Thoroughbred Daily News

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Tampa Bay Downs will highlight accredited aftercare during Saturday's card, which features the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The track will honor TAA with a named race on the day's undercard. Following the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance named race, a presentation will be made in the winner's circle and winning connections will be given a TAA blanket and gift bag with branded merchandise.

A representative from TAA will also be on-site to host the winners of the VIP Experience from the “Off to the Races” online benefit auction. Generously donated by Tampa Bay Downs and Tom Cannell, the winners of this VIP Experience will enjoy premium dining, access to the paddock and winner's circle for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Race.

“We are very excited to welcome back Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to the 2024 Tampa Bay Derby,” said Margo Flynn, Vice President of Marketing, Tampa Bay Downs. “We are proud to support their mission and spread awareness for accredited aftercare.”

Emily Dresen, TAA's Director of Funding and Events, said, “We are so excited to be back at Tampa Bay Downs for the Tampa Bay Derby. Tampa Bay Downs has remained a committed partner and advocate for accredited aftercare, and we are thrilled to participate on one of their biggest days of racing.”

The TAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.

The post TAA on Hand for Tampa Bay Derby Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The board of directors of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has authorized expenditure of $2,455,164 to fund 11 new projects and 13 continuing projects at 14 universities, as well as three career development awards.

“Once again, this year's projects affect all types of horses in every stage of development demonstrating Grayson's commitment to all breeds and disciplines,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. “I am especially pleased that we were able to offer a special career development award this year in honor of Nancy Kelly, who was Grayson's vice president of development for many years and was an advocate for nurturing young researchers.”

The projects, listed alphabetically by school, are: Diet Nonstructural Carbohydrates Alter Ovarian Functions (Elaine Carnevale, Colorado State University); Equine Tendinopathy: Advanced Imaging and Tenex Efficacy (Brad Nelson, Colorado State University); Shining A Light On The Black Box Of Early Pregnancy Loss (Amanda de Mestre, Cornell University); Ketodoxapram As A Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation (Annelies Decloedt, Ghent University); Adiponectin as a Clinical Biomarker for Laminitis Risk (Melody De Laat, Queensland University of Technology); Role of C1q in Rhodococcal Infection (Angela Bordin, Texas A&M AgriLife Research); Novel Protein Targets for R. equi Serology and Vaccines (Noah Cohen, Texas A&M AgriLife Research); Insulin Dysregulation: Placental Changes And Foal Health (Elaine Norton, University of Arizona); Novel Method for Diagnosis of Nocardioform Placentitis (Shavahn Loux, University of Kentucky); Polyacrylamide For Joint Therapy-Critical Things Unknown (Bruno Menarim, University of Kentucky (Gluck)); Risk Assessment For Proximal Sesamoid Bone Fracture (Peter Muir, University of Wisconsin-Madison).

Dr. Rebecca Bishop, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was awarded the Storm Cat Career Development Award. Inaugurated in 2006, the award grants $20,000 to an individual considering a career in equine research. Dr. Bishop's prosposed study is a multiomic investigation of peritoneal fluid in colic.

Dr. Rebecca Legere, Texas A&M University, was awarded the the Elaine and Bertram Klein Career Development Award. First awarded in 2015, the award grants $20,000 to a prospective equine researcher. Dr. Legere's project, passive immunization against Rhodococcus equi using MRNA, will attempt to deliver mRNA encoding monoclonal antibody to the lungs of foals to enable more effective immunoprophylaxis of rhodococcal pneumonia.

Additionally, Grayson will sponsor a one-time career development award in honor of Nancy C. Kelly, who died Feb. 9. As the vice president of development for Grayson, Kelly helped raise millions of dollars for equine research. She was also the executive director of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, organizing countless fundraising events.

The recipient of this special award is Lauren Hughes, University of Minnesota, and her project is “Genetics of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) Risk.”

Since 1940, Grayson has provided more than $42.3 million to underwrite more than 437 projects at 47 universities.

The post Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Approves over $2.4 Million in 2024 Funding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

With rain in the Arcadia forecast for Friday night through Saturday, track officials at Santa Anita could move Saturday's card, according to The Daily Racing Form.

Saturday's slate includes the GI Santa Anita H. and three other graded races, which could shift to Sunday. That day's card would then move to Monday. An announcement is expected Thursday morning.

The post Rain Might Force Santa Anita To Move Big Cap Card To Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The case of Jeffrey Englehart, who bought a horse at an OBS 2-Year-Old sale in June who had given Clenbuterol sometime before being purchased by Englehart, has renewed questions about the role of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and whether or not it would be in the sport's best interest for it to expand its jurisdiction to cover sales as well as racing. Currently, HISA has no authority over a horse until it has its first recorded public workout, which is when it becomes a “covered” horse. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus doesn't see that changing any time soon.

“There is a little bit of a misunderstanding about what HISA's authority is in this regard,” she said. “We can only do what the statute allows us to do and right now the statute specifically provides that a horse becomes a covered horse upon its first workout. We would have to ask for a legislative change if we wanted to change the scope of that jurisdiction, which would be a heavy lift and not something we'd probably go to Congress and try to do right now.”

Lazarus stresses that the sales companies should use every resource available to them to make sure that sellers are not using drugs that might enhance the value of a horse being sold.

Lazarus said she has had discussions with the heads of the sport's three largest sales companies–Keeneland, OBS and Fasig-Tipton–and asked that they work together to come up with unified rules that mirror those already in place by HISA for covered horses.

“HISA did convene a meeting with all the sales companies in October,” she said. “We all got together in a room and discussed the fact that it made sense to get on the same page. We would hope that there would be was a logical protective flow from weanling to retirement that makes sense. It doesn't have to be the same program for every stage of a horse's life, but it needs to be sensible and consistent and all fit together. There was wide agreement with all the sales companies that this was an important initiative and they said they would work towards it. They've been working really hard on coming up with an aligned agreement.”

Lazarus said that if there is still a reason to suspect that some horses are slipping through the cracks at the sales, HISA might take another look at getting legislation that would allow it to categorize a horse as covered at some time prior to its first official workout.

“I trust that the sales companies are going to be able to do this on their own and that we won't need to take a stricter view,” she said. “If for some reason that doesn't happen, we would definitely, over time, look at that and consider our options. Once a horse comes into the HISA program and is our responsibility we do everything we possibly can to protect it. But not having a window into what has happened with the horse before they become a covered horse can be challenging. That's why we are working towards this aligned system where everything is really clear and the sales companies are all doing the same thing. If that is a fit with HISA's program, that would be really beneficial for the industry.

“The way to move the sport forward is to have more consistent and stricter regulations throughout a horse's life. Based on my experience since HISA's inception, that is most effectively done when the stakeholders come to the table and are willing participants. You come up with a much stronger program when you have everyone buy in. I am working every day to earn the trust of horsemen and earn the trust of the racetracks. If I could get sales companies on board and make changes that make a lot of sense, that would mean we would have a much better chance of being successful right out of the gate. I really believe that's where we need to end up. But I also believe that given where we are and given the commitments I have received from the sales companies, we'll be able to do that without having to legislate or change HISA's jurisdiction.”

Englehart was notified that a horse under his care had been found to have Clenbuterol in its system when it was tested by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) after it broke down in a workout at Finger Lakes in November. The positive was the result of a hair test and the infraction was made public on the HIWU website. Englehart faced a suspension of up to two years.

Englehart insisted he never gave the horse the drug and that it had to be given to the horse before he bought it at Ocala. The original HIWU test was a standard hair test. Tests known as segmented hair test can pinpoint when a drug was given to a horse and Englehart pushed for the horse to undergo that type of test. HIWU had the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis perform the segmented test and it revealed that the Clenbuterol was in fact administered before Englehart became the trainer. All charges against Englehart were then dropped.

Lazarus admitted that the Englehart matter could have been handled better.

“There was an initial matter that we had to flag because something was found in the horse,” she said. “But we should not be holding the trainer responsible if that substance went into the horse before he or she was responsible for it. One thing we are going to change, we are not going to make a positive test from hair public until a B sample comes back.

“The only way we failed Mr. Englehart in this case was the public announcement of his violation. He didn't have any suspension and there were no repercussions from a sanctions standpoint. There was nothing in place until the system concluded, but the public did know about it. It would be different if Clenbuterol were found in the blood or urine. We know how long Clenbuterol can stay in blood and urine. So if there is a Clenbuterol finding in blood or urine there would be no ambiguity unless the trainer got the horse the day before or within a week. With hair testing we can find things going back six months and even a year sometimes.”

“What I really hope is that this situation shows the public and the racing industry that HISA is always going to do what's right. We are going to follow the science and we are going to follow the facts. We are giving Mr. Englehart the money back that he spent for the B sample. He is going to be made entirely whole. As I said, the one thing I would do differently is not to have made this public from the outset. This is the first case we've had of this nature and I've always said there will be things that we learn along the way that we didn't foresee and that we have to adjust.”

The post HISA Not Positioned to Police Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

Among this week's rulings, trainer Carlos Mancilla has been suspended for 15 days for a post-race Gabapentin positive from Sept. 10, and fined $1,000. Gabapentin, a Class B controlled medication, is an anti-seizure medicine for humans that is also used to treat complications from shingles.

According to the final ruling by an internal adjudication panel, Mancilla said that the positive probably came about because of the horse, Cara in the City, ingesting straw contaminated with Gabapentin through urine. “Mr. Mancilla however did not provide any concrete evidence to support this assertion,” the final ruling states.

The internal adjudication panel issued Mancilla the maximum possible sanction for a first Class B controlled medication violation under HISA.

NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS
The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Resolution Date: 02/23/2024
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: No penalty. Equine Anti-Doping charge withdrawn.
Explainer: For the presence of Clenbuterol—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Fast Heart. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.
More on the story here.

Resolution Date: 02/22/2024
Licensee: Reynaldo Yanez, trainer
Penalty: No penalty. Equine Controlled Medication charge withdrawn.
Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled
Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, That Magic Moment. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 02/22/2024
Licensee: Carlos Mancilla, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 23, 2024; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points.
Explainer: For the presence of Gabapentin—Controlled Medications (Class B)—in a sample taken from Cara in the City, who finished second at Pimlico on 9/10/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Pending ADMC Violations
Date: 02/06/2024
Licensee: Lacy Pierce, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Vets' list medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Acepromazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Mamba Forever on 2/6/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 02/03/2024
Licensee: Howard Love, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Vets' list medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Slender Slipper on 2/3/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/30/2023
Licensee: Bruce Levine, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Fortune's Nephew, who finished third at Aqueduct on 12/30/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/15/2023
Licensee: Brittany Russell, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Battling Time, who won at Laurel Park on 12/15/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/03/2024
Licensee: Jorge Diaz, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Xylazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Celtic Treasure, who did not finish a race at Parx Racing on 1/3/24 (according to Equibase, Celtic Treasure was “injured in the early stages, pulled up and vanned off”). This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Juan Guerrero, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Crypt, who won at Parx Racing on 11/13/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/26/2024
Licensee: Frank Santillana, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Flunixin—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Mi Gusto Es, who finished tenth at Tampa Bay on 1/26/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/09/2023
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Vets' list medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Storm the Empire on 12/9/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/19/2024
Licensee: Flint Stites, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the potential breach of Rule 4221—Alkalinization or use/administration of an Alkalinizing Agent (TCO2)—on Rock Anna Roll, who finished fifth at Penn National on 1/19/2024. This is also a possible violation of Rule 3313—Use of a Controlled Method During the Race Period.

Date: 01/02/2024
Licensee: Carla Morgan, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Xylazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from River City Rocker on 1/2/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/28/2024
Licensee: Michael Simone, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Another Duke, who won at Tampa Bay on 1/28/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Violations of Crop Rule
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.

Santa Anita
Drayden Van Dyke – violation date Feb 23; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 9 strikes
Kazushi Kimura – violation date Feb 23; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

OTHER KEY RULINGS
The TDN also publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

California
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 02/25/2024
Licensee: Rolando Quinonez, trainer
Penalty: $1,000 fine
Violation: Non-compliance with pre-workout veterinarian examinations
Explainer: Trainer Rolando Quinonez is fined $1,000.00 for violations of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1878 (Workouts – No 72-hour pre-workout Veterinarian examinations [Non-compliance for 28 out of 238 workouts]) between January 1, 2022, through August 20, 2023.

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 02/20/2024
Licensee: Nancy Vutz, racing official
Penalty: $1,500
Violation: Lasix administration error
Explainer: Racing Official Dr. Nancy Vutz is hereby fined the sum of $1,500 for failing to conduct business in a proper manner necessitating a scratch in Race #3 at Aqueduct Racetrack on February 19, 2024.

The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Feb. 20-26 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The catalog for the 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, set for Wednesday, Apr. 3 beginning at 10 a.m. ET in the Lone Star Park Sales Pavilion, is out, the Texas Thoroughbred Association said in a release Wednesday.

The breeze show is scheduled for Monday, Apr. 1 on Lone Star's main track, starting at 8 a.m. ET.

“This is a solid, quality group of two-year-olds coming to our sale,” Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “We have an array of national and regional stallions represented in the book and stakes-quality pedigrees to match.”

Juveniles by Bolt d'Oro, Frosted, Game Winner, Global Campaign, Instagrand, Jimmy Creed, Medaglia d'Oro, Mitole, More Than Ready, Twirling Candy, Vino Rosso, and Violence are catalogued this year, as well as regional stallions like Aurelius Maximus, Cinco Charlie, Competitive Edge, My Golden Song, Star Guitar and Too Much Bling.

“We have two-year-olds by well-known stallions, out of stakes winners, and half siblings to stakes runners currently on tracks around the area and nation,” Bridewell said. “We're thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase these horses in April at Lone Star Park and we're grateful to our breeders, owners, and consignors for trusting in us to put on a quality sale.”

Paper catalogues will be mailed soon and supplements are expected. Click here for access.

The post Catalogue Released For The 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Jockey Basil Frazier, Grade I-winning mare Flag de Lune (Flag Officer), and racing writer/broadcaster Jon White will be inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame this summer, Emerald Downs announced Wednesday.

Washington's Horse of the Year in 1984, Flag de Lune was a multiple stakes winner on dirt, including the inaugural running of the Longacres Lassies S., and became a Grade I winner on turf when she won the the 1984 Ramona H. at Del Mar.

A native of Spokane, Washington, Frazier rode in Canada and the United States, retiring in 1985 with 2,218 career victories. Frazier's crowning moment was a dramatic victory aboard Times Rush in the 1974 Longacres Mile.

Another native of Spokane, White has been a local and national force in racing media for over five decades. Beginning with Daily Racing Form as chart-caller at age 19, White has been a publicist, television host, morning-line maker and steward, his byline appearing in The BloodHorse, Los Angeles Times, Thoroughbred Record, Canadian Horse, and The Washington Thoroughbred, among others.

White currently writes a weekly column for Xpressbet.com, appears weekly on Steve Byk's national racing show, and produces morning lines for Santa Anita and Del Mar, including the morning lines for eight Breeders' Cups.

“What a tremendous honor it is for this Washington-bred to go into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame,” White said. “I consider it to be the pinnacle of my career in racing. I just wish that my father [Quentin White] was still alive to see this. As a lifelong racing fan, he'd be over the moon.”

The official induction ceremony will be held Aug. 10 at Emerald Downs. Also to be honored at the ceremony, longtime trainer and former NFL and University of Washington running back Junior Coffey will be presented with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement award.

The post Frazier, White and Flag de Lune Join Washington Racing Hall of Fame appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Picture waking up to a world where our beloved industry doesn't exist. This thought isn't just a scare tactic; it's a serious wake-up call about what's at stake–our jobs, our skills and the legacy many families have built over generations.

Our industry, known for its grit and passion, is facing serious threats, both from inside and out. And yet, we've been too comfortable, too stuck in our ways, too scared to change.

We've heard the tough feedback, and it's not all unwarranted. Claims that we lack emotional maturity and are stuck in our ways beg us to take a hard look in the mirror.

Is it that we can't handle the tough, honest conversations necessary for growth or have we just been taking the easy way out?

Our future depends on us coming together, being open to change and facing the hard truths. Leadership needs to be about collaboration and empowering everyone.

We can't let those who love to see us divided win. It's time to show the doubters what we're really made of, not with just words, but with action.

We're at a crucial point. The choices we make now will shape the future of Thoroughbred racing.

Let's make the smart choice and take bold steps forward. The clock is ticking, and we've got too much to lose.

Holding on to the hope that being underestimated is our secret weapon–they won't know what hit them. Time to roll up our sleeves and show them they're wrong!

Warm regards, Clark Shepherd

The post Letter to the Editor: ‘Time to Roll Up Our Sleeves’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Vicente Del Cid finished atop the rider standings, while Karl Broberg retained his grip on the leading trainer crown and End Zone Athletics, Inc. won another leading owner title as results from the 2023-2024 Thoroughbred season at Delta Downs mirrored last year's results at the Louisiana track. The Thoroughbred season concluded Saturday.

Del Cid won his second consecutive title as leading rider with 116 wins from 438 mounts and $2,624,265 in mount earnings. The Guatemala native's first career win came at Delta Downs on Oct. 21, 2021, and he finished second in the voting for the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2022. Del Cid also won the title of leading jockey at Boyd Gaming's Evangeline Downs in 2022 and 2023

Broberg continued his dominance at Delta Downs in 2023-24,  sending out 65 winners and totaling $1,353,610 in barn earnings to lead each category. It was the 13th straight time the Broberg barn has led the standings dating back to the 2011-12 season. During the 2018-19 season his horses set the current records for Thoroughbred trainers with 107 wins and earnings of $2,017,120.

The End Zone Athletics of Broberg and Matt Johanson, saw 50 of its runners win and earn a total of $983,560 during the meeting to lead both categories for owners. It was the ninth consecutive title and 12th overall for End Zone.

The post Del Cid, Broberg, and End Zone Athletics Repeat at Delta Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Turfway Park Racing & Gaming will once again be open for year-round training, track officials announced Wednesday. Summer stall applications are due Mar. 15.

“There is once again significant interest from trainers to remain based at Turfway Park for year-round training,” said Gary Palmisano, Jr., vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. “Turfway is conveniently located within a reasonable van drive to both Churchill Downs and Ellis Park. Any trainer that ships a horse from Turfway to compete at either of those two tracks, along with Colonial Downs and Presque Isle Downs, will receive a $150 credit to assist with stall expenses.”

Stall applications can be found here or by contacting Peggy Pate at Peggy.Pate@turfwaypark.com.

Summer stall space will run from Apr. 15 through Oct. 31.

The post Turfway to Remain Open for Year-Round Training appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Following the successful debut of its North Warning Distance Claiming series in 2023, Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack has added three more claiming series to its 2024 meet which opens Apr. 29. Pending approval from the New York State Gaming Commission, the track's racing secretary Jerry Richards will add an additional distance series for fillies and mares and two sprint claiming series.

All three series are named after some of the winningest horses to ever compete at Finger Lakes.

The Unhinged Iron Distance Claiming Series is the female version of the North Warning series, while the sprint series are named the Mt. Rushmore, and the Wise Awake for fillies and mares. All three series feature two claiming legs prior to a final.

Each series kicks off Aug. 5 with $5,000 claimers vying for $14,000 (added). The sprint distance will be a five-furlong dash, while the Unhinged Iron series starts out at 1 1/16 miles.

The claiming price increases to $6,250 for leg two, scheduled for Labor Day, Sept. 2. Sprinters will compete at 5 1/2 furlongs with the ladies in the Unhinged Iron Distance Series racing an extra sixteenth of a mile to 1 1/8 miles. The purse money increases to $17,500 (added).

All finals will be run on New York Breeders' Futurity Day, Oct. 21, and will each feature a $25,000 purse. Distances will be six furlongs for the sprinters and the Classic distance of 1 1/4 miles for the Unhinged Iron. To be eligible for the finals, horses must have run in one of the first two legs and have earned enough points to make the finals. There is no claiming in any series final.

The North Warning series will return for its second year on July 1 and feature three legs and a final. The final of the North Warning, also to be run on Oct. 21, will be contested at 1 3/4 miles for a purse of $30,000.

The Oct. 21 program will be one of the richest days in the 63-year history of Finger Lakes. The card will feature the $200,000 (estimated) New York Breeders Futurity, $50,000 Jack Betta Be Rite stakes and $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders, as well as the four claiming series finals.

“We see a lot of value to our horseman by running these claiming series,” said Richards, who is in his third season at Finger Lakes. “The rich final of each series gives these lower-level claimers a nice opportunity to make some good money, and we're all for that.”

The post Finger Lakes Adds Three New Claiming Series appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Arcangelo (Arrogate–Modeling, by Tapit) and Up to the Mark (Not This Time–Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper), both Eclipse champions of 2023 now standing their first season at stud at Lane's End, have had their first mares scanned in foal.

Diamondcoat (Gemologist) has been pronounced in foal to 2023 champion 3-year-old Arcangelo. The 9-year-old mare, owned by Allied Racing Stable, is a half-sister to multiple Grade I-placed Absinthe Minded (Quiet American), the dam of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate).

Campaigned by Jon Ebbert's Blue Rose Farm and trained by Jena Antonucci, Arcangelo won last year's GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. He stands for $35,000.

Wrapper Rule (Candy Ride {Arg}) has been pronounced in foal to 2023 champion turf male Up to the Mark. The 6-year-old mare is a three-quarter sibling to Chatalas (Gun Runner), who won the 2023 GII Chandelier S. She is owned by Bruce Gibbs, Michael and Andrea Callanan and Declan Burke.

Up to the Mark, raced by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher, won the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S., GI Manhattan S. and GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. He was second in the GI Breeder's Cup Turf before beginning his stud career at a fee of $25,000.

The post First Mares in Foal to Arcangelo and Up to the Mark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

WinStar Farm has secured a 'Name, Image, and Likeness' deal with University of Kentucky basketball player Reed Sheppard to promote WinStar stallion Life Is Good (Into Mischief).

A freshman guard for John Calipari's Wildcats, Sheppard was Mr. Kentucky Basketball in 2023 and a McDonald's All-American. Also honored as the 2022 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, Sheppard is off to a fast start for the Wildcats (20-8) this season. With March Madness on the horizon, Sheppard is averaging 12.5 points per game, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in the 2023-24 season. A native of London, KY., Sheppard is the son of Jeff and Stacey Sheppard, who both played college basketball at UK. Jeff was the Most Valuable Player of the 1998 Final Four and won two national championships.

“Reed Sheppard is all about what we believe in at WinStar,” said WinStar Farm President and CEO Elliott Walden. “Being a good teammate (partner), conducting himself with humility, and giving 100% in all he does. We think he is a great fit for Life Is Good and WinStar Farm.”

A four-time Grade I winner, including the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Life is Good is currently standing his second season at stud. He bred 192 mares in his initial season, including 70 GSW/GS producers and 25 GIW/GI producers and his first in-foal mares sold for up to $1.2 million. He stands for $85,000 S&N.

The post WinStar Secures NIL Deal with UK’s Reed Sheppard appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Mr. Big (Dynaformer–Fashion Delight, by Fappiano) died Tuesday due to complications from laminitis. Sire of 12 black-type winners, including California-bred champions Big Fish and Ceiling Crusher, Mr. Big was 21.

Mr. Big was campaigned by George Krikorian, who purchased the bay as a weanling for $220,000 at the 2003 Keeneland November sale. Krikorian then developed him into one of California's leading sires.

“I'm heartbroken–Mr. Big was a very special horse,” Krikorian said.

Mr. Big had stood the past two seasons at Pete and Evelyn Parrella's Legacy Ranch in Clements, California, and had just begun the 2024 covering season.

“Myself, Evelyn and the entire staff at Legacy Ranch are devastated by this sudden turn of events,” Parrella said. “Mr. Big has become a major influence in the breeding industry in California. His loss is not just our loss, but a big loss for the entire state. We are honored that Mr. Krikorian had the confidence in Legacy Ranch to have Mr. Big stand here. He's going to be sorely missed.”

From a racing career limited to nine starts due to injury, Mr. Big won twice at Hollywood Park. He was originally trained by John Shirreffs and later by Bob Baffert after Shirreffs relocated to New York. Under Baffert's tutelage, Mr. Big captured a

1 1/16-mile allowance event with Mike Smith aboard, crushing his competition by 8 3/4 lengths.

Krikorian retired Mr. Big to his Kentucky farm in early 2010 and bred him to a few of his mares. His faith in the horse was rewarded when Mr. Big's first foal, Big Break, won for Krikorian first time out by 7 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita. Big Break went on to earn $236,699 in 42 starts over four seasons.

Ceiling Crusher is the stallion's leading earning to date. The 4-year-old filly won last year's GI Cotillion S. and GIII Torrey Pines S. and, with career earnings of $938,400, sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $750,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Mr. Big got his first graded winner when Kentucky-bred Big Score won the 2017 GIII Transylvania S. at Keeneland in Krikorian's colors.

“I brought Mr. Big out to California because I thought he'd have a better chance as a stallion,” Krikorian said. “And that's what happened.”

Krikorian-bred Big Fish won the 2020 Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. and was named co-champion Cal-bred 2-year-old male of 2020. Other stakes winners soon followed, including $392,420-earner Big Switch, $367,958-earner Big Sweep, $367,958-earner Big Summer, and $345,770-earner Chancery Way.

“We have a lot of horses coming up by Mr. Big that have shown good potential,” Krikorian said. “Mr. Big was the special gift that kept on giving.”

The post California Stallion Mr. Big Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Dual Champion Elite Power (Curlin–Broadway's Alibi, by Vindication), a new stallion of 2024, has had the first mare he covered checked in foal, according to an announcement from Juddmonte late Tuesday.

The mare, Candy Strike (Candy Ride {Arg}), is a 4-year-old out of GSW & MGISP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike), who is a half-sister to GISWs Tara's Tango (Unbridled Song) and Visionaire (Grand Slam).

Elite Power, a two-time winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, is standing his first season at Juddmonte Farms near Lexington, where his 2024 fee is $50,000.

The post First Mare Checked in Foal to Elite Power appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Edited Press Release

The first pool to wager on the 149th GI Preakness S., middle jewel of the Triple Crown, begins Thursday, Feb. 29 and will close just hours after three major prep races are contested Saturday in Florida, California, and New York.

When pools open at noon Thursday, 12 weeks before Preakness 149 at Pimlico Race Course, Baoma Corp.'s undefeated Nysos (Nyquist) will be the 4-1 favorite with the pari-mutuel field of “all other 3-year-olds” the 6-1 second choice.

The first Preakness 149 future wager will close after Saturday's runnings of the $400,000 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park, the $400,000 GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita Park, and the $300,000 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct.

There are 40 betting interests in the Preakness 149 future wager, with the 40th betting interest being the pari-mutuel field, or “all other 3-year-olds.” The Preakness 149 future wager has a $2 minimum and 18% takeout. The first pool closes at 8 p.m. Saturday evening. The second pool opens Friday, Apr. 26 and closes Saturday, May 4 at 6 p.m.

The Preakness Future Wager was unanimously approved by the Maryland Racing Commission. Similar to that of future wagers for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, bettors are not refunded if their selection does not run in the Preakness, which is limited to a maximum of 14 starters.

The post Preakness 149 Future Wager Begins Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

by Brian Malloy

The initial public forum for Light Up Racing at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington Monday night kicked off the most encouraging effort I've seen in my 44 years in horse racing. Vicky Leonard, the Kiwi PR pro who spearheaded a similar effort in Australia after a spate of tragic accidents in the Melbourne Cup, cogently outlined this grass roots campaign to a packed house and was greeted with thunderous applause.

I taught the capstone course in public relations for several years at the University of Kentucky with a systems approach stressing internal publics are just as important as external publics and PR is not simply spin, it is an agent for positive change. Light Up Racing is an exemplar.

In meetings like the ones being held in Lexington, through seminars planned in person and on-line, and through the resources provided by the excellent website up and running at lightupracing.com, the people who make our industry run can seize the day and transform tragedy into transcendence to build a sustainable sport that demonstrates daily our love for the horse.

Monday's meeting was standing room only with a broad spectrum of grizzled industry insiders and enthusiastic young up-and-comers ready to be the change our sport needs. Thank you Price Bell and Jason Litt for your efforts to get this off the ground. I can't wait for the Mar. 5 meeting at Keeneland so we can get started.

Brian Malloy, who is the former managing editor of Thoroughbred Times and ran the Lexington, Ky., office of Shandwick, Intl., then the world's largest PR firm, is now a Thoroughbred breeder in Central Kentucky.

The post Letter to the Editor: Agent for Positive Change appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky, will be installing a new stable gate entryway after the current season ends in March to try and avoid a repeat of the havoc caused on the night of Feb. 1 when a loose Thoroughbred escaped from the backstretch and ran onto nearby Interstate 71/75 before being captured without serious harm.

Barbara Borden, the chief state steward presiding at Turfway, detailed the incident during Tuesday's Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) meeting.

“The horse got loose in the barn area, unfortunately ran through the stable gate, and actually ran over a person who was trying to catch him as he was leaving the barn area,” Borden said. “And he wound up on [the interstate] going north. So he was thankfully caught, without much ado or injury to himself or any humans, about six, seven miles up the road.”

Videos posted on social media by motorists, plus police body camera footage, showed the horse-whose identity was not revealed in news reports or by the KHRC-running up the interstate in the dark.

WCPO-TV out of nearby Cincinnati, Ohio, had reported drivers “dutifully turned on their hazard lights and slowed down” and that police from the city of Erlanger “tried to help by boxing in the horse with their cruisers.”

State police shut down the highway around 10:15 p.m., according to published news reports.

“At one point, the horse ran full gallop southbound in the northbound lanes into the rear of [a] police cruiser, causing damage to his trunk,” stated a police incident report quoted by WCPO. The TV station further reported that the horse fell down after striking the car, “only to get back up and continue making a break for it.”

Police body camera footage with a time stamp of 10:22 p.m. showed the horse standing calmly while shanked in the hands of a caretaker who was trying to soothe him on the side of the interstate.

“We were talking to Florence police, and we alerted them that the horse was loose,” Borden said. “I called one of our outriders and said, 'Hook your trailer up and get out there,' and he did. He was the one who actually brought the horse back. We got very lucky that no person or horse was injured.”

One officer could be heard saying on the police footage, “This is nuts, man. That's a first. Definitely a first.”

Actually, it wasn't.

On Mar. 2, 2013, a first-time starter named Joseph the Catfish ducked out, unseated his rider, and leapt Turfway's outer rail. He ran down Houston Road through a retail district before being captured in an attempt to run south onto the same highway.

Chip Bach, Turfway's general manager, told commissioners at the Feb. 27 meeting that the track's stable gate had been damaged in an unrelated incident prior to the horse escape.

The rebuilt version, Bach said, will include a safety arm with flashing LED lights that can be lowered at the press of a button if a security staffer hears the “loose horse” siren going off on in the stable area.

“The  plan is to work on it as soon as we get past this meet,” Bach said.

The post Turfway to Rebuild Stable Gate in Aftermath of Horse Escape onto Highway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

T.D. Thornton's report on racetrack closures in California (TDN, 12/6/23) and Dan Ross's piece on Pat Cummings's research into Computer Assisted Wagering in California (TDN 2/13/24) are frightening for all tracks not supported by casinos/slots.

Santa Anita and Del Mar are high-profile tracks in trouble, but they are not alone. The problem? Host tracks are now receiving very little for their racing content.

Remember Napster, when a lot of people were stealing songs and nobody knew what to do about it?

I'm not Steve Jobs, who saved the music industry from Napster, but I'm going to tell you how to save Santa Anita and Del Mar and the rest of our tracks. When you understand how we came to this situation, you will see how easy it is to fix it.

I started working for the Thoroughbred Record in 1972. Then, the revenue from wagers was split 50/50 between the two “partners” in racing: half for the track and half for the racehorse owners' purse account. Each received about 8% of the on-track wager. It was a simple business isolated to the track location.

Off-track wagering across state lines was legalized with the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA) in 1978. Although Congress has protected dairy farmers since 1946 with a “price floor” on milk, there was no price floor put into the IHA to protect the host tracks. A huge mistake!

After the IHA became law, Tommy Roberts, who pioneered simulcasting, negotiated a deal between Vegas sports books and some thirty tracks. Tommy told me Vegas said they could pay 10% of the wager to the host tracks. But, Vegas' actual offer was 2%. The tracks caved and accepted 2%, which meant the host track and purse account would only get 1% each and the bet takers in Vegas kept up to 15% of the wager. It was a very bad, upside-down deal.

The Vegas deal of 2% became the effective off-track distribution rate for every off-track bet taker, not just receiving tracks. As OTB's expanded off-track wagering locations, they cut into host track attendance, thus high-profit on-track wagering and concessions revenue dropped. Host track admissions and parking revenue vanished. Today off-track is more than 90% of all handle and host tracks and their purse accounts are suffering.

With the 2% rate in place, the major tracks were preyed upon by receiving tracks. NYRA, Keeneland and Hollywood Park all tried to increase the off-track rate for their races, but the hundred smaller tracks colluded to keep the rate as low as possible because they benefitted as bet takers on the major tracks' races. That was not the intent of the IHA.

The godsend of off-track wagering has now turned on racing and is devouring it. In the early days, most off-track bets were being made at receiving tracks and the money stayed in the sport. That ship sailed with computers and mobile phones. Today ADW's and robots are taking the most bets. What they pay the host tracks is so low they have enough margin to give up to 10% to whales. The money is bleeding out of host tracks and purses.

The first step for any business in trouble: Stop the bleeding.

Breeding, raising and racing Thoroughbreds is an agricultural business and sport. Over the years, Congress has responded with every possible advantage.

To stop the bleeding, Congress can establish a “price floor,” a minimum rate that off-track bet takers must pay host tracks. When Congress moved to save dairy farmers, lobbyists for the milk processors preying on them said the free market should set prices. But, the majority in Congress said “Sorry, we like milk and we are going to protect those who produce it.” There are many in Congress who like and care deeply about the Thoroughbred industry too.

Can we fix it? Yes, if Stuart Janney will commit to a “price floor” being put into the IHA, our tracks, purses and thousands of jobs in the industry will be saved. It is that simple.

Stuart Janney, chairman of The Jockey Club, personally committed to reduce the threat cheating has on the integrity of our sport. He worked with bi-partisan help from Andy Barr (R-KY) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) to pass the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). You need someone who has been successful with Congress to get back in harness and repeat the process.

Congress is the fastest way to save California tracks and all other racing states that do not have casino/slots support. As Mr. Janney related in working to pass HISA, you cannot do it state by state, or track by track. It has to be done at the federal level.

Today, the “partnership” between tracks and racehorse owners is far from simple and far from fair. Tracks have created subsidiaries outside the partnership with racehorse owners to take bets on other tracks' races and exploit the high profit margin. As a result, the percentage of off-track wagers going to purses drops every year. Purses fuel foal crops and ours have dropped from 50,000 to 17,000. Nobody wants track closures to return us to the days of Man o' War with a foal crop of 1,680.

The IHA puts people with feet of clay in position to approve multi-million dollar off-track bet taking deals. Dan Ross's piece told of death threats and extreme pressure on these individuals. To reduce the threats and the grip bet-takers have on the integrity of the wager, we need a “price floor” to protect the people giving IHA approval. The price floor will become the non-negotiable base rate for most approvals.

I don't expect tracks with wagering subsidiaries to support a price floor being put into the IHA any more than we expected all trainers and horsemen to support HISA. I don't expect those receiving rebates now to support a price floor anymore than those who got free music with Napster wanted to switch to iTunes. Most times, leaders have to step up and piss off some people to do what is right for the sport.

I believe a price floor on off-track wagers will allow host tracks to refocus on live racing that people want to see and they will be able to sell their product at a good price in the off-track market, something they cannot do today.

There's nothing magic about taking bets. Lotteries pay gas stations a 5% fee for punching in the customers' numbers and taking their wager. A price floor in the IHA is the first step for host tracks to change off-track wagering from a “buyers' market” to a “sellers' market,” where those producing the racing content drive down the costs of bet taking.

Is it more important for us to save Santa Anita, Del Mar and other tracks, or to let the money from their racing content go to Fan Duel and Draft Kings?

What is the fair rate for a price floor?

I believe it is 10%, meaning 5% of the off-track wager goes to the host track and 5% to the racehorse owners' purse account. Blended with on-track handle and imported handle, the host track and purses could exceed 15% of the total wagered on their races.

With a flat rate of 10%, mandated by federal law taking precedence, the states will not be able to pass laws to get a competitive advantage in the off-track market. We've had enough of that. (NJ passed a law prohibiting their receiving tracks from paying more than 3% to a host track.) Each host track would still have the freedom to negotiate a higher rate than the price floor for their racing content.

That's how you stop the bleeding and allow Thoroughbred racing to be turned around.

I doubt most of you give much thought to track business and off-track wagering revenue. But, in the changing world of Thoroughbred racing, that's make or break for our sport. Take the time to learn how who gets what from racing impacts the breeding shed.

And right now, for Santa Anita, Del Mar and the life you love, contact Stuart Janney at The Jockey Club and voice your support for a price floor of 10% to host tracks on all off-track wagers be put into the IHA. Quickly.

The post Letter to the Editor: First, Stop the Bleeding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital is set to host the Third Rood & Riddle International Podiatry Conference Apr. 19-20 at the Rood & Riddle Podiatry Center in Lexington, Ky.

The seminar is tailored for veterinarians and farriers, aiming to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange in equine podiatry. The conference will explore key areas such as biomechanics, laminitis, and the latest innovations in the field. Distinguished speakers from the equine industry, including Andrew van Eps, BVSc., PhD., MACVSc., DACVIM, from the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, will lead lectures.

The post Rood & Riddle to Host Third International Podiatry Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.