June, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

National Stud Diploma Graduation

Edited Press Release

The 2022 Diploma cohort from the National Stud graduated on Friday 24th of June with family, friends and industry guests in attendance at the Joan Westbrook Lecture Theatre.

“This group of students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are all going onto full time roles within the industry.” said CEO Anna Kerr. “It has been one of our busiest seasons to date with a record number of mares covered and the experience they have gained will give them an excellent foundation to build from. Industry recruitment and giving our students the best possible start to their careers is a key focus, and we are continually looking at how we can expand and develop our education programme.”

Champion Trainer John Gosden was the key note speaker and shared experiences from the early days of his career in California, he also highlighted the international career opportunities available for those willing to work and learn.

The Tim Dunlop Memorial Award for Top Student was presented to Rosanna Rushworth from Surrey, who is going to join the team at Watership Down Stud for the sales season. “The course covers such a broad spectrum of topics, so you can develop your interests but also build on your weaknesses too. It's great working alongside people like Rob who have worked in Australia, as you learn from them too.”

The Watership Down Stud Best Practical Award was presented this year to Rob Moss from Wigan. Rob is also the recipient of the Sandra Llyod Memorial Scholarship sponsored by Far Westfield Farm. He is now travelling to Kentucky for a sales season with Taylor Made. “The short term aim is to keep on travelling and learning from other people, so I'm grateful for this opportunity.” said Rob. “I've already seen different ways of doing things to achieve the same success at Eureka Stud and the National Stud, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they do it at Taylor Made. I'd also like to gain experience of how things are done in a training yard at some point, but I see myself working on studs in the long term.”

The Alborada Trust Most Improved Student is awarded to the individual that has made the greatest and most consistent progress throughout the course. This was awarded to Shona Murphy from Kildare who is going on to join the marketing team at Darley.

The John Pearce Foundation Award of Merit was won by Jonathan Smith. This prize is given to the student who demonstrated a commitment to a career in the breeding industry. Jonathan is going to be doing the sales season with Whitsbury Manor before taking up a position with WinStar in Kentucky.

Each year the Gerald Leigh Trust award a bursary for professional development–this year it proved too difficult to split the candidates and so two bursaries were generously awarded to Rob Moss and Dylan Williams.

Jamie Smith from Bolton is going straight from the National Stud onto the Godolphin Flying Start. “The course is amazing,” says Jamie. “The lecture program is second to none and I've not missed one. It's not just about the opportunities, I feel I've learned as much from other students in the same way they think they've learned from me about racing.”

Applications for the 2023 Diploma course are now open, contact students@nationalstud.co.uk for more information.

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Anna House Graduation: Child Care and So Much More

Finding affordable quality day care is a struggle most working parents face, but for parents working on the backstretches of America's racetracks, the combination of low pay and early hours make it even more of a challenge. For years, too many backstretch parents were forced to leave their children in less-than-ideal situations or drive to work at 5 a.m. with their kids sleeping in the back of their car.

But in the late 1990s, after talking to his good friend Jerry Bailey about the situation, Michael Dubb took matters into his own hands and built Anna House, a model day care program for backstretch workers located right in the Belmont barn area.

This past Tuesday, a dozen children graduated from the program, and will head to the local public school system this fall. But the Anna House care doesn't stop there. Early-morning care, breakfast, after-school care, tutoring, summer programs, and literacy programs for parents are all a part of the remarkable and comprehensive system overseen by the Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA).

“Most of the children come from bilingual families, and so we teach them English first and foremost,” said Dubb. “We teach them computer skills. We teach them arts and crafts. We teach them interaction. We teach them gardening. We teach them how to play chess. We teach them how to climb walls. We teach them how to build character and confidence. And it really sets them up for life. These are happy, exuberant kids ready for the challenges that life is going to bring them and ready to excel.”

For the past 10 years, Libby Imperio has served as the President of the BCCA, and oversees fundraising, grants to expand the programs offered, and more.

“I became involved because my husband and I went to their Saratoga fundraiser, Racing for the Children. And they had a wish list asking for diapers, books, changing tables, formula and with the thousands of fundraisers we go to, no one had ever asked me for a specific item before, and it really tugged at my heart. That was the beginning. And I just kept asking, `What can I do? What can I do?'”

Years later, she knows the answer.

Since its inception, Anna House has gone beyond educating preschool children and has expanded its programs to parent literacy, basic childcare, and more.

“I'm so proud of our expansions,” said Imperio. “Our first expansion was after-school tutoring, which we provide to up until 13 years old. Then we took that concept and provided a school-age program, so our graduates and even kids that did not originally attend here who are in elementary school, when they have the day off or school vacation, they have now a safe and healthy and nurturing place to attend. And we have about 20 kids enrolled in that program.”

The BCCA and Dubb built Faith House in Saratoga so that workers relocated for the eight weeks could bring their children knowing they would have a safe place to go for a summer which involves both learning and fun.

They also provide basic life and childcare skills. “We joined with the other backstretch charities, BEST and the Racetrack Chaplaincy to develop `The ABCs of Life' for the mothers of the backstretch,” she said. “That course is teaching things that we all take for granted: how to write a check, nutrition on a low income, basic health and dentistry for children, cooking, and just your basic ABCs of life. But my favorite program has become the women's literacy program. It started out with about just five moms on the backstretch, and we now have about 25 mothers. And it makes me so happy because that just will help not just themselves, but their children as they go forward in life.”

Tuesday's graduation was the 20^th time that the Anna House kids left the program to head for the public schools, and Dubb said that some of them were now circling back.

“I've seen familiar faces back here at the racetrack working,” said Dubb. “But one of them, a young child at the racetrack named Angel Torres whose father was an assistant trainer, he was a child of the backstretch, and went on from here to get his college degree. And he's one of the now one of the top financial people at my company.”

Anna House's most important fundraiser is coming up at Saratoga, said Imperio-the very event she attended all those years ago which inspired her involvement. Every year, the BCCA needs to raise $1.7 million for operations.

“Our biggest fundraiser of the year is Racing for the Children, being held in downtown Saratoga August 25th at the Universal Preservation Building (at 25 Washington Street). It's a new location for us this year, so we're really excited about it. I think it will be a beautiful event.”

Dubb said that initially, he saw the need and thought as a builder, he could fix it, and move on.

“When I built this, I really just wanted to donate a building and ride off into the sunset,” he said. “But I couldn't do it. And in 20 years, I'm most proud of the children and I'm most proud of their parents. This is the real American dream. Come here to work hard and to do right by your kids. That's what my grandparents did. And I'm just so happy that I can share my good fortune and make this happen, but it's really not about me. This is the gift that keeps giving to me. It brings me more pleasure than anything else on the racetrack-more pleasure than winning any kind of race. A race is for a moment, but a child's life is for a lifetime. And knowing that we're making a difference, really, that's what really, really drives me.”

To make a donation to Anna House, or to learn more about their upcoming fundraisers, visit www.belmontchildcare.org.

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HISA Questions and Answers: Part Four

On Thursday, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority updated some important rules and deadlines concerning the impending racetrack safety portion launch of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA).

The Authority-the umbrella non-profit established by the Act-noted among other things that the registration deadline for certain “covered persons” has been pushed back a day, to July 2, and clarified some details about the transfer of claimed horse records.

Since issuing a cheat sheet to help guide industry participants through this process, the TDN has been fielding unanswered questions industry participants have about the process to register, and about the anticipated playing field come July 1, forwarding them to HISA for response.

The first three batches of reader questions, alongside HISA's responses, can be found here, here and here.

The latest batch of answers is below. Some of the questions have been edited for brevity and clarity.

The TDN has forwarded every question received, most of them concerned with the impending launch date, but some of them much broadly focused on the federal law in general and the draft Anti-Doping and Medication Control program.

Some of you might still be waiting for a response, however, because the organization has focused its attention to answering questions related to racetrack safety and registration, given the “push” to July 1, explained a HISA spokesperson.

HISA's formal website can be found here, and the online registration portal can be found here. Feedback on the draft ADMC rules should be sent to: admcfeedback@hisaus.org

Question: My main concern is with regards to the “responsible person” for a racehorse when they are given time off after leaving the racetrack, with the intention of returning to training after a lay-up or freshening. I feel that asking owners, many of whom are hands-off or elderly, to be responsible for record keeping, etc. while their horses are out of training, is a little unrealistic. If racehorses go to a lay-up farm that is not a “covered” facility, will HISA rules still apply?

HISA: The maintenance of medical and therapeutic records is still required during a lay-up period. The trainer can remain the responsible party if the owner agrees. Veterinary records need to be uploaded by the treating vet when a horse is at a lay-up facility.

Q: How do partners register their horses? My husband and I are considered partners? Do we each file separately? Or do we file as one owner, with both our names? Do we file as we are listed in the Daily Racing Form?

H: You both will need to register with HISA as owners, but only one of you has to be listed as the designated owner. The designated owner will be allowed to share information with other owners if they are registered.

Q: Why aren't Sales Companies (and consignors that are training young horses) covered under the rules as the 2-year-olds (and some are already named) breeze at these sales and the results are published?

H: The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act did not give HISA the authority to regulate Sales Companies.

Q: Where can I read the best description of what a trainer at a local training center is required to do and track?

H: Recommend reviewing this fact sheet on HISA Trainer Requirements.

Q: Why is the use of therapeutic products like Bemer blankets and Magna Wave no longer going to be allowed within 48 hours of racing? It just doesn't make sense that we're prohibiting therapeutic treatments that make horses comfortable and don't affect their performance unless being comfortable is considered affecting performance.

H: It would be incorrect to say that the use of therapeutic products (like Beemer blankets and Magna Wave) is no longer going to be allowed. Therapeutic devices can be used in the treatment of racehorses. These devices are prohibited only when they would induce a pain masking effect (not a curative therapeutic effect) that would compromise the ability to determine an unsoundness in a horse before a high-speed event (timed work or race). The intent of the rule is to prevent horses that have an injury that was masked by pain relief from having a severe or catastrophic injury by performing a high-speed work or race while injured.

Q: What treatment do you recommend for a horse that has “popped” a curb or a splint now that firing/freeze firing/blistering are off the table?

H: Please see Announcement Concerning Enforcement of HISA Racetrack Safety Rules and Registration Requirements linked here.

Q: If claims can be voided if a horse bleeds and HISA has taken the simplest and most effective of treatments off the table with the banning of Lasix, how does this help the welfare and safety of the horse? People will resort to inhumane ways (that were used before Lasix was permitted) in order to get bleeders to a race.

H: Lasix are not prohibited under the Racetrack Safety Program which goes into effect July 1.

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Arqana August Catalogue Online

The catalogue for the Aug. 13-15 Arqana August Yearling Sale is online and can be viewed at www.arqana.com. Having already produced the likes of Angel Bleu, Hello You, Mangoustine, Rougir, Sealiway, Noble Truth, Meditate and Skalleti, the 2022 renewal is comprised of 313 yearlings which will be sold over three days, a departure from the two-day format previously. The sales times are as follows:

Saturday, Aug. 13: 2p.m. – lot 1 to 145
Sunday, Aug. 14: 5.30p.m. – lot 146 to 230
Monday, Aug. 15: 5.30p.m. – lot 231 to 313

Stallions represented this year include Adlerflug, Arrogate, Camelot, Churchill, Dark Angel, Dubawi, Frankel, Galileo, Galiway, Justify, Kingman, Kodiac, Lope De Vega, New Bay, Night Of Thunder, No Nay Never, Sea The Stars, Shamardal, Siyouni, War Front, Wootton Bassett and Zarak.

The catalogue, which features 17 siblings to Group 1 winners, includes:

lot 10: a brother to Sealiway, Champion S. and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère winner, offered from Haras de Colleville
lot 21: the second foal by Shamardal out of group winner Lady Frankel, a 3/4 brother to Lope De Vega, from Gestüt Ammerland
lot 62: a half-sister by Siyouni to the champion Native Trail, last year's Champion 2-Year-Old and the winner of the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas this season, from Haras d'Haspel
lot 66: a daughter of Too Darn Hot out of dual group Winner Night Music, from the family of Classic winner Night Magic, from Haras du Cadran
lot 93: a half-sister by Decorated Knight to Nashwa, winner of the G1 Prix de Diane Longines, from the first ever consignment from Blue Diamond Stud at Deauville;
lot 154: a brother to Sottsass (Siyouni), also a half-brother to Sistercharlie and My Sister Nat, from Ecurie des Monceaux
lot 171: a half-brother by Intello to dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine TREVE, from Haras du Quesnay
lot 220: a half-brother by Too Darn Hot to Classic Winner Beauty Parlour, from the close family of MIGHT AND POWER, from Baroda Stud
lot 234: a daughter of Sea The Stars, the first foal out of Channel, the Prix de Diane Longines winner, from La Motteraye Consignment
lot 276: a brother to G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp scorer WOODED (Wootton Bassett), from Haras d'Etreham.

For more information, visit www.arqana.com.

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