The Horsemen's Journal - Fall 2014 by The Horsemen's Journal

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volume 61/ # 3

fall

20 14

Departments

2 Message from the National HBPA

7 Industry News

12 HBPA News

14 Legislative Update

20 Research & Medication Update

22 Medication Committee Corner

24 2014-15 Racing Schedule for North America

Meet Me in OKC

Horsemen come together for the NHBPA Summer Convention in Oklahoma City

Affiliate News

features

Supplying Demand

Wandering Withdrawal Times and the RMTC Model Rules

Prepurchase Ex ams for the Layman

Embracing Technology May Improve Racehorse Performance

Time for the RMTC to get â&#x20AC;&#x153;daysâ&#x20AC;?

Evaluating a horse on your own before going ahead with an official veterinary exam can save you money

High-speed treadmills show promise

Steuart Pittman and the Retired Racehorse Project aim to bring back demand for Thoroughbreds in other disciplines

www.nationalhbpa.com

hj in every issue

message from

the CEO

Dear Horsewomen and Horsemen of the National HBPA:

National HBPA 870 Corporate Drive Suite 300 Lexington, KY 40503 P(859) 259-0451 F(859) 259-0452 racing@hbpa.org www.nationalhbpa.com

President/ Chairperson of the Board Robin Richards First Vice president Leroy Gessmann Secretary/ Treasurer Ron Maus Chief Executive Officer Phil Hanrahan Vice President Central Region Leroy Gessmann Vice President Eastern Region Randy Funkhouser Vice President Southern Region Rick Hiles Vice President Western Region Ron Maus

HJ fall

By the time you read this column, the NHBPA Summer Convention will have occurred. You can find a summary of the presentations and other highlights on page 26 of this issue. My thanks once again to the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma and its board of directors for hosting the convention, and thanks again to Remington Park for hosting us for a night of racing. The planning for the Claiming Crown on December 6 at Gulfstream Park continues. This year, the Claiming Crown will no longer require advance nomination of trainers. Instead, the Claiming Crown will follow the more traditional procedure of a horse nomination deadline and a second deadline for supplemental horse nominations. There will still be total purses of $1 million, thanks to the Florida HBPA, spread over eight races. There will be several changes to the race conditions this year. New this year is the Claiming Crown Canterbury, which will be a five-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less. Also, the Glass Slipper has changed from seven furlongs to a mile with an eligibility claiming price of $12,500 instead of $16,000. Both races will have a purse of $110,000. Full details of all of the race conditions can be found on the Claiming Crown website at claimingcrown.com. With the resolution of the dates war between Gulfstream and Calder Race Course, the 2014 Claiming Crown will be the hottest day of racing in the country. Large, competitive fields should result in excellent racing and wagering. The relationship between Gulfstream (the track), TOBA (owners and breeders) and the FHBPA and the NHBPA (horsemen) in presenting the Claiming Crown day of races has been a model for the industry to follow since the event’s inception at Canterbury Park in 1999. Cooperation among Thoroughbred industry groups can improve the sport at all levels. Unfortunately, medication issues in general, and Lasix/Salix/ furosemide in particular, continue to dominate and distract our industry. The reason I say unfortunately is because we as an industry have many more pressing problems than Lasix. The shortage of racehorses is one critical pressing problem. According to The Jockey Club, the North American foal crop has declined from a high in 2005 of 35,047 to an estimated 22,000 in 2015. This decrease in horses is now resulting in a decrease in U.S. racing days and a decrease in U.S. races (74,071 in 1989 to 43,139 in 2013). A second pressing problem is the decline in our fan base. Growing the fan base is one of the forum topics that was discussed at our convention. Some in our industry allege the decline is due to a perception of “drugging” horses. The decrease in our fan base is much more complex than an alleged equine drug problem in general and a race-day Lasix problem in particular. The NHBPA’s position approving the use of race-day Lasix is unchanged. We support its use as the most effective medication to reduce the impact of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), which thereby helps the horse and improves safety for the jockey. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has endorsed the use of Lasix

since May 2012, when the organization stated in a letter to the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, “In the absence of a more effective treatment or preventative medication for EIPH, the AAEP supports the use of Lasix as the only medication that should be allowed on race day.” The industry is spending huge amounts of time and money “fighting” over Lasix in the trade press, at industry meetings and in Washington, D.C. In June, I appeared on the cable TV program “60 Minutes Sports” as part of a story titled “Down to the Wire.” While most of my interview was not included in the program, in the part that was, I highlighted the fact that medication testing results collected by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) for the period 2009–2012 reveal that of the 368,980 drug tests, only 142 were positive for “cheater” drugs (Class 1 and Class 2 substances). When Classes 3-5 (primarily therapeutic medications) are added to the analysis, 99.2 percent of the 368,980 samples were clean. Other people interviewed for the show generally supported the concepts set forth in U.S. House of Representatives Bill 2012, which, among other things, seeks to phase out Lasix over a two-year period and seeks to designate the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) as the organization to regulate medication rules, education, research, testing and adjudication. On June 4, Ed Martin, president and CEO of the RCI, issued a report comparing the USADA drug program and the anti-doping programs operated under the supervision of state racing commissions. A summary of this report can be found at the RCI’s website at arci.com. Included below are some key figures from the report. The RCI website notes, “USADA permits the use of prohibited, performance-enhancing substances consistent with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) provisions allowing therapeutic use. USADA considers applications each year from athletes seeking to use prohibited substances and, according to their annual report, about half of the applications are approved. Information about which athlete, the substance involved or the event is not disclosed by USADA.” One additional point worth noting from the RCI’s analysis is that, according to the RCI, USADA “may be spending more than 10 times per sample than what is spent in racing to achieve comparable results.” (Emphasis in the original.) It is clear USADA is not the solution to the alleged drug problem in horse racing. As always, if any of you are in Lexington, please stop by the NHBPA’s office. We welcome your comments, feedback and visits. May the Racing Gods smile on you, and may you have many visits to the winner’s circle.

Sincerely,

Phil Hanrahan Chief Executive Officer

USADA

State Racing Commissions

Drug tests performed annually

8,500-9,100

More than 340,000

Percentage of cleared tests

99.67%

99.6%

Testing labs are accredited to international standards

Yes

Overwhelming majority of samples tested in accredited labs

Narcotics allowed in competition

Yes, with approval

Stimulants allowed in competition

Yes, with approval

Other prohibited substances allowed in competition

Yes, with approval

Therapeutic medications allowed in competition

Yes, with approval

Therapeutic medication usage disclosed to public

Never

Always

Researches emerging threats

Yes

Yes, individually and through an industry consortium

contributors Dr. Jim Casey Dr. Clara Fenger Brian W. Fitzgerald Shelby O’Neill Dr. Andy Roberts Denise Steffanus Kent H. Stirling Melissa Sykes

The

National HBPA

Would Like To Thank Its Corporate

sponsors Affiliates Board of Directors - Affiliates Dr. David Harrington, Alabama J. Lloyd Yother, Arizona Linda Gaston, Arkansas David Milburn, Canada Randy Funkhouser, Charles Town Mark McGregor, Colorado Dave Brown, Finger Lakes Phil Combest, Florida Mark Buckley, Idaho Brian LaMew, Illinois Joe Davis, Indiana Leroy Gessmann, Iowa Rick Hiles, Kentucky Benard Chatters, Louisiana George Kutlenios, Michigan Tom Metzen, Minnesota R.C. Forster, Montana John W. Baird, Mountaineer Park Todd Veerhusen, Nebraska Anthony Spadea, New England Tim Hamm, Ohio David Faulkner, Oklahoma Sue Leslie, Ontario Ron Sutton, Oregon Tim Shea, Pennsylvania Robert Jeffries, Tampa Bay Downs Dr. Tommy Hays, Texas Horsemen’s Partnership, LLP Davis Ross, Virginia Ron Maus, Washington

The views expressed on these pages are those of the authors and/or advertisers, and they may or may not reflect the positions and/or beliefs of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, its officers, or Board of Directors. The Horsemen’s Journal, Volume 61 #3. Postal Information: The Horsemen’s Journal (ISSN 0018-5256) is published quarterly by the National Horsemen’s Administration Corporation, with publishing offices at P.O. Box 8645, Round Rock, TX 78683. Copyright 2014 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 and Quarter Horse owners and trainers. HBPA is a non-profit 501(c)6 Kentucky corporation. Members receive The Horsemen’s Journal as a benefit of membership paid by the national office from affiliate dues. Annual non-member subscriptions are $14. Single-copy back issues, if available, are $7. Canadian subscribers add $6. All other

photographers Ackerley Images Sarah K. Andrew Denis Blake Chip Bott Coady Photography Brant Gamma Anthony Morris MaryAnn O’Connell staff Denis Blake Editor 512-695-4541 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org Jennifer Vanier Allen Advertising Director 512-225-4483 509-272-1640 fax E-mail: advertising@hbpa.org Limb Design www.limbdesign.com Graphic Design The Horsemen’s Journal 870 Corporate Drive, Suite 300 Lexington, KY 40503-5419 Phone: 512-695-4541 Fax: 859-259-0452 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org HBPA Website: www.nationalhbpa.com Cover Photo: Sarah K. Andrew

subscriptions outside the U.S. add $20 payable in U. S. funds. To order reprints or subscriptions, call (866) 245-1711. The HBPA National Board of Directors has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required of the association. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and/or advertisers and do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of the publisher or HBPA board or staff. Query the editor prior to sending any manuscripts. Periodicals Postage Paid at Round Rock, Texas and additional mailing offices. CANADA POST: Publications mail agreement no. 41530527. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P. O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Horsemen’s Journal, P.O. Box 911188, Lexington, KY 40591-1188.

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industry news

hj news

Courtesy Breeders’ Cup

Keeneland, Santa Anita, Del Mar Part of Three-Year Plan for Breeders’ Cup

The 2015 Breeders’ Cup will be held at Keeneland Race Course.

Courtesy Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup has announced the sites of the next three Breeders’ Cup World Championships, and this three-year plan represents a key element of the company’s long-term strategy to elevate the Breeders’ Cup’s stature as a preeminent luxury sports and entertainment event. The announcement marks the second time in the event’s history and the first time since 1993 that the organization has revealed on the same day more than one future host site for the World Championships. The multi-year strategy represents

Del Mar is set to host the Breeders’ Cup in 2017.

the debut of the Breeders’ Cup at two of the most iconic tracks in the industry: Keeneland Race Course, in Lexington, Kentucky, which will host the event in 2015, and Del Mar, near San Diego, California, which will host in 2017. In 2016, the Breeders’ Cup will return to Santa Anita Park, in Arcadia, California, which is also hosting the 2014 World Championships. The multi-year host site decision is part of a forward-thinking growth strategy to showcase the best of what Thoroughbred racing has to offer and is an extension of the brand’s “The Best Is Yet To Come” campaign which promises a curated Thoroughbred racing experience that will attract the best horses, the best owners and the best marketing partners. “In solidifying the Breeders’ Cup World Championships as a leading global event in Thoroughbred racing, we are very pleased to align ourselves with three

of the world’s premier racetracks in Keeneland, Santa Anita and Del Mar,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO. “The outstanding reputations and historic achievements of each of these venues, coupled with our enhanced platform of marketing and experiential initiatives, provide us with an excellent opportunity to grow our audience by combining the best that horse racing and entertainment have to offer.” Both Keeneland, which will hold next year’s event on October 30-31, and Del Mar, which will have the 2017 Breeders’ Cup on November 3-4, will be hosting the Breeders’ Cup for the first time in the event’s 30-year history. The 2016 event at Santa Anita is scheduled for November 4-5 and represents the ninth time the track will host the Breeders’ Cup. All event dates are pending approval by the tracks’ respective states. Located in the heart of Kentucky Bluegrass country, Keeneland conducts world-class race meetings each April and October. “The Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is a homecoming for many of these great champions who were foaled and raised at Central Kentucky farms and often sold at Keeneland,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “The Keeneland team feels that sense of connection and history with the Breeders’ Cup, and we look forward to offering fans an extraordinary racing and entertainment experience.” Santa Anita has become the first track to host the Breeders’ Cup in three consecutive years, as the showcase in 2012, 2013 and this year. “We are excited and grateful to host the 2016 Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” Santa Anita President Tom Ludt said. “Santa Anita Park offers horsemen, local fans and our many out-of-town guests the opportunity to experience the best that the sport has to offer, from racing to dining and hospitality. We look forward to working with the Breeders’ Cup to put on a very successful event both this year and again in 2016.” Del Mar, situated just off the Pacific Ocean, annually hosts one of America’s most popular race meetings from mid-July through early September, and is one of the nation’s leaders in daily attendance and wagering. “We’ve had many wonderful racing events and thousands of special racing people be part of our rich history at Del Mar,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club President and CEO Joe Harper. “But bringing the Breeders’ Cup horses, horsemen and their worldwide fans to our seaside showplace in 2017 just might be our show of shows.” As a part of its overall strategy to promote the path to the World Championships, Breeders’ Cup recently announced new marketing initiatives, including a multimedia partnership with NBC, which is composed of 11 national broadcasts showcasing 18 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win & You’re In qualifying races. This platform expands the brand’s presence throughout the racing season and also includes increased engagement with the network’s lifestyle personalities. The Breeders’ Cup has also initiated media partnerships with Time Inc. properties Sports Illustrated and People and reinforced its Celebrity Ambassador program, which is the first time a horse racing brand has partnered with top celebrities to bring attention to the sport across various multimedia channels.

www.nationalhbpa.com

news

industry news National Handicapping Championship Purse Expected to Hit $2 Million The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced that the estimated purse for the 16th Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC), presented by Racetrack Television Network, Sovereign Stable and Treasure Island Las Vegas, has been increased 25 percent to a record $2 million. The 2014 NHC purse was $1,590,000. An additional $200,000 in previously announced prize money will be distributed as part of the 2014 NHC Tour, bringing the estimated NHC and NHC Tour purses to $2.2 million. The purse increases are fueled by robust participation in NHC qualifying

contests by NHC Tour members. (Tour membership is a requirement to be eligible to qualify for the NHC.) “Virtually all of our qualifying tournaments—onsite and online—continue to perform very well,” said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president of the NTRA. “We have more than 1,350 new Tour members thus far in 2014. The NHC will only grow as more people are introduced to tournament contests and experience the thrill of competing for a spot in Las Vegas and a chance at the winner’s share of $2 million in prize money. These are life-changing sums being offered to the top finishers.” The 16th NHC will be held January 23-25, 2015, at Treasure Island Las Vegas. The 2014 NHC Tour schedule and the official rules for the 2015 NHC have been posted online at nhctour.com.

The Jockey Club Projects Foal Crop of 22,000 in 2015 The Jockey Club is projecting a 2015 North American registered Thoroughbred foal crop of 22,000, announced Matt Iuliano, the organization’s executive vice president and executive director. The projections for the 2013 and 2014 foal crops were 23,000 and 22,000, respectively. “The projection for the 2015 foal crop is based on reports of mares bred received to date, and we estimate that approximately 80 percent of those reports have been received,” Iuliano said. Additional foal crop information is available in The Jockey Club’s Online Fact Book at jockeyclub.com/factbook.asp and in the online state fact books. The foal crop projection, traditionally announced in mid-August, is

computed by using Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) received to date for the 2014 breeding season. RMBs are to be filed by August 1 of each breeding season. Stallion owners who have not returned their RMBs for the 2014 breeding season are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Interactive Registration, which enables registered users to perform virtually all registration-related activities over the Internet, is the most efficient means of submitting RMBs and is available at registry.jockeyclub.com.

Equineline Unveils Digital Pedigree Binder The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. (TJCIS) has unveiled the Pedigree Binder, which enables users to easily manage, store and view Equineline pedigrees online. The new tool is available for no additional charge whenever someone purchases an Equineline pedigree, race record or mare produce record in PDF format. The digital Pedigree Binder offers a host of features, including the ability to organize Equineline pedigrees and race and produce records into a personal online binder, the capacity to view binders as an electronic flipbook or PDF and the potential to share binders with others through email and social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. Pedigree binders may also be personalized by uploading PDF cover pages for each binder, as well as for each horse within a binder, and can include logos, photos and video links. “Many breeding farms and Thoroughbred owners currently maintain hard copy binders or books with pedigrees for reference,” said Carl Hamilton, chairman and president of TJCIS. “This new service will simplify the organization and sharing of this information in a professional state-of-the-art presentation, and it should be a valuable tool for owners and other industry professionals.” Additional information about the Pedigree Binder, including a sample binder, is available at equineline.com/pedigreebinder. 8

HJ fall

THOROUGHBRED TRAINERS CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF FAT-CAT The Jockey Club Round Table Transcripts, Slides and Video Replay Now Available A video replay, official transcript and PowerPoint presentations from the 62nd annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing are now available at jockeyclub.com. The event was held August 10 in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Jockey Club’s annual conference featured updates on medication reform efforts in the United States, a study on equine drug testing and enforcement, an analysis of racing trends and horse inventories and a report on new fan and owner development initiatives. Brian Rolapp, the executive vice president of NFL Media and the president and CEO of the NFL Network, shared insights into the National Football League’s media strategies, and Denis Egan, the chief executive of the Irish Turf Club, provided an update on jockey safety and welfare initiatives. Transcripts for the previous 61 editions of the Round Table Conference, dating back to the first one in July 1953, are available in the “Resources” section of The Jockey Club website.

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Thoroughbred Charities of America Awards More Than $512,000 in Grants Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) announced that grants totaling $512,105 have been awarded to 74 Thoroughbred industryrelated nonprofits that work to uphold TCA’s mission. The charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, TCA distributes grants to several categories of Thoroughbred industry-related nonprofits including rescue, rehabilitation and adoption organizations; backstretch and farm employee programs; therapeutic riding programs; and research organizations. Grant applications for the 2015 grant cycle will be available on tca.org in early January. “We are very pleased to announce our 2014 grants,” said TCA President Dan Rosenberg. “These grants are only possible due to the generosity of our donors; without their support these grants would not be possible. We are committed to being a good steward of any and all donations made to TCA and, accordingly, employ an extensive application and review process. Our 2014 grantees are working hard to uphold our mission and we are proud to support them.” TCA has granted over $20 million to more than 200 Thoroughbred-related charities since its inception in 1990. TCA grants funds to organizations that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA’s mission is to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting retirement, rescue and research and by helping the people who work with them. TCA raises money for distribution to charitable organizations that work to uphold its mission. From 2000 to 2013, more than 95 percent of TCA’s expenditures were allocated to program services including direct grants. Donations to TCA are always accepted and can be made as direct donations or as donations in lieu of flowers, birthday gifts or other occasions. TCA’s largest annual fundraiser is a stallion season auction held each January. For more information, visit tca.org.

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DEADLY DOPING MEETS ITS MATCH TRAINERS PRAISE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE By Mark Hansen

The pressure to win is so enormous that many horsemen resort to whatever it takes to get a piece of the purse or a decent sale… even if it means putting their horses’ lives in mortal danger by doping them with illegal synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) drugs to boost endurance. Veterinarian Gary Smith said, “It’s a problem all over the industry. There is no way horses should be put on (synthetic) EPO.” So how do racers win? How do you gain a competitive edge without harming your horses or risking your livelihood? The answer may be found in a safe all-natural horse supplement that supports natural EPO function. Why is EPO boosting so critical? Just like in people, a horse’s muscles require oxygen for fuel. Red blood cells are the body’s oxygencarrying cells. A higher red blood cell count = more oxygen = more muscle energy. Elevated muscle energy helps the horse perform harder, faster and longer during endurance events. All horses naturally produce EPO in their kidneys to stimulate production of new red blood cells from bone marrow. In short, EPO is a natural “blood builder.” With EPO doping, trainers try to boost the EPO effect to get a winning performance every time. They use a synthetic EPO (recombinant human EPO), even though the side effects can harm the horse. That’s one reason why it’s illegal. Fortunately there’s another option. EPO-Equine is a safe, highly effective natural dietary supplement scientifically engineered for performance horses. A Kentucky trainer who refused to give out his name, said, “I don’t want my competition to know about this.” He found EPO-Equine to be so effective that he’s dead set against disclosing who he is, who his horses are, or even where he trains and races. He first started ordering a single jar of EPO-Equine once a month. Now he’s ordering several CASES each month. And he won’t tell BRL exactly why. He said respectfully, “Sorry – no way.” Bioengineers at U.S. based Biomedical Research Laboratories (BRL), first discovered a completely natural EPO-booster for human athletes (and it’s working miracles for top athletes and amateurs

around the world). Seeing these results, horse trainers contacted BRL and asked about using this natural formula for their animals. That’s when the BRL team dug deeper and discovered a proprietary, horse-friendly strain of a common herb that promotes optimal blood-building results. EPO-Equine is based on the bloodboosting abilities of a certain strain of Echinacea that’s astounding researchers and trainers alike. (It’s not a strain you can find at the local health store.) Veterinarians at the Equine Research Centre in Ontario, Canada ran a double-blind trial investigating the blood building properties of the active ingredient in EPO-Equine in healthy horses. For 42 days, one group of horses was supplemented with the active ingredient in EPOEquine and another group of horses was given a placebo. The supplement delivered significant blood building results, increasing red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels. Researchers also observed improved blood quality and increased oxygen transport in the supplemented horses. Improved blood levels leads to elevated exercise physiology and performance. The patent-pending formula in EPO-Equine contains a dozen different herbs, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components combined to promote natural red blood cell production…for remarkable speed, strength and stamina right out of the gate. Trainers find it easy to add just 1 scoop (3.2 grams) of EPO-Equine to the horse’s daily feeding routine in the barn or on the road. Within a few weeks of daily use, you can expect to see increased red blood cell levels with no undesirable side effects. An increase in red blood cell levels can improve muscle performance, supercharge endurance, and enhance recovery after hard exercise. Nothing else is scientifically proven to deliver these benefits in a completely safe and natural formula. Compared to the cost of veterinarians, drugs, icing, tapping the knees, and putting the horse on Bute; or even the consequences of being banned for synthetic doping, EPO-Equine® is very affordable at the low price of just $59.95 per jar. Or save $180 if you are ready to commit to a larger trial of 12-jar case for just $539.55 with FREE shipping. EPO-Equine® can be ordered at www.EPOEquine.com or 1-800-557-9055, and comes with a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.

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hbpa news

Changes to Claiming Crown for 2014 Kent Stirling, executive director of the Florida HBPA, added, “We changed the name of the new race we added to the Claiming Crown last year from the Iron Lady to the Canterbury to honor the Minnesota HBPA’s Tom Metzen Sr. and Canterbury Park’s Randy Sampson. Without their tireless efforts, the Claiming Crown would never have gotten off the ground and been as successful as it has been over the last 15 years.” Dan Metzger, president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), stated, “We are extremely appreciative of the support of the owners and trainers who support the Claiming Crown and believe the change in the nomination process and the addition of the Canterbury will have a positive impact on the event, both for the fans and horsemen.” The Claiming Crown is a joint venture between the National HBPA and TOBA. The Claiming Crown was created to be the claiming horse owner’s Breeders’ Cup—a special racing event for the “average owner” and featuring some of the most competitive horses in the country. The Claiming Crown has been held annually since 1999. ©

The 2014 Claiming Crown, an event honoring the “blue collar” claiming horses of the sport, will be held at Gulfstream Park on December 6, the opening day of the Florida track’s Championship Meet. This year’s edition of the Claiming Crown features several changes. There will be no separate trainer nomination deadline as there was in recent years. Instead, the nomination deadline for horses will be November 8, 2014, and the supplemental horse nomination deadline will be December 3, 2014. The eight Claiming Crown races will still have total purse money of $1 million. The Claiming Crown Iron Lady has been replaced with the Claiming Crown Canterbury, a five-furlong turf sprint for horses that have been entered to be claimed for $25,000 or less since January 1, 2013. The Iron Lady was run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track for fillies and mares who had started for $7,500 or less. The Claiming Crown Glass Slipper, for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up, has been changed to a one-turn mile (from seven furlongs), and the race is open to horses that have been entered to be claimed for $12,500 (instead of $16,000). Both the Canterbury and the Glass Slipper have a purse of $110,000. Nomination forms, individual race conditions and a summary of conditions can be found on the Claiming Crown’s website at claimingcrown.com. According to Gulfstream Park’s CEO Tim Ritvo, “Gulfstream is proud to kick off its 2014-2015 Championship Meet with the Claiming Crown. Interest continues to grow in the Claiming Crown with both horsemen and bettors. We believe the streamlined nominating process will help horsemen, and the changes in the conditions of the two races will further enhance the event and bring more opportunity to bettors.” Phil Hanrahan, CEO of the National HBPA Inc., said, “The new five-furlong turf sprint should be an attractive race for owners and trainers and should provide a great wagering opportunity for handicappers. Our goal is to have eight competitive races with full fields, and this was the reason we decided to change the Glass Slipper to a one-turn mile.”

Claiming Crown winners will receive a bronze trophy created by acclaimed equestrian and wildlife sculptor Belinda Sillars. Ackerley Images

HJ fall

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By Brian W. Fitzgerald

national Hbpa

legislative

update

news

Congress was out of session in August and returned to work following the Labor Day holiday. With the November Congressional mid-term elections on the horizon and control of the U.S. Senate in the next Congress in play, Congress will be anxious to wrap up pressing business in order to be able to leave Washington, D.C., for the campaign trail. A lame duck session is expected to follow the November elections, the length of which is uncertain at this time. Below is an update on the status of pending federal legislation and public policy issues of interest to the NHBPA as of July 31.

Internet gambling bills that were introduced last year in the House. Rep. Peter King’s (R-NY) H.R. 2282, the Internet Gambling, Enforcement and Consumer Protection Act of 2013, and Rep. Joe Barton’s (R-TX) H.R. 2666, the Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013, continue to have only one co-sponsor each, while Rep. Jim McDermott’s (D-WA) H.R. 3491, the Internet Gambling and Tax Enforcement Act of 2013, still has no co-sponsors.

Federal Medication Legislation

Given that the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), told President Obama at the end of June that the House would not be taking up consideration of immigration reform legislation before the end of the year, there will be no opportunity for the NHBPA to address its immigrations problems with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) through legislation this year. In the absence of federal legislative reform, the NHBPA is working with the American Horse Council and others in the horse industry to address the problems the industry has been experiencing directly with the USCIS.

In July, two House co-sponsors, Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL), were added to H.R. 2012, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. As of the end of July, the bill had 32 cosponsors (27 Democrats and five Republicans). There were no new developments in the Senate in July on Sen. Tom Udall’s (D-NM) companion bill, S. 973. As of the end of July, the Senate medication bill continued to have only two co-sponsors: Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Begich (D-AK).

Federal Legislation to Amend the Horse Protection Act of 1970 On April 9, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), approved, by voice vote, S. 1406, the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2013. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee with only one minor technical change in order to make the bill identical to the House companion bill, H.R. 1518. It is still not clear when S. 1406 might be taken to the Senate floor for consideration. The Senate bill has broad bipartisan support with 56 Senators, including 45 Democrats, nine Republicans and two Independents, co-sponsoring the legislation. H.R. 1518, introduced by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), also has broad bipartisan support with 304 House members, including 190 Democrats and 114 Republicans, co-sponsoring the legislation. Proponents of H.R. 1518 are continuing to seek additional Republican co-sponsors so they will have a majority (117 or more) of House Republicans co-sponsoring the bill in order to exert pressure on the House Republican leadership to allow the bill to move to the House floor for consideration. It remains to be determined if and when the House Republican leadership will decide to allow H.R. 1518 to be taken up for consideration on the floor.

Federal Internet Gambling Legislation No formal action has been taken on the companion Internet gambling bills introduced in March by Sen. Lindsey Graham (RSC) and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), S. 2159 and H.R. 4301, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act. The bills would restore the U.S. Department of Justice’s interpretation of the federal Wire Act prior to its reinterpretation of the Act in December 2011 that opened the door to the expansion of Internet gambling. S. 2159 and H.R. 4301 have both been referred to their respective Judiciary committees for consideration. S. 2159 has three original co-sponsors, Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA). The House companion bill, H.R. 4301, had 18 cosponsors (13 Republicans and five Democrats), as of the end of July. There have been no new formal developments on the three 14

HJ fall

Immigration Reform

Federal Tax Legislation As reported previously, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) has introduced two tax bills: H.R. 998, the Equine Tax Parity Act, and H.R. 2212, the Race Horse Cost Recovery Act. H.R. 998 would make horses eligible for capital gains treatment after 12 months, similar to other business assets (except cattle). Under current law, horses held for breeding, racing, showing or draft purposes qualify for the capital gains rate only if held for 24 months. Per the current federal tax code, gains by individuals from the sale of property used in a trade or business, including horses, qualify for long-term capital gains and are subject to the maximum capital gains tax rate of 15 percent for taxpayers earning less than $450,000 or 20 percent for those earning more than $450,000. In light of the fact that the individual tax rate can go as high as 39.6 percent, the lower capital gains rate is quite favorable. H.R. 2212 would permanently put all racehorses in the three-year category for depreciation purposes. The farm bill approved by Congress in 2008 included provisions that allowed all racehorses to be depreciated over three years, regardless of their age when placed in service. These provisions expired at the end of 2013 so they need to be extended. Both of these bills have been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. Neither bill will be considered alone, and both bills, or some variation thereof, will need to be attached to another viable legislative vehicle to have a chance of being enacted. Around 60 other popular tax provisions, or “tax extenders,” also expired at the end of 2013 and are being considered for extension. These provisions are the most likely vehicle for the enactment of the racehorse items. A short-term, retroactive extension of the three-year depreciation of racehorses is a more likely outcome than a permanent extension. It remains to be determined whether the provisions that would make racehorses eligible for capital gains treatment after 12 months can be added to the tax extenders package or another viable legislative vehicle before the end of the current Congress. On April 3, the Senate Finance Committee approved a comprehensive tax extenders package, S. 2260, the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency Act, that includes provisions to retroactively extend the expired, three-year recovery period for

racehorses for two years to apply to any racehorse (regardless of age when placed in service) before January 2016. The proposal would apply to property placed in service after December 31, 2013. The Senate Democratic leadership sought to take up consideration of the Senate Finance Committee-approved tax extenders package on the Senate floor in mid-May, but their efforts failed when Senate Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on the number and type of amendments that could be offered to the tax extenders package during debate of the measure on the Senate floor. It appears that S. 2260 may be put on the back burner until after the November elections. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp (R-MI), in a discussion draft of a proposed comprehensive tax reform bill the committee released a few months ago, recommended that the three-year recovery period for racehorses be extended permanently. However, rather than seek a short-term, retroactive extension of the expired tax extenders as the Senate has been pursuing with S. 2260, Rep. Camp has decided to take up consideration of the tax extender provisions in the House by having the Ways and Means Committee consider which of the tax extenders should be extended permanently and those that should not be extended, even temporarily. Since May, the House Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. House of Representatives have approved the permanent extension of a number of the most popular tax extender provisions and intend to continue to consider additional extender provisions in the coming weeks and months. As reported previously, it is not clear at this time when the committee might take up consideration of the three-year recovery period for racehorses. Given the different approaches the House and Senate are taking on the tax extender provisions, it is possible the provisions’ fate may not be resolved until after the November elections.

Federal Legislation on Horse Transportation On April 9, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), along with Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), introduced H.R. 4440, the Horse Transportation Safety Act, to prohibit the transportation of a horse in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle (except a vehicle operated exclusively on rail or rails) containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. The legislation provides for civil penalties for violations of the Act. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration. As of the end of July, the bill had 32 co-sponsors (29 Democrats and three Republicans). No formal action has been taken on the bill since its introduction. H.R. 4440 is a companion bill to S. 1459, introduced by Sen. Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL) in August of last year. S. 1459 was referred the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee upon its introduction. The bill, as of the end of July, had eight co-sponsors, all Democrats. No formal action has been taken on the bill since its referral to committee.

Federal Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act On July 8, the House approved H.R. 1528, the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act, by a voice vote. The Senate thereafter approved the bill by unanimous consent on July 16, 2014. The bill was sent to the President on July 23, 2014. The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act amends the federal Controlled Substances Act to clarify that veterinarians are allowed to transport, administer and dispense controlled substances and medications in the field outside of their registered offices/hospitals as they have in the past. The amendment to the Controlled Substances Act became necessary when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency changed its interpretation of provisions in the Act regarding what veterinarians could carry with them in the field and decided it was illegal for veterinarians to transport controlled substances and medicines for use outside of their registered offices/hospitals.

IT’S TIME AGAIN! Call Horseman Labor Solutions today. We provide comprehensive labor solutions for immigration and I-9 compliance issues. Horseman Labor Solutions assists in the immigration visa process for individuals who are Jockeys, Grooms, Exercise Riders, Stable Attendants and General Laborers. _______________________________ Call us toll free at (877) 304.2525 to speak with an attorney. Don’t waste another minute! Initial consultation is FREE. ¡Hablamos español! OFFICIAL SPONSOR of the National HBPA

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From ClaimTo Fame Horse must have started ONCE at the claiming level or less since January 1, 2013 to be eligible.

Gulfstream Park â&#x20AC;˘ Saturday, December 6, 2014 $1,000,000 in Purses

For qualification criteria and nomination deadlines, call the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) at (888) 606-TOBA. Visit claimingcrown.com or email claimingcrown@toba.org for more information. The Claiming Crown is a partnership between the National Horsemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Benevolent & Protective Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

2014

NOMINATION Name of Horse

Year Foaled

*Nomination Fee Schedule: *Supplemental Fee Schedule:

Color

Sex

Sire

Dam

Dam Sire

Nomination Fees By November 8: $100 for each race nominated

OWNER INFORMATION

Claiming Crown Race

Nom. Fee Paid*

Regular Nominations must be received or postmarked on or before November 8. Supplemental Nominations must be received by 10:00 a.m. EST on December 3.

By December 3: $5,000 Jewel $3,000 Emerald and Tiara $2,500 All Others

(One ownership entity per nomination form)

Trainer:

PAYMENT METHOD

VISA [ ] MASTERCARD [ ] AMERICAN EXPRESS [ ] WIRE [ ] MONEY ORDER [ ] CHECK [ ]

Name: _________________________________________________

Amount Enclosed: $____________________________

Farm/Company: _________________________________________

Cardholder: ___________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________ City: __________________________________________________ State/Prov: ________________ Zip: _________________________

Tel: _______________Email:____________ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I submit this nomination of the above-listed horse(s) in order to make each eligible for participation in the 2014 Claiming Crown, and do so with the understanding that I will be bound by the terms and conditions established by Claiming Crown Ltd. I understand that said conditions are available to me online at www.claimingcrown.com and/or are printed on the backside of this document and are all incorporated herein by reference. Payment is enclosed.â&#x20AC;? Signature:_______________________ Date:__________________ [ ] Owner or [ ] Authorized Agent

Card Account #: _______________________________ Expiration Date on Card: _________________________ MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Claiming Crown, Ltd. MAIL TO:

Claiming Crown, Ltd. P.O. Box 910668 Lexington, KY 40591-0668 OR Kevin Meyocks Gulfstream Park 901 South Federal Highway Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 (954) 457-6260

FAX TO: Claiming Crown, Ltd. OR Gulfstream Park (859) 276-2462

(954) 457-6357

Faxed nominations must be submitted with a valid credit card number, by the cardholder, and are deemed valid only after the transaction has been processed by the authorized financial institution.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Claiming Crown Ltd. reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to: (1) postpone, discontinue, amend, or change the conditions for all or part of the Claiming Crown program; and, (2) to reject the nomination and/or entry of any horse deemed ineligible or otherwise prohibited from competing in the program. Please return this original with your payment; make copy (front and back) for your files.

See reverse side for important information regarding Claiming Crown rules and regulations which are considered part of this nomination form.

P.O. Box 910668, Lexington, Kentucky 40591-0668, (859) 277-5891 or (888) 606-8622, Fax: (859) 276-2462

www.nationalhbpa.com

conditions.

All races are limited to 14 starters which have complied with and satisfied the eligibility conditions, and which have been selected in accordance with those

1. Nomination, Entry and Starting fees are accepted subject to the approval of Claiming Crown Limited (CCL). The propriety of the amount of the enclosed fee will be determined by CCL, and if any such nomination or entry fee is determined to be other than that which is required to be paid in full in a timely manner, the referenced horse(s) may be prohibited from entering and/or starting in a Claiming Crown race in the sole discretion of CCL. The guaranteed purse for Claiming Crown races will be stated prior to the time entry fees are due. Nomination, entry and starting fees are applied to the guaranteed purses. Purses will be distributed in accordance with the distribution schedule set forth in the 2014 Claiming Crown Summary of Conditions, which information is incorporated herein by reference. 2. Payment of horse Nomination fees make a horse eligible for only the current running of Claiming Crown, and does not satisfy any future nomination requirements. Purses shall be distributed by Gulfstream Park (“GSP” or the “Host Track”) after certification that the purse is distributable in accord with applicable statutes or regulations. 3. Nomination and Entry to or in Claiming Crown races is valid only upon the acceptance of and compliance with the rules and regulations governing Thoroughbred horse races adopted by the State where the races are conducted, the rules and regulations of the Host Track, the rules and regulations of CCL, and/or compliance with any decision of the state racing officials, and/or officers of the Host Track, and/or CCL regarding the interpretation and application of their respective rules and regulations. At the discretion of the Stewards, the Host Track, or CCL, and without notice, the entry of any horse may be refused. CCL shall have no liability for the actions of any officials or employees of the Host Track or for any matter under the control of such track, its officials or employees. Purses shall be payable to the rightful parties recognized as such by state racing officials. 4. A horse entered in a Claiming Crown race may be scratched by authorized racing officials for any reason including but not limited to if (i) such horse's equipment malfunctions, is damaged or lost and cannot be remedied within sufficient time, in the judgment of authorized racing officials, to allow the race in which such horse is entered to start at post time for such race, (ii) the horse does not appear “sound” for racing purposes, or (iii) if any other unavoidable event occurs with respect to a horse entered in a Claiming Crown race, or to its jockey, which cannot be remedied within sufficient time, in the judgment of authorized racing officials, to allow the race in which such horse or jockey is scheduled to participate to start at post time for such race. In the event of a scratch under such circumstances, the Entry and Starting fees may, at the discretion of CCL, be refunded. 5. CCL reserves the right to limit the number of entries in any of the Claiming Crown races. In the event CCL determines it must limit entries they will be selected in accordance with the Claiming Crown conditions regarding field selection or by such other method as CCL may determine in its sole discretion. The Claiming Crown field selection process is set forth in the 2014 Claiming Crown Summary of Conditions and is incorporated herein by reference. CCL reserves the right to modify the distance of any race to accommodate track and/or race safety. CCL reserves the right to transfer any turf race to the main track, or to cancel any, or all, Claiming Crown races without notice prior to the actual running thereof, without any liability, other than the return of Entry and/or Starting fees. 6. In making any application for participation in Thoroughbred racing, it is understood that an investigation may be made by the appropriate authority as to the owner(s) character, reputation, mode of living and financial standing, which investigation may involve interviews with family, personal or business acquaintances. 7. Owner hereby expressly and irrevocably grants CCL the exclusive right to use, in connection with the promotion of the Claiming Crown, the name and likeness of the Owner, of any horse entered or nominated, and of any co-owners, jockeys, trainers, grooms, assistant trainers, colors, logos, silks, and any other associated or identifying characteristics, as well as any other matter relating to the participation of the horse in the Claiming Crown. Promotion by CCL may include, without limitation, televising, broadcasting (including but not limited to on-line and web broadcasting in any form, fashion or manner) and/or recording in any manner the races which are a part of the Claiming Crown and the activities incident to them, and broadcasting, exhibiting and/or exploiting the same by any means now or hereafter known, including, without limitation, licensing such rights to others for uses approved by CCL. Owner hereby expressly, irrevocably and perpetually WAIVES on his behalf and on behalf of his agents and employees (including trainers, grooms, exercise riders, assistant trainers and jockeys) any and all rights he or they may have in connection with any matter referred to in this paragraph, including without limitation, any claim to invasion of the right of privacy, right of publicity or to misappropriation, for infringement of trademark, or other intellectual property rights or for any remuneration therefor. Upon demand, Owner shall cause any of the aforementioned persons to deliver releases to CCL permitting it to use and exhibit such material. Owner understands and agrees that CCL reserves the right to use names, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, symbols, logos, slogans, results, still and motion pictures, videos and audio reports, trailers, promos and other identifying characteristics relating to CCL and the Claiming Crown, and that any such use by Owner of any of them is prohibited without the express written consent of CCL (which may be denied for any reason). CCL reserves all rights to advertise the Claiming Crown in any manner deemed appropriate by CCL in its sole discretion. Owners, trainers, assistant trainers, grooms, jockeys and horses shall not display commercial advertising or promotional material of any kind, including but not limited to, product names, logos and/or slogans on clothing or equipment, including but not limited to the jockey’s attire, before, during, or after the Claiming Crown race in which the horse is entered without prior written approval of CCL which may be denied for any reason. 8. All claims, controversies and/or objections arising out of or related to the application or interpretation of any rules or conditions of CCL shall be decided solely by the CCL Appeals Board. Information regarding the Appeals Procedure for CCL shall be furnished to any person submitting a written request for such information to Claiming Crown Limited, P.O. Box 910668, Lexington, Kentucky 40591-0668, Attn: Appeals Board. Any person wishing to object to any action or decision by CCL in the application of its rules or conditions must, within thirty (30) days of being advised of such action or decision, submit to the Appeals Board a written Notice of Appeal in compliance with the Appeals Procedure and shall be entitled to an oral hearing upon making a written demand as set forth in the Appeals Procedure. The Appeals Procedure shall not be applicable to matters arising under condition 5 hereinabove from which there shall be no appeal. The appeal process noted herein is the sole appeal venue and process and Owner WAVES THE RIGHT, IF ANY, to file a lawsuit to contest CCL’s decision or any appeal therefrom. Any appeal not postmarked or received within thirty (30) days of being advised of the action or decision of CCL shall be DEEMED WAIVED AND FOREVER BARRED. 9. Owner agrees to indemnify and hold harmless CCL and its officers, directors, employees and volunteers (or if for any reason indemnification is not available, to contribute to CCL's losses and the losses of its officers, directors, employees and volunteers), to the fullest extent permitted under the law, from and against any and all claims, damages, judgments, liabilities, losses, costs or expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees (should CCL select its own counsel which it may do at its sole and exclusive discretion), to which CCL and/or its officers, directors, employees and volunteers may become subject or liable as a result of or arising out of directly or indirectly: (i) any action or conduct of any horses owned by or under the control or direction of Owner while on the race track premises, and (ii) any acts, or failure to act by Owner, any Co-owners, or any of their agents, employees or invitees while on the race track premises. 10. Owner hereby RELEASES, WAIVES AGAINST AND DISCHARGES CCL and its officers, directors, employees and volunteers, to the fullest extent permitted under the law, from any claims, losses, obligations, costs and expenses arising from or due to personal injuries or property damages of any kind or description to the person, property or horses owned or controlled by Owner occurring on track premises. Owner agrees that all risk of loss, injury, damage or destruction to persons or property, including but not limited to, the horses brought onto track premises by or at the direction of Owner, his agents or employees, arising from, due to, caused by, resulting from or in any way, directly or indirectly, related to any cause, including but not limited to accident, theft, fire or otherwise, whether or not caused by or contributed to or by or related to any fault or negligence of CCL and/or its officers, directors, employees and volunteers or the condition of the track premises, are assumed in full by Owner, except as to acts or conditions caused by the intentional, or willful conduct of CCL. Owner agrees that the release and waiver and discharge provisions hereof are intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the law. Owner further agrees that the foregoing provisions hereof regarding such release and waiver and discharge shall not be deemed waived or affected in any way by the fact that CCL does or does not, may or may not, in the future carry insurance coverage against claims where loss is caused by or resulting from damage or injury to property, persons and/or horses while competing on the race track, using the training tracks, stables, roads or any other facilities over the race track premises or in transit thereon. 11. Whenever the term "Owner" is used herein, it shall include the owner whose name appears on the reverse side of this form, all owners, co-owners (or lessees) of horses controlled by or in partnership with the Owner, jockeys, grooms, exercise riders, assistant trainers, servants, employees and invitees of the Owner, and their heirs, representatives, successors and assigns. Owner agrees to provide a copy of this Nomination Agreement to all co-owners of the horses listed on this Nomination Agreement. 12. In consideration of CCL's agreement to pay the purses described hereinabove, Owner hereby consents to allow CCL and/or the Host Track to contract with any domestic or foreign licensed wagering entity for the purpose of accepting wagers on Claiming Crown races pursuant to the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, 15 U.S.C. sections 3001, et seq. and warrants that no third party or organization has or will be given the right or authority to assert any claim, demand, or cause of action inconsistent with such consent. 13. By signing this form on the reverse side, I hereby certify that I have read, understand and agree to the terms and conditions of this Nomination Agreement including all release and waiver provisions.

HJ fall

JANUARY 2015 DATE 1.3.15

2014-2015 STAKES SCHEDULE

1.10.15 1.10.15 1.10.15 1.17.15

1.24.15

1.31.15

GRADE CONDITIONS 3yo & up 3yo

10.18 .14 Cellars Shiraz 10.25.14 Gin Rummy Champ

DATE 2.7.15

DIST/SURF 1M 1 M (T)

PURSE $75K $75K

1 M (T) 5 F (T)

$75K $75K

DIST/SURF 5 F (T) 6F

PURSE $75K $75K

1M 1M 6 1/2 6 1/2 1 1/16 (T) 1 1/16 (T) 1M 1 1/16 6F 1 1/8 (T) 1 1/8 (T) 1 M (T) 1 M (T) 1M 1M 6F 6F

$100K $100K $100K $100K $100K $100K $100K $100K $75K $100K $100K $75K $75K $75K $75K $75K $75K

CONDITIONS

DIST/SURF

PURSE

3yo & up 3yo & up 3yo & up (F/M) 3yo & up 3yo & up 3yo & up (F/M) 3yo & up 3yo & up 3yo & up (F/M) 3yo & up 3yo & up (F/M) 3yo & up 3yo 3yo (F) 3yo & up 3yo & up (F/M) 3yo & up

1 1/16 6F 1M 7F 5 F (T) 1 1/16 (T) 1 1/16 (T) 1 1/8 7 1/2 (T) 7 1/2 (T) 6F 1 1/16 1 1/16 (T) 1 1/16 (T) 1 1/2 (T) 1 1/2 (T) 6F

$110K $110K $110K $110K $110K $125K $125K $200K $100K $100K $100K $100K $75K $75K $100K $100K $100K

3yo (F) 3yo & up

NOV EM B ER DATE STAKES GRADE CONDITIONS 11. 1. 14 Sparkler 3yo & up (F/M) 11. 1. 14 Sky Beauty 3yo & up (F/M) 11.8.14 SUNSHINE MILLIONS PREVIEW DAY (FL BRED) Juvenile Filly Turf 2yo (F) Juvenile Turf 2yo Juvenile Sprint 2yo Juvenile Filly Sprint 2yo (F) Millions Turf Preview 3yo & up Millions F&M Turf Preview 3yo & up (F/M) Millions Distaff Preview 3yo & up (F/M) Millions Classic 3yo & up 11. 15.14 Kenny Noe, Jr 3yo & up 11.22.14 Tropical Turf Hdcp 3 3yo & up 11.22.14 My Charmer Hdcp 3 3yo & up (F/M) 11.29.14 Pulpit 2yo 11.29.14 Wait A While 2yo (F) 11.29.14 Smooth Air 2yo 11.29.14 Hut Hut 2yo (F) 11.29.14 Buffalo Man 2yo 11.29.14 House Party 2yo (F)

GRADE CONDITIONS

DIST/SURF

PURSE $100K $100K $100K $100K $100K $150K $200K $150K $150K $150K $150K $250K $350K $200K $150K $100K $100K $400K $75K

FEBRUARY

FAL L FES T IV A L BO U T I Q U E ME E T OC T OBER 2014 DATE STAKES 10.11 .14 Eight Miles West 10.18 .14 Showing Up

STAKES

SUPER SATURDAY Mucho Macho Man 3yo 1M Old Hat 3 3yo (F) 6F Spectacular Bid 3yo 6F Dania Beach 3 3yo 7 1/2 (T) Ginger Brew 3yo (F) 7 1/2 (T) Marshua's River 3 4yo & up (F/M) 1 1/16 (T) Fort Lauderdale 2 4yo & up 1 1/16 (T) Hal's Hope 3 4yo & up 1M SUNSHINE MILLIONS DAY Sunshine Millions Turf 4yo & up 1 1/16 (T) Sunshine Millions F&M Turf 4yo & up 1 1/16 (T) Sunshine Millions Sprint 4yo & up 6F Sunshine Millions Distaff 4yo & up (F/M) 7 F Sunshine Millions Classic 4yo & up 1 1/8 ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN featuring the HOLY BULL Forward Gal 2 3yo (F) 7F Hutcheson 3 3yo 7F Kitten's Joy 3yo 1 M (T) Sweetest Chant 3yo (F) 1 M (T) Holy Bull 2 3yo 1 1/16 H. Allen Jerkens 4yo & up 2 M (T)

2.14.15 2.21.15

2.28.15 2.28.15 2.28.15

STAKES DIST/SURF GRADE CONDITIONS DONN HANDICAP Gulfstream Park Turf Hdcp 1 4yo & up 1 1/8 (T) Fred Hooper 3 4yo & up 1M Suwannee River 3 4yo & up (F/M) 1 1/8 (T) Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint 4yo & up 5 F (T) Texas Glitter 3yo 5 F (T) Donn Hdcp 1 4yo & up 1 1/8 Hurricane Bertie 3 4yo & up (F/M) 6 1/2 F ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN featuring FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Davona Dale 2 3yo (F) 1M Mac Diarmida 2 4yo & up 1 3/8 (T) Very One 3 4yo & up (F/M) 1 3/8 (T) Rampart 3 4yo & up (F/M) 1 M Gulfstream Park Sprint 3 4yo & up 6 1/2 F Canadian Turf 3 4yo & up 1 M (T) Ladies Turf Sprint 4yo & up (F/M) 5 F (T) Fountain of Youth 2 3yo 1 1/16 Swale 2 3yo 7F Palm Beach 3 3yo 1 1/16 (T) Herecomesthebride 3 3yo (F) 1 1/16 (T)

PURSE $300K $100K $150K $75K $75K $500K $150K $200K $200K $150K $100K $100K $150K $75K $400K $200K $150K $150K

CHAM P IO N S H IP ME E T DEC E M B E R DATE STAKES GRADE 12.6.14 CLAIMING CROWN STAKES Iron Horse Express Glass Slipper Rapid Transit Canterbury Tiara Emerald Jewel 12.13.14 South Beach 12.13.14 El Prado 12.13.14 Sugar Swirl 3 12.13.14 Harlan's Holiday 12.20.14 Tropical Park Derby 12.20.14 Tropical Park Oaks 12.27.14 W.L. McKnight Hdcp 3 3 12.27.14 La Prevoyante Hdcp 12.27.14 Mr. Prospector 3

MARCH DATE 3.7.15 3.14.15 3.14.15 3.21.15 3.21.15 3.28.15

STAKES DIST/SURF GRADE CONDITIONS Gulfstream Park Hdcp 2 4yo & up 1M Silks Run 4yo & up 5 F (T) Any Limit 3yo (F) 6F Royal Delta 2 4yo & up (F/M) 1 1/16 Inside Information 2 4yo & up (F/M) 7 F ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN: FLORIDA DERBY DAY Gulfstream Park Oaks 2 3yo (F) 1 1/16 Skip Away 3 4yo & up 1 3/16 Appleton 3 4yo & up 1 M (T) Honey Fox 2 4yo & up (F/M) 1 M (T) Pan American 3 4yo & up 1 1/2 (T) Orchid 3 4yo & up (F/M) 1 1/2 (T) Sir Shackleton 4yo & up 7F Florida Derby 1 3yo 1 1/8

PURSE $300K $75K $75K $200K $200K $250K $150K $150K $300K $150K $150K $100K $1MILLION

* Highlighted dates denote premium stakes.

technology

+ research medication update

Welfare and Safety Summit: Data Collection Imperative to Discern Trends, Take Action, Reduce Injuries

The fifth Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit concluded July 9 in Lexington, Kentucky, with an emphasis on the ongoing need to collect data and make it available through transparency initiatives, industry conferences and continuing education in order to enhance safety.

Ackerley Images

The two-day conference in the Keeneland sales pavilion once again brought together a cross-section of the Thoroughbred industry, including owners, breeders, trainers, veterinarians, horsemen, jockeys, track managers and regulators. Like the four previous summits, held in October 2006, March 2008, June 2010 and October 2012, this summit was underwritten and coordinated by The Jockey Club and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and hosted by Keeneland Association. “As we have said in the past, this summit serves as a ‘think tank’ for this industry,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “This edition proved not only that initiatives generated from past summits are having a positive impact but also that there are new ideas, new information, new practices and new technology that can be used to further enhance the welfare and safety of our athletes, and we need to share that information in a transparent manner.” There were panel discussions and presentations on the owner/trainer/veterinarian relationship, changes in regulations of corticosteroids, the Jockey Injury Database, racetrack surfaces and continuing education for trainers. Considerable discussion pertaining to transparency of veterinary records took place during the session, “Making Safety a Priority in Your Racing Company.” Other topics included the use of data to promote equine safety, the status of the modern Thoroughbred, bone development in racehorses and an update on the National Uniform Medication Program. The summit was available on a live video stream online. In addition to a few hundred attendees at Keeneland, nearly 1,800 people in more than a dozen countries watched the live video stream. Replays and many of the presentations are available on grayson-jockeyclub.org. A sampling of comments on several topics from presenters and panelists follows: Gary Contessa, trainer: “We’ve got to become transparent with vet records for the benefit of the horse. We need transparency. If we had transparency, we’d have a lot less breakdowns.” Bill Casner, owner: “The more information we have, the more transparency we have, and the more accountability we have, the more we can reduce catastrophic injuries…we have to continue to work to reduce catastrophic injuries…we are still feeling the effects of Barbaro. Catastrophic injuries have a catastrophic effect on our

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industry…wonderful things have come from this conference, and we’re putting more of an emphasis on doing the right thing for the horse and for the rider.” Dr. Carl Mattacola, division director and assistant professor of Athletic Training, University of Kentucky, speaking about the Jockey Injury Database: “Identification of injuries provides a better ability to better protect and seek preventable mechanisms to put welfare of jockeys at the forefront. You have to have data to understand trends.” Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director, California Horse Racing Board: “I’m not convinced that horses are weaker, but I am convinced that they are managed differently…and the trainer and his vet know more about a particular horse than a regulatory vet ever will…this is a cat and mouse game, the same as we see in human sports…we need research and development to study new drugs. We need a robust out-of-competition testing program.” Dr. Mick Peterson, executive director of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory: “Surfaces do not ‘cause’ injuries but they can improve the situation…the information we collect is shared industrywide; it is not proprietary information…and safer surfaces benefit all horses, riders, fans and owners.” Dr. Mary Scollay, equine medical director, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission: “We as an industry need to dispel the myth of inevitability, that a racing fatality is not just part of the game…no stakeholder benefits from the death of a horse.” Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, director of racing, Massachusetts Gaming Commission: “If you are going to race a horse in Massachusetts, you will be subject to our state racing commission rules, house rules and standards set by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance…if a horse is on a vet’s list and ineligible to race in one state, he should be ineligible to race in other states.” Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith of Colorado State University: “We need sufficient time between treatment [with corticosteroids] and racing time for regulatory veterinarians to accurately evaluate a horse.” Cathy O’Meara, coordinator of industry initiatives for The Jockey Club, on the topic of advanced horsemanship and continuing education: “The reality is that [continuing] education is the heart of where meaningful change can take place in our industry…getting educational programming into the hands of those who can use it is vital.” The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation’s leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Since 1983, the foundation has provided more than $20.9 million to fund 310 projects at 41 universities in North America and overseas. Additional information about the foundation and the summit is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

www.nationalhbpa.com

hj medical

National

H B PA

Medication Committee Corner

A Bad Dream? By Kent H. Stirling I recently awoke in a sweat from what had to be a bad dream or worse, a nightmare. Unfortunately, I sometimes dream of really boring topics that nobody but a Jockey Clubber or a Jockey Clubber Wannabe would dream of, such as equine medication, or lack thereof. Anyway, I will now relate my nightmare to you as best as I can remember it. I will change names to protect the innocent and those who should probably be ashamed of what they did. While I’m at it, I’ll go ahead and change everything from the name of the drug to the state/province where this “dream” took place. Not long ago in the area of the earth called Blunderland, unicorn racing was quite popular and Blunderland had numerous pari-mutuel wagering racecourses, but not all were for unicorn racing. Some racecourses were for ostriches, when their heads were not buried in the sand, and others were for head-to-head racing with tortoises ridden by little girls. Unicorns were very quick animals who ran fast and hard. From time to time they needed some therapeutic medications to help minimize their aches and pains between races. One of these medications was known as Addle, and it remained in the body for several weeks after it was administered. Because the drug testing for unicorns was very sophisticated, most unicorn racing jurisdictions had a threshold and withdrawal time for this medication, which showed up in the post-race testing for more than two weeks after administration, even though its pharmacological effect was long gone. Like most unicorn racing jurisdictions, Blunderland had a five-day withdrawal time for Addle, which, it turned out, conformed to a threshold of 100 sillygrams in blood. This threshold and withdrawal time worked for many years, and everyone seemed happy with it from the unicornmen to the Blunderland regulators. But then one day, the Blunderland testing laboratory decided to test some Addle samples in unicorn urine rather than in blood. The lab started calling a large number of positives in urine, apparently with little regard to how those detection levels converted to the current withdrawal time and threshold based in blood. With a large number of Addle positives now being called in urine, the unicornmen became alarmed and asked, “What is going on in the testing lab?” They were told that the lab was trying to placate a miniature unicorn racetrack owner who wanted special testing for his littler unicorns, regardless of what the policy of the Blunderland testing laboratory was. The lab was unable to make a correlation between levels of Addle in urine and blood, so they went back to testing in blood. A representative of the Blunderland regulatory body called the unicornmen’s representative to tell him the above information and to tell him that the unicornmen no longer needed to worry about all those Addle positives as no regulatory action would be taken against them for those positives they had recently received, and that the withdrawal time for Addle would remain five days as it had always been.

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The unicornmen’s representative then posted notices at all the unicorn racetracks, relaying the regulator’s message that the five-day withdrawal was still in effect and that no regulatory action would be taken against those who had positives for Addle. Unfortunately, positives continued to be called in Blunderland for Addle. Over a period of three months, the unicornmen’s representative made many inquiries, most of which went unanswered, to the regulatory body about these new positives. Finally came an answer. In a very terse response, a regulator stated that Blunderland was testing to zero tolerance on all but a few medications, of which Addle wasn’t one. The unicornmen’s representative immediately put out another notice to unicornmen at all Blunderland tracks stating that the regulators had changed their position from his first notice, and he recommended this great medication no longer be used in Blunderland closer than 15 days before a race. By now there were well over a hundred positives for Addle. Some unicornmen paid fines at one or two tracks, but most did not because they hoped there would be a common sense resolution to these Addle positives. The unicornmen’s representative then began asking for split samples on the Addle positives. He contacted every lab director on the regulatory body’s list of permitted split sample labs. The lab directors all turned the split samples down, stating one or more of the following reasons: “I can’t call Addle positives at that level,” “That’s really pushing my limit of confirmation, I respectfully decline doing your split,” “I would rather not try to do a split at that level,” ”I’m calibrated to 100 sillygrams, why would anyone go lower?” The unicornmen’s representative checked with the previous lab directors, now in different parts of the country, about why all of a sudden there were 130 or so Addle positives in Blunderland. He learned from them that the lab had always used an internal threshold for Addle of 100 sillygrams to match the five-day withdrawal time. On several occasions, the unicornmen’s representative told his regulators this story and the apparent entrapment of some unicornmen who had positives after the notice that there would be no regulatory action taken on the Addle positives, and that the five-day withdrawal time was still in place. There was no reaction from them, so the unicornmen’s representative decided to ask for a stewards hearing. He chose a successful unicorn trainer who had never had a medication violation in his career and had an Addle positive three weeks after the notice that the five-day withdrawal time was still in effect. This trainer had an Addle positive quantitated at 10 sillygrams, well below the former, longtime 100 sillygrams threshold. At the hearing, the Blunderland regulatory attorney was present as well as the attorney for the unicornmen. Besides the regulatory attorney, a number of other people were present, including management of the unicorn track.

A laboratory director from another jurisdiction testified that the unicornmen should always be warned when the lab changed a testing methodology or lowered the threshold. He said this was a common practice in all unicorn racing jurisdictions. He also was puzzled as to why the regulators would make a point of notifying the unicornmen that there was a five-day withdrawal time and then shortly thereafter notify them that they were zero tolerance on Addle. Was this pure and simple entrapment here in Blunderland? The regulatory attorney asked for a brief recess so he could contact the regulator that told the unicornmen’s representative that there would be no regulatory action on the Addle positives and that the five-day withdrawal time was still in effect. He said he wanted this person to have a chance to refute the unicornmen’s representative’s testimony of their conversation. The regulators, as previously mentioned, already knew the unicornmen’s case hinged on this testimony. Amazingly, when the regulatory attorney reached the regulator in question, he said this person was in the dentist’s chair and couldn’t speak. Of course, he was very disappointed at this outcome. And the unicornmen’s representative tried not to laugh. As the hearing was wrapping up, one of the track stewards (there are two of them) made a statement aimed mainly at the regulatory attorney, who was new to his position and had never attended a stewards hearing at this track. This steward basically said that this was an independent body of stewards and they punished when punishment was warranted and were likely to do very little or nothing when no punishment was warranted.

The unicornmen’s representative, their lawyer and the trainer left the hearing convinced they would win by a 2-1 vote, with the regulatory steward voting the way he was expected to vote with one of his bosses sitting across the table. Unbelievably, the vote was 3-0 to punish the trainer with as small a fine as was permitted by statute. After the ruling was written, the fine was increased to match the fines that others had paid previously. What happened? Apparently the unicorn track’s attorney, who was not present at the hearing and has a terrible relationship with the unicornmen, was permitted to talk to the track’s stewards and convinced them that if they didn’t punish this trainer, then the regulators would appeal the stewards’ ruling back to the Blunderland regulatory body where they would overrule the stewards’ decision by heavily punishing this trainer and the many other trainers in the same situation. They apparently were convinced they were doing the unicorn trainer a favor by lightly fining him. Oh, and what about all the confusion when the lab started calling Addle positives in urine? What happened to those urine positives for Addle? They were all dismissed with no penalty to the unicorn trainer! I awoke in a sweat. This was just a bad dream! Surely it was. But why was I so upset? Surely this never happened, and Blunderland and its justice don’t really exist. Unfortunately, it does.

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www.nationalhbpa.com

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Sep. 5 – 21

Oct. 2 – 13

Nov. 5 – Dec. 7

Oct. 16 – Dec. 21

Jan. 1 – Dec. 28

Sep. 19 – 28

Sep. 26 – Nov. 2, Dec. 26, 2014 – Apr. 19, 2015

Barretts @ LA County Fair

Big Fresno Fair

Del Mar

Golden Gate Fields

Los Alamitos Race Course

San Joaquin Fair

Santa Anita Park

California

Sep. 6 – 24

Dec. 4 – 31

Kentucky Downs

Turfway Park

Delta Downs

Oct. 3 – 25

Keeneland Race Course

Louisiana

Sep. 4 – 28, Oct. 26 – Nov. 30

Churchill Downs

Kentucky

Oct. 15, 2014 – Mar. 14, 2015

Aug. 16 – Oct. 18

Prairie Meadows

Iowa

May 6 – Nov. 1

Indiana Grand

Oct. 1 – Dec. 31

Hawthorne Race Course

Indiana

Apr. 29 – Sep. 20

Fairmount Park

Nov. 29, 2014 – May 3, 2015

Tampa Bay Downs

May 2 – Sep. 28

Dec. 26, 2014 – Mar. 2, 2015

Hialeah Park

Arlington Park

July 1 – Oct. 4, Dec. 6, 2014 – May 31, 2015

Gulfstream Park

Illinois

Oct. 8 – Nov. 30

Calder Race Course

Florida

May 17 – Oct. 22

Delaware Park

Delaware

Apr. 27 – Oct. 26

Hastings Racecourse

British Columbia, Canada

Oct. 18, 2014 – May 5, 2015

May 2 – Oct. 25

Northlands Park

Turf Paradise

Aug. 30 – Oct. 13

Lethbridge

Oct. 12 – Nov. 16

Hazel Park Northville Downs

Michigan

Pennsylvania

Oregon

Ontario, Canada

Oklahoma

Ohio

New York

New Mexico

New Jersey

June 27 – Oct. 11

Suffolk Downs

Massachusetts

Presque Isle Downs

Penn National

Parx Racing

Portland Meadows

Woodbine

Fort Erie

Ajax Downs

Will Rogers Downs

Remington Park

Thistledown

Mahoning Valley

May 11 – Sep. 25

Jan. 2 – Dec. 27

Jan. 4 – Dec. 31

Oct. 12, 2014 – Feb. 11, 2015

Apr. 12 – Dec. 7

May 27 – Sep. 30

May 18 – Oct. 14

Sep. 23 – Nov. 8

Aug. 15 – Dec. 14

Apr. 18 – Nov. 16

Nov. 24 – Dec. 30

May 8 – Oct. 19

Apr. 18 – Dec. 5

Finger Lakes Belterra Park (River Downs)

Sep. 5 – Oct. 26

Belmont Park

Sep. 6 – Dec. 2

Zia Park Oct. 31 – Dec. 31

Dec. 5, 2014 – Apr. 13, 2015

Sunland Park

Aqueduct

Aug. 2 – Oct. 26

Sep. 18 – Nov. 1

Meadowlands The Downs at Albuquerque

May 10 – Sep. 28

Monmouth Park

May 3 – Sep. 1

Sep. 5 – Dec. 31

Laurel Park

Maryland

May 4 – Sep. 21

Assiniboia Downs

Manitoba, Canada

May 2 – Sep. 21

Nov. 21, 2014 – Mar. 29, 2015

Fair Grounds Race Course Harrah’s Louisiana Downs

Oct. 1 – Dec. 20

Evangeline Downs

West Virginia

Washington

Texas

Schedule is based on available information at the time each issue goes to press. All racing jurisdictions have differing schedules and policies regarding the granting of future race dates that impact availability.

Arizona

Alberta, Canada

dates>>

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Hollywood Casino @ Charles Town Races

Emerald Downs

Retama Park

Lone Star Park

Mar. 1 – Dec. 20

Jan. 1 – Dec. 31

Apr. 12 – Sep. 28

Sep. 5 – Nov. 29

Sep. 19 – Nov. 15

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meet me in OKC

Horsemen come together for the NHBPA Summer Convention in Oklahoma City Story and photos by Denis Blake

Oftentimes the most powerful messages are not those methodically crafted by public relations professionals, but rather those that form almost spontaneously when a diverse group reaches a compelling conclusion. At the National HBPA Summer Convention, held August 14-17 in Oklahoma City, the overriding theme was that while indeed horse racing does have its share of problems, more important, it has a tremendous number of positive aspects that need to be accentuated. That concept did not come about as part of an official theme or press release, yet it was repeated time after time by a wide range of participants. Hosted by the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (Oklahoma HBPA) at the historic Skirvin Hilton Hotel, the summer convention once again focused on medication issues. While there was plenty of discussion on the specifics of what happens on race day, especially as it pertains to Lasix (also known as Salix or furosemide), there was also discourse on how such issues in general can affect public perception and how allowing disagreements among industry groups to be argued in the press does not serve to advance the sport. 26

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The convention kicked off with a keynote address from Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI). While the NHBPA and RCI have not always seen eye-to-eye, Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s address stressed the need for all in the industry to focus on the positive and work together. While those are hardly new concepts, with wide-ranging challenges facing horse racing from medication to a shortage of racehorses to a loss of revenue streams, there might not be any more important time for all involved to strive for the common good.

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Keynote speaker Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, encouraged all horsemen to accentuate the positive aspects of the sport.

“Make no mistake, horse racing is under attack,” Martin said. “It is time for this industry to start talking about what’s right with horse racing. We need to figure out how to compete with other forms of entertainment, and we need to do it creatively and with fun. That’s what horse racing is about. You come to the track to have fun. “We have to protect our animals but also ourselves from a perception that is driven by inaccurate information,” he added. “Talk to people; take this message as far and wide as you can. This is a great sport.” The first full day of the convention featured diverse topics with many focused on the equine athlete, starting with how to find the right one, how to keep that horse healthy during its racing career and how to ensure it finds a second career away from the track. Danielle Bryan, marketing director for Racing Free, addressed the audience to explain the Oklahoma-based organization’s incentive program concept. The Racing Free Incentive Program, which initially focused on American Quarter Horse racing, is now expanding into Thoroughbred racing. The program provides cash and non-cash incentives to horsemen who win a race with a horse whose

Alabama HBPA Arkansas HBPA Berkley Underwriting Partners LLC Bolton & Company Daily Racing Form Elite Turf Club Florida HBPA Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Kentucky HBPA Michigan HBPA Ohio HBPA Racing and Gaming Services Tampa Bay HBPA Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma Washington HBPA

post-race drug test comes back clear (with no overages of allowed medication). There is an enrollment fee of $300 per horse, per meet (or $1,200 annually) and the payout is $1,000 per victory. In the Equine Genetics Forum, Dr. Steve Tammariello of ThoroughGen LLC and Byron Rogers of Performance Genetics discussed the current state of

National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Mission Statement Founded in 1940, the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and its affiliates operate on behalf of Thoroughbred racehorse owners, trainers and backstretch personnel throughout the United States and Canada. Our mission is to improve and preserve Thoroughbred horse racing by: • Providing a representative voice for all Thoroughbred horsemen on matters integral to the advancement of Thoroughbred racing in the United States, Canada and at the state level. • Encouraging the highest standards of horsemanship to continuously improve the care, health and safety of the horse. • Facilitating guidelines to ensure the safety of the jockeys, trainers, grooms, exercise riders, hot walkers, farriers, veterinarians and all others who regularly come in contact with the racehorse. • Supporting the development, adoption, implementation and enforcement of nationwide uniform rules which promote safety and integrity in racing. • Disseminating information on critical issues facing our industry to HBPA affiliates and to the general public as appropriate. • Supporting and promoting programs and entities which provide general benevolence and other beneficial programs for affiliates and members. • Assisting in the development of programs at affiliated tracks providing for the aftercare of our horses when their racing careers are over. • Promoting the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing. www.nationalhbpa.com

feature

Letter from the President: The Big Picture

Dave Basler, executive director of the Ohio HBPA, receives the Industry Service Award from NHBPA President Robin Richards.

genetic testing technology and what it might hold for the future. The topic was examined in the last issue of The Horsemen’s Journal. Accomplished equestrian Steuart Pittman explained the Retired Racehorse Project in his presentation, which outlined how the organization is trying to increase the demand for Thoroughbred ex-racehorses by highlighting their accomplishments and abilities away from the racetrack. For more about the Retired Racehorse Project, turn to page 32 of this issue. The Growing the Fan Base Forum featured a five-person panel discussing the need to attract both casual followers of the sport and serious bettors. The panel included Keith Chamblin, the senior vice president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association who oversees the National Handicapping Championship; Daryle Ann Lindley Giardino and her husband, Mark Giardino, producers of the horse racing film “Behind the Gate”; Asif Husain, chief technical officer for EquiSight, a video technology company for the equine industry; and Stu Kirshenbaum, an Emmy Award-winning producer for ESPN. Dr. Kim Rasmussen of Redbud Equine Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Mike Smith of Equine Veterinary Service and Carrie Wagner of Knoxville Reflexology Group covered alternative equine therapies including equine osteopathy (the moving, stretching and massaging of muscles and joints), acupuncture and Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy. The day concluded with Remington Park hosting the nation’s horsemen for opening night of the track’s Thoroughbred meet. Dr. C. Reid McLellan, executive director of The Elite Program, won the handicapping contest conducted by the track for the NHBPA. The second full day of the convention featured the Medication Forum with an expert panel moderated by Kent Stirling, executive director of the Florida HBPA and chair of the NHBPA Medication Committee. The presentations included the following titles: “The Lasix Threshold and Working Toward Cobalt and other Thresholds,” by Dr. Thomas Tobin of the Gluck Equine Research Center; “Medication Issues: A Regulator’s Perspective,” by Constantin Rieger, executive director of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission; “Here We Go Again! Thresholds, Lasix and the Never-Ending Idiocy of Zero-Tolerance,” by Dr. Steven Barker, professor at Louisiana State University and state chemist for the Louisiana State Racing Commission; “Liers, Outliers, Statistics 101 for Horsemen and the Racing Industry,” by Dr. Wayne Duer of Duer Forensic Toxicology; and “What Do Veterinary Medication Specialists Think of Published Evidence Regarding EIPH and Furosemide?” by Dr. Paul Morley, a professor at Colorado State University. As the presentation titles imply, Lasix and thresholds were the main focus of the panel. The findings and opinions of the panel largely mirrored the long-held stance of the NHBPA that published, scientifically determined regulatory thresholds are a necessity for 28

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As I write this, yet a new spate of negativism has emanated from within our own industry, designed to pressure horsemen to acquiesce to a desired position. Use of the press and involvement of humane organizations to air perceived “dirty laundry” does heighten emotion and further polarize our industry. Our organization has vowed to stick to proven science, rationality and common sense. For those who constantly lament that we have fewer fans due to the perception of doping and inhumane practices, launching press releases exaggerating the misuse or overuse of medication seems counterintuitive. Recent comments in the press accusing horsemen of not engaging in dialogue about race-day medication (let’s just call it Lasix) remind me that we are not getting our side of the story out. Medication has been a primary topic of recent National HBPA conventions, including the latest meeting in Oklahoma City. Panelists for the medication forum at our convention have come from all parts of the industry and are every bit as illustrious as participants in the recent Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit. Many are the same. I would venture a guess that every one of the trainers who signed on to eliminate Lasix is a member of the NHBPA by virtue of having raced at a track with an HBPA affiliate. Yet, I wonder if even one has listened to these lectures. The science and research brought to our membership is impressive. We try to provide the most reliable science possible to help trainers decide what is best for the horse. With the projected horse shortage set to worsen, at least in the short term, we believe we are protecting the future of racing in the safest and most humane way possible. The support of our individual affiliates has never been more important. The folks who organize forums and attend meetings, aside from our staff, volunteer huge amounts of time. Staff members help you achieve consensus and build policy. That is what we need to look down the road at the big picture. Thanks to your input and support, we can lobby for you and make sure the policy represents all horsemen.

Robin Richards National HBPA President

all medication regulations. Furthermore, various members of the panel reaffirmed that the use of Lasix on race day is necessary and proper to protect the safety of both the horse and rider. During the convention, the National HBPA Board of Directors approved an updated mission statement for the organization and issued a press release reaffirming support for the use of Lasix (see sidebars). The NHBPA also recently reaffirmed the outline of its position regarding the regulation of racing medication, which is printed below. Wrapping up the meetings on the second full day was a panel about managing the export authorization process, which included a sharing of ideas and best practices from affiliates in working with racetracks on the sending and receiving of simulcast signals, including rates and contracts. The panel, moderated by Bob Reeves, executive vice president of the Ohio HBPA, included three affiliate executive directors: Marty Maline from Kentucky, Jon Moss from Iowa and Kent Stirling from Florida. In addition to the educational seminars, a variety of other meetings were held with the National HBPA’s Model Rules Committee and Benefit Providers Committee both convening. The former focused mostly on a proposed model rule involving horses in claiming races being ineligible to be claimed if they have not started in 180 days and meet other conditions, while the latter featured discussions of benevolence and health care reform among affiliates. The National HBPA Winter Convention will be held in Phoenix and hosted by the Arizona HBPA with a date to be announced.

NHBPA’s Position Regarding the Regulation of Racing Medication • The National HBPA’s focus has always been, and remains, the health and safety of the horse, the safety of the jockey and the safety of all individuals coming into contact with the horse, including grooms, hot walkers, trainers and veterinarians. • The National HBPA believes a truly independent and transparent Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) composed of industry stakeholders (including the NHBPA, The Jockey Club, the U.S. Trotting Association and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, among others) not dominated by any individual organization, with input from appropriate medical and veterinary professional bodies such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners, must be the final evaluator of medical and veterinary science. • The National HBPA believes that RMTC-approved medication rules should be reviewed by the Association of Racing Commissioners International on behalf of state racing commissions, and following an evaluation based on science and medical research with all industry stakeholders being heard, the rules should be adopted or rejected by a majority vote. • The National HBPA contends that uniform medication rules must be based solely on published scientifically determined regulatory thresholds, with published scientifically determined withdrawal time guidelines, all based on and supported by data published in the scientific literature. • The National HBPA believes that RMTC and ISO-17025 accredited laboratories should perform all medication testing. • The National HBPA does not tolerate cheating in this sport. The NHBPA supports rules wherein repeat offenders of medication rules, after due process, should be severely penalized, including permanent expulsion from the industry.

HBPA Horsemen Reaffirm Their Support of Lasix The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) restated its strong support for the continued use of Lasix (also known as Salix or furosemide) at its summer convention held August 14-17 in Oklahoma City. Lasix is currently the only recognized treatment for pulmonary bleeding, a serious exercise-induced disease that affects nearly all racehorses. In doing so, the NHBPA joins the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the California Thoroughbred Trainers in supporting Lasix use. Together, these four horsemen’s groups have nearly 50,000 owner and trainer members who race in the United States and Canada. Those attending the Oklahoma City convention heard a panel of nationally recognized experts that stated current medical science does not support The Jockey Club’s call for banning the race day use of Lasix, a ban that would inevitably be harmful to horses. The Jockey Club, a 100-member private organization, proposed doing so as part of its support for federal regulation of racing stated at its recent Round Table meeting in Saratoga Springs, New York. Ironically, The Jockey Club chose to ignore a landmark 2009 scientific study, which it largely funded, conclusively proving the effectiveness of Lasix as treatment for pulmonary bleeding in racehorses. The Jockey Club also ignored the advice of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), an industry-wide group of which it is a member. The RMTC found no medical or scientific reason for discontinuing the use of Lasix. Similarly, The Jockey Club brushed aside racing experience in New York where it is headquartered. With the advent of Lasix treatment in 1995, the incidence of epistaxis, the most severe form of pulmonary bleeding in horses, immediately dropped by 80 percent in New York. Pulmonary bleeding is inextricably associated with horses and puts the health of horses and safety of jockeys at risk. Until a better treatment for this progressive disease is identified, there is no possible ethical or humane justification for depriving racing horses and their riders of the protective therapeutic benefits of Lasix.

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Sarah K. Andrew

Supplying Demand

The Thoroughbred Makeover at Pimlico Race Course seeks to show that Thoroughbreds can do much more than just race.

Steuart Pittman and the Retired Racehorse Project aim to bring back demand for Thoroughbreds in other disciplines By Shelby O’Neill

While there are many things the horse racing industry cannot agree on, the one issue with near universal support is ensuring Thoroughbreds find new homes after their racing days are over. But not everyone agrees on how to achieve that goal. For Steuart Pittman, a nationally known eventing, dressage and jumping instructor and clinician based in Maryland, the answer can be distilled into one word—marketing. That’s why the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), the organization he founded in 2010, focuses not on a palliative approach to the problem of ex-racehorses but instead on a curative one—increasing the demand for Thoroughbreds in other disciplines outside of racing. “I’m not sure that the plight of ex-racehorses is my motivation,” Pittman said. “I find it hard to pity a Thoroughbred horse; I admire 32

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them too much to feel sorry for them. I do, however, pity the people who never get to experience these horses or who never learn how to get along with them. If Winston Churchill was right that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man, then I swear you can triple that ‘good’ when the horse is a Thoroughbred. That’s really what I am after—more people with more Thoroughbreds doing more things. It’s just good all around.” Growing up in Maryland’s horse country, Pittman remembers when Thoroughbreds were in vogue for many different equestrian endeavors. Dodon Farm covers 550 acres in Davidsonville, not far from Annapolis, and as part of the eighth generation of family members to own that farm, Pittman knew from an early age that horses would always be a big part of his life. As a child, he rode in the hunt field, raced ponies,

Steuart Pittman is a nationally known eventing, dressage and jumping instructor and clinician who also has a passion for Thoroughbreds and increasing the demand for racehorses off the track. Retired Racehorse Project

competed in dressage and eventing and soon found himself falling in love with Thoroughbred racehorses. “When I was a small boy, my father would take me around the corner to Larking Hill Farm, where Fendall Clagett had a training center and breeding operation,” Pittman recalled. “I was obsessed with his two stallions, Bold Ambition and Exclusive Nashua. To me, they were the most magnificent creatures on earth. Later, when I was in the hunt field on my 12-hand pony, the hounds and foxes were only mildly interesting to me. It was all about Al Smith’s and John Myers’ racehorses for me. And then came the Tuesday-night summer cookouts at Flee and Charles Stisteds’ next door. Flee was a trainer, groom and exercise rider, and her daughter Jenny was a jockey. Most of the cookout regulars worked at Bowie or Laurel, and I loved those people almost as much as I loved the horses they sold me. I never actually worked at the track, but I was jealous of everybody who did.” Pittman grew up to train and sell horses for jumping, eventing and dressage, and throughout his career, he has seen the prominence of Thoroughbreds in those disciplines wane dramatically. “We started RRP because there had been a decline in the popularity of Thoroughbreds in equestrian sports, and that (made me mad),” he said. “In 1982, 40 percent of the horses registered for equestrian competition in the U.S. were Thoroughbreds. In 2010, that number was down to 10 percent. Breed associations market their horses aggressively for sports in which they excel, but nobody was marketing Thoroughbreds

outside of racing. Nobody else was approaching the issue from this marketing perspective. To me, it was common sense.” In 2009, Pittman gathered some friends to put on the Retired Racehorse Training Symposium, giving him an opportunity to serve as an ambassador for the Thoroughbred breed to the broader equestrian world of showing and eventing. “We did the symposium to see whether there was demand for education and promotion in this area, and the answer from the 350 participants was a resounding yes,” Pittman said. “That’s when we got to work.” The Retired Racehorse Training Project (the word “Training” has since been dropped) was founded the very next year with a clear focus in mind—it was not to be a rescue organization. “The phenomenon of horse rescues for ex-racehorses arose in response to the decline in the market for Thoroughbreds in second careers, and they are an important safety net,” Pittman said. “I cringe when I hear the word ‘rescue’ applied to the act of acquiring a horse off the track. To me, a rescue is acquiring a horse from neglect or on its way to the killer. I also dislike the word ‘aftercare’ unless it is applied to lay-up situations. If we want to create demand for these horses, we should be talking about the fact that they leave the track professionally trained, fit and proven as athletes. ‘Rescue’ and ‘aftercare’ are effective words for fundraising but not for marketing horses. “Higher demand for horses off the track means higher prices, and those prices should ultimately be paying for the training and transition www.nationalhbpa.com

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from racing,” he continued. “Higher prices should also be rewarding the racing owners and trainers who retire their horses sound.” With its distinct mission, RRP was soon drawing attention and support from the racing industry. Early sponsors of RRP activities included the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and the Maryland Jockey Club, and in 2011, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association invited Pittman to speak at Keeneland Race Course, generating additional interest and support. Pittman also spoke at this year’s National HBPA Summer Convention in Oklahoma City. Another key supporter was Dan Rosenberg, who chairs the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) board. “Steuart came to see me and explained what they were doing,” Rosenberg said. “I realized immediately that creating a demand for outof-training Thoroughbreds is the real long-term solution to the problem of unwanted former racehorses. I showed hunters, jumpers and equitation growing up in the ’60s. At that time, if you weren’t riding a Thoroughbred, it was unlikely you were going to be pinned. Somewhere along the line, warmbloods became fashionable. I know that Thoroughbreds are outstanding athletes in any discipline and believe that bringing this to the attention of the sporthorse world can bring them back to prominence. My hope is that by creating a market for good-looking and sound Thoroughbreds who are not competitive on the track, owners and trainers will be incented to sell those horses before they break down.” Pittman and RRP supporters worked steadily on solidifying opportunities to advocate for Thoroughbreds to the sporting community, and the message they chose to market was clear and simple. “Compared to other breeds, Thoroughbred ex-racehorses are braver, more trainable, more athletic, more eager to work and more likely to stay 34

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sound if they retired sound from racing,” Pittman said. “I teach a lot of riders to do basic dressage and jumping and find that teaching balance and tact is much easier on a horse with an engine and sensitivity. The European warmbloods in particular are impressive movers with a lot of power over a jump but take a stronger rider with a better seat to bring out their potential. Some riders do better with a quiet colder-blooded horse, but most can learn to ride the average Thoroughbred, and when they do, they tend to get hooked on the feeling. Many of us in eventing suspect that rotational falls on cross-country courses happen less often to Thoroughbreds than other breeds.” To get this message to sporting and recreational horsemen, RRP has developed a significant online presence through a website that includes a Resource Directory (also available in a print version) that lists racetracks, retirement programs, placement organizations and trainers who work with ex-racehorses; an active YouTube channel packed with educational videos; advice from experts on transitioning Thoroughbreds to new disciplines; a library of published reports and surveys on second-career Thoroughbreds; a user-sourced Bloodline Brag that demonstrates how well racing bloodlines adapt to other activities; and, perhaps most important, listings of ex-racehorses who are ready for their second careers. The website receives 75,000 hits each month, while the monthly RRP e-newsletter reaches 12,500 subscribers. The educational videos have been viewed more than 300,000 times, and more than 55,000 people follow RRP on Facebook. “Organizations and farms who use our online horse listings, which include more than 100 active horses currently, and our online Sarah K. Andrew

Brant Gamma

Pittman, an accomplished equestrian, speaks from experience in saying that Thoroughbreds can succeed in eventing and other non-racing events.

More than 800 people attended last year’s Thoroughbred Makeover, along with 60 horses and 40 vendors.

Sarah K. Andrew

Polo was one of the many disciplines showcased at the Thoroughbred Makeover, which this year will be held October 3-5 at Pimlico.

directories report better traffic than any other marketing tools they have, and it’s all free to use,” Pittman said. “The users of our Bloodline Brag swear by it as a way to research second-career accomplishments of racing bloodlines. What really matters, however, is how many people are choosing Thoroughbreds off the track as a result of our work. We get enough people telling us that it happened to them and thanking us that we know we are on the right track.” Events form another crucial component of the RRP marketing mission. More than 11,000 people attended RRP events in 2013. In addition to educational seminars, RRP has hosted three training challenges with a fourth edition—America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred Contest—on tap for this October as part of the TCA Thoroughbred Marketplace at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (see sidebar). “America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred Contest takes the best aspects of the first three challenges and presents 10 horses training

for 10 different disciplines with 10 good trainers for a prize of $10,000,” Pittman explained. “Online followers can read training reports, watch video updates, comment on progress and eventually vote ‘American Idol’-style. The horses will perform at Pimlico during our Thoroughbred Makeover before a panel of judges. After last year’s Thoroughbred Makeover at Pimlico, Thoroughbred Charities of America awarded us its Industry Service Award and has funded our work generously. That recognition was a huge honor for us, given the composition of TCA’s Board.” Because much of the racing industry’s charitable funding is restricted to nonprofit retirement organizations, the TCA award and its funding have proved critical for RRP. For now, the organization relies largely on the support of its donors to take on new projects. While the goal of RRP is to reach those in the sporting and recreational disciplines, its success would be impossible without the support of the racing industry. For those interested in supporting RRP, donations are welcome, but support can also be as simple as spreading the word and using the resources the organization provides, such as the Resource Directory, which includes articles offering guidance to sellers, buyers, adopters and donors of horses, such as sample contracts and what to watch out for. “The organization is growing fast, and demand for its services is huge,” Pittman said. “We started as all-volunteer but have learned that the effectiveness of what we put out depends on its quality, and that Internet-based services and major public events need professional staff. That will allow us to build on our success and undertake the projects that our board of directors envisions.” For more information on the Retired Racehorse Project, visit retiredracehorseproject.org.

Retired Racehorse Project Teams with Thoroughbred Charities of America for Thoroughbred Marketplace Event In keeping with its mission of increasing demand for Thoroughbreds in the equestrian marketplace, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is joining forces with the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) to present the TCA Thoroughbred Marketplace at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 3-5. “Ex-racehorses at all levels of training will be present for the weekend, catalogued online, inspected by veterinarians and offered an opportunity to perform,” RRP founder and President Steuart Pittman said. “Approved exhibitors will be nonprofit placement organizations, professionals, amateurs and racing owners. It’s a model we are putting together with help from some smart people that we hope can be replicated easily at racetracks everywhere. We expect a good showing of buyers and adopters.” Last year, the Thoroughbred Marketplace drew more than 800 people out to Pimlico, prompting an expansion of the event for 2014. Some of the weekend seminars lined up include The First 100 Days, Racehorse Reality Check, The Trainers Forum and Maryland Racing: Where Horses Come First. Hands-on sessions covering Selecting Prospects, Soundness Issues, Holistic Health and Saddle Fit will take place in the barns. In addition to educational seminars and Thoroughbred demonstrations, the two-day event also will include the second annual Thoroughbred Makeover and America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred Contest, a multi-horse training challenge. For more information, visit retiredracehorseproject.org/2014-thoroughbred-makeover. www.nationalhbpa.com

Jim McKay

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Wandering Withdrawal Times and the RMTC Model Rules Time for the RMTC to get “days” By Clara Fenger, DVM, PhD, DACVIM; Andy Roberts, DVM; and Jim Casey, DVM, MS

The Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) Controlled Therapeutic Medication Rules have gone into effect in a number of new states, coming online rapidly in the last few months. The regulatory authorities have promised that providing a stringent and well-defined set of uniform medication rules would make racing cleaner and safer for all participants. Gone would be the days of supposed rampant cheating, and we could all compete on a level playing field. In fact, we have known for some time that operating outside the lines of legal and ethical competition in horse racing is extremely rare, representing only 0.015 percent of horses passing through the test barn1. Clearly, the playing field has been quite level and well regulated for some time. Nonetheless, it is human nature to suspect “that guy (or gal)” who is winning at a 40 percent clip must be using something, so we ought to all welcome the ever-increasing oversight by our regulatory bodies. Besides, even the horsemen agree that uniform rules would make racing across state lines easier. Enter the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium Inc. (RMTC). In an effort to produce national uniform medication rules, the RMTC has come up with a plan. First, limit the number of medications that can be used therapeutically in racehorses, and regulate them. Next,

have uniform national thresholds based on scientific studies that provide valid and realistic withdrawal time guidelines for trainers and veterinarians. The executive director of the RMTC has suggested that adopting these rules actually reduces positive tests2. However, recent issues cropping up across the country seem to dramatically refute that claim. The first uniform medication rule to be implemented across the country was to drop the acceptable phenylbutazone level from 5 µg/mL to 2 µg/mL. Even though all of the pain-relieving effect of phenylbutazone is eliminated at the 5 µg/mL level3, racing commissions in various jurisdictions felt that this threshold allowed levels at the time of the pre-race exam that interfered with their ability to determine if a horse was sound. Nonetheless, at the time the change was made, the recommended withdrawal in many jurisdictions remained 2 g IV at 24 hours4. This, despite having data collected at the University of Florida showing that 95 percent of the horses that received the original 2 g IV dose were below the regulatory threshold5. That is akin to routinely giving a speeding ticket to one in 20 cars going 55 mph in a 55 mph zone. Although the 24-hour 2 g dose recommendation was continued in several states after the threshold www.nationalhbpa.com

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change, the RMTC changed the dose to 9 cc (1.8 g) IV at 24 hours for the model rule, and state recommendations vary from the model rule recommendation to 1 g IV at 24 hours (KY)6, 2 g IV at 28 hours (VA) or even 2 g IV at 36 hours (WV)4. You have no way of knowing for sure until you get back a positive test. So much for uniformity. Flunixin (aka Banamine) is another example where the RMTC has been flat wrong in its withdrawal recommendations. The manufacturer’s recommended dose is 500 mg, or 10 cc to a 1,000pound horse. Originally, the RMTC recommended that this dose be administered no closer than 24 hours pre-race4. Somehow, the decision was made that the cutoff for a positive test was going to be 20 ng/ ml in blood5. This, despite the unhappy fact that when you actually read the studies, the science indicates that many 24-hour post-race samples will exceed the 20 ng/ml threshold7. When post-race samples came up positive in droves, confirming this already-known detail, the RMTC backtracked. In their meeting this spring at Gulfstream Park, they heard the “positives” message; their solution was to leave the sacred 20 ng/ml threshold in place but to move the withdrawal time out to 32 hours8. The RMTC doesn’t seem to be any more clued in with Ketoprofen. When they set the original 10 ng/ml level, they had minimal “positives.” So, since they couldn’t believe no one was “cheating” (because there were no positive tests) with this drug, at the same Gulfstream meeting, the RMTC reduced the threshold to 2 ng/ ml8. Still no problem with cheating (no positive tests), so surely a further reduction is coming. Seems like every five minutes, the RMTC and subsequently various regulators are changing a rule or a recommendation, all without real, publicly reviewable substantive scientific evidence to support their “new” position. If you can’t dazzle the horsemen with brilliant science, baffle them with confusing and ever-changing…well, you know. Somehow, the idea of getting the facts straight with scientifically sound research before implementing rules that profoundly affect the lives of the people and horses you regulate has escaped them. Next, methocarbamol (Robaxin) is a mainstay of the prevention of muscle cramps (i.e., “tying up”) in training, a painful condition that plagues many racehorses and mostly fillies. It is an important therapeutic medication to have available to horses in training. And a rash of methocarbamol positives at Delaware Park9 has further

great detail11 that methocarbamol and phenylbutazone are metabolized by the same pathway in the horse and phenylbutazone is preferentially eliminated, slowing the metabolism of methocarbamol and thereby resulting in the positive tests. Except there is no published scientific data to support that statement8. And if there were, the RMTC should have been aware and done the studies to provide guidelines for the practitioners and horsemen. Dr. Rick Sams, director of LGC Sports Science, the lab that runs the Delaware post-race tests responded: “While the guidelines that are in place were well thought out and researched, there will, I’m sure, be adjustments made as time goes on.”11 Sounds like the horsemen are guinea pigs in a high-stakes game of chicken: Let’s figure out the rules as we go, and if you try to adhere to the rules and guess wrong, the penalty is harsh. This is no way for an industry to act. The stakes are too high for all concerned, including the horse and rider, to base medication regulations on questionable science. “There will, I’m sure, be adjustments made…” Not surprising when one considers the history of the RMTC threshold for methocarbamol, which goes like this: First, RMTC commissioned a study at the University of Florida using their 20 exercised horse herd and a 15 mg/kg methocarbamol dose10—a typically used dose12. This study came up with a 20 ng/ml threshold and a 24-hour withdrawal time. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania already had in place a 1 ng/ml threshold, based on studies with a really low, below any clinical effect, 2.2 mg/kg dose of methocarbamol5,12. What to do?? Simple! Just leave the cutoff for a positive test at 1 ng/ml but arbitrarily, and without performing the necessary scientific study to back it up, move the withdrawal time out to 48 hours, and trust that it works. If it doesn’t work out, come up with something convenient to blame, in this case apparently, phenylbutazone. At the same time tell horsemen that they have to move the withdrawal time out again. The only problem is those pesky horsemen who actually got methocarbamol positives during this “educate the regulators” “adjustment-making” period. In deflecting the blame toward a heretofore unidentified drug interaction with phenylbutazone, the RMTC is also directing attention away from the simple fact that methocarbamol has long been known to show dose dependent kinetics. In other words, as the dose increases, methocarbamol is eliminated more slowly and tends to accumulate, increasing the likelihood of a positive13. Both the RMTC and the

underscored the problems with both the RMTC studies and the way changes in regulatory procedures have been implemented. Firstly, the studies were performed on only 20 horses10, and when the results are applied across thousands of racehorses with varied management, different metabolism and under a myriad of different specific circumstances across the country, the outcomes are not so clean. Secondly, medication interactions were apparently not taken into consideration. The RMTC executive director has recently explained in

University of Pennsylvania studies were single IV dose studies. We would therefore be not in the least surprised if it turns out that many of the numerous recent positives reported for methocarbamol are more closely associated with a normal multi-dose therapeutic schedule of methocarbamol than just with the concomitant administration of phenylbutazone. The end result of the confusing withdrawal guidelines is to make a safe and effective therapeutic medication, Robaxin,

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essentially illegal and out of reach for those horses that may get muscle cramps. For many months preceding the adoption of the RMTC Model Rules regarding uniform medication, racing officials went around the country and were quoted in the press about the new rules regarding joint injections. Low-grade joint inflammation is an extremely common outcome of strenuous exercise, and joint injections are a useful and widely used therapeutic approach to handling this concern. Modern human sports medicine has included the use of therapeutic joint injections for years, and studies have shown no long-term ill effect from repeated injections14. Which fits very well with the experiences of racetrack practitioners: Judicious joint injections are therapeutic and preserve the long-term health of the athlete, not just for its racing career, but for the career that follows. Nonetheless, the racing officials and proponents of the RMTC-“driven” Uniform National Model Rules have, perhaps less than logically, insisted that veterinarians should have sufficient time after a joint injection to assess response to therapy. They argued that horses should not be raced within seven days of injection with a relatively quick acting corticosteroid like triamcinolone (Vetalog) or betamethasone, or 14 days of injection with a long-acting corticosteroid like methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol). Veterinarians and horsemen have long agreed that assessing response to therapy should be part of any therapeutic intervention but felt that the time periods set forth in the Model Rules were well beyond the time frame necessary. Nonetheless, we were prepared to go along with it. Unfortunately, we and other practitioners were not prepared for the outcome of the first few weeks of the new medication policy, which has resulted in numerous alleged positives in at least two jurisdictions (IN and WV). The uniform medication rules have put in place a 100 pg/mL blood threshold level of methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol), and a withdrawal of seven days, nominally based on an RMTC-sponsored report, where 100 mg was injected into a single knee15. And yet in the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule recommendations16, right next to the recommended seven-day withdrawal, it states that the withdrawal for 100 mg (2.5 cc) of Depo-Medrol is actually 21 days. So, which is it? Seven days or 21 days? Given this uncertainty in the published guidelines, the states have varied from 10 days (IN) to 21 days (WV) for recommended withdrawal times linked to this threshold. Faced with these ambiguities, practitioners, in an abundance of caution, have adhered doggedly to the recommended withdrawals. And, despite this care, “cloudy” or possible positives have been coming up at a frightening rate in the first few weeks of the new rules, such as has been seen in West Virginia17. It turns out, if you put the Depo-Medrol in a stifle, the clearance time is one thing. If you put it in a hock, it is something else. God forbid the horse moves while you inject it, because then all bets are off. A racing official stated, off the record, that the 40

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purpose of the Depo rule was to discourage the use of Depo at all… hey wait, what happened to “so you could assess the response to therapy”? A little deceptive to say the least—and another safe and effective, FDA-approved therapeutic medication relegated to being essentially illegal. To further complicate matters, veterinarians, trainers and owners are anxiously awaiting the results of their post-race tests, which are taking an inordinate amount of time (a month or more) as a result of a laboratory backlog. The new Uniform Model Rules mandate that a Depo-Medrol positive requires purse redistribution and a fine18. All while the racing officials cannot even provide useful practical guidelines for withdrawal times. As this article goes to press, even the racing commissions are unsure of their own final decision17. We all remember Brass Hat’s impressive effort to finish second in the 2006 Dubai World Cup. The trainer and veterinarian tried to contact the appropriate authorities to identify the withdrawal time for methylprednisolone, and then added five days in order to inject the horse’s hocks well outside of those guidelines. When the horse was disqualified for the positive test, the trainer and veterinarian protested, but to no avail. After the trainer and veterinarian did everything possible, there was nothing that could be done. Surely this can’t happen in America. Other problems with the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule (April 17, 2014), the cornerstone of the RMTC Model Rules, have not yet reared their ugly heads. The recommendation on a common tying up preventative, dantrolene (Dantrium), is 48 hours. This is based on a study performed with a single dose of 1 mg/kg, which is well below the therapeutic dose of 2-4 mg/kg12, 16. Xylazine, a common tranquilizer used to sedate horses for procedures, including dental work, veterinary procedures and some grooming procedures like clipping, is listed as permissible at 48 hours with a published threshold level (cutoff for a positive test), but no recommended dose and no research paper to explain where the recommendation came from is listed16. Can I use the whole bottle?

Drugs outside the magic “24” list of therapeutic substances are a no man’s land.

Mepivacaine (Carbocaine) has a withdrawal recommendation of 72 hours and represents a Class B penalty, i.e., a minimum of a 60-day suspension, loss of purse and fines (RMTC website). And the RMTC recommendations are based on 1.5 mL of Carbocaine in a 1,000pound horse16. This is an amount that is below any usual therapeutic use of the product, which would be at least 10 mL for a Caslick’s procedure or 5-10 mL for a typical diagnostic nerve block. So the actual RMTC recommendations appear to be at best a complete lack of understanding of how therapeutic medications are applied and at worst an intentional set up of any trainer or veterinarian who even thinks of using a therapeutically appropriate amount of mepivacaine. This seems to be a common theme among the “permitted medication” list: No good faith effort was made to determine how these medications are correctly and appropriately used as therapeutics before the withdrawal studies were performed or recommendations were made. As a further matter of interest, the mepivacaine threshold is based on confidential data generated by the European Horseracing Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC) and therefore subject to EHSLC non-disclosure requirements apparently signed by all members of the RMTC Scientific Advisory Committee8; so much for industry-wide transparency and independent scientific review. Further, the cloak of secrecy does not end there. A number of other U.S. medication rules, such as those for acepromazine, albuterol, betamethasone, clenbuterol, dexamethasone, firocoxib, furosemide, isoflupredone, lidocaine, omeprazole, prednisolone, procaine penicillin and xylazine, are based on secret data that has never been subjected to independent review and are currently unavailable to the horsemen or their racetrack vets19. Drugs outside the magic “24” list of therapeutic substances are a no man’s land. There is only one antibiotic, procaine penicillin, on the list. States differ from 24 hours to 96 hours4 to “zero tolerance” (infinite in IN?20) on withdrawal for “sulfa drugs,” like trimethoprimsulfadiazine, probably the most commonly used antibiotic in horses, which is not even in the magic “24.” Within the word “racehorse” is the word “horse,” and this word is attendant with all the day-to-day things that might befall any animal. In addition to scrapes and infections, a horse may get stung by an insect, necessitating an injection with an antihistamine, or scratch his cornea, necessitating atropine or other therapeutic medication. These conditions are not life-threatening, but the varied therapeutic medication rules could prevent this otherwise completely healthy horse from competing, depending upon which jurisdiction you are in. Imagine: There are likely more than 24 over-thecounter medications in your bathroom medicine cabinet at home, but the most elite of athletes are prevented from benefiting from modern day sports medicine under the misnomer of “clean racing.” In 1900, infant mortality among humans was 30 percent and life expectancy was less than 50 years21. Much of the reason for the improvement in health of humans is the advent of modern medicine.

And yet we want to send our most precious charges, horses who have no voice for themselves, back to the dark ages. Modern equine sports medicine is not a crime. It has been developed to give the athlete the best possible quality of life and as a result to perform to the best of its abilities. There are substances that may potentially enhance performance, and these are and should be banned. Severe penalties should be in place and vigorously enforced. But, folks, let’s get it right. The rush to implement the RMTC rules has had a mountain of unintended consequences. Shouldn’t we first and foremost get the science right, perform studies which reflect real world and appropriate uses of therapeutic medications and then establish dosage, thresholds and withdrawal times? Finally, we should implement an appropriate phase-in period allowing us to identify gaps in our scientific knowledge before imposing strict and onerous penalties. Appears that it is the RMTC that needs to get “days.”

Notes 1.

Association of Racing Commissioners International. Drugs in U.S. Racing 2010 — The Facts. 2011. 2. KAEP meeting, February. 3. Hu HH, MacAllister CG, Payton ME, Erkert RS. Evaluation of the analgesic effects of phenylbutazone administered at a high or low dosage in horses with chronic lameness. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005 Feb 1;226(3):414-7. 4. www.rmtcnet.com/withdrawal_show.asp, accessed 8/12/2014. 5. Summary of Medication Recommendations: Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. Updated September 8, 2010. 6. www.khrc.ky.gov/Documents/24%20Therapeutic%20 Medications-TB.pdf, accessed 8/12/2014. 7. Sams, R. Scientific rationale for establishing a regulatory threshold for flunixin. College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University. 2006. 8. Personal communication, Thomas Tobin. 9. www.theracingbiz.com/2014/07/21/delaware-horsemen- concerned-positive-drug-tests, accessed 8/12/2014. 10. Rumpler MJ, Colahan P, Sams RA. The pharmacokinetics of methocarbamol and guaifenesin after single intravenous and multiple-dose oral administration of methocarbamol in the horse. 2013 J Vet Pharm Therap 37:25-34. 11. www.drf.com/news/drug-combination-sets-rash-positives, accessed 8/12/2014. 12. Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Formulary. 13. Muir WW, Sams RA, Ashcraft S. Pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties of methocarbamol in the horse. Am J Vet Res. 1984 Nov;45(11):2256-60. 14. Raynauld JP, Buckland-Wright C, Ward R, Choquette D, Haraoui B, Martel-Pelletier J, Uthman I, Khy V, Tremblay JL, Bertrand C, Pelletier JP. Safety and efficacy of long-term intraarticular steroid injections in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Feb;48(2):370-7. 15. Knych HK, Harrison LM, Casbeer HC, McKemie DS. Disposition of methylprednisolone acetate in plasma, urine, and synovial fluid following intra-articular administration to exercised thoroughbred horses. 2013 J Vet Pharm Therap 37:125-132. 16. www.rmtcnet.com/resources/Controlled%20Therapeutic%20 Medications%20April%202014.pdf, accessed 8/12/2014. 17. www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/86515/wv-hires- new-lab-purse-money-still-in-limbo, accessed 8/12/2014. 18. www.rmtcnet.com/resources/RCI%20Uniform%20 Classification%20Guidelines-December%202012.pdf, accessed 8/12/2014. 19. www.arcicom.businesscatalyst.com/assets/arci-controlled- therapeutic-medication-schedule---version-2.1.pdf. 20. Joe Gorajec quoted during a meeting with the Indiana Standardbred horsemen on 8/12/2014 regarding the positive tests. 21. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4838a2.htm, accessed 8/12/2014.

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Prepurchase Exams for the Layman Evaluating a horse on your own before going ahead with an official veterinary exam can save you money

By Denise Steffanus Photos by Denis Blake

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Prepurchase examinations are not cheap. Having a veterinarian examine a horse and scrutinize its health and soundness using high-tech equipment and sophisticated diagnostics typically costs around $1,000. This fee, when compared with the purchase price some Thoroughbreds demand, can be a bargain. With others, that amount can equate to a significant percentage of the purchase price. A potential buyer could lay out a lot of money by getting a prepurchase examination for every horse that catches his or her eye. An experienced horseman should be able to do a preliminary evaluation of a horse to determine if it is worthwhile to go further with the screening process. Craig Van Balen, DVM, a Lexington veterinarian who led a discussion at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention on prepurchase examinations at public auction, advises horsemen on how to evaluate health and soundness in a potential purchase before they decide to enlist a veterinarian to conduct an official prepurchase examination.

Overall Appearance

Learning a Little History

Van Balen said the first thing a potential buyer should do is take a step back from the horse to evaluate its overall appearance. Body condition score and coat quality provide a glimpse of the horse’s general health, nutritional support and existing level of care and management. Next, the buyer should walk around the horse, noting everything from eyes to feet, just to get an impression of the overall horse. Does the horse have the type of conformation the buyer prefers in a purchase? Some buyers like short, sturdy cannon bones. Other buyers may lean toward a rangy horse with lots of daylight underneath it. Van Balen stressed that the ultimate purpose the buyer intends for that horse will indicate the conformation traits the horse will need. “You want to be thinking about form and function,” he said. “Body type becomes an important factor. Are you looking for an early 2-yearold versus a 3- or 4-year-old stayer?” Next, the potential buyer should evaluate the horse’s conformation, which is an important factor in maintaining the soundness of an equine athlete. Each deviation from good conformation detracts from the horse’s smooth locomotion and places added strain on joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles and bones. Fluidity of motion requires less effort for a horse to propel itself forward over the track, and correct conformation promotes soundness. Evaluation of conformation can be a buyer’s preference. Some buyers can live with certain conformation faults, Van Balen said. For example, the buyer may not care that a yearling toes out slightly because it may straighten out as it matures. But offset knees may be a deal-breaker because they can create problems when athletic demands are placed on the horse. For colts, the buyer should observe whether both testicles are descended. If one or both are not visible in an appropriately aged colt, this could mean the colt may require surgery to resolve the problem. This would entail the expense of surgery and loss of training time while the horse is sidelined.

While the potential buyer is visually assessing the horse, he or she should ask the consignor about the horse and gather as much of the horse’s history as possible. “Get a really good history—surgeries, vices, medications,” Van Balen said. “Anything that pops up there may mean you don’t even want to look further at the horse. If you find out the horse had belly surgery as a 2-year-old, you may not want to take the risk. A horse that’s on the track that bowed a tendon and has had a superior-check-ligament surgery might be a horse you don’t want.” Van Balen said he is not concerned with a horse that has had a periosteal elevation or transphyseal bridging as a foal to straighten the leg, as long as the surgery achieved its purpose. “It’s a good thing to know if a horse has had that done,” he said. “But if the breeder did it, say, to an ankle and the horse is still toed in, it would make me be pretty detailed about that ankle. But as a general rule, if the conformation is acceptable after periosteal elevation or transphyseal bridging, I do not find them to be a detriment to the horse’s ability to train to race.” Van Balen added that if the potential buyer intends eventually to turn a filly that has had one of these surgeries into a broodmare, he or she may want to give more thought to the possibility that she could produce offspring with crooked legs. Being able to rely on the integrity of the consignor is important when gathering a horse’s history, Van Balen said. Reputable consignors will be honest, and that will help both the potential buyer and the consignor’s future business.

Hands-on Check “Before you even walk the horse, run your hands down each of the horse’s legs to feel for any heat or swelling,” Van Balen said. “If you just look at the horse’s legs, you might miss a splint or a bump on a tendon.” Anything found that is out of the ordinary, or if the horse appears to be protecting a part of its body from examination, will warrant a closer look by a veterinarian. www.nationalhbpa.com

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Watching a horse walk toward and away from you should be part of your early analysis before deciding to pay for a full prepurchase exam.

“Look for swellings underneath the jaw, if the horse came from a farm where there are strangles, or if the horse was undergoing a viral respiratory problem,” Van Balen said. “It’s not a bad idea to take the horse’s temperature and check its heart rate and respiratory rate. Place your hand over its heart and count the heart rate, which should be about 32 beats per minute for a solid, resting heart rate. You can stand there and watch the horse breathe, and its breathing should be 12 to 24 times a minute when it’s quiet.” If the horse can be evaluated under tack, note how quickly its breathing and respiration return to normal after the end of the exercise period. Finally, raise the horse’s tail to take its temperature and check for tail tone. A horse with a neurological problem may have a weak tail tone. In a filly or mare, check for a vaginal discharge when raising the tail. In an older gray broodmare, also check for melanomas that may be potentially troublesome.

Walk Out

“Say you’re at a 2-year-old sale, and you run your hand down the horse’s shin and he flinches,” Van Balen said. “That will tell you that if you buy this horse, you’re going to have to give him an extra 60 or 90 days for bucked shins. If you have designs that this horse has to get somewhere right away, you can see that he’s not going to suit your needs.” Van Balen said to pay particular attention to any heat or swelling in joints and to flex each leg gently while feeling tendons, ligaments and joints, but he cautioned horsemen not to be too aggressive in flexing and examining the leg, which could cause the horse discomfort and possibly rile the consignor. Also when holding up the leg, the buyer should look at the horse’s foot to note hoof quality and look for symmetry of the hoof and a healthy frog, while being aware of quarter cracks and cosmetic alterations. Horses at sales usually are freshly shod, so telltale wear patterns on the hoof or shoe that would give a clue to how that horse travels will not be present. Going to the horse’s head, the buyer should note the general appearance of the eyes. Is the horse bright and alert? Are the eyes set well on the head? Are there any defects in the eyelids? Is there any discharge from the eyes or nose? The buyer should then look more closely into the eyes to ensure there are no opaque spots, scarring on the cornea or other visible abnormalities. 44

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Van Balen said the buyer should watch the horse from the side while it is paraded past at a brisk, extended walk. At private sales, also observe the horse at a trot. “Look for symmetry, overstride, all those things that are important to the buyer,” he said. Then observe the horse from the back as it is walked away, and from the front when the handler turns the horse and walks it back toward you. A horse that holds its tail off to one side may have a neurological problem that warrants a veterinarian’s inspection. Notice the horse’s way of going, if it interferes during its gait, how it places its feet on the ground before lifting off again and if it is showing any soreness or overt lameness. Observe how the horse behaves in the showman’s hands and how it reacts to its surroundings. “Temperament and personality are important,” Van Balen said. “Some people say horses have to be tough to be good racehorses. However, a horse has to be trainable. So you, as a layperson, have to ascertain by observing this horse’s personality if this horse is trainable.” Van Balen said the buyer should look in on the horse in its stall during an off time at the sale to see if it has a catch rope on its halter. Also look for a weaver or a cribber. This would indicate a horse that has stall behavior problems. Looking in during quiet time also gives the potential buyer the opportunity to see how the horse is standing up to the stress and excitement of the sale. If the potential buyer is satisfied that this horse could be a wise purchase, or if only one or two items are cause for concern, the next step is to hire a veterinarian to perform a more extensive examination before making the final decision to purchase.

Enlisting a Veterinarian If the horse passes the potential buyer’s initial scrutiny, the next step is to contact a veterinarian to perform an extensive prepurchase examination. A thorough prepurchase examination will include the following: • Comprehensive blood work, including kidney and liver values • Endoscopy of the respiratory system • Evaluation of the heart for murmurs and arrhythmias, and possibly an ultrasound to ascertain its size and form • Examination of the horse’s eyes using an ophthalmoscope • A full set of X-rays to check for chips, fractures and other abnormalities • Possible ultrasound of suspect tendons and ligaments • Flexion test of each limb • Foot soreness check using hoof testers

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Embracing Technology

May Improve Racehorse Performance High-speed treadmills show promise By Melissa Sykes A high-speed treadmill cannot replace regular training over a track, but the controlled environment allows researchers unique access to a variety of data.

Steuart Pittman and the Retired Racehorse Project aim to bring back demand for Thoroughbreds in other disciplines By Shelby Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill A Japanese study on the use of high-speed treadmills in young horses has the potential to change how horsemen think about some traditional training methods.

In the last 50 years, we have seen the invention of the microwave oven, the Internet, iPads, iPods, iPhones and even space travel. Advances in technology have completely changed the way we live, work and play. But this technological explosion hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always translated to the horse racing industry, at least not here in the United States. However, if researchers in Japan have their way, the high-speed treadmill could become an integral part of a Thoroughbredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early training. Differences abound between countries when it comes to selling and racing 2-year-old Thoroughbreds. The United States has long been considered the leader when it comes to training and racing young racehorses. For instance, the first carded race this year for U.S. 2-year-

olds was held on March 1 at Sunland Park. The first graded stakes race was the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on June 28. And this year, Barretts Equine Ltd. in California kicked off the juvenile sales market with its select sale on March 3. On the other hand, Japanese horsemen take a more conservative approach. The first carded race for juveniles for 2014 was held on June 7. The first group stakes race, the Group 3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes, was held on July 19, while the first 2-year-olds in training sale was held on April 15. www.nationalhbpa.com

Courtesy EquiGym LLC

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It takes as little as 15 minutes to introduce a horse to a high-speed treadmill and get him up to racing speeds with a video endoscope.

For the most part, Thoroughbreds in the Northern Hemisphere begin their training in the fall of their yearling year. The horses are first given time to acclimate to the bridle, saddle and weight of a rider. In the initial stages of training, trotting and slow cantering are used to develop aerobic capacity (VO2max or the point at which oxygen is utilized to its maximum). Speed work is then gradually introduced. The force created when the horse is asked for speed over a conventional training track will elicit a remodeling response in the cannon bones (i.e., micro fractures of the bone, which, when healed, are stronger and more capable of carrying weight over distance at high speeds). But it’s this speed work which often leads to training setbacks. Bucked shins, shin splints and bone chips often occur because of the “too fast, too soon” syndrome. This was the problem that the Japanese researchers put their minds to. In a recent study, these scientists compared the training methods of long yearlings to determine how to maximize speed and aerobic capacity without compromising limb soundness. The purpose of the study was “to determine if young Thoroughbred horses trained with intermittent high-intensity treadmill exercise added to a typical track-training routine would develop aerobic capacities different than those trained strictly conventionally, and if such intermittent training could be done without causing lameness.” Twelve yearlings were divided into three groups: group 1, a control group that was trained conventionally (going to the track with an exercise rider); group 2, which added high-intensity exercise on a treadmill with a 6 percent incline once per week for two months; and group 3, which also trained with the high-speed treadmill but for a total of eight months. All of the horses were broken to handling and riding from September to October and then began training on the track at a trot and slow canter. Group 2 began adding treadmill work to their routine in February of their 2-year-old year, while group 3 had been using the treadmill since the previous August. “A horse can be introduced to the treadmill within 15 minutes and can be doing racing speeds with a video endoscope down his throat in that amount of time,” explained Leonie Seesing, owner of EquiGym LLC. 48

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EquiGym manufactures the fastest high-speed treadmill in the world. “Our machines will go faster than any horse can travel, so the treadmill will never be a limiting factor in any training program,” Seesing explained. “When you go to racing speeds on the treadmill, the horse’s muscle memory builds up very strongly at the speeds that they are being trained.” Although not a common sight in the United States, high-speed treadmills have found a home in many prominent stables around the world. Top South African trainer Mike de Kock has been using treadmills to help condition his runners for over 10 years. “When your horse may not have the bloodlines or ability of their opponent, fitness is the one area where you can beat them,” de Kock said. “Treadmills allow you to get that extra fitness and ‘the edge.’ That is how important they are.” Newmarket-based Ed Dunlop, trainer of such champions as Ouija Board, Snow Fairy and Red Cadeaux, has all of his charges augment their training with treadmill work. “When yearlings were bought at the sales, I would start training them to use the treadmill,” said Grainne Ni Chaba-Byrne, a veterinary physiotherapist who worked with Dunlop. “We would discuss and create specific training regimes for certain horses, between the vet, myself and the trainer, to get the best outcome. Every horse must be trained individually (when it comes to treadmill work).” High-speed treadmills allow the user to completely control the exercise session. Exact speeds can be programmed into the equipment; there is no chance of a “bad step”; and the horse can be observed as a whole for any sign of problems (e.g., gait, breathing and even the spine). Japanese trainers, as a whole, are quite conservative, so it comes as no surprise that none of the horses in the study experienced any lameness issues. According to the researchers, typical training protocols in Japan continue without high-intensity exercise until March of the horses’ 2-yearold year. Horses of this age undergoing conventional training in Japan typically experience a low incidence of lameness (less than 5 percent). However, it is notable that none of the horses exposed to intermittent high-intensity treadmill exercise experienced lameness, even those in

“Our machines will go faster than any horse can travel, so the treadmill will never be a limiting factor in any training program,” Seesing explained. the group training on the treadmill for eight months. But what was more interesting to researchers was that not only did the horses receiving treadmill work not exhibit any signs of lameness, but also that these two groups were able to run faster and longer than their conventionally trained counterparts. In other words, they were able to increase their aerobic capacity. “The finding is intriguing,” said Dr. James H. Jones, professor of surgical and radiological sciences at the University of California, Davis and who joined his Japanese colleagues on this study. “The study was not designed to try to evaluate if there were a ‘best’ way to train youngsters, but rather, it specifically looked to see if the addition of the intermittent high-speed treadmill work would lead to an increase in the horses’ ability to use oxygen (increase aerobic metabolic power) without causing lameness due to the intermittent high-speed running on the treadmill. The fact that the high-speed running did increase aerobic capacity suggests the possibility that this might be a way of increasing performance in horses.”

It should be noted that treadmill use, especially in young horses, should not replace regular track work. “It still takes the horses carrying 100 to 120 pounds of dead weight and then doing six stride cycles at racing speed on the flat in order to obtain enough bone density for racing,” Seesing said. “I still needed to take the horses to the track and do these same ‘speed plays’ in order to obtain the bone density necessary for racing around a turn as well.” So, why are high-speed treadmills not the norm here in the States? William “Buff” Bradley, trainer of champion Groupie Doll, opined, “Cost and the movement of horses may be one reason that trainers are not using them.” A high-speed treadmill can retail for over $100,000 and they are not portable. A trainer cannot pack one into a van and move it to the next track. But, as with most things that can improve performance, the highspeed treadmill merits more study, and if further proven to be effective, its use might increase in the United States and Canada.

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Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of the publisher or National HBPA board or staff. Alabama HBPA We are still here, but the obstacles and closed doors have not gone away. The Birmingham Racing Commission (BRC) held an irregular meeting at which the Jefferson County Racing Association (JCRA) asked for the funds held in escrow for horsemen’s benefits, including purse money and money to pay the past three years of property taxes on which the JCRA is in arrears. The JCRA was granted the funds to pay the 2011 tax, leaving around $500,000 in escrow. The JCRA is to come back to the BRC with an update on its appeal for the 2012 and 2013 tax amounts due. The next scheduled racing commission meeting is September 10. Unless a miracle happens, I will venture to say that the funds are given out. This really puts a damper on the final Phase III of the Birmingham Race Course Feasibility Study being done by the Innovation Group, as they were earmarking the $900,000-plus in funds for purses. Innovation Group is now in the process of redoing their projections. It is a never-ending battle with an operator that obviously does not want to have anything but a simulcast parlor and machines if they can get away with it. ALHBPA President David Harrington has worked diligently in preparing and presenting a contract between the JCRA and ALHBPA should we be successful in obtaining Instant Racing machines while continually pursuing support from the powers that may approve and help this become a reality. Not one word of response; not one of the many phone calls returned by JCRA. We in Alabama truly appreciate all of the advice, input and support received from the members of the National HBPA as our saga continues. Nancy Delony, Executive Director

Arizona HBPA Turf Paradise With no summer racing in Arizona, things slow down at Turf Paradise, with only simulcasting in the clubhouse. Management has been busy in the main building with painting and fixing a few things. The backstretch is also being worked A macroburst on July 26 caused damage at Turf Paradise. on with new shut-off valves in the A-D barns, painting of all barns, main track railing repairs where needed and a new camera at the quarter-pole, plus the turf course is looking good. Arizona Department of Racing test barn employees have been busy cleaning, painting and fixing the test barn area. Over the weekend of July 26, we had what they call a macroburst in the North Valley. Turf Paradise did not escape damage. One barn received a fair amount of damage. As you can see by the photo, it is not as bad as other areas but there were some broken tree branches and lots of debris.

The Turf Paradise meet will start a little later than usual this year, with opening day set for Saturday, October 18. We will run Quarter Horse trials on September 20 and finals on October 4. We are in hopes that with a later start date we will be able to have fuller fields with the bottom purse of $6,500 for Thoroughbreds and a $200 raise for the Quarter Horses. Mike Harlow will join the race office staff at Turf Paradise this year. Anderson Southwest Feed has been sold but will continue doing business as Anderson’s. The new proprietor is Mike Coleman, who also owns C & H Feed and Black Mountain Feed in Cave Creek. Under new ownership, they will continue to serve horsemen at Turf Paradise. Arizona HBPA President J. Lloyd Yother and Executive Director Tom Metzen Sr. have been working with track management to complete the leg work on ADWs. The Arizona Department of Racing (ADOR) has been working with track management and the AZHBPA to get language for statutes in place. It is an ongoing effort, and we are excited to soon be able to offer this technology. Stall applications were due August 9, horsemen may get stalls ready starting August 25, horses may start moving on the grounds September 2 and the main track will open for training September 4. Horsemen are reminded that everyone will need new licenses this season. The ADOR license office will be open starting September 2 for licensing. Days and hours will be posted at a later date. Applications are available online at azracing.gov. Prescott Valley Race Course Gary Miller has officially withdrawn his permit application at the ADOR for horse racing at the track in Prescott Valley. Miller has recently put the facility on the market. An article in the Prescott Courier said he remains hopeful. New Email Address The AZHBPA has a new email address: azhbpa@outlook.com. Please make sure that the AZHBPA office has your current address along with your email. Hope you had a good summer. See you in October!

Arkansas HBPA Oaklawn Park Announces Record Stakes Schedule One year after increasing the purses of 19 stakes races, Oaklawn Park has planned the richest stakes schedule in track history for 2015. Chief among the changes are a $150,000 bump to the Rebel Stakes (G2), the last local prep before the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. The Rebel will now carry a purse of $750,000. Overall, Oaklawn will run 31 stakes worth $6,675,000—a $300,000 increase over 2014 and a jump of more than $2 million compared to just seven years ago. “I am continually impressed by what we’ve been able to accomplish the past several years,” Oaklawn Park Director of Racing David Longinotti said. “The timing of the Rebel and the quality of its field for the past several runnings makes it an important Triple Crown prep in its own right. It is very deserving of a purse increase. We also felt by enhancing the purses of the Razorback and Azeri we could build on the Preview Day concept we started in 2014. Last year, we were also able to boost the purse of both the Apple Blossom and the Oaklawn Handicap by $100,000 each, and we’re pleased to be able to keep those purses at the $600,000 level for 2015.” www.nationalhbpa.com

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The Rebel will share the card for the second straight year with the Razorback Handicap (G3) and Azeri Stakes (G2) as part of a Racing Festival Preview Day, Saturday, March 14. The $250,000 Razorback (G3), which had its purse raised by $50,000 for 2015, is the final local prep for the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2), while the $300,000 Azeri Stakes (G2), which had its purse bumped $100,000 over last year’s, is the last prep before the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). The 1 1/16-mile Rebel, whose past winners include 3-year-old champions Will Take Charge, Lookin at Lucky, Curlin and Smarty Jones, is the third of four Oaklawn stakes races offering points for the Kentucky Derby (G1) culminating with the Arkansas Derby. The first two races in the track’s rich series highlight the holiday Monday cards in January and February. The $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes will be run on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 19, and the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) will be run on Presidents Day, February 16. The Racing Festival of the South will kick off Saturday, April 4, with the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies. The track will be dark on Easter Sunday, April 5, and then the Festival will resume Wednesday, April 8, with the $100,000 Carousel Stakes for female sprinters. The $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) will anchor the card Thursday, April 9, and the Apple Blossom Handicap and $100,000 Bachelor Stakes are the highlights of Friday, April 10. The meet will culminate with the 79th running of the Arkansas Derby, which produced three different top-three finishers in the 2014 Triple Crown races: Danza (Kentucky Derby), Ride On Curlin (Preakness) and Commissioner (Belmont). The closing day card will also feature the Oaklawn Handicap, $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes and $100,000 Instant Racing Stakes. Oaklawn’s 2015 season begins Friday, January 9, and ends on Arkansas Derby Day, Saturday, April 11. For more information about Oaklawn’s 2015 race meet, visit oaklawn.com or call 1-800-OAKLAWN. Longtime Oaklawn Fixture Don Grisham Dies Don Grisham, a columnist and chart caller for Daily Racing Form who later handled media relations for Oaklawn Park, passed away in March at the age of 84. Grisham attended the races at Oaklawn from an early age and, as a boy, had a close encounter with Triple Crown winner Whirlaway on the backside of the Arkansas track. “I was a little apprehensive walking up to the barn because I’d read about him, made scrapbook clippings on his races,” Grisham said in a recent interview with the Form. “I thought, ‘What if [trainer] Ben Jones is too busy? What if he won’t talk to me?’” The trainer instead welcomed Grisham over to meet Whirlaway. “It didn’t get any better than that,” Grisham said. “I was happier meeting him than a movie star.” A native of Hot Springs, Grisham was a well-loved writer at Oaklawn and other tracks for 35 years with the Daily Racing Form. He was inducted into the Arkansas Walk of Fame in 2009 for his journalism and each year on April 6 the city of Hot Springs recognized his contributions with “Don Grisham Day.” He always had a kind word for everyone, and he will be missed.

Charles Town HBPA Office News The office staff has been busy working on new projects. The board voted to create a newsletter that will feature local horsemen, local farms and local businesses that are associated with racing. The goal is to circulate the first 52

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issue during the first week in September. We will be emailing a newsletter to those who have provided us with their email addresses. If you are not on the mailing list or have a change of email address, please call the office at (304) 725-1535 or send an email to cthbpa@yahoo.com. The website is being worked on to improve communications, and a Facebook page is being set up. 2014 Legislative Session The effect of 2014 legislation had a considerably adverse impact on the purse account. The so-called “haircut” bill resulted in a loss of 10 percent of VLT revenue to the purse account. This legislative bill, coupled with the negative impact of increased gaming competition, has brought about the necessity to reduce the number of races carded on Wednesdays and Thursdays to eight, in addition to a modest purse realignment. Contract Negotiations Since December 31, 2013, the CTHBPA and track management have been attempting to negotiate a long-term contract. In an effort to ensure that racing and gaming continue to operate, the parties have agreed to extend the old contract in monthly and bi-monthly intervals until a new contract has been signed. Effect of New Rule Changes On July 9, the West Virginia Thoroughbred Rules of Racing were changed to adopt the RCI Controlled Therapeutic Schedule for the 26 substances that RCI has deemed permissible. In addition, we are now required by the West Virginia Racing Commission to use an RMTC-accredited lab and have state supervised administration of Lasix/Salix. Since Dalare Lab has not yet received RMTC accreditation, the racing commission has chosen Truesdail Laboratories to temporarily test urine and blood samples. The implementation of all three of these state-regulated initiatives has gotten off to a slow, rocky start, and the CTHBPA continues to work diligently with the commission, stewards and track management to get the kinks worked out. We anticipate that all issues regarding the implementation of the new rules will be resolved by September 1. If you have questions or concerns regarding the changes, we invite you to contact the CTHBPA office. Good News At its most recent meeting on August 1, the West Virginia Racing Commission approved a new pension plan for horsemen at both Mountaineer and Charles Town. More details will be forthcoming; please contact the CTHBPA office for further information. Also at the meeting, the commissioners agreed to support legislation that would increase revenue to both the racing industry and horsemen’s purses: advance deposit wagering (ADW), Instant Racing, EquiLottery and carry-over pari-mutuel pools for wagers such as the 10-cent pick six that have proven so successful at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. Since the CTHBPA’s inception of the Spay Today program through the Briggs Adoption Center, backstretch horsemen have taken advantage of the program. In 2010, Spay Today gave us the following exponential growth statistics: 15 unaltered cats would have produced 180 kittens in one year. In five years, all those kittens would have produced 190,200 cats. It has been reported to this office that the cat population has now leveled off due to the program, and there are healthy, happy cats in the barn area. Health Insurance News The Horsemen’s Assistance Fund has plans to have backstretch workers sign up for the Affordable Health Care Program.

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Sanity Returns to South Florida Racing June 29 was the last day of operation for Calder Race Course by Churchill Downs Inc. probably forever. The last Calder race meet was reminiscent of the first Calder race meet in 1971, at least as far as purses paid is concerned. The Calder winter meet, which began on January 3, 2014, consisted of 79 race days with most run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Average overnights paid were $102,062 with average daily Florida Owner Awards (FOAs) of $4,408, so total daily overnights paid were $106,470. If you include stakes paid during this period, then total purses paid daily would increase to $120,331. Average starters per race was an anemic 6.86 during this period. Calder concluded 44 years of racing with barely a whimper, paying out only $99,903 daily during its last week of racing. I reported on Gulfstream Park’s very successful “Championship Meet,” which ended on April 6, 2014, in the last issue. But Gulfstream did continue its head-to-head racing with Calder from April 11 to June 29, so I will report those numbers now. During this period Gulfstream ran 36 race days, and like Calder, they were primarily Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Gulfstream paid average overnights of $167,399 and average daily FOAs of $18,006 for total average overnights paid of $185,405. Including stakes, total daily purses paid were $212,842. Average starters per race was a respectable 7.86, exactly one more starter per race than Calder. In the first few days of July, contracts were signed and Gulfstream leased Calder’s racetrack and a third of the barn area for 6 ½ years, or until December 31, 2020. A race meet will be run at Calder in October and November, and while it may be called the Tropical Park meet, it will be run under the auspices of the Gulfstream Park Racing Association. Racing during the rest of the year will take place at Gulfstream. So how is Gulfstream doing with no simultaneous competition from Calder located just seven miles away? Well, let’s start with live handle, which would be everything bet on Gulfstream races both on and off track. From April 11 to the end of June, Gulfstream’s average daily handle was $3.7 million, which included major competition from the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes on two Saturdays. From the week after Preakness weekend until the end of June, the average wagering handle on Gulfstream dropped to $3.3 million, and that included competition from Belmont Stakes day. From July 1 to August 3, Gulfstream added Thursdays to its Friday, Saturday, Sunday schedule and ran a total of 18 race days. Even with a weak weekday like Thursday, Gulfstream’s average handle was well over $3.9 million per day. Overnights paid for this period averaged $167,816 with paid FOAs at $19,117 for total average overnights of $186,933. With stakes paid included, this number for total daily purses rose to $227,633. A purse increase raised paid overnights to almost $190,000 daily for the last eight race days, and FOAs of about $20,000 per day increased average paid overnights to just under $210,000 per day for these two weeks. Starters per race jumped to an impressive 9.25 for this five-week period. I have told you how the live-wagering handle fared for Gulfstream, but what about the wagering handle provided by those who wager at Gulfstream on other track signals from out-of-state such as Belmont or Saratoga? In the four weeks in the month of June, while Calder was still operating, Gulfstream averaged $317,000 wagered each race day on out-of-state signals. In the five weeks from July 1 to August 3, Gulfstream averaged $378,000, nearly a 20 percent increase. We would expect that most of these extra wagers came from former Calder patrons, and don’t forget they were wagering on an extra race day, a Thursday. Gulfstream’s rebroadcast of out-of-state simulcast signals into the state

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of Florida on race days also increased from $544,000 in wagering to $631,000, or about a 16 percent increase. While one could say this was the effect of a few weeks of Saratoga and Del Mar, don’t lose sight of the fact that the Belmont Stakes was run in June and that Saturday’s wagering handle more than tripled most other Saturdays. Gulfstream management is mostly responsible for this increase by some deals that they struck during this time period. All in all, trainers and owners seem much happier with the direction South Florida racing is moving in, and it appears it will only get better. Backside Doings As usual, Chaplain Tom LaPointe and his assistant, Alberto Grimaldi, were busy with the usual fishing trip with almost 60 backsiders and their families enjoying the drift fishing, but none more than the successful fisherman pictured…Seventy-five backsiders and their families, including those pictured here, enjoyed a trip to the water park at C.B. Smith Park… Gulfstream and the FHBPA sponsored their yearly back to school celebration with backpacks filled with school supplies for every child headed back to school. Chaplain Tom, who organizes everything, is shown with the bags… The really big news for the backside is that the Gulfstream Park Health Clinic will now be open year-round. The contract is about to be signed with Memorial Health Care of Broward County. President’s Message: In My Opinion By Phil Combest The science is clear: Virtually all Thoroughbred racehorses suffer from exerciseinduced pulmonary hemorrhage, or EIPH, during their racing careers. Lasix/Salix (furosemide) is the only scientifically proven means of controlling or substantially reducing the incidence of EIPH and thus allowing a horse to perform up to its highest potential. Lasix doesn’t make any horse run faster. It is not a performance-enhancing drug. It is a performance-“allowing” therapeutic medication. Racehorses have bled since Year One. Back in the ’60s, my uncle often tied a string tightly at the base of the tail of each horse in the barn that bled. Add to that the patches on the skin, herbals, non-descript bottles of snake oil, etc. We all know none of it works. So ban Lasix and we’re headed right back to that www.nationalhbpa.com

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era of voodoo remedies, which, by definition, not only don’t help, but can often cause harm to the animal. Lasix can prevent all of that. Make no mistake: EIPH is a highly dangerous condition. In acute cases, it can easily lead to the sudden death of a horse during a race, mostly due to the horse bleeding into its lungs and literally drowning in its own blood. One need only consider this single salient statistic to understand the importance of Lasix: After the introduction of Lasix in New York in 1995, the reported cases of epistaxis (significant bleeding from the nostrils after a race which correlates closely with percentage of deaths from EIPH) immediately dropped by 80 percent. Yes, that’s right. 80 percent! The Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association has consistently and adamantly opposed a ban on Lasix and will continue to do so. To not have Lasix available for horses competing in the heat and humidity of non-winter racing in Florida, Louisiana or Texas is a recipe for disaster. The FHBPA strongly supports a logical, rational and scientifically configured national uniform medication program. But we also remain firm in our position that race-day Lasix must be a part of such a program until a scientifically proven better means to protect the lives and health of our horses becomes available.

Indiana HBPA Indiana HBPA Day at Indiana Grand Will Emphasize Education The Indiana HBPA will continue its outreach to the next generation of potential horse racing and breeding fans and participants with Indiana HBPA Day at Indiana Grand on September 20. In the days leading up to the event, the organization will donate books on Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred racing to local schools, along with vouchers for free popcorn that can be redeemed at the track. On the night of the event, during racing, the Indiana HBPA will hold drawings for new notebooks and laptops between races. Anyone holding current school identification will be eligible to sign up for the drawings. The organization has held these drawings in the past. This year we are partnering with Indiana Grand in the effort to promote racing and breeding. Indiana HBPA Benevolence Program Resumes Helping Horsemen After Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) approval of 2014 funding and revisions to the Indiana HBPA benevolence program led by the IHRC, the Indiana benevolence program resumed at full speed, as of July 1. The eight-month examination of the Indiana HBPA benevolence program was in many ways a crisis for the HBPA—it stretched existing funding and caused the organization to defer services, on-track and off—but it also served as an opportunity to better define what we do and how we do it. The Indiana program has handled more than 12,000 benevolence transactions in the last five years, processing more than $3.6 million in dedicated benevolence funds for nearly 1,300 recipients in that period. Nevertheless, the IHRC staff report on the program identified several general areas of concern. One area was our rules and guidelines. We had already begun to address the guidelines, from the perspective of what is it that we do, how what we do is described and how what we do is defined. The report zeroed in on specific problem areas. We rewrote our guidelines and rules. We defined eligibility; we explained our criteria for evaluating eligibility; we expanded the universe of eligible horsemen and women to include more of the Thoroughbred community; we clarified the documentation necessary to establish eligibility (which includes income limitations); and we delineated the appeals process, the complaint process, the lines of responsibility throughout the process and the penalties for submitting 54

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false information. After the guidelines and rules revisions, we changed our application to correspond to the rules. As mentioned before, we defined a complaint policy and developed a complaint form. We redefined the appeals and review process for anyone believing an eligibility decision was in error. The report also identified transparency as an area in need of improvement. We addressed this challenge on multiple fronts. The Indiana HBPA benevolence program, which had been administered by a separate board, needed to be put under one structure to enhance accountability. So we began the process to dissolve the Benefit Trust Board and put the responsibility for administering benevolence completely under the HBPA Inc. Board of Directors. The Indiana HBPA Board will have full access to all information necessary to administer the program, including who is receiving benevolence, how much they are receiving, the corresponding yearly balance, who has applied and who has been denied and for what reason. A report on benevolence activities will be delivered to the IHRC after each board meeting, which will be monthly during the meet, and as needed in the off-season. These changes to the way we deliver benevolence will clean up the structure of the program, but the effects of these changes will be immediately noticeable to every applicant. For example, every trainer and owner seeking benevolence assistance will be required to share tax information as part of their application to establish eligibility under income caps. Every new treatment or procedure for anyone seeking benevolence will require a new application and documentation. All applicants who are not trainers or owners will need to show a current paycheck with every new application. And all applications will be subject to review by the Indiana HBPA Board of Directors. The process will be cumbersome, but the enhanced accountability that will go along with all of this paperwork should serve to forestall a repetition of the board member complaint about past procedures that brought about the investigation. Beyond that, the important thing is that the horsemen of the Indiana HBPA can get back to helping horsemen through an improved benevolence program just in time to apply for 2015 funding by the September 1 IHRC deadline for new applications.

Kentucky HBPA President’s Report The controversy regarding the use of Lasix/Salix (furosemide) on race day appears to be a never-ending story. You may recall that The Jockey Club originally proposed banning Lasix on race day. The initiative ignored the unbiased South African study that The Jockey Club commissioned proving, unequivocally, that Lasix is the most effective preventive treatment for exerciseinduced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), otherwise known as bleeding. A variety of theories were given for The Jockey Club’s proposed ban, including the perception that the betting public is becoming disenchanted with racing and foreign buyers are hesitant to purchase American-bred horses due to the specter that they had raced with Lasix. These ideas are reasonably refuted by considering the facts as they are today. For instance, in Kentucky, this year’s Kentucky Derby was nearly record-breaking in both attendance and handle. The betting public did not seem fazed that each of the Derby participants raced with Lasix. The Churchill Downs race meeting ended with decreases in both handle and attendance, but the consensus agreed it was due to a steady diet of short fields and increased competition from casinos on Kentucky’s borders. As far as the effect on foreign buyers, regarding American horses racing on Lasix, horse sales in Kentucky and elsewhere have shown tremendous growth as of late.

Buff Bradley Makes His Annual Trek to Ellis Park with His Dad, Fred Buff Bradley, KHBPA board member and leading trainer at Ellis Park, arrived at Ellis one Saturday with a special guest— his dad, Fred. Since the 1930s, Fred has made sure to visit Ellis at least one time every year. Fred, along with Buff, has owned and bred such national stars as Brass Fred Bradley Hat and Groupie Doll. As a Kentucky State Senator for several years, Fred was instrumental in spearheading important pieces of legislation through the general assembly beneficial to the Thoroughbred industry. “Perhaps just as important as his advocacy role for Thoroughbred racing, he also was a tremendous resource to educate his fellow legislators on various aspects of racing,” explained Marty Maline, executive director of the KHBPA. Retired Jockey Lends Support to Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund at Ellis Park Forrest Kaelin, an owner, trainer and former KHBPA director, joined more than 30 retired jockeys August 3 at Ellis Park to sign autographs and raise money while increasing awareness of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Chris McCarron, Pat Day and Jim McKnight joined local crowd favorites like

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Dale Romans Elected to Breeders’ Cup Board Dale Romans has been elected to the Breeders’ Cup Board of Directors. Besides being a successful trainer, he is also an owner, breeder and consignor. Along with his various business interests, he has served for several years as a vice president of the Kentucky HBPA and has recently been elected to the board of the Florida HBPA. Dale’s knowledge and perception regarding various facets of the racing industry should prove especially beneficial to the Breeders’ Cup board. In addition, the experience he gained from several years as a member of the KHBPA negotiating committee regarding purse negotiations with various racing associations, simulcasting agreements and advance deposit wagering revenue sharing uniquely qualify him to provide valuable insight to the Breeders’ Cup board.

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At a recent meeting of the Equine Drug Research Council, of which I am a member, Matt Iuliano of The Jockey Club introduced a plan for a new research project. He explained that they were interested in determining if giving Lasix 24 hours out would have the same therapeutic effect. Initially, the proposal had suggested running horses at Keeneland. A portion of the horses would receive Lasix while others would run with merely a saline solution. So much for protecting the betting public. Apparently, that approach was scrapped and now, according to Matt, they plan to claim 100 to 125 horses and use them in a lengthy research project. As I suggested to Matt, taking that number of horses out of the racing population in Kentucky with our shortage of horses would have a devastating effect on Kentucky’s racing program. The Jockey Club suggests that they stand convinced that the elimination of race-day medication is essential to achieving optimal stewardship of the horse, the sport, the public perception and the confidence and the business of Thoroughbred racing. Yet as Rick Violette, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, pointed out in a recent presentation, it appears individuals involved in racing are doing the most harm to the sport by continually denigrating it.

Cowboy Jones, Patricia Cooksey, Mike Bryan and Charlie Woods along with several others. The oldest rider in attendance was Ovie Scurlock at 90-plus years. Ovie started his career at Ellis when it was still known as Dade Park. Many horsemen seized the opportunity to renew acquaintances and reminiscence about special wins with several of the retired jockeys in attendance. Bob Jackson, director of operations at Ellis and himself a former rider, organized the event, which culminated with a group photo and blanket presentation after the sixth race. The HBPA is You The HBPA, established in 1940, is an organization of owners and trainers numbering approximately 30,000 nationally in 23 states and Canada and more than 6,000 in Kentucky. The association is governed by a board of directors consisting of owners and trainers volunteering their time and elected by the membership every three years. The HBPA is committed to working for the betterment of racing on all levels. The HBPA represents owners and trainers on several fronts: • The HBPA is present in negotiating sessions with each racetrack regarding purse structure, equitable share of simulcast revenues, overall track safety, sanitation and security. • The HBPA provides benevolence to horsemen in need, education and recreation programs to the backstretch, and various insurance packages that include—free of charge to members—fire and disaster insurance and claiming coverage. Visit one of the fully staffed HBPA offices at the currently running racetrack in Kentucky for details. • The HBPA works in conjunction with the chaplaincy program and the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund to provide support and benefits for horsemen. • The HBPA supports scientific research and marketing initiatives on a regional and national level to help promote interest in Thoroughbred racing. • The HBPA is at the forefront in litigation and legislation on issues involving horsemen’s rights in regard to interstate simulcasting, proprietary rights, casino gambling, therapeutic medication, sports betting and many other areas of concern to horsemen. How can I join? You are invited to drop by the HBPA office to meet the staff and learn more about current projects and how you can get involved in helping to improve the industry. There are no membership fees. Remember, this is your organization. Become an active participant and one of the horsemen helping horsemen. To join, all you need to do is fill out our membership card and fax, mail or email it back to us. For more information, please visit our website at kyhbpa.org and click on “How to Join.”

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Harrahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Louisiana Downs 2014 Race Meet

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Almost every weekend, the MiHBPA and Hazel Park have invited numerous state representatives and senators to the track so each can see, first hand, what an impact Thoroughbred racing can have on the community, the economy and agriculture. Without exception, every legislative visitor has commented on how they now have a much clearer understanding of what our industry is about. Also, without exception, all have indicated that they will pledge to keep our business on this continued path. An additional windfall of the success at Hazel Park is that many Thoroughbred breeders and owners are coming back into the game. The previous five years of unappealing racing conditions for Thoroughbreds led many to leave our business or seriously limit their investments. At the same time, many owners and trainers, both large and small, held on to the hope that the MiHBPA could reestablish a new foothold for Michigan racing. We did, and we’re glad we’re here.

Minnesota HBPA

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2014 Thoroughbred Meet Exceeds Expectations at Hazel Park Raceway Michigan horsemen were welcomed back to the Detroit metro area with their debut races on July 27. The crowd of nearly 10,000 spectators roared as the gates opened for the first time at Hazel Park Raceway in more than 30 years. A sold-out clubhouse, restaurant and “standing room only” trackside made the night’s races even more thrilling! The betting terminals were 10 deep and the concession stands were overwhelmed with orders for beverage and food specials. “We expected a crowd, but not like this” was the familiar theme from many board members of the Michigan HBPA in attendance. Tremendous, positive comments were common from the fans and the horsemen throughout the opening weekend. While large crowds for almost any opening event are to be expected, the huge crowds have continued throughout July and into August. With average attendance of almost 7,500 fans each race night, the live handle for Hazel Park is more than double what the best nights were last year with Standardbred racing. “Finally, everything has fallen into place for Michigan Thoroughbred racing,” stated MiHBPA Executive Director Gary Tinkle. “The outstanding conversion of the track surface, the support of the owners and staff of Hazel Park and the Michigan horsemen and women have all come together to make this a superb return for Thoroughbred racing to the city of Detroit.” One of the most gratifying elements during a night at the races at Hazel Park comes by looking at the crowd. Established bettors, families with small children, couples new to horse racing and groups of new fans celebrating special occasions can be seen throughout the grandstand and the patio. Fathers and grandfathers helping children and grandchildren to understand the racing program are reminiscent of what Thoroughbred racing was decades ago. Seeing this new market element at the racetrack on a beautiful Michigan summer evening is, by itself, heartwarming. The MiHBPA and Hazel Park Raceway both recognize that these signs of success are just the first steps in making Michigan horse racing fruitful. Plans and efforts are continuing to allow advanced deposit wagering and additional forms of pari-mutuel wagering at the Michigan tracks a reality.

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A full apron and parking lot are evidence that fans love Canterbury.

MNHBPA President Tom Metzen Sr. presents the leading trainer award to Mac Robertson.

If you are not racing in Minnesota, you are missing a great experience! We have more fans per day than most other tracks, and our fans have an awesome time. That makes for a good time for everyone including jockeys, trainers and owners. Everyone loves a crowd! Thursdays are Buck Night; everything is a $1 (with the exception of $2 beer). Fridays, we have bands on the apron; Saturdays, we have events like Extreme Day, the Human Cannonball, Beer Fest, food trucks and the ever-popular Indian Bareback Relay Races. Sundays are Family Day with face painting and pony rides and kids racing on the track. And if all this is not enough, the large purses, thanks to our partnership with Mystic Lake Casino, should be enough to get you to come

to Canterbury in 2015. The “Leg Up Fund” has been set up at Canterbury to assist our injured riders. Working together, the Minnesota HBPA, Minnesota Thoroughbred Association, Minnesota Quarter Horse Racing Association and Canterbury Park put on a fabulous day at the track, including entertaining the fans in fundraising efforts. Among the events were raffles, a silent auction, a dunk tank, www.nationalhbpa.com

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jockey sumo wrestling, jockey autographs, pictures with jockeys in the winner’s circle and “ponies” for the kids made out of pool noodles that they could use in a “horse race” down the track at the end of the day. Kids with jockeys and “noodle ponies” July 5 was the annual Minnesota HBPA brunch and general membership meeting. Trainer Mac Robertson received an award from MNHBPA President Tom Metzen Sr. for his ninth consecutive training title at Canterbury. Trophies were also presented to Dean Butler for his fourth Canterbury leading jockey title and to leading owner Midwest Thoroughbreds, whose representatives were unable to attend. Each year we hold an election for three positions (two owners and one trainer) on the MNHBPA board. Ballots will be counted on September 4, and newly elected officers will assume their office on September 12.

Mountaineer Park HBPA Election Results The Mountaineer Park HBPA election will be held on October 31. A nomination meeting and the general meeting were held on August 23 in Donna’s Kitchen. Please call the Mountaineer Park HBPA office to update your mailing information to ensure you receive a ballot. Ballots will be mailed out on September 16. Mountaineer Chaplaincy The Mountaineer Park Chaplaincy offered several back to school programs, including distributing school supplies to more than 50 children. Trainer Ed Shilling won the Barn of the Quarter Award, and Americo Gutierrez won the Groom of the Quarter Award.

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West Virginia Derby Blocked on the rail with a furlong remaining, Tapiture swung three-wide to the outside under jockey Rosie Napravnik and was victorious by a nose over Candy Boy in the 45th running Tapiture noses out Candy Boy. of the Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby presented by Xpressbet on August 2 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort. The 1 1/8-mile race included a field of eight, three of which had competed in the Kentucky Derby (G1): Tapiture (15th), Candy Boy (13th) and Vicar’s in Trouble (19th). They finished one-two-three, respectively, in Mountaineer’s marquee race.

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Annual Picnic The Mountaineer Park HBPA hosted its annual picnic at Tomlinson Run State Park on August 7. Members and their families enjoyed a picnic lunch provided by Donna’s Kitchen, a corn hole tournament and games. Dee and Terry Crago were the winners of the annual corn hole tournament. President’s Letter Dear Members, Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort is facing a number of challenges as we approach the fall racing season, including increased competition, a county-wide smoking ban and reduced funding to our purse account. Many options are being considered to secure our racing future including reduced purses and fewer racing days. As of publication time, this issue was being considered by the West Virginia Racing Commission. At a recent meeting of the commission, Commissioner Bill Phillips suggested and the commission approved several legislative initiatives that would help to generate additional revenue to our purse account. We need to be proactive in seeking solutions to preserve the racing product offered in our state. I believe this is a step in the right direction. As we move into the next legislative session, it will be imperative for the men and women of the horse racing industry to take a stand and participate in the process when called upon. This will require phone calls, letters and possibly visits to the state capitol. In order to survive and flourish, we need to come together as an industry. John W. Baird, President

Nebraska HBPA The Nebraska State Racing Commission will hold its annual date-setting hearing on October 23. All racetracks will be submitting their preferred dates at that time and the schedule will be officially approved. The racing commission will also hold its first hearing on proposed rule and regulation changes for the state. Among the proposed changes are a list of potential environmental contaminants and potential thresholds for many commonly used medications. A copy of the proposed changes is available from the Nebraska HBPA office. Please call (402) 731-5300 to request a copy or to provide input on the proposed revisions.

New England HBPA By Lynne Snierson The current meet at Suffolk Downs started with an April three-alarm fire that destroyed the track kitchen. In June there was a single documented case of equine herpes myelitis, which isolated the horses in one barn, altered training and imposed travel restrictions for a few weeks, and most recently, an F2 tornado ripped through the city where the stable area is located. As if that weren’t enough, a heavy cloud of uncertainty about the future

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hung over the track and the industry while handle, both ontrack and simulcast, continued to steeply decline. Then the state legislature passed a bill at the end of July to reduce the number of Patricia Moseley’s homebred Victor Laszlo, the first live racing days from 80 horse foaled at her Massachusetts farm, became a to 65 in 2014 and 2015. three-time New England-bred stakes winner when he Nevertheless, captured the $25,000 Last Dance Stakes at Suffolk NEHBPA President Downs on July 26 under Tammi Piermarini. Anthony Spadea remained upbeat and optimistic about the future of racing and breeding in New England. “I remain 100 percent committed to a minimum of 125 live racing days once we get the new revenue,” said Spadea, in reference to one of the protections for the racing industry guaranteed in the expanded gambling legislation passed in Massachusetts in 2011. That law, authorizing three destination resort casinos in separate geographical regions of the state plus one stand-alone slots parlor, dedicates 5 percent of the initial combined $175 million license fees to the Race Horse Development Fund (RHDF) to benefit the horsemen. Once the facilities are operational, 9 percent of the annual slots revenue and 0.625 percent of the yearly gross gaming revenue from the casinos will be added to the fund. The RHDF’s Horse Racing Committee voted in August to divide the revenue with 75 percent to the Thoroughbred industry and 25 percent to the Standardbred industry. Out of each breed’s allotment, 80 percent will enhance purses, 16 percent goes to the breeders and 4 percent to backstretch welfare. The law also required that any current pari-mutuel license holder also granted a gaming license be required to increase the number of live racing days to a minimum of 105, 115 and 125 over the first three years that expanded gaming is up and running. Meanwhile, only the slots parlor license, which was won by Penn National Gaming Inc. for a new Plainridge Park Casino under construction at the state’s only harness racing track, was awarded at the end of February. The facility is expected to open in the summer of 2015. MGM was chosen as the casino operator for the western part of the state. Mohegan Sun, which would partner with Suffolk Downs for a casino on the city of Revere side of the racetrack grounds, was still competing with Wynn Resorts for the sole Boston area license at press time. “As much as we all would like to be racing more days now, current economics dictate that an abbreviated racing season is necessary at this time for all of us, including Suffolk Downs, to remain in business,” said Spadea, who is also a certified financial advisor, investment counselor and estate planner and owns and operates a successful insurance agency. “Once we get that increased revenue, we will make sure that we are racing for larger purses and are racing over the course of a longer season. We must move forward with a sensible and professional approach to legislation for securing our live racing.” But unless Mohegan Sun is awarded the license to operate the casino at Suffolk Downs, with the owners being the landlord exclusively, track owners have been candid that this season will be the last at the 79-year-old racetrack. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission was expected to make the fateful decision by the end of August or in early September.

Should the proposal of Mohegan Sun win approval, development of the $1.3 billion casino project that includes a hotel, day spa and retail at Suffolk Downs would begin shortly thereafter and the backside would have to be relocated to the East Boston-only side of the property. “Our live racing has survived very difficult times thanks to the fortitude of our members,” Spadea said. “Working together, we navigated many difficult obstacles in turbulent and uncharted waters. Although we will experience a reduced number of race days in 2015, due to extensive construction at Suffolk Downs, a continued sensible and professional planned approach to 2016 and beyond will assure a new and prosperous era for live Thoroughbred racing in Massachusetts.” Nonetheless, the issue was further complicated when the state’s Supreme Judicial Court ruled this summer that a referendum to repeal the 2011 expanded gambling law can appear on the November ballot. The pro- and anti-casino forces had already embarked upon an intense battle to sway public opinion. “I promise that we will work diligently and with a 100 percent effort to defeat the referendum and preserve the 1,500 live Thoroughbred racing jobs and the racing industry,” Spadea said. “The solid foundation for our live racing future is now in place, and I will do everything possible to protect that.” Meanwhile, Spadea has urged the members to stay the course and stick together. “Our sensible and professional approach has been successful and must continue in order to assure that horsemen, live racing, breeding, our agricultural network and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts collectively thrive and endure for future generations,” he said. “Much higher purses and increased racing days present positive challenges that we must address by thoughtfully building solid programs for live racing to thrive. As I envision the future of live racing in Massachusetts, we will need to work together with common sense and good planning to accomplish our goals.” Those goals are to: • Establish a race meet that assures a minimum of 125 race days. • Work closely with regulators to assure that the image and integrity of the racing product achieves the full confidence and support of racing fans and the general public. • Attract horse and farm owners who will make solid financial investments in the live racing and breeding programs and will be committed to operating in Massachusetts. • Provide a clear career path and educational programs for individuals who seek jobs in the state’s live racing, breeding and agricultural industries. • Create trainer benefits, including a retirement program and savings incentives. • Establish a no-interest loan program for members to improve their racing stock. • Work with track ownership to produce innovative programs to enhance participation from racing fans. • Develop programs to advance second career opportunities for Thoroughbreds that have reached the end of their racing career. • Expand retirement facilities for racing and second career Thoroughbred retirees. • Seek race sponsorship from racing vendors to enhance purses. The NEHBPA continued its efforts on behalf of helping retired racehorses by co-hosting with the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association the annual charity golf tournament on August 21 at the Glen Ellen Country Club. Proceeds benefited the retirement, retraining and rehoming of the equine athletes who have competed on the racetrack. The NEHBPA is also a sponsor of the annual North East Thoroughbred www.nationalhbpa.com

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Sporthorse Association show, which will be held in the fall and features many of the former racehorses in their new careers.

Ohio HBPA Construction continues at the Mahoning Valley Race Course in Youngstown, which is on track for a scheduled opening for simulcasting and video lottery terminal (VLT) operations in September. The inaugural 21-day race meet at Mahoning Valley will begin on November 24 and run through December 30. Via contract between the Ohio HBPA and Penn National Gaming, which owns Mahoning Valley, there will be 988 stalls at the track plus a separate ship-in barn that will contain more than 50 stalls. The backside at Mahoning Valley will also contain 84 dorm rooms, which will each be double occupancy for a total of 168 beds. The front side at Mahoning Valley will feature year-round simulcasting as well as 850 VLTs. There will also be six restaurants including the Skybox Sports Bar. Beginning in 2015, Mahoning Valley will race on a year-round schedule with Thistledown with each track racing a minimum of 100 days per year. On the subject of Thistledown, Rock Ohio Caesars, owner of the suburban Cleveland-area track, informed the state in mid-June that the company will not relocate the track. Rock Ohio Caesars had an agreement with the state that would have allowed the company to relocate for a fee of $25 million and had been considering a move to the Akron-Canton area. As required by state law, Rock Ohio Caesars will now spend approximately $60 million in additional capital expenditures to improve the facility. The expansion is expected to add to the 1,150 VLTs currently housed at the track. The Hard Rock Rocksino at Northfield Park, which is less than 10 miles from Thistledown, has approximately 2,200 VLTs.

Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (Oklahoma HBPA) TRAO Teams with OQHRA to Form Oklahoma Equine Relief Fund In the past, horse owners have had to face a natural disaster alone. If a horse operation suffered a loss due to a natural disaster, that horse owner was not eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency. However, if that operation had cattle, swine, poultry or other traditional livestock, it would have been eligible to collect payments on those animals. There is no reason why horse owners should not be eligible for federal assistance like producers of other crops and livestock affected by an emergency or disaster. The Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) have teamed to form the Oklahoma Equine Relief Fund to assist all of Oklahoma’s horse owners when natural disasters strike. For more information, please visit okequinerelief.com. Oklahoma Horse Finds New Home in Georgia By Jessica Lorenson Some people look at one horse when they are looking for a horse to buy; others look at 50 and still don’t end up with the right horse. There was never a question in my mind that “Roxie,” registered as Rockport Lover (who raced at Remington Park and Will Rogers Downs), was definitely the horse for me. In the 12 years I’ve been riding, I’ve seen a lot of first-time horse buyers make plenty of mistakes. I, however, still like to let everyone laugh at the 60

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fact that I knew Roxie was the horse for me by looking at one picture. And no, it wasn’t a conformation shot, just a picture of her face. Yes, I know, worst horse buyer ever. However, I did have a prepurchase exam and rode her (for 15 minutes) before having her shipped from Thoroughbred Athletes Inc. in Guthrie, Oklahoma, to the suburb outside of Atlanta where I live. Rockport Lover with new owner Jessica Lorenson I thought Roxie was special because of how kind and personable she is. However, I’ve found out that she’s special for more than just that. Roxie is a Rockport Harbor baby. He only lived to be 11 years old, and sadly that limited his offspring. I had another off-thetrack Thoroughbred (OTTB) mare, registered as Berkley’s Gold, that we called “Carmen.” I leased her for several months. When she was sold, I lost touch, and when I started looking for my own horse, I thought about her and knew I wanted an OTTB. When I found Roxie, I can’t explain the feeling. I knew that this was the one. And so far? She’s proven to be everything I wanted. From her attitude every day when she greets me to how hard she’s tried from day one, she’s proven that even though she didn’t have the heart to race, she has the heart to please. I have no doubts that she will shine in the arena when we start showing later this year and that she will receive wonderful scores in the dressage arena. My hopes for her dressage career are for us to gain our bronze medal together. Aside from that, I want Roxie to live a long, happy life and be around well into her 30s. As she’s only 6 years old, I see nothing but bright things ahead for the two of us. And I hope to see many more OTTBs follow the same path. Thoroughbreds Return to Remington Park The 2014 Thoroughbred season at Remington Park, featuring 67 race dates, kicked off August 15 and runs through December 14. This season will feature many special events celebrating the sport of horse racing, Remington’s accomplishments and Oklahoma’s culture. Among the events are: • “Wear it Wednesday”: Wear your neon-colored Remington Park T-shirt on Wednesdays for a chance to win $20 toward a racing wager. • “Throwback Thoroughbred Thursday”: Fill out one entry form and place it into a bin before race three every Thursday for a chance to win a $100 cash prize during races three through eight. • “Throwback Thoroughbred Friday”: Fill out one entry form and place it into a bin for one of the top jockeys before race three every Friday to win a $100 cash prize during races three through eight. • Oklahoma Derby Day: On Sunday, September 28, the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby will be featured as the marquee racing event of the season. With first post at 1:30 p.m., Oklahoma Derby Day will feature a wine and craft beer tasting, party on the lawn and some of the richest purses of the season. Fans can choose from plenty of entertainment options, including five Oklahoma wine vendors, five Oklahoma craft beer vendors, drawings for cash prizes, a hat and bowtie contest, free carriage rides, live music, food trucks and more.

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Milestones for Cliff Berry and Donnie Von Hemel Jockey Cliff Berry of Jones, Oklahoma, started the Remington Park meet with a bang as he picked up his 2,000th local victory on opening night after ending last year’s meet with 1,999 to easily top the all-time wins list at the Oklahoma City track. For his career, Berry has accumulated more than 4,250 wins. Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel earned his 2,000th career victory on August 9 at Indiana Grand just prior to the start of the Remington meet. Von Hemel began his training career after completing college at Fort Hays State in Kansas, where he earned a degree in accounting. Von Hemel comes from a family of horse trainers. Both his father Don, and his brother, Kelly, are also trainers. He resides in Piedmont, Oklahoma.

in wins for the year. The trainers’ race is hotly contested with Joe Martin and Ron Potts close on Randy’s heels, and only one win separates them from Dale Capuano, H. Graham Motion and Michael J. Trombetta. The current jockeys’ race is equally close with Antonio A. Gallardo leading the field with Pablo Morales, Eric Rodriguez, Huber Villa Gomez and Ronald Dale Allen in close pursuit. We would like to thank Presque Isle Downs senior management for complying with the requests of the safety committee (John Gucciardo, Kathy Rosantz and Kathy Antus). The outer rail on the Tapeta surface has been repaired and the paddock area has been much improved with the addition of a wood frame lining to the stalls. The electrical capacity of the barns has been increased and a shack for the outriders has been built near the three-quarters chute.

Heritage Place Sale The Heritage Place mixed sale for Thoroughbreds of all ages is set for Saturday, December 13, at 11:00 a.m. in Oklahoma City. Entries must be received no later than November 15. The sale takes place the closing weekend of Remington Park. Consignment contracts are available on the Heritage Place website at heritageplace.com.

2014 Budget Battle Success The late spring/early summer budget battle of 2014 was both long and difficult. The Commonwealth faced a $1.6 billion deficit and once again the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development fund was a potential target to help fill the budget gap. The political efforts of the PA HBPA in conjunction with our fellow Thoroughbred and standard horsemen proved successful by holding the status quo from last year’s budget battle at $17.6 million. We will not be satisfied until all monies promised in the original act go toward the intended purpose of protection and enhancement of live racing in the Commonwealth. However, to maintain the amount of the previous year in such a difficult budget year was quite an accomplishment. In an attempt to strengthen our political presence in future years, a $10 dues assessment charge will begin in August for all starters at both Penn National and Presque Isle Downs. The assessment will be indicated on statements as “marketing and promotion” and will be utilized to fund marketing projects under the direction of the PA HBPA and to enhance our political position.

Oregon HBPA Thank you so much to the Oregon HBPA Board of Directors and Executive Director Randy Evers for all of their hard work with all of the partners that brought everything together so there will be a race meet at Portland Meadows. The meet will start October 12 and run through February 11, 2015. The backside was to open for training August 13, and trainers could come as of August 8 to set up their barns. The summer fair meets have been very successful with the Tillamook County Fair meet, which is always a blast, running August 6-9. The Burns race meet runs September 5-7. This summer our local trainers have started many horses up at Emerald Downs and Boise. They have been very successful, so yahoo for them. Hope everyone has had a stupendous summer and all of your horses are making your dreams come true.

Pennsylvania HBPA Presque Isle Downs and Casino Last year was a banner year for Presque Isle Downs in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania with an all sources 40 percent increase in business. This year is matching last year’s OTW numbers. As of midyear (50 days of racing on July 31, 2014), the track’s figures showed a slight increase over the previous meet’s. The four new barns built over the last two years have ensured a continuation of entries to fill the race cards. No barns have been built in the past year, but additional barns are designated to be built in the next two years (2015 and 2016). The horse shortage at racetracks throughout the industry has made shipping to Presque Isle Downs a prohibited practice. It is necessary for Presque Isle to build more barns and to make the effort to fill every available stall. It is important to have a healthy and self-sufficient horse colony in today’s horse racing industry. There is still room on the backside to build an additional four barns. The increase of 200 stalls would be enough to run a successful meet without the need for shippers from other racing venues. We still suffer the effects of short fields, and the extra stall space would go a long way to eliminate the problem. As of this writing, Randy Russell continues to lead the trainers and owners

Virginia HBPA No Racing This Year at Colonial Downs For the first year since Colonial Downs opened for racing in 1997, there was no Thoroughbred racing at Virginia’s only pari-mutuel flat track. In the past we usually raced for eight weeks in the summer, with the number of race days varying from 25 to 45 pursuant to horsemen’s contracts between the Virginia HBPA and track management. This year an obstinate track management insisted on reducing Virginia racing to a two-week, six-race day “boutique” meet ostensibly to improve the “quality” of racing. However, the track’s desire to radically downsize had nothing to do with quality and everything to do with cutting expenses. Colonial Downs’ current business plan is both simple and perilous for horsemen. The track wants to maximize revenue from year-round simulcasting at its nine off-track betting shops and from its online account wagering company, EZ Horseplay. At the same time, Colonial seeks to cut overhead expenses by reducing live racing to a minimum to satisfy the state licensing requirements that it conduct racing at its track in Virginia. In that regard, Colonial Downs, owned by Jacobs Entertainment Inc., which has casinos in Nevada and Colorado, is not much different from other tracks that have turned themselves into casino gaming companies at the expense of horse racing. Because the Virginia HBPA Board of Directors would not accede to Colonial’s plan to shrink racing to almost no racing, we were unable to reach an agreement with the track on a new horsemen’s contract when the old one expired last December. Under state law, that meant Colonial had to close its nine off-track www.nationalhbpa.com

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betting shops to Thoroughbred simulcasting, though the track is still able to accept wagers online through its EZ Horseplay account wagering company. Those OTBs remain closed, though Colonial has successfully transitioned many customers to online wagering through its EZ Horseplay platform. Since last December, the Virginia Racing Commission has been trying unsuccessfully to broker a contract between the horsemen and the track in order to reopen the off-track betting shops and provide for a return next summer to eight weeks of live racing. The VHBPA accepted every compromise proposed by the VRC. Colonial Downs rejected every one. The track’s response to the contract impasse has been two-fold. It is attempting to form a rival horsemen’s group to displace the VHBPA, with the goal of negotiating a sweetheart deal with a new Colonial-friendly group. Failing that, Colonial Downs is threatening to turn itself into a Standardbred-only track by amending its state license to eliminate all Thoroughbred racing. Both scenarios, however, require approval by the Virginia Racing Commission. The VHBPA, on the other hand, has been urging the VRC to revoke Colonial’s license for failing to race this year. Starting over with a new racetrack operator may be the only hope for the future of Thoroughbred racing in Virginia.

Washington HBPA Washington Racing Hall of Fame Honors 2014 Inductees The Washington Racing Hall of Fame’s 12th annual induction ceremony and dinner was held Saturday, August 16, at Emerald Downs. Reminiscent of an infamous moment in Washington racing, attendees applauded as the voice of one of racing’s finest race callers, the late Gary Henson, introduced the 2014 inductee in the male horse division. The 1980 Washington-bred, Chum Salmon, was a winner of seven stakes including his notorious last-to-first victory in the 1985 Longacres Mile. The gelding, who was trained by Larry Ross and owned by Chum Salmon Stable, won 13 of 29 career starts and earned $388,195. His deep closing style, which Henson seemed to make all the more electrifying, may be why Chum Salmon is still considered one of the most exciting runners in state history. Delicate Vine, the 1986 Washington Horse of the Year and a triple graded stakes winner, was inducted in the filly and mare division. A 1984 Washingtonbred, the filly trained by Bobby Frankel and owned by Frankel, Greg Alsdorf and Jerry and Ann Moss was one of the nation’s top 2-year-old fillies who showcased her talents across America, winning the Grade 1 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes at Arlington Park, Grade 2 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park and Grade 3 Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park. Also a Washington-bred, Ben Harris was the 2014 inductee into the trainer division. A native of the tiny town of Status, Harris is the only trainer in Longacres’ 59-year history to win four straight training titles, including the 1991 meet when his 93 wins shattered the single-season record. Harris also won four training titles at Yakima Meadows, and his 31 Longacres stakes wins rank ninth all-time. Among Harris’ many winners and stakes winners were Washington champions Native Sky, Parnu, Chalk Box, Rosey Leader and Lady Marion. William and Barbara Nelson Jr., owners of Gunshy Manor, a 165-acre breeding farm in Redmond, were inducted into the breeder division. The Nelsons bred Washington champions Prince Joda, Favored One, Norm’s Nephew and Margo’s Gift. Although both had passed before receiving the breeder division honors, the Nelsons’ legacy lives on as Favored One’s granddaughter, Lexie Lou, defeated 14 colts in this year’s Canadian equivalent of the Kentucky Derby, the Queen’s Plate, run at Woodbine. Ricky Frazier becomes the second jockey to make the hall of fame based 62

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mainly on accomplishments at Emerald Downs. A native of Arkansas, Frazier produced one of the most dominant runs in state history, winning five titles in a seven-season span (2004–2010) including two Longacres Miles. In 2007, Frazier set track records with 157 wins and more than $1.6 million in earnings, and also finished first with 12 stakes wins. For his career, Frazier won 3,469 races and more than $42 million in purse earnings. Washington Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame Members Horses (year inducted): Chum Salmon (2014-male)/Delicate Vine (2014-filly or mare), Military Hawk (2013-male)/Table Hands (2013-filly or mare), Hilco Scamper (2012-male)/ Rings a Chime (2012-filly or mare), Pataha Prince (2011-male)/Firesweeper (2011-filly or mare), Biggs (2010), Sparrow Castle (2009), Belle of Rainier (2008), Peterhof’s Patea (2007), Sir William (2006), Smogy Dew (2005), Turbulator (2004), Saratoga Passage (2004), Captain Condo (2003), Chinook Pass (2003), Trooper Seven (2003) Jockeys: Ricky Frazier (2014), Gallyn Mitchell (2013), Paul Frey (2012), Vicky (Aragon) Baze (2011), Joe Baze (2010), Lennie Knowles (2009), Larry Pierce (2008), John Adams (2007), Albert Johnson (2006), Basil James (2005), Russell Baze (2004), Gary Baze (2003), Ralph Neves (2003), Gary Stevens (2003) Trainers: Ben Harris (2014), Howard Belvoir (2013), Wayne Branch (2012), Tim McCanna (2011), Bill McMeans (2010), Kathy Walsh (2009), Glen Williams (2008), R.H. McDaniel (2007), Frances Keller (2006), Bud Klokstad (2005), Charles Whittingham (2004), Allen Drumheller (2003), Jim Penney (2003), Tom Smith (2003) Breeders: William C. & Barbara Nelson Jr. (2014), Czech-Mate Farm (2013), George Newell (2012), Grousemont Farm (2011), Les Turner (2010), Wilbur & Marianne Stadelman (2009), Frank Brewster (2008), Dan Agnew (2007), C.J. Sebastian (2006), Guy & Barbara Roberts (2005), George Drumheller (2004), Herb Armstrong (2003), Jerre Paxton (2003) Lifetime Achievement: Ralph Vacca (2013), Jack Hodge (2012), Karen & Mickey Taylor (2011), James Seabeck (2010), Pete Pedersen (2008), Ron Crockett (2004), Joe Gottstein (2003) 2014 Washington Racing Hall of Fame Finalists Washington Racing Hall of Fame voting is composed of 16 voters, four each from the WTBOA, Washington HBPA, Emerald Downs and media. Four finalists were chosen in each category. Male Horse: Chum Salmon, Fast Parade, Handy N Bold, Maxwell G. Filly & Mare: Delicate Vine, Flag De Lune, Snow Plow, Whang Bang Jockey: Doug Dodson, Ricky Frazier, Pepper Porter, Richard Wright Trainer: Ben Harris, Cecil Jolly, Bob McMeans, Marion L. Smith Breeder: Bob Edwards, C.F. Flower, Maurice McGrath, William C. & Barbara Nelson Jr. 100-Day Trainer Challenge—October 4 Final At the end of June, the Prodigious Fund trainer selection committee selected finalists for the second annual 100-Day Trainer Challenge, in which four former Thoroughbred racehorses were to be retrained to perform equestrian events at a special show this fall. The Prodigious Fund is an organization dedicated to recognizing and

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supporting positive efforts made within the Thoroughbred aftercare community for the rehoming, promotion and care of retired racehorses. Shelby Ahrens, Katie Peery, Paige Wagter and the team of Letty Moreno and Sarah Dupree are the entrants for the 2014 edition of the 100-Day Trainer Challenge. The challenge culminates October 4 at the Thoroughbred and Half-Thoroughbred Horse Show at Donida Farm in Auburn, with an end goal of placing the The Emerald Downs media department filmed each retrained horses into permanent homes via private sale. horse for the website. Judges’ scores in three categories—in-hand, flat class and freestyle class—will decide the winner. After deciding the order by lot, the three individuals and one team each chose a Thoroughbred from a pool of 12 former Emerald Downs runners donated by Emerald Downs’ owners and trainers. Interestingly, three of the four horses chosen were currently campaigning as runners at the Auburn oval while the remainder had been turned out for a substantial period. Below is a list of the trainers, in alphabetical Emerald Downs Director of Marketing Sophia McKee order, chosen to compete in the 2014 100-Day Trainer announces the draw for horse selection. Challenge. The trainers have been documenting their progress by posting blogs and videos. For the most current updates, check out the Prodigious Fund’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ProdigiousFund). Shelby Ahrens, Shelton, WA—Multi-Discipline Shelby Ahrens specializes in Spanish horses but has trained many breeds of horses from draft to pony. He currently develops horses to show in dressage, western pleasure, working cow horse and driving. Ahrens trains out of South Side Stables in Shelton as Ahrens Horsemanship (naturallymoving.com). A majority of his horses in training are colts being started under saddle, but he also works on refining and finishing horses for many disciplines. Horse: Curried Matt, a 3-year-old dark bay or brown gelding by Matty G—Curried Casey (Wash.), owned by MaryAnn O’Connell and Shannon Larson and bred by Clemans View Farm. Lifetime record: 1-M-0-0, $125 Katie Peery, Ridgefield, WA—Three-Day Eventing/Thoroughbred Trainer Katie Peery, 29, has competed through the preliminary level in dressage, and she also trains Thoroughbreds that compete at Emerald Downs. Peery has won top placings at recognized events throughout the Northwest, and she was a clinician and speaker at this year’s Washington State Horse Expo. Along with husband, Kenny, she owns and operates Hidden Fox Farm (facebook.com/HiddenFoxFarmHorseSales) in southwest Washington. Horse: Hot N Sauci, a 5-year-old bay mare by He’s Tops—Millfleur (Wash.), owned and bred by Oak Crest Farm. Lifetime record: 8-1-1-0, $7,474 Paige Wagter, Blaine, WA—Hunter/Jumper Originally from Illinois, Paige Wagter spent most of her show years in the Midwest and East Coast and has been riding and competing for over 20 years. She is a pre-veterinary graduate from Kansas State University, where she rode varsity on the equestrian team. The owner of Wagter Equestrian (wagterequestrian.com) in Blaine, she has produced, trained and shown hunters and jumpers in the top “A” level throughout the United States. Horse: King of the Sky, a 6-year-old bay gelding by Flying with Eagles—Omnia Vincit Amor (Wash.), owned and bred by Karl Krieg. Lifetime record: 28-5-3-5, $70,013 Sarah Dupree & Letty Moreno, Lake Stevens, WA—Three-Day Eventing Sarah Dupree, an 18-year-old native of Seattle, and Letty Moreno, a 19-year-old native of Tri-Cities, are students at Meika Decher’s Polestar Farm (polestarfarm.com) in Lake Stevens. According to Decher, the 100Day Trainer Challenge is part of an intense apprenticeship for Dupree and Moreno, who have been assigned the only unraced horse among the Thoroughbreds in this year’s Challenge. Horse: Mats Mats Bay, a 6-year-old bay gelding by Matty G—Lady Niagara (Wash.), owned and bred by Just A Dream Farm and Julie Scofield. Unraced.

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Through early August, horses that raced at Oaklawn in 2014 have gone on to win 18 graded stakes, including 5 Grade 1s. It’s easy to see why the best horses come through Hot Springs with a 56-day race meet that attracts more than a half-million fans to see high quality Thoroughbreds compete for steadily growing purses — thanks to the success of Instant Racing and electronic wagering. Put your horse in the picture, call Racing Secretary Pat Pope at 1-800-OAKLAWN (1-800-625-5296) now. Stall applications are due October 23.

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