THOROUGHBRED RACING ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA

Will Rogers Downs Recap

The 2023 spring Thoroughbred meet at Will Rogers Downs produced two key points: On-track handle was up 5 percent from 2022, and the overall field size experienced a slight gain.

Total handle for the meet was $20,832,887 from 248 races run, four fewer races than in 2022. More than $4.9 million in purses was paid at the meet.

Leading jockey Alfredo Triana Jr. eclipsed all riders with 33 wins, three more than second-leading rider Floyd Wethey Jr. Triana won at a 20 percent clip from the 169 starters he rode and, fittingly, achieved more second- and third-place finishes than any other rider.

Leading trainer Scott Young had another outstanding season with 29 wins, 13 more than runner-up Steve F. Williams. Young’s horses finished in the money at a 76 percent rate from 115 totals starters. Williams earned the leading owner title with 16 wins, 14 seconds and 13 thirds while starting more horses than any other owner.

Adria, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Dialed In trained by Lynn Chleborad and owned by Poindexter Thoroughbreds LLC, earned more than her competitors to notch Horse of the Meet honors. She won a $25,000 claiming race and a condition allowance sprint, both in March, then in April registered a classified allowance win and finished third, beaten less than a length, in the $50,150 Wilma Mankiller Stakes.

Remington Park Race Dates

The Thoroughbred fall meet at Remington Park runs from August 18 to December 15. Here are the dates, by month:

Champion Awards Banquet and Auction

The 11th annual Champion Awards Banquet and Auction will be held Friday, August 4, at the Cowboy Hall of Fame to celebrate the 2022 Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbred Champions, hosted by the TRAO. For more information, call the TRAO office at (405) 427-8753.

OHIO HBPA Strong Start to Thistledown Meet

Thistledown’s 2023 100-day live racing meet was off to a strong start with good numbers through the first month.

Average field size for the first month of racing was 7.02 starters per race, up from 6.63 starters per race through the first month of the 2022 racing season.

The average all-sources daily handle of $881,323 for the first month of the 2023 season was up from $846,999 during the first 18 days of racing in 2022.

Average daily purse distribution for the first month of the meet was $199,100, virtually equal to the first month of racing last year when the average was $198,455. By comparison, the average daily purse distribution at Thistledown during the first month of the racing season in 2021 was $142,007. (May 1, 2023, when racing was canceled after the first race, is excluded from the daily average totals.)

Thistledown looks to continue the strong numbers as the biggest days of the meet are still to come, including Ohio’s only graded stakes race with the 89th running of the $500,000, Grade 3 Ohio Derby scheduled for Saturday, June 25, and Best of Ohio Day featuring five $100,000 stakes for state-breds scheduled for Saturday, August 12. The Thistledown racing season runs through October 12.

Favorable Judgment for Ohio HBPA

U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley granted the Ohio HBPA’s motion for summary judgment against Belterra Park in its case for retroactive video lottery terminal (VLT) monies owed from May 2014 through June 2018.

In its March 30 order, the court found that the Ohio HBPA is conclusively entitled to be “trued up” for the 0.95 percent of Belterra Park’s VLT commissions that Belterra Park converted between May 1, 2014, and June 30, 2018. The court found that the parties agreed that the principal sum of these commissions is $2,872,910.45.

The Ohio HBPA has filed a motion for an additional $809,446.13 in pre-judgment interest owed in the case. Once Judge Marbley has ruled on the pre-judgment interest motion, Belterra Park will have 30 days to appeal the final order in the case.

The majority of any funds received by the Ohio HBPA in the case ultimately will be used to increase purses at Belterra Park.

Pennsylvania Hbpa

Inactive Accounts at Penn National

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

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

Thomas Reynolds, Robert Silk, Chesterfield Partners Inc., William Tharrenos, William E Devane, Hector Jose Ferrer Rios, Eleuterio Mireles, Holly Delaney, Pinelane Farm, Pop a Top Stable and VanMeter, Roger Estrada Racing Stable LLC, Mario Serey Jr., Lena Wright, Silver Lake Stable, Happy Hour Stable, John Lee and Charles Lo, Mouse House Farm, Allen, Robert O. Hedus, Nicole and O’Neill, William Joseph V. Procopio, Kimberlake Farms and Indian Mills Stock

Farm, Estate of Iris Coggins, Javier E. Gonzalez, Briardale Stable, E.V. Racing Stable, Christ Is King Stables, Taste of Victory Stables LLC, Victor Lebron, Jay L. Armstrong, Emerald Field Farm, JSL Stables LLC, Freedom Racing LLC, Hugh G. Robinson, Kelli Norton, FGF Stables and Meghan Early, Arthur Geller, Luis R. Reyes, Barbara Hopkins, Fat Guys Stable, Apple Tree Stables, George I. Dinos, Lawrence Dilione Jr., Harry Nye and Timothy Wenrich, Carole Star Stables, Matthew Cunningham, Glenn N. Harrison and Paul A. Ross Jr., Seventeen Racing Stables LLC, Spyridon Xenos, Mossvan Stable, Premier Stables Unlimited, Brian McFarlane, William J. Solomon & Apryle Horbal, Banner, John and Cheryl, Troy Langford, Omar Garcia, Christopher Feifarek and Susan C. Quick, Rose Petal Stable LLC, Spring Promise Farm, Fanelli, John and Sitlinger, Mark, Glenn W. and Pamela Bartholomew, Dale Brewer, Thoroughbred Acquisition Group, Gary Barber, Edward M. Ridge, Larry Gorgo, Justice Farm, Bloodlines Racing Partnerships, Ruis Racing LLC, William Paduano and Anthony Szeglin, Lane Farm LLC, Juan C. Fernandez, John William Tittle, Merryman, Elizabeth M. and Ellendale Racing LLC, Northcote Stable, Idalys Villafane, RPS Racing Stable LLC, Ronald J Dandy, David C. George, HP Racing Stables, Turkeyfoot Stable, Taste Of Victory Stables LLC and Rashid’s Thoroughbred Racing, Wounded Warrior Stables, Hickey, Fred and Rohan Racing Stable, Jones Ventures Inc., Teresa Connelly, Nicole Hedus, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, Justa Farm Racing, Gary W. Brothers, Ross Bryan Farm, Horner, Ellen G. and Tria Pell Dove, Jerzy Boyz Racing II LLC and Peter Donnelly, Wounded Warrior Stables, Burns, Gerald L. and McAbee, Mark, Edgar Neal Jester, Van Sant, Maria Claire, and Salerno, Theresa, Jacks or Better Farm Inc., Battle Lake Racing Stable, Travis Kinnamon, Ian F. Smith, David Dotolo, Dennis Drazin, David Carl Hagemann, Michael Zanella and Charles Reed, Fleming Thoroughbreds LLC, Donnelly, P., D’Antonio and Sons LLC, Eliott Krems, Chemphar Inc., Robert J. Colasanti, George E. Hall, Yellow Jacket Stable, S. D. Stable, Mark Eagan, Efrain Miranda Hernandez, Shanty Irish Racing Stable, Chelsea Dreyer, Wright A. Smith, Sandy C. Smith and Jareb Horton, Enaya Racing, Hidden Acres 4-D Farm, Alejandro Reyes, Floresta, Ramon Nunez, Londonderry Stable, Triple K Stables and Jagger Inc., Joseph Minieri, Lake Lonely Racing, Lee, John, Lo, Charles and Miranda, Efrain, A. Tassone & G. Russo, Shelley Stoneking, Girten, Tim and Brown Jr., Donald L., Starlight Racing, Andrea Betancourt, Ernest Rogers Jr., Randall Kondor, Kyle Anderson, Parlee Jo Ferko, Tom Burton, Jeff Ditty and Gryphon Investments LLC, Dave Pinkney, William Austin, Augustus Tarmin, Danny A. Limongelli and Sola Dei, Gloria Stable, Michael J Harrison, Ginger Hames, Horseplay Racing, Beryl Larue, Map It Out Racing Stable, John Finelli, Gordon Policastro & Kelly Deiter, Cristian Castro, Drawing Away Stable, Michael Sandoval, Amenta Racing Stables LLC, Wounded Warrior, Fred Hickey and Hillcrest Meadows Farm LLC, Steven Bertrando, El Rey Del Cuajo, Leeia Singh, Carlos Cazares-Marron, Claudio A. Gonzalez, Sola Dei Gloria Stable and Larry Rabold, Thomas E. Camuti, Dennison, Gerard and Lane, Daniel Alavicki Farm, Karen Clark and Kelly Lynn Deiter, Dominique Damico, Jodie Pointer.

WASHINGTON HBPA Doug Moore Appointed to Commission

Longtime horseman and former Washington Horse Racing Commission (WHRC) Executive Secretary Doug Moore was recently appointed to the racing commission. Moore filled the position that became vacant when veterinarian and horseman’s advocate Dr. Everett Macomber retired in December 2022. Upon Moore’s appointment, there was a collective sigh of relief in the barn area at Emerald Downs, knowing that Moore, like Macomber, understood not only the current issues in racing but also the challenges and concerns of owners and trainers in Washington.

“When I first heard that Doug Moore was leaving his position with the commission, I was very concerned,” said MaryAnn O’Connell, WHBPA executive director. “There is nothing better for horsemen and the industry as a whole to have a regulator who fully understands horse racing—not just the rules but challenges faced by all participants, including the horses.

“People with such love and commitment to racing don’t often apply for a regulatory position, so the thought of losing his influence was frightening. I was truly relieved and elated when I heard he was being appointed as a commissioner.”

As a WHRC employee and chair of the Association of Racing Commissioners International Rider and Driver Welfare and Safety Committee, Moore has proved himself to be an advocate for not only the Washington racing industry but also for horsemen. In national meetings, he often respectfully voiced trainer or owner perspective on issues, even in settings where such opinions may not be popular. He affected the regulatory culture in a positive way, which opened the door for greater horsemen participation and influence in rulemaking.

Pat LePley, WHBPA president, also spoke highly of Moore’s efforts as executive secretary.

“Doug went beyond the call of duty with his work in the legislature for the past two years,” LePley said. “Although we were not successful in passing our bill this year, he was instrumental in helping the commission receive budget funding, which reduces the costs of HISA for all racing participants and keeps commission employees involved at Emerald Downs. This allowed for a smoother and more cost-efficient transition to HISA.”

Moore started his career in racing at age 13 riding races at the Northwest Washington county fairs. After graduating from high school, he rode primarily in the Northwest at Playfair, Longacres, Portland Meadows, Salem and Les Bois Park. He ended his riding career as a leading rider and was hired as assistant racing secretary at several racetracks in the Northwest and worked in various positions at Oregon, Washington and Montana tracks. His first position with the WHRC was in 1989 at Playfair Race Course in Spokane, where he served as clocker/identifier. When Emerald Downs opened in 1996, he had performed a variety of official duties for the commission and was promoted to steward in 1999, a position he held for 10 years.

In 2009, Moore accepted the deputy secretary position and replaced the retiring Robert Lopez as executive secretary in 2013. Lopez, like Moore, was appointed to the commission a couple of years after his retirement so the two are working together again, along with Claude Ragle, DVM, to support Washington racing.

Moore said his goal is to continue to support the long-term health of Thoroughbred racing in Washington and particularly at Emerald Downs. He emphasized that without the Auburn racetrack, the future of any racing in the Northwest will be gone.

Amanda Benton will serve as the commission’s executive secretary. Like Moore, Benton was well prepped for the position after serving as deputy secretary for several years. Benton, a 2006 graduate of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program, transitioned from a barn area position to working for the WHRC shortly after completing her studies. She transitioned from pari-mutuel inspector to steward, a position she held for almost eight years before becoming deputy secretary in the fall of 2016.

No Per Start HISA Fees for WHBPA Members

Emerald Downs opened on the first Saturday in May in conjunction with Kentucky Derby Day for the first time since 2013. Although the temperature was 10 degrees below normal, a festive crowd gathered under ominous gray skies for the 2023 live meet kickoff.

Enthusiastic crowds can be a thing of the past at many tracks around the country, but Emerald Downs stands out as one that continually strives to make the races fun for newcomers and seasoned racing fans, attracting large attendance on many race days. This year will be no different as the season is spotted with promotional crowd-gathering events. While horsemen don’t always welcome the hoopla that comes with days like corgi and bulldog races, they do indirectly profit from the high attendance days.

Through the cooperative efforts of the leadership of the Washington Horse Racing Commission, Emerald Downs management and the Washington HBPA and in the best interest of the future of racing at Emerald Downs, there will be no HISA fees assessed directly to owners and trainers during the 2023 meet.

This was accomplished primarily by the commission and Emerald Downs signing agreements with HISA and taking on and funding duties that otherwise would have been conducted by HISA at a much higher cost.

The commission will operate the safety portion of the HISA rules, which also will allow it to keep many loyal WHRC workers employed. Emerald Downs has agreed to take on operation of the test barn, including post-race veterinary exams under the guidance of HISA. A full training session by HISA was conducted in late May.

Although HISA’s last-minute decision to delay implementation of its testing program created some issues for staffing the test barn for five race days, industry leadership was able to cooperatively make needed adjustments. The transition to HISA will be less disruptive for horsemen as the regulatory and test barn personnel are familiar faces. With HISA implementation occurring after the meet had already started and given the many lastminute adjustments, the WHBPA and Emerald Downs agreed that it was best to absorb the “horsemen assessments” for 2023.

The WHBPA board backed the decision, agreeing that a per start fee, after the meet had already started, would not only be inequitable but might be the “last nail” for many owners and trainers who struggle to keep afloat with fewer race days, high inflation and the cost of living in the Seattle area.

Prior to the 2024 meet, an evaluation of the best method for assessing HISA fees will be conducted and announced before training begins for the meet. WHBPA Executive Director MaryAnn O’Connell said the board is looking at methods other than per start fees for collecting HISA fees, stating that all covered horses should contribute to the fund, not just those who are creating industry income through handle.

The WHBPA board and staff are appreciative of Emerald Downs management’s willingness to step in and take on the new and monumental task of operating the test barn. Along with the commission, they once again have shown a unique and exemplary effort to cooperatively work together in the best interest of sustaining racing at Emerald Downs. HJ

Over a recent two-month span, trainers, owners, breeders and other horsemen downloaded more than 200,000 sets of DRF past performances