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Month: November 2020
Thyroxine In SoCal: Nearly 300 Scrips This Year, Over Half for Two Trainers
Despite an advisory designed to eliminate stable-wide usage of thyroxine that has been in effect since the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) investigated seven sudden deaths of horses trained by Bob Baffert in 2013 and found that all of them had been administered that drug “more as a supplement than a medication,” the use of thyroxine in Southern California remains astoundingly high.
In introducing a new rule proposal on Thursday to curb thyroxine use “to the point that it really will not be used any longer within CHRB facilities,” CHRB equine medical director Rick Arthur, DVM, revealed that between January and the first week of October this year, “veterinarians reporting to the official veterinarians on just the Southern California Thoroughbred circuit and their auxiliary training centers have reported 256 prescriptions for thyroxine between January 2020 and the first week of October.”
Arthur added that there have been 31 additional thyroxine prescriptions logged since that report was compiled a month ago, then tacked on this stunner: “Over half of the prescriptions are for just two trainers, and 80% of the thyroxine has been prescribed by just three veterinarians.”
Arthur did not name the trainers or veterinarians involved, nor did CHRB board members inquire as to who they were during the public portion of the Nov. 19 meeting.
“Hypothyroidism is rare in horses and especially so in young racehorses, to the extent that it’s virtually non-existent,” Arthur said.
“Nevertheless, thyroid hormones, primarily levo-thyroxine, are commonly prescribed,” Arthur continued. “Thyroxine has been associated with cardiac arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation in humans, and anecdotally similar cardiac arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation have been reported in horses. While we cannot assert a cause-and-effect relationship, one sudden death already in 2020 occurred five days after the horse was prescribed thyroxine.”
Arthur said that “the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) issued a thyroxine advisory [in August], noting the practice of prescribing levothyroxine to racehorses has drawn scrutiny and raised questions about the legitimacy of its use in horses engaged in training and racing.”
Arthur also explained how “the New York Gaming Commission has already required a similar restriction at New York tracks [and] The Stronach Group has imposed similar restrictions at their Maryland and Florida tracks as a matter of policy.”
The CHRB proposal, which advanced to the 45-day public commentary period after a 7-0 vote, largely mirrors policies the above-mentioned jurisdictions have crafted.
According to the CHRB’s information packet for the thyroxine agenda item, “the adoption of Rule 1866.4 would require a TRH-response test to be performed be a Board-licensed veterinarian, a positive hypothyroidism test be obtained, and the positive result indicating hypothyroidism be submitted to the official veterinarian or equine medical director for review and approval of a thyroxine prescription.
“Following approval of the prescription, the thyroxine prescription cannot exceed 90 calendar days without further re-authorization from the official veterinarian or equine medical director, and a horse administered thyroxine is ineligible to start in a race for 30 calendar days of last administration.”
Back in 2013, the CHRB’s compilation of Sudden Death Reports stated that although “the blanket prescribing of thyroxine to all horses in Baffert’s barn does appear unusual” the cluster of seven sudden deaths of horses “remains unexplained [and] there is no evidence whatsoever CHRB rules or regulations have been violated or any illicit activity played a part.”
The investigation of those deaths did, however, led to the CHRB’s 2014 advisory that is still in effect requiring a specific diagnosis and other prescribing, reporting and labeling restrictions for thyroxine and any other thyroid hormones or analogs.
“This proposed regulation addresses an issue that’s frustrated me for almost the whole time I’ve been equine medical director,” Arthur said.
MMV Coming to CA
In other medication-related news, the CHRB Thursday voted 7-0 to adopt the Multiple Medication Violations (MMV) program used in other jurisdictions. It will establish a points system by which enhanced penalties are imposed, whereby the number of points assigned to a trainer depends on the class and number of violations committed.
The number of points accumulated determines the length of the suspension, and the class of violation determines the length of time before the points expire. The new MMV rule will go into effect once it is certified by the state’s Office of Administrative Law.
2021 NorCal Dates
Few people are looking to relive the pandemic-skewed racing season known as 2020. But to come up with a workable version of a 2021 Northern California calendar that satisfies most stakeholders, the CHRB voted 7-0 Thursday to try again with a template for next year that nearly matches the dates that were allotted–but not entirely run–this year.
Health-related cancellations during 2020 caused the Santa Rosa, Ferndale and Fresno meets to get transferred to Golden Gate Fields, while Pleasanton ran an extended meet that included Sacramento’s dates.
Back at the October meeting, the CHRB had assigned a Dec. 23, 2020-June 16, 2021 block to Golden Gate Fields, leaving the second half of 2021 dates in the region to be determined later.
Commissioners on Thursday recognized there is not much clarity involving how COVID-19 might impact the racing schedule seven months from now. After brief debate about tabling the region’s dates allotment because of all the unknowns, the board opted to move forward as if there will be no interruptions, with the backup plan of reconsidering each meet’s allotment at a later date if needed.
“We’ll put it in place so people can make plans as if it is going to be normal, and then adjust accordingly. That’s kind of how we all have to live our lives right now,” said commissioner Wendy Mitchell.
Prior to the vote, CHRB executive director Scott Chaney said that after conferring with stakeholders to try and craft a schedule, “The two real sort of bones of contention seem to be Santa Rosa preferring to [add in] a week earlier, which obviously would cut a week into Sacramento. And [also] if part of Ferndale should run overlapped with Golden Gate Fields.”
CHRB vice chair Oscar Gonzales said that to the first point, Santa Rosa officials have indicated that they are willing to compromise and race just two weeks as proposed, so long as for 2022, the CHRB will give Santa Rosa special consideration to host the three-week meet it prefers.
As for Ferndale, its desire not to have any overlapping dates with Golden Gate Fields wasn’t able to be completely worked out. The fair meet and the commercial track will go head-to-head during the second of Ferndale’s two-weeks, a setup that was last in effect in 2018. In 2019, the two venues had conflicting meets for the entire two-week period.
Based on those considerations, the CHRB ended up approving the following 2021 NorCal schedule (per custom, the calendar is allocated in blocks of dates, not actual race days):
Golden Gate Fields (GGF): Dec. 23, 2020-June 16, 2021
Pleasanton: June 16-July 13
Sacramento: July 14-Aug. 3
Santa Rosa: Aug. 4-17
Ferndale: Aug. 18-31
GGF: Aug. 25-Oct. 5
Fresno: Oct. 6-19
GGF: Oct. 20-Dec. 21
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‘Can’t Put Into Words What This Means’: DeShawn Parker Wins First Indiana Grand Riding Title
DeShawn Parker has accomplished a lot in his 32-year career as a jockey. He doesn't experience many firsts in this phase of his career, but he did Thursday, Nov. 19, to close out the 2020 racing season at Indiana Grand. Parker earned his first leading jockey title at the Shelbyville, Ind., track with 106 wins for the season.
When asked what the highlight of the season was for him, he replied, “This right here (winning the leading jockey title). This is the best thing of the meet and of my year. I had some chances the past couple of years to win (the title), but I got hurt and it just didn't work out. My agent, Jimmy (McNerney), always does a good job but he did an exceptional job this year for me, and I was able to stay healthy. I can't put into words what this means. This means so much to me.”
Parker is a member of an elite group of jockeys who have scored more than 5,000 wins during their career. With 5,821 wins and in excess of $74 million in purse earnings, the multiple graded stakes placed jockey continues to stay at the top of his game year end and year out. He led the nation in wins twice in 2010 and 2011 and adds the leading jockey title at Indiana Grand to multiple titles from Mountaineer Park and Sam Houston.
“A special thank you to all the owners and trainers for letting me ride their horses this year,” added Parker. “I got lucky to ride a lot of horses for local trainers. It's been a great year, and I appreciate their support.”
Parker completed the shortened 96-day meet with 106 wins, six ahead of second place finisher Fernando De La Cruz with 100 wins. Both Parker and De La Cruz are only one of eight jockeys who have ever eclipsed the 100-win mark at Indiana Grand, especially impressive with the shortened racing season due to Covid-19 shutdowns earlier this year.
With 106 wins for 2020 at Indiana Grand, Parker moves into eighth place on the list of all-time leading jockeys at Indiana Grand with 391 wins. He has won at least 100 wins each year since 1997. Parker plans to accompany McNerney to Turfway Park this winter.
The post ‘Can’t Put Into Words What This Means’: DeShawn Parker Wins First Indiana Grand Riding Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Genaro Garcia Leading Indiana Grand Trainer For Fourth Consecutive Year
It's been another exceptional year for trainer Genaro Garcia. He earned his fourth straight leading trainer title and his stable, Southwest Racing Stable, earned its second straight leading owner title teaming up with Steve Lewis for the 2020 racing season at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind.
A native of Mexico, horses from Garcia's barn won 43 races and in excess of $900,000 to top the trainer standings. He now has 312 career wins at Indiana Grand to rank fifth among the track's all-time leading trainers.
“This is excellent and I'm so excited,” said Garcia. “I'm really happy for the wins and want to say thank you to everyone on the backside and to Indiana Grand and all my owners for their support. It makes me feel so good. I know this is a job, but I love this business so much and love what I do.”
Although the main proponent of Garcia's barn are older claiming rank horses, 2-year-olds is where his passion falls, and he had a great season with Indiana bred Lookin at Justice, who won the $75,000 Indiana Futurity to close out the meet. The horse is one of many he co-owns with Lewis.
“Two-year olds, that's my passion and my goal,” said Garcia. “We bought the second farm because it has indoor space for us to break babies. I think anyone in this business has these hopes.”
Garcia will divide his massive stable up for the winter, sending a dozen to Oaklawn and most to Turfway Park while keeping the babies near his home base in Greenwood, Ind. Although the meet at Indiana Grand comes to a conclusion, it's not the end of the year for Garcia and Lewis.
Lewis, a businessman from Chicago who is the president of Lewis Floor & Home, has been involved in horse racing for the past 25 years. His racing entities were mainly centered at the Chicagoland tracks and he began to get into the breeding end of the business in Illinois before deciding to make a change to Indiana. He has been breeding in Indiana with Leigh Anne Hopper of R Star Stallions in Anderson, Ind., and asked for a suggestion for trainers. One of the names was Garcia, and it wasn't long before Lewis and Garcia formed a partnership.
“I gave one inexpensive horse to Genaro to train and from there, we basically developed a very good partnership,” said Lewis. “He's the guy that does all the work and it's been an unbelievable meet that exceeded all my expectations. I've been in partnerships in the past, but Genaro is willing to equally invest with me and I'm impressed with the way he keeps a barn and the way the horses are cared for and the quality of help he has. He does things right and I truly appreciate that.”
Lewis noted that they had a couple of setbacks during the season but were able to regroup and move forward. They knew they were in a good spot to potentially get the leading owner award heading into the final two weeks of the meet, and although a few horses didn't make it to the winner's circle, they had one surprise Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Lookin at Justice.
“I have a passion for horse racing and I've often said this is a roller coaster without a seatbelt,” added Lewis. “The last week we had three in that were favorites and they all got beat. The last thing I expected was for Lookin at Justice to run the way he did in the stakes (Indiana Futurity). Genaro has liked him from the start.”
The leading owner title with Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable and Lewis marks the first for him. It completes a solid season that included multiple wins from horses such as Boyfriend Material, French Vanilla, El Bohemio and Naughty Alfred, just to name a few.
“I am very fortunate to have such good owners, especially Bruce Murphy and Steve Lewis,” added Garcia. “They have given me a lot of support and I've very happy for Mr. Steve (Lewis) to earn his first title.”
The post Genaro Garcia Leading Indiana Grand Trainer For Fourth Consecutive Year appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
