March, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

New Home Will Fulfill A Long-Running Dream For The New York Race Track Chaplaincy

From the desk of his cramped office at the New York division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (NYRTCA) on Belmont Park's backstretch, Chaplain Humberto Chavez can gaze out the window at what he calls, “something we've been planning for and dreaming of for years.”

Directly north of the NYRTCA's current office, a team of New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) carpenters, electricians and plumbers are at work constructing the Chaplaincy's new 3,500-square-foot building, which will double the Chaplaincy's current space and become its hub. The new building will house a chapel, a multi-purpose room, a classroom to be named after Hall of Famer and longtime NYRTCA supporter Cot Campbell, and staff offices.

“People ask about the best racing in the country, and we have that in New York,” said Chaplain Chavez. “Great people on the back stretch? We have them as well. What this new building gives us is another big positive for New York racing: a place that will welcome everybody. People will come in and they'll be home. This is something we've dreamed of for a long time. To see it happening is exciting.”

The New York Racetrack Chaplaincy Center, designed by Frost Hurff Architects of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., will ease space issues at its current headquarters, now comprised of two double-wide trailers. The Chaplaincy will continue to utilize the trailers for its weekly food pantry and clothing drive, which are currently held outdoors. A core component of the NYRTCA, the non-denominational services now held at the track's recreation hall, will move into a dedicated chapel within the new building.

A consortium of longtime NYRTCA supporters have contributed major funding to the construction of the new building including the late-Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, former NYRA President & CEO Chris Kay as well as Kenny and Lisa Troutt of WinStar Farm.

Thoroughbred owner and NYRA board member Michael Dubb supplied the bulk of all materials for the new Chaplaincy Center. Mr. Dubb is also the founder and chairman of the Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA) at Belmont Park; and he and his wife, Lee, founded Faith's House, the BCCA childcare center for the backstretch community at Saratoga Race Course, which opened last summer.

The work kicked off on February 7 and is proceeding on-schedule. A groundbreaking ceremony for the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy Center is scheduled for March 28, with a full move-in as early as the fall.

“The Racetrack Chaplaincy provides indispensable services to the backstretch community, and NYRA is proud to be able to make this new building a reality” said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “We congratulate Chaplain Chavez and his team, and look forward to opening the doors of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy Center in short order.”

The NYRTCA dates to 1986 and ministers to the spiritual needs of the backstretch community at all three NYRA racetracks – Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course. In addition to non-denominational prayer services, the NYRTCA provides wide variety of social and educational services to the backstretch community.

Though the Chaplaincy's work with NYRA dates back several decades, the relationship rose to a new level in March 2020 when NYRA was forced to suspend live racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That's when the essential work of caring for the needs of a small city at Belmont Park – anywhere from 450 to 600 backstretch workers living in approximately 500 rooms among 69 cottages, along with hundreds of others living in the local community with their families – took on a new urgency.

Chavez joined NYRA's Preparedness and Response Plan Committee, comprised of key NYRA staff members, along with representatives of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA), the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.),the BCCA and Premise Health. For the next year-and-a-half, the Committee used an effective team approach in dealing with the effects of COVID-19 on the men and women living and working at Belmont Park.

Committee members used the same team approach in providing the most updated information on COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, followed by crucial information on COVID-19 vaccinations. Chavez played a key role in a wide variety of areas and worked as a translator for local health officials and EMTs.

“We're proud of all of the ways in which our team have stepped in as needed during the pandemic while keeping up with regular services like the food pantry, which became a real lifeline at a tough time,” said NYRTCA Board Chairman Terry Finley, who is also the President and CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds. “What this new building will do is help us take the next step in continuing to meet the needs of backstretch workers.”

Chaplain Chavez agreed.

“We're so grateful to the people and organizations that have helped make the new building a reality,” he said. “This marks the start of a new era for our community, and we can't wait.”
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To learn more about the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, visit: https://www.rtcany.org/

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Whistleblower Adrienne Hall Turns In Racing License ‘To Ensure The Integrity Of The Open Federal Cases’

Harness racing owner/trainer Adrienne Hall told Harness Racing Update this week that she has voluntarily relinquished her racing license in the state of New Jersey. Hall said she did so after she was unable to come to an agreement with the racing commission about a hearing date.

Hall testified on Jan. 28 in the federal trial of Dr. Seth Fishman (who was later found guilty), admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs on her horses, and subsequently had her membership in the United States Trotting Association revoked.

However, New Jersey's Meadowlands Racetrack owner Jeff Gural issued a press release on Feb. 3 stating that Hall's horses would continue to be allowed to race at his track. Though that is no longer possible now that Hall has turned in her license, Gural hailed Hall's whistleblower status as a positive for the industry as a whole.

“We disagree with the USTA decision, and we applaud Ms. Hall for coming forward,” Gural said. “To penalize those who testify for the prosecution will only serve to further the already existing notion that 'saying something will only lead to problems for yourself.'”

The Department of Justice still plans to bring Hall in to testify during an additional trial, that of Fishman's former assistant, Lisa Gianelli. Gianelli's trial began prior to Fishman's in January, but was declared a mistrial after the defendant's lawyer tested positive for COVID-19.

A new trial date will be set for Gianelli, but Hall said the Department of Justice asked her not to testify before the racing commission prior to the completion of Gianelli's trial.

“With an additional case still open and possibly headed to trial I was asked to refrain from participating in any open hearings that could compromise my future testimony,” Hall told HRU. “This request was relayed to the state racing commissions. Unfortunately, the NJRC have been unwilling to postpone open hearings, despite my assurances I'm not racing or entering horses at the moment. Because of that, I have voluntarily relinquished my license to ensure the integrity of the open federal cases and the wishes of the Southern District of New York. It is a shame that certain state agencies, including those currently failing to abide by their own state requirements, would choose to undermine larger criminal cases.”

California: One New Orange County Property Under Quarantine After EHM Identified

One additional property in Orange County, Calif., has been placed under quarantine after a 10-year-old Warmblood gelding begin showing neurologic signs. On March 4, the horse tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Two additional horses on the property tested positive for EHV-1. These cases are not linked to any other current EHM incidents in California.

These cases are in addition to the 19 EHV-1 cases formerly found in one Orange County premise (one with EHM, 18 with fever only) and a second location with eight confirmed EHV cases: two EHM and six with fevers, but no neurologic signs.

The San Mateo County EHV outbreak location has had two additional EHV positive cases. In total, three EHM cases and 30 EHV-1, fever only cases have been confirmed.

In Riverside County, three additional horses on the index premise have displayed fevers and were confirmed with EHV-1. These horses are housed outside of the index barn that has been quarantined. To date, there have been three confirmed EHM cases and 30 confirmed EHV-1 cases with fever only at this location.

In LA County, there has been one confirmed case of EHM.

Notes: All premises are under an official quarantine, which will be lifted when all EHV positive horses have two consecutive negative tests seven days apart.

Get an EHM fact sheet here.

Get additional information at the Equine Disease Communication Center.

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At Ukrainian Racetrack, Just Trying to Survive

Olga Bondar makes the trip each day from her home in central Kyiv to the racecourse outside the city to care for and feed her horses. She knows the dangers involved, but she can't abandon her horses. She has no plans to leave a country under siege.

“When I come here, I don't know if I will make it home because anything can happen in war,” she said. “You don't know if you will be alive tomorrow.”

Bondar is a trainer, a driver and the vice director of the Kyiv Hippodrome, one of two racetracks in Ukraine. The Kyiv Hippodrome holds races for various breeds of trotters. The Odessa Hippodrome holds races for trotters and Thoroughbreds. Both tracks have been closed since the Russian invasion began.

According to a report from Radio Free Europe, the Odessa track was built in 1890 by Russian tsars. “There, the wealthy and glamorous gathered to see, be seen, drink champagne, eat caviar, and bet on the best horseflesh in the empire,” the story reads. The track fell on hard times after the fall of the Soviet Union.

A story in the Odessa Journal on the opening day of the track's 2021 season reported on the current state of Ukranian racing and efforts to get people to attend.

“Horse breeding has been going through hard times in Ukraine for many years,” Konstantin Savchits, director of the Odessa Hippodrome, told the paper. “For this we hold such events to popularize equestrian sports. We are trying to involve the inhabitants of Odessa. After all, many do not even know that we have a hippodrome with a very colorful history.”

According to a 2005 report by Reuters, the winning purse at the Kyiv track was about $10 or $15 a race.

But both tracks managed to survive. The Kyiv track raced on Sundays, staying open up until two weeks ago.

“Horse racing has stopped. Our main aim now is to be alive,” Bondar said. “The only thing we can do is support each other and take care of the horses.”

Bondar said that some of those who care for the horses are staying around the clock at the racecourse, believing that it's safer there than elsewhere. But Bondar has the added responsibility of having to look after her elderly mother, who lives in Kyiv. So she makes the commute every day, even if it is not safe.

“The war is taking place about 20 kilometers from the Hippodrome,” she said. “We can hear them shooting.”

Training has also been halted. The best they can do for now is to walk the horses. There are 150 racehorses on the grounds, she said, plus another 200 pleasure horses. Everyone is doing what they can to pitch in.

“Some of our people are off fighting,” she said. “Some people have evacuated. But we have people who are coming in to feed the horses, to help them. It is difficult. We are fighting and we are struggling and people are afraid. Nothing is normal because there is a war. We are scared. Before the invasion, I could not believe this was possible. The things you are seeing on TV, it is really happening. It is awful.”

Bondar's biggest concern is that she will run out of hay to feed the horses. She said they have enough for now, but that could change.

“Every day we are trying to buy some hay but it is difficult because you can't go to all the villages where you can buy hay,” she said. “We do not know what will happen tomorrow. We try to get through every day and then decide the next step. We have enough feed for about one month. If the war continues, we will have difficulty feeding the horses.”

Against Russia's military might, the Ukrainians are facing long odds, but Bondar has not lost hope.

“Yes, I am sure we will win,” she said. “It is just a question of time. We are staying strong.”

That's all she can do for now, stay strong. She has to. Her horses need her.

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