse money and world-class racing opportunities. We are immensely grateful for all the owners, trainers, jockeys and fans who choose to compete and participate in the Bluegrass State. With the upcoming racing schedule, we look forward to another successful season, celebrating the rich traditions and future stars of horse racing.

The fall season kicked off with the highly anticipated meet at Kentucky Downs, starting August 29. The seven-day meet is renowned for offering some of the most lucrative purses in the world, solidifying why it truly pays to race in Kentucky, especially with our prized Kentucky-breds. The unique European-style turf course at Kentucky Downs is unlike any other in the United States, attracting world-class turf horses, many of which are based here in Kentucky. The quality and excitement of racing at Kentucky Downs are unparalleled, making it a mustattend event for all racing enthusiasts.

Following the Kentucky Downs meet, Churchill Downs takes center stage with its September meet and, four weeks later, the fall meet, featuring phenomenal overnight and stakes purses. As we’ve seen over the summer with racing at Ellis Park, the fall season at Churchill offers a prime opportunity for 2-year-olds to make their debuts, setting the stage for the stars of tomorrow.

Racing at Churchill Downs is not just about the young up-and-comers. The success of racing hinges on the blue-collar horses competing in the claiming ranks. This fall, Churchill will not only offer plenty of claiming races but also will host the prestigious Claiming Crown. We’re thrilled to welcome some of the top claiming horses from across the country for this special day of racing November 16, showcasing the heart and grit these horses bring to the sport.

We’re pleased to see that Churchill Downs’ Trackside training facility has undergone significant upgrades to both the racetrack and barn area. The facility, home to more than 400 horses, reopened in early September, providing a top-notch environment for training and preparation as we head into the fall racing season.

October marks the start of Keeneland’s fall meet from October 4-26. This meet is a crucial steppingstone for many of the nation’s top horses as they prepare for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The highlight of the meet, Fall Stars Weekend, consistently delivers some of the most thrilling and competitive racing of the year, drawing top talent from across the country. Keeneland remains a pivotal venue for horses and horsemen aiming to make their mark on the international stage.

Looking ahead, while Turfway Park’s racing season is still a few months away, the facility has become an integral part of Kentucky’s year-round racing circuit thanks to the investments from Churchill Downs Inc. Trainers and their staff have been taking full advantage of the year-round training opportunities, especially for their 2-year-olds who will soon be competing at Churchill and Keeneland. Turfway’s commitment to offering a sustainable training environment has allowed many in the industry to settle full time in Northern Kentucky, eliminating the need for constant travel and providing stability for both horses and horsemen.

As we gear up for another exciting fall racing season, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making Kentucky the place to be for horse racing. With record purses, world-class facilities and a deep pool of talent, we’re confident that this fall will be one of the most memorable yet. We look forward to seeing everyone at the races and wish all the best for continued success in the months ahead. Kentucky truly is the heart of horse racing, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this incredible sport.

Good luck in your racing endeavors.

Rick Hiles

KYHBPA President

Milestone Win for Wayne Catalano

Wayne Catalano joined a fraternity with only 38 other members when he sent out his 3,000th winner July 21 at Ellis Park. But he stands alone in another statistic: No other trainer has achieved more success as a trainer and a jockey if you add the parameter of at least 1,000 victories in each profession.

The man known on the backstretch as WayneCat or Catman has 3,005 training victories through September 4. He retired from the saddle with 1,792 victories. Only one other horseman comes close to matching Catalano’s combined win total of 4,797 and counting. This is not a stat Equibase keeps, but when asked who might have more, Catalano quickly wondered about Jeffrey Radosevich. The Ohio-based trainer beat Catalano to 3,000 and now stands at 3,133 training triumphs, but his 1,141 riding wins give Catalano the combined edge.

Regardless, that’s a boatload of victories for both horsemen. Very few accomplished jockeys go on to have such notable training careers. In the conversation would be Wesley Ward, who won the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey his first year of riding with 335 wins. Ward had won 749 races when he gave up his boots and went into training, where he’s compiled an enviable record himself with 2,310 victories and more than $94 million in purses, including six Breeders’ Cup wins.

Steve Asmussen, of course, crushes the competition in combined stats by virtue of being North America’s all-time win leader at 10,623 (through

September 4) with nobody close. Riding two years and part of a third before experiencing a growth spurt while injured, Asmussen ended his jockey career in 1984 with 63 wins, a total his eldest son Keith (131) and youngest son Erik (95) have already blown past.

Catalano was accomplished enough as a rider that he won 349 races in 1977, trailing only phenom Steve Cauthen. Training win No. 3,000 came with Alilnalot and jockey Luan Machado in a $30,000 maiden claiming race, with wife, Renee, daughter Shelbi and grandkids in the joyful winner’s circle.

“I’ve been waiting on this one a long time,” Catalano said. “I got to have my family here today, and it means the world to me.”

Catalano grew up in New Orleans and spent much of his training career based in Chicago. He now calls Churchill Downs and Louisville home. That adds a certain symmetry, as Catalano earned his first victory as a jockey 50 years ago at Churchill.

“First winner here, May 20, 1974, Hellfire,” Catalano said one morning on the Churchill backstretch. “Glenn Hild saddled him for Jack Van Berg. I didn’t think it was that long ago. One day I heard them say, ‘Hey, 50th anniversary, ’74.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute. That’s the year I won my first race.’ ”

Catalano didn’t come from a racing family, but he and his brother Joe were small, and an uncle knew a guy at Fair Grounds named Jack Van Berg.

“I wasn’t doing good in school; I was trying to get out of school all I could,” Catalano said. “We went to the track. Joe was old enough, and I had to wait another year.”

Van Berg became a major force in the brothers’ careers.

“One hundred percent,” Catalano said. “I just came in under Jack Van Berg’s wings. He taught me horsemanship, taught me everything I know about horse racing, between hot-walking and grooming them and all that stuff on the way up, learning everything about a horse at each step and level. To be a trainer, to be a jockey, first you have to learn the horse and learn the horse business.

“Fifty-two years we hooked up in Louisiana,” he continued. “When you work for Van Berg, you come back to the barn. You didn’t just ride races and go home. We went back to the barn and did some chores back there. Just learned what to do with the horses and everything.

“I was getting close to the end of my career as a jockey; I was thinking about being a trainer. When I had a little knee swollen up and was waiting for it to heal up, I had a little horse to train—and just never went back.

Learn how we can help you get your fair share at www chrims com

“I was still trying to ride races. Jack was short on assistants, so he had me jump in. I was like, ‘Jack! What?’ We were at Keeneland that year. I was stepping in to help them out with that part, still getting ready to ride races.”

Except he didn’t.

Catalano’s last mount was April 13, 1983, at Sportsman’s Park; his first start as a trainer came on July 2, 1983, at Arlington Park. With Van Berg sending him a few horses, he was off and running. His stable really took flight when he hooked up with Louisiana oilman John Franks and Chicago businessman Frank Calabrese. Catalano won 11 training titles at Arlington and others at Hawthorne Race Course and Sportsman’s Park before his improving stock necessitated having a bigger presence in Kentucky.

Catalano won his first Breeders’ Cup race in 2006 with Dreaming of Anna in the Juvenile Fillies, followed three years later by She Be Wild in the same race, and with Stephanie’s Kitten capturing the 2011 Juvenile Fillies Turf. In 2021, Aloha West took the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar by a nose.

He also trained 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom before owner Team Valor sent the colt to Graham Motion, who went into the history books as a Derby-winning trainer. It bears repeating what Catman told Christina Bossinakis

a girlfriend?’ ‘Well, yeah.’ I say, ‘Get ready to get rid of that one. She won’t be around long.’ I’m just teasing, but it is tough to do.”

Still, this is who Wayne Catalano is. “Fifty-some years, we’re not going to retire,” he said. “We might slow down a little bit. Like I always said, we never have a walk day. Eventually we might have a walk day here and there. Maybe come in a little later, along the way when we’re ready. But right now, we still have a couple of nice young horses that get you excited.”

—Jennie Rees

The HBPA Is You

The HBPA, established in 1940, is an organization of owners and trainers, approximately 40,000 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 negotiates 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. 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 with regards to interstate simulcasting, proprietary rights, casino gambling, therapeutic medication, sports betting and many other areas of concern to horsemen.

How Can I Join?

in a 2021 Thoroughbred Daily News feature: “Honestly, I was sitting watching the Derby with my wife, Animal Kingdom wins and I felt great. I felt really good about it. Why? Because I know I had a hand in helping develop the horse and I got him to where he needed to be before Graham Motion took over. And he did a great job with the horse. It’s like passing the ‘Refrigerator’ the ball to win the Super Bowl … Just don’t drop the ball.”

The most horses Catalano has had in training is “about 100,” and today he has “about 30.” What would he like to have? “Thirty good ones,” he said with a smile.

“It’s not easy. Not for everybody,” he said of training horses. “The seven days a week, missing all the holidays, you’ve got to work no matter what. Every trainer back here does the same thing. It’s hard work. You give up a lot with your family. I tell young kids coming in who want to be a trainer, I say, ‘You got

You are invited to drop into 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 that 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 “Become a Member.”

LOUISIANA HBPA

Delta Downs

The 2024–25 Thoroughbred meet at Delta Downs begins October 10 and ends February 22. Louisiana Premier Night again headlines the meet February 1, featuring approximately $900,000 in purses for Louisiana-bred horses. The

WAYNE CATALANO, A FORMER JOCKEY WHO WON 1,792 RACES, CELEBRATED HIS 3,000TH WIN AS A TRAINER IN LATE JULY AT ELLIS PARK.

older horses will be competing November 8 in a 1-mile stakes with $100,000 guaranteed purses. The November 8 card also will feature two open 2-year-old stakes going 6½ furlongs for $100,000-guaranteed purses, one for colts and geldings and one for fillies. For additional information, contact the Delta Downs racing office at (888) 589-7223.

Evangeline Downs

The 2024 Quarter Horse meet at Evangeline Downs runs October 2 to December 21. The trials for the Louisiana Million Futurity will be conducted November 29, with the estimated $1 million Futurity final set for December 21. The trials for the LQHBA Breeders’ Derby will be conducted November 30 with the final December 21. The estimated purse for the Derby is $250,000. The card also will feature an exciting Louisiana-bred race program with three Champions Day races, each awarding a $100,000 purse for the Juvenile, Derby and Classic. For additional information, contact the Evangeline Downs racing office at (337) 594-3022.

Fair Grounds

The historic Fair Grounds will conduct its 153rd Thoroughbred racing season starting November 22 and concluding March 23. Fair Grounds is known as one of the best winter destinations for the top owners, trainers and jockeys in our industry. Opening weekend features six Louisiana-bred stakes worth $100,000 each. Some notable dates for the upcoming meet include the Thanksgiving Day card, an annual tradition for the people of New Orleans, and Louisiana Champions Day, which spotlights the best of our state program, on December 14. The first point races of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series will be held at Fair Grounds December 21, with the next series for 3-year-olds being held January 18. The Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes and listed Silverbulletday Stakes will be the highlighted 3-year-old races on a card that will include several other stakes. Louisiana Derby Preview Day will be February 15, featuring the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra. More than $1.3 million in purses will be awarded. The meet concludes with the $1 million Louisiana Derby March 22 and six Louisiana-bred stakes over the weekend of March 22-23. The Louisiana Derby card also includes the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks with a total of eight stakes worth more than $2.6 million. Fair Grounds will offer 63 stakes races for approximately $9.25 million with 27 stakes races for Louisiana-breds worth approximately $2.75 million. For more information, contact the racing office at (504) 948-1288.

Louisiana Downs

The 2025 Louisiana Downs Quarter Horse meet begins early to mid-January 2025 and concludes March 31. The Louisiana Downs meet will feature the Mardi Gras Futurity, which will feature an approximate purse of $600,000. The Louisiana Downs Futurity is expected to have a purse of $400,000. The 2025 season also will see the third running of the $50,000-added Mardi Gras Oaks for accredited 3-year-old Louisiana-bred fillies.

MINNESOTA

HBPA

Furlong Learning Continues Successful Run

The 2024 Canterbury Park meeting featured the fourth year of the innovative program Furlong Learning. The program’s roots began about five years

STUDENTS IN THE FURLONG LEARNING PROGRAM LEARN LIFE SKILLS (ABOVE) AND PARTICIPATE IN SEVERAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A SOCCER LEAGUE (BELOW).

ago when a teacher who works in the Tony Rengstorf barn noticed a teenage girl doing homework after training hours. The young woman, like many in racing families, was switching schools throughout the year, and her studies were suffering. She was in danger of failing.

That’s when teacher/racetracker Meghan Reilly stepped up and started tutoring. When the meet ended, Reilly and the young woman transitioned to distance learning. Today, that formerly struggling student has received her

PHOTOS

FURLONG LEARNING PROVIDES A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING CAREER DAYS, A SOCCER LEAGUE AND FIELD TRIPS TO ZOOS, FOR CHILDREN OF BACKSTRETCH WORKERS AT CANTERBURY PARK.

high school diploma, is going to college and is employed as the manager of an accounting service.

Because of this success story, Reilly decided to create an education program for the Canterbury Park stable area, and Furlong Learning was born. Now, four years later, the program has 45 children and some adults who are seeking to improve their English.

Furlong Learning provides classes; tutoring; career days; field trips to museums, zoos and aquariums; a soccer league with local schools; a soonto-be expanded kids’ village that includes a clubhouse; counseling; and hands-on gardening, which culminates in a farmers’ market operated by the young entrepreneurs.

Furlong Learning also partners with the chapel and Abijah’s on the Backside, an equine-based psychotherapy program that is especially well suited for post-traumatic stress disorders of our military and first responders, to say nothing of the folks in the stable area who make racing possible.

The past few years have been challenging for Minnesota racing due to a substantial drop in purse money, roughly 25%. However, there is guarded optimism heading into 2025 as favorable sports betting and agriculture legislation have good chances of passing. If so, within a two-year period, the purse structure at Canterbury Park will be the richest in the history of the track. Meanwhile, the 19,000-seat amphitheater, trackside restaurant and entertainment venue and the new paddock for Abijah’s will be completed for the 2025 meet.

NEBRASKA HBPA

Fonner Park

Fonner Park’s casino partner, Grand Island Casino and Resort, is making strides in construction. When finished in early 2025, it will feature 750 slot machines, 20 table games, multiple dining options, a spa and a 162-room boutique hotel. All are seamlessly connected to Fonner Park, which held its live meet earlier this year.

Legacy Downs

Legacy Downs’ live meet was held over four racing days in September on the new 7-furlong track. The track’s new barn, designed and built by Chief Industries, features 58 stalls designed by Noble Panels of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, plus four feed rooms, eight tack rooms and two washrooms. Legacy Downs’ casino partner, WarHorse Casino in Lincoln, has more than 425 slot machines as well as food and beverage options, more than 100 flat-screen high-definition televisions and a dedicated viewing area for racing guests. Phase 2 opens in November 2024, doubling the footprint and number of slots while adding table games and an expanded sportsbook and racing simulcast area.

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON THE NEW GRAND ISLAND CASINO AND RESORT.

NEW BARN AT LEGACY DOWNS.

Horsemen’s Park

Horsemen’s Park at WarHorse Casino in Omaha held its grand opening in early August. Customers can now watch, wager and earn rewards on live races at Horsemen’s Park and from the nation’s top tracks on more than 110 flat-screen high-definition televisions, plus enjoy delicious food and beverages, dedicated horseplayer hosts and more. WarHorse Casino offers the excitement of simulcast racing seven days a week as well as more than 800 slot machines and progressives, 20 table games and a sportsbook. Phase 2 of the casino is expected to open in early 2025 with expanded food options, gaming positions and more.

Harrah’s Racing and Casino

Harrah’s Racing and Casino in Columbus opened its doors this summer and ran its live meet from August 16 to September 15. The beautiful new 1-mile track, grandstand and barns were completed in time for the live meet. Harrah’s Casino features 400 slots and 11 table games, several dining and bar options and the Caesars Race & Sportsbook complete with four betting windows and nine kiosks. Live simulcast racing is open seven days a week.

■ HISA compliant for dirt and synthetic tracks

■ Race nails seat and clinch well in the 2mm Rim

■ Shoes shape and level easily

■ Special heel design provides good support

■ 6-Nail Hole Pattern

■ Unclipped Front only, sizes 5 - 7

HORSEMEN’S PARK OPENED IN AUGUST.

HARRAH’S HELD ITS LIVE MEETING THIS SUMMER AT THE NEW 1-MILE TRACK.

OHIO HBPA

Hamm, Blazing Meadows, WinStar Shine at Best of Ohio

Thistledown hosted its portion of the 2024 Best of Ohio series August 10, and trainer Tim Hamm and co-owners/breeders Blazing Meadows Farm and WinStar Farm swept the first three of five $100,000 Ohio-bred stakes on the card.

Stage Name, under Angel Diaz, won the 6-furlong, $100,000 Best of Ohio Honey Jay Stakes to lead off. The 4-year-old gelding by Bodemeister rallied five

wide from midpack and won by a neck over Alwaysintomischief. Diamond Dust finished a nose back in third and a head in front of Empire’s Fire.

The Hamm, Blazing Meadows and WinStar team didn’t need to sweat as much in the second, the $100,000 Best of Ohio Governor’s Buckeye Cup Stakes going 11/4 miles. Odds-on favorite Fair and Square controlled the pace throughout under Rocco Bowen and drew off to a 43/4-length victory over California shipper General Mathis. The 4-year-old Super Saver gelding picked up his ninth win and boosted his bankroll to $419,860 with the victory.

Fortissimo finished off the three-pack with a 31/4-length victory over firsttime starter Superwolf in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes for 2-year-olds. Laureano Sosa rode the Take Charge Indy colt who improved to 3-for-3 with his second stakes score.

Carl R. Moore Management’s Generous Lover demolished a field of Ohiobred fillies and mares in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Pay the Man Stakes. The 4-year-old daughter of Bolt d’Oro won by 121/4 lengths under Luis Rivera for trainer Joe Sharp.

Silver Kiss also stayed undefeated and unchallenged after scoring a front-running 53/4-length victory over My Kinda Party in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Miss Ohio Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Chelsey Keiser rode the daughter of Blofeld for trainer David Wolochuk and owners Alan Vigil, Boots N Bikinis LLC and Blue Snow Racing Stables. She won her first three starts by a combined 233/4 lengths.

FORTISSIMO IMPROVES TO 3-FOR-3 IN THE BEST OF OHIO CLEVELAND KINDERGARTEN STAKES.

GENEROUS LOVER HANDLES OLDER FILLIES AND MARES IN THE BEST OF OHIO PAY THE MAN STAKES.

SILVER KISS POWERS TO ANOTHER BIG WIN IN THE BEST OF OHIO MISS OHIO STAKES.

ZAMAIKO PHOTOGRAPHY

STAGE NAME WINS THE BEST OF OHIO HONEY JAY STAKES.

FAIR AND SQUARE CRUISES TO VICTORY IN THE BEST OF OHIO GOVERNOR’S BUCKEYE CUP STAKES.

Catalogue-Style Pedigrees Race Records Mare Produce Records

New Election Packets Mailed

Due to an error made by our printing company, a very small number (we are aware of four out of nearly 1,600 packets mailed) of the election booklets sent out in the first mailing were incorrect and did not contain all of the candidates’ biographical statements.

While it is unlikely that this error would have impacted the outcome of the election, in order to be completely transparent and fair, the Ohio HBPA board of directors elected to send out new election packets to all members to rectify this situation. The new election packets were mailed out in mid-August.

Please note that even if you have already mailed in the previous ballot, you will need to complete the new blue ballot contained in this packet and return it in order to have your vote counted. Follow the instructions on the inside cover of the election booklet to mail your ballot. Please note the new deadline of Friday, September 27, for ballots to reach our independent accounting firm Hirth, Norris and Garrison LLP to be counted.

Buckeye Classic Sale Set

The Buckeye Classic Thoroughbred Sale will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, October 17, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Delaware, Ohio.

The sale will feature yearlings by many of Ohio’s top sires. To receive a catalog or for more information, email smokincllc@gmail.com.

THE THOROUGHBRED RACING ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA

TRAO Owner, Breeder Elections Begin October 1

TRAO will hold elections for owner and breeder board positions for the three-year term beginning in 2025 through 2027. The nominating process will begin October 1 with nominations ending October 15. Please follow the TRAO website and Facebook page in the coming months for more information.

Requirements to be eligible to run are as follows:

• An owner must have at least five Thoroughbred starts at an OHRClicensed racetrack during the previous 12 months.

• A breeder must be an individual or the managing partner of an entity during the previous 12 months prior to their nomination and (A)(i) is the breeder of record of at least one accredited Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbred foal, (ii) provides sufficient proof to the board they bred at least five Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbred mares in the year prior to their nomination, or (B) owns an accredited Oklahoma stallion or stallions that covered 10 or more mores total in the year prior to their nomination.

New Remington Turf Rail Provides Safer Racing

Remington Park should be a safer place for horses and jockeys during turf races as a new rail has been installed for the upcoming Thoroughbred season.

The inner-turf railing is made from a different material than the traditional aluminum rail that was replaced.

Matt Vance, Remington Park executive vice president of racing, noted that safety standards will increase based on what statistics show. The 5,500 linear feet of new railing was installed in recent weeks.

“We purchased the new rail from Equinox Racing; it is amazing,” Vance said. “Several prominent tracks have gone to this type of rail made from PVC [polyvinyl chloride]. I recently saw a race from France on YouTube where a horse hit this kind of rail, taking out about 40 feet of the rail, and when all was said and done, there wasn’t a scratch on the horse or the jockey.”

Equinox Racing boasts on its website that its rails “are at the highest safety performance and longevity standards” in the horse racing industry.

Vance said the installation covers the entire seven-eighths of a mile that follows the circumference of the turf course and also includes the turf chute that allows for races up to 11/8 miles.

“We are really excited about this new rail,” Vance said. “Not only is it safer but it is easier to deal with when it comes to changing the starting point for different distances. It should take half the manpower to change the rail settings in comparison to the old aluminum rail. It’s just easier to work with.”

The turf course rails are periodically moved in and out to save on wear and

tear of the grass caused by racing. Vance said the components of the new rail will make it simple and seamless to move on those occasions.

“We will be able to do it with three or four guys now,” he said. “It also will be no-nonsense when it comes to repair versus the standard aluminum railing.”

Vance gave props to those in charge of the racetrack’s racing surfaces.

“Superintendent Ron Collier, who has been with us for two years now, has been overseeing the improvement of renovations for our racing surfaces,” said Vance. “He has been working tirelessly on projects for the turf and main track that have improved the drainage on both. Chris Thomas, who has been at Remington for many years, has done a fantastic job with a new seeding program that has really helped the Bermuda grass on the turf course. It looks really good and has been maintained well.”

—Richard Linihan

Remington Stakes Schedule Features Oklahoma Derby

Oklahoma Derby Day, the lone Sunday card of the season, will host eight stakes events with purses of more than $1 million. The Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby highlights the September 29 program.

The meet also has a cornerstone race for 2-year-olds, the $300,000 Springboard Mile, which includes qualifying points for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The Springboard Mile night will conclude the season Friday, December 13, with six stakes races including one with a new moniker. The former Trapeze Stakes will be renamed the Toby Keith Stakes, in honor of the late Oklahoma country singer/songwriter and horseman. The $75,000 Toby Keith Stakes will be run at 1 mile for 2-year-old fillies. Keith was a horse owner and breeder who raced primarily under his stable name of Dream Walkin Farms. Keith passed away in February at the age of 62 after a battle with stomach cancer.

State-bred runners get their annual night to shine with the renewal of the Oklahoma Classics Friday, October 18. The lucrative night of stakes racing, restricted to eligible Oklahoma-breds, will feature the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup.

—Richard Linihan

Remington Park 2024 Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule

August 16: $100,000 Governor’s Cup, 3-year-olds and up, 11/8 miles

September 6: $50,000-estimated Oklahoma Stallion Colts and Geldings Handicap, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs; $50,000-estimated Oklahoma Stallions Fillies Handicap, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs

September 20: $50,000 Red Earth Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 71/2 furlongs, turf, Oklahoma-breds; $50,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint, 3-yearolds and up, 5 furlongs, turf, Oklahoma-breds

September 29: Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, 3-year-olds, 11/8 miles; $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 11/16 miles; $100,000 David M. Vance Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs; $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs; $75,000 Ricks Memorial, 3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 11/16 miles, turf; $75,000 Remington Green, 3-year-olds and up, 11/8 miles, turf; $50,000 Flashy Lady Handicap, 3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 6 furlongs; $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial, 2-year-old fillies, 61/2 furlongs

October 18: $145,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Distaff Handicap,

3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 1 mile and 70 yards, Oklahoma-breds; $40,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Starter Allowance Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 7 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds; $40,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Distaff Starter Allowance Stakes, 3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 7 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds; $175,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Cup, 3-year-olds and up, 11/16 miles, Oklahoma-breds; $130,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Sprint, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds; $100,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Juvenile, 2-year-old colts and geldings, 6 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds; $130,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Distaff Sprint, 3-yearold and up fillies and mares, 6 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds; $100,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Lassie, 2-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds; $130,000-estimated Oklahoma Turf Classic Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 11/16 miles, turf, Oklahoma-breds; $130,000-estimated Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf, 3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 11/16 miles, turf, Oklahoma-breds

October 25: $75,000 Clever Trevor Stakes, 2-year-olds, 7 furlongs

November 8: $50,000 Don C. McNeill Stakes, 2-year-olds, 1 mile, Oklahoma-breds; $50,000 Slide Show Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 1 mile, Oklahoma-breds; $50,000 Silver Goblin Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 61/2 furlongs, Oklahoma-breds

December 13: $300,000 Springboard Mile, 2-year-olds, 1 mile; $75,000 Toby Keith Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 1 mile; $75,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial, 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile and 70 yards; $75,000 She’s All In Stakes, 3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 1 mile and 70 yards; $50,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile, Oklahoma-breds; $50,000 Useeit Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile, Oklahoma-breds

OREGON HBPA

Greetings From Oregon

We have just completed our summer fair circuit. We began with the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show at Union and then moved to the Southern Oregon Horse Racing Association summer meet in Grants Pass. We then headed to Prineville and the Crooked River Roundup and finished with the meet at the Tillamook County Fair. All of the race meetings were well attended by horsemen and fans. We had successful and safe racing all through the fairs.

We will now move to the commercial meet at Grants Pass. The horses returned August 28, and racing was scheduled to begin September 8 and continue through mid-October. This meet is usually well attended as we draw some horses from neighboring states to take part in this meet.

The Oregon HBPA through the for-profit Horseman’s Racing Association LLC holds the commercial racing license in Oregon. This was done when the previous commercial license holder declined to renew his license and the HBPA had to step in to save racing here in Oregon. This will be our second race meet in Oregon as well as running the off-track betting network as part of being the commercial license holder.

We also continue in our efforts to work through the legislature to secure more funding for racing so as to secure its continuity into the future.

Safe and successful racing to all.

Randy Boden

Executive Director, Oregon HBPA

PENNSYLVANIA HBPA

Inactive Accounts at Penn National

The Pennsylvania HBPA announces inactive accounts in the horsemen’s bookkeeping account at Penn National Race Course. In accordance with the Live Racing Agreement, Penn National furnished a list of accounts that have been inactive for a period of four years. The names on those inactive accounts are below.

Holders of inactive accounts should contact the PA HBPA at P.O. Box 88, Grantville, PA 17028; by telephone at (717) 469-2970; or by fax at (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.

3 Ladies Stables LLC and Uptowncharlybrown Studd LLC, Francis Abbott III, Abrams, Debra and Abrams, Joseph, Albino A. Rossi, James Alessi, Alifyfe Racing LLC, Allison Bramlett and Bill Benson, David Alloway, Robert J. Amendola, Anualpe Stable and McGinn Jeannine, Gary Armstrong, Barlar LLC and Stephanie Karp, Richard L. Beattie Jr., BHMFR LLC, Jennifer Black, Mary B. Boskin, Patricia Bosley, Elisabeth Brand, Robert Brittingham, Ronald Brown, Brown, Nicole and Brown, Ronney W., C and K Racing and Hillcrest Meadow Farm, C and R Horse Farm, Candy Cane Stable LLC, Gregory Carlevale, Hector Castellanos, Caves Farm, Victor Centeno, Chem Dance Stable, Ciao Luna Stables, Henry S. Clark III, Richard Collacchi, Timothy M. Collins, Colonial Farm, Corporation Trinity Racing, Anthony P. D’Angelo, D’Antonio and Sons LLC and Van Sant, Maria Claire, Day at the Races LLC, DB Dojo LLC, Diegidio, Joseph and

Fox Table Racing Stable, Daniel T. Doane, Richard Eastham and Wilbur Truett, Establo G and G, Daniel Feliciano, Anthony J. Fontana, Stephen Fosman, Fuocco, Toni Anne and Fink, Melvin, Dorothy Gentner, Freya Gerlach, Mike Gifford, Allison Gosch, Green Hornet Stable, Greenfields Farm, Bruce R. Grossman, Grullon & Baratta Racing Stable LLC, H & P, Terri Haupt, Gregory Hawkins, Hickory Made Stables and Lengel, David R., Highlander Training Center, John B. Holsclaw, Dave Houghton, Howling Pigeons Farm LLC, Hudson River Farms, Inspire thoroughbreds LLC, Gerald James, Jeff and Stacy Jeans, Jeram Stables Corp, Jose Lozano Sanchez and Blas Perez, Patrick Aloysius Kane, Lawrence King, Adam King, Mark Kulow, Lady Sheila Stable, Bolton, George B. and Mathiesen, Mark, Janet A. Laszlo, LC Racing and Wellesley Stable, Antonio Lopez, Arcadio Lopez, Joseph L. Maloney, Mare’s Tail Stables, Francisco Maysonnett, McCarty Racing, Jim MCool, William J. McGowan, Marko Mesic, Thomas H. Michaels Jr., Ashrad Mohamed, Sabrina Morris, Anthony Narducci, Jorge Navarro, Katherine S. Neilson, Nick Surick Stable LLC and Fuocco, Toni Anne, No Doubt Racing, Non Stop Stable, PAD Racing, Theodore F. Pagano, Carol Palmaccio, Paige Panik, Pavillion Racing, Giselle Peralta Mancebo, Pink Ribbon Stable, Gary Piper, Poggi, Francis X. and Greycross Stable LLC, David Lee Posey, R.D. M. Racing Stable, R.A. Hill Stable and Cobb, Amber Theresa Ransone, Ratajues Racing Stables and Manuel Pimintel, Red Baron’s Barn, Red Baron’s Barn LLC and The People Tree, Brian A. Reppert, Reyna Flores De Los Santos and FF Racing Stable, RH Breeding LLC and Giangiulio, Peter, Riders Up Farm, Jose S. Rodarte, David S. Romanik, Royal Crown Stables LLC, Ken Russell amd William P. Stites, Sagamore Farm LLC, Sajor Stable and Wagnr, Jay Lester, Salerno Stables, Mark V. Salvaggio and Angel Vergaray, Sapp, Ronald E. and Giliforte, Jarret R., Kenneth Saul and Greenflash Racing LLC, M & C Scafidi and R. Danca Scarlin, Kitch, Bisso Jr., Louis A. and Vega, Richard, Christpher B. Seaman, Jonathan E. Sheppard, Short Straw Stable and Sycamore Lane Stable, Nancy C. Shuford Silverman, Marshall W. and Hoffberger, Richard J., James J. Smith, Nick Surick Stable LLC, Two

Roads Stable, Port Lairge Stables, Start to Finish Farm, Sterling Farm WV LLC, Kennyel Suiarez, Andrew P. Sulley, Super C. Racing, Dimitrios K. Synnefias, S.J. Talbott, Townsend Thoroughbreds Inc., David Charlton Vintage Thoroughbred Farm and MarchFore Thoroughbreds, Clair Walker, David D. Walters, Michael Wertz, Wheels, Avery Whisman, Witches Brew Stables, George A. Wynn, Douglas Zimmel

VIRGINIA HBPA

Virginia Derby Highlights New Spring Meet

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced during the August 11 Festival of Racing that the Virginia Derby will be moved from its traditional early September date to a new spring meeting.

The new meet will be four or five days and include the March 15 Virginia Derby, which will now serve as a Kentucky Derby prep race with 50 points to the winner in their hunt to compete on the first Saturday in May.

Colonial Downs’ summer meet will expand in 2025 to meet the requirement of running one race date for every 100 historical horse racing machines. The

advertising deadline

WINTER 2024

For more information or to reserve space, contact The Horsemen’s Journal advertising department at 515-508-1811 or advertising@hbpa.org

opening of The Rose gaming emporium and resort in Dumfries, Virginia, will add approximately 20 days to next year’s meet. The approximately 47-day meeting will most likely keep the track open until late September.

With just a few weeks left in the 2024 season at Colonial Downs, things have been successful except for a few weather-related issues. Average field size for the first 17 of 27 days was 7.89, and purses averaged $686,082.47 per day.

For further information, please contact Virginia HBPA Executive Director Glen Berman at (312) 505-7722 or glenberman@aol.com or Virginia HBPA Field Director Aidan Turnage-Barney at (814) 424-2213 or aidanturnagebarney@ virginiaequinealliance.com. HJ

The Horsemen's Journal - Fall 2024

HORSEMEN’S

THE HORSEMEN’S JOURNAL

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

Long-Term Plan

THE CEO

TALK ABOUT THE 5TH CIRCUIT’S FINDING THAT HISA’S ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

SPONSORS

AFFILIATES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS - AFFILIATES

CONTRIBUTORS

NTWAB Recognizes ‘Team McPeek,’ Backside Learning Center

TCA Annual Grant Awards Top $1 Million

HORSEMAN LABOR

Three-Peat: Godolphin Sweeps TOBA National Honors

2023 State and Canadian Breeders of the Year

Transcripts, Video Replay of 72nd Round Table Available

horsemen.”

It PAYS to NOMINATE

ATTENTION OWNERS:

ATTENTION STALLION OWNERS & FARM MANAGERS

S SEASON DONOR FORM FOR 2025 BREEDING SEASON

# of Seasons

Hernandez Earns 2024 Mike Venezia Memorial Award

Dr. Doug Daniels Reelected National

HBPA President

HISA COMPLIANT

VICTORY RACING PLATES

Time for Trouble Earns Claiming Crown Horse of the Year

Shotshell Punches Ticket to Claiming Crown Iron Horse

SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS

NATIONAL HBPA CONFERENCE TACKLES NO-EFFECT THRESHOLDS, HISA, CAW AND MORE

KENT STIRLING MEMORIAL MEDICATION PANEL: ESTABLISHING NO-EFFECT THRESHOLDS AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR THE INDUSTRY

STATUS REPORT ON HISA

HBPA ATTORNEY SUHR: 5TH CIRCUIT ‘A GREAT OPINION’

CAW: WHY HORSEMEN’S GROUPS SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION

Are You Covered?

What is it?

What Does It Cover?

How Much Does It Cover?

‘MONUMENTAL FIRST STEP’: FIXED-ODDS BETTING AT SPORTSBOOKS GETS TOEHOLD IN COLORADO

AMPLIFYING RACING IN A NEW LIGHT

RATINGS HANDICAP RACES UPDATE

REHOMING RETIRED RACEHORSES

PURSE ACCOUNTS: TRUST BUT VERIFY

OTHER CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Upcoming Economic Impact Study attention arizona horsemen!

Burden of Proof

Examination of Specific Cases of Adverse Analytical Findings

Isoxsuprine

Mepivacaine

Sotalol

Integrity

How To Find the Right Home

A Day in the Life… …of an Assistant Starter

And a Day You Wouldn’t

on Anyone

A DAY IN THE LIFE

RACING COMMUNITY STEPS UP

ALABAMA HBPA

Dromas Tops Bobby Jr.

To Win Alabama Crimson Tide

ARIZONA HBPA

Arizona Fall Update

ARKANSAS HBPA

Big News From Oaklawn Park

Help Your Fellow Horsemen

Make a Tax Deductible Donation to the National HBPA Foundation

HBPA

IOWA HBPA

Iowa HBPA Hosts National Convention

Prairie Meadows 2025 Racing Season

Iowa HBPA Office Hours and Information

KENTUCKY HBPA

Fall Racing in the Commonwealth

Milestone Win for Wayne Catalano

The HBPA Is You

How Can I Join?

LOUISIANA HBPA