March, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Federal Trade Commission Approves HISA Racetrack Safety Rules, Accreditation Standards

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Friday approved the rules and accreditation standards that comprise the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Racetrack Safety Program, marking a major milestone in HISA's mission to protect the wellbeing of equine and human athletes along with the integrity of the sport. With the FTC's approval, HISA will now move forward with robust industry education efforts ahead of the program's July 1, 2022, implementation date.

“The Racetrack Safety Program's multi-faceted approach will enable veterinarians, horsemen and all racing participants to optimize the safety of every horse before they set foot on the track while also increasing our understanding of the conditions that contribute to equine injuries,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “The importance of this program cannot be overstated as we build on advances the industry has already made by implementing national, uniform rules and regulations, increasing accountability, and using data- and research-driven solutions to enhance the safety of our horses and jockeys. We sincerely believe that this data will generate the information we need to help prolong equine and jockey careers.”

In drafting the rules, the Racetrack Safety Committee examined existing rules and best practices in addition to seeking input from state racing commissions, racing participants and other experts and industry organizations in a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process. The interested public had further opportunities to provide input on the draft rules via the HISA website and during the FTC's public comment period. Highlights of the Racetrack Safety Program include:

Expanded veterinary oversight;
Surface maintenance and measurement standards;
Enhanced reporting requirements;
Collection and analysis of medication, treatment, injury, and fatality data;
A voided claim rule;
The transfer of claimed horses' medical information; and
Jockey concussion and medical care reporting.

Starting on July 1, all tracks that are accredited with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) will receive interim accreditation, while tracks that are not accredited with the NTRA will be granted a one-year provisional accreditation and be given a reasonable period to achieve compliance as long as they are demonstrating continuous progress. HISA intends to work with individual racetracks and state racing jurisdictions, recognizing that compliance with new legal requirements on day one is not realistic.

“We are gratified that after a rigorous process, the FTC has overwhelmingly approved the Racetrack Safety regulations and national accreditation standards. The next step in the process will be for HISA to share cost assessments with each of the states by April 1, 2022,” explained Dr. Susan Stover, Chair of the Racetrack Safety Committee. “These new rules will decrease fatalities by detecting horses with mild pre-existing conditions through expanded veterinary oversight and the review of medication and treatment records and training histories. They will also provide a window into understanding and preventing the development of mild injuries in the first place via uniform surface maintenance standards and ongoing data analysis.”

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Times Union Spotlights Slaughter Pipeline Issues

A report published March 4 from the Albany Times Union spotlights the ongoing aftercare issues in the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing industries in New York. The report examines the case of Tender Boy, who last ran at Finger Lakes in November 2021 and showed up on social media as being in a kill pen in Pennsylvania the following month.

Timothy Murphy, horse's owner/trainer, told the Times Union he had spent two years trying to rehabilitate the horse from a serious hoof issue, but that Tender Boy's return to the races was not successful. Murphy said he gave the horse away and the Thoroughbred later ended up at a livestock auction, where he was purchased by Bruce Rotz. Rotz maintains a contract with a horse meat plant in Canada.

Upon recovery from Rotz's kill pen, rescue advocates told the newspaper they thought the horse had been drugged at the auction and was revealed to have significant laminitis, which they believed had been brewing for as much as six months.

According to reporting from the Times Union, 13 trucks carried horses from Rotz's facility in Shippensburg, Penn., to Quebec loaded with horses for slaughter in an 11-week period in early 2020. A total of 350 horses were carried on those loads; of those, records indicated 16 were Thoroughbreds and 119 were Standardbreds. It's uncertain what the breed composition is of the horses exported to Canada or Mexico for human consumption, but some rescue advocates have indicated Thoroughbreds may be under-represented in the scant available paperwork or unofficial surveys of kill pens because some may be sent “direct ship” to protect the identities of their racing connections.

A new law recently passed in New York now prohibits the transportation of horses for the purposes of slaughter, which will lengthen the journey to Canada for those originating in Pennsylvania, as they now must skirt the state.

New York is the only state so far to implement regulations specifically prohibiting racehorses or racingstock from entering the slaughter pipeline. Questions remain about how those regulations will be enforced.

U.S. Wagering, Purses Climb in February

Total wagering on U.S. races topped $911 million and purse money exceeded $75 million in the month of February, according to statistics released Friday by Equibase.

Compared to the $840.5 million wagered on U.S. races in 2021, the current figure represented a healthy gain of 8.39% while purse money rose by a whopping 22.09%. The number of U.S. race days and number of races run each increased by double digits, though average field size and the average wagering per race day declined modestly. Average purses per race day were $295,009, an increase of 4.04% over 2021.

When compared to February 2020, weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began to wreak havoc on North American racing, wagering this year was ahead by 1.09%, while U.S. purses were down by about 2%.

The post U.S. Wagering, Purses Climb in February appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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1/ST Saturday: 12 Percent Takeout On Coast To Coast All Turf Stakes Pick 5, All Dirt Stakes Pick 5

Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park will embark upon their inaugural 1/ST Saturday promotion tomorrow, featuring 15 stakes, six at Santa Anita and nine from Gulfstream.

In addition to unrivaled world class racing, a number of outstanding wagering opportunities will be available, including a pair of one dollar Pick Fives with a low takeout of 12 percent, the 1/ST Coast to Coast ALL TURF STAKES Pick 5 and the 1/ST Coast to Coast ALL DIRT STAKES Pick 5.

COAST TO COAST ALL TURF STAKES PICK 5

12:10 PT Leg 1: $125,000 Palm Beach—Gulfstream, Race 7

1:10 PT Leg 2: $150,000 Honey Fox (G3)—Gulfstream Race 9

1:58 PT Leg 3: $200,000 Buena Vista (G2)—Santa Anita Race 5

3:12 PT Leg 4: $125,000 Hercomesthebride (G3)—Gulfstream Race 13

4:29 PT Leg 5: $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1)—Santa Anita Race 10

COAST TO COAST ALL DIRT STAKES PICK 5

1:28 PT Leg 1: $200,000 San Carlos (G2)—Santa Anita Race 4

1:40 PT Leg 2 $200,000 Gulfstream Mile (G2)—Gulfstream Race 10

2:30 PT Leg 3 $400,000 San Felipe (G2)—Santa Anita Race 6

2:42 PT Leg 4 $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2)—Gulfstream Race 12

5:00 PT Leg 5 $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1)—Santa Anita Race 11

Following is a timeline of 1/ST Saturday races and wagering details:

12 noon First Post at Santa Anita, Admission Gates Open at 10 a.m.

1/ST Coast to Coast ALL TURF STAKES Pick 5 (begins at 12:10 PT with Gulfstream's Race 7)

1/ST Coast to Coast ALL DIRT STAKES Pick 5 (begins at 1:28 PT with Santa Anita's Race 4)

Please note, these wagers are a $1 minimum, with 12 percent Player Friendly Takeout.

Additionally, if you are wagering on-track, please select “1DN” (Dirt) or “1TN” (Turf) under the “Track/Event” tab.

When wagering on-track, please make your selections per race
When wagering on-track with live tellers, please request the Coast to Coast Dirt Pick 5 or the Coast to Coast Turf Pick 5

FOR THOSE WAGERING ONLINE:

Wagers will be listed under “Tracks” or “Tracks List”: “1/ST TURF P5” or “1/ST DIRT P5”
Players are asked to please make their online wagers per race

Click here for more details on how to play.

For additional information about 1/ST SATURDAY, please visit 1st.com/saturday.

The post 1/ST Saturday: 12 Percent Takeout On Coast To Coast All Turf Stakes Pick 5, All Dirt Stakes Pick 5 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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