Month: October 2022

Martin: Federal Funding Would Lessen HISA Hit On Industry

In an interview Wednesday morning with Steve Byk on Sirius Satellite Radio, RCI President Ed Martin challenged the Thoroughbred racing industry to press Senator Mitch McConnell to include a $50,000,000 federal appropriation during the upcoming “lame duck” congressional session as a way to help launch HISA's anti-doping program and prevent substantial new regulatory costs on racetracks and horsemen.

Martin, a former US Senate aide in his younger years, said he was surprised McConnell didn't provide any funding for HISA in the $1.4 Trillion dollar COVID Bill that empowered the newly created not for profit to regulate safety and doping matters in Thoroughbred racing.

“There was a ton of money in that bill for all sorts of things but not one penny for horseracing,” Martin said. “Not a dime.”

The bill that McConnell helped push through as the then Majority Leader included, among other things:

    • $20 billion for new Economic Injury Disaster Loan Grants for businesses in low-income communities.
    • $15 billion in funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions.
    • $3.5 billion for continued Small Business Administration debt relief payments.
    • $2 billion for enhancements to Small Business Administration programs.

“It would seem to me that those who advocated for the legislation missed a golden opportunity to make sure that HISA would not prove too costly for an industry and sport struggling to compete,” he said. “Capitol Hill was talking billions for this and billions for that. Having observed and been a fan of Senator McConnell over the years, I am sure he could have found a way to slip $50 million in somewhere. It's not too late, but the curtain is going up on this show.”

Byk asked Martin if Congress might delay HISA implementation as some have proposed.

“I am assuming this starts on time, but if tracks or owners don't like this new bill, they should press Senator McConnell and their Congressmen to put some money behind this,” he said.

“No doubt Senator McConnell cares about horse racing. This was his federal initiative and it's time to put some money behind it. The Congress has taken this responsibility away from the states and given it to a newly created not for profit along with unlimited taxing authority. $73 million is the bill they came up with. Now it's time to support what he created,” Martin said.

Martin predicted that only a few states would actually be in a position to help HISA by paying the assessments. Under HISA's funding scheme, the costs are imposed on racetracks to pay and determine payment details.

“If the tracks and owners don't like the bills that are coming, now is the time to be heard on Capitol Hill,” he concluded.

Martin said that since Breeders Cup will take place in Kentucky in a few weeks, Senator McConnell might attend and it would be an opportunity for prominent people in the industry to press him to put money behind this.

“I would hope he would not turn his back on such requests,” he said.

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Classic Causeway Faces Full Field In Keeneland’s Bryan Station

Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper's Classic Causeway, winner of the Belmont Derby (G1), heads a field of 12 3-year-olds plus four also-eligibles entered Wednesday for Saturday's 18th running of the $300,000 Bryan Station (G3) at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

Run at a mile on the grass, the Bryan Station will go as the eighth race Saturday afternoon with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Classic Causeway comes into Saturday's race off a seventh-place finish in the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) on Oct. 8, his first try against older runners. In his other grass tries, Classic Causeway finished third in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) and the Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3).

Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on Classic Causeway and will break from post five.

Three Grade 2 winners are in the field: Three Diamonds Farm and Deuce Greathouse's Stolen Base, winner of the American Turf in May at Churchill Downs; Jeremy Brooks' Wow Whata Summer, winner of the Penn Mile in June at Penn National; and Donegal Racing's Ready to Purrform, winner of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in August at Saratoga.

The field for the Bryan Station, with riders and weights from the inside, is:

  1. Ready to Purrform (Joel Rosario, 122 pounds)
  2. Balnikhov (IRE) (Tyler Gaffalione, 118)
  3. Fort Washington (James Graham, 118)
  4. Axthelm (Luis Saez, 118)
  5. Classic Causeway (Hernandez Jr., 122)
  6. Portfolio Company (Florent Geroux, 118)
  7. Double Clutch (Corey Lanerie, 118)
  8. Wit (Jose Ortiz, 118)
  9. Wow Whata Summer (Rey Gutierrez, 122)
  10. Fuerteventura (John Velazquez, 118)
  11. Stolen Base (Gerardo Corrales, 122)
  12. Play Action Pass (Jose Lezcano, 118).

Also-eligibles: Red Danger (Julien Leparoux, 118), Underdressed (Edgar Morales, 118), Churchtown (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Dakota Gold (Luis Saez, 118).

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First Captain Headlines Closing Day Fayette At Keeneland

West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing's First Captain headlines a field of six entered Wednesday for Saturday's 65th running of the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

Serving as the main attraction on the Fall Meet's closing-day program that features three stakes, the Hagyard Fayette will go as the ninth race with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, First Captain comes into Saturday's race off a third-place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) behind Olympiad, one of the leading contenders for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Luis Saez has the mount and will break from post position four.

First Captain will share top weight of 123 pounds with Willis Horton Racing's Last Samurai and Juddmonte's Fulsome.

Last Samurai, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, has compiled a 6-1-1-1 record in 2022 with the victory coming in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount and will break from post six.

Fulsome, a four-time Grade 3 winner for Brad Cox, has won three of five starts in 2022 with the highlight being the Oaklawn Mile (G3) in April. Florent Geroux has the mount and will break from post three.

The field for the Hagyard Fayette, with riders and weights from the rail, is:

  1. West Will Power (Joel Rosario, 121 pounds)
  2. Chess Chief (Rey Gutierrez, 121)
  3. Fulsome (Geroux, 123)
  4. First Captain (Saez, 123)
  5. King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121)
  6. Last Samurai (Gaffalione, 123)

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TAA’s ‘Celebrating Ten Years’ Premieres At Kentucky Theatre Equine Film Festival During Breeders’ Cup Week

In honor of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)'s 10-year anniversary, the Official Aftercare Partner of the Breeders' Cup will premiere its short film, 'Celebrating Ten Years' at The Kentucky Theatre's Horse: An Equine Film Festival.

The historic downtown Lexington theatre will host the weeklong film festival from October 31 to November 4, 2022. The TAA's ten-minute film, 'Celebrating Ten Years,' is scheduled to premiere three times at The Kentucky Theatre:
7:40 PM on Tuesday, November 1 before 'Secretariat'
7:30 PM on Thursday, November 3 before the documentary, 'Born to Rein'
1:30 PM on Friday, November 4 before 'Born to Rein'

“Located, as we are, in the heart of horse country, The Kentucky Theatre is honored to host the premiere of a film that celebrates an organization that has done so much to promote the welfare of retired racehorses,” said The Kentucky Theatre director, Hayward Wilkirson.

Produced by Emmy Award winner, Steve Scheidler, 'Celebrating Ten Years' features interviews from major proponents in Thoroughbred racing and aftercare advocacy including John Phillips, Michael Blowen, Terry Finley, Dora Delgado, Jeffrey Bloom, Dale Romans, Madeline Auerbach, Jimmy Bell, Natalie Voss, Nick Zito, and Nicole Walker.

“The TAA has made a remarkable impact on the sport in 10 short years,” said producer, Steve Scheidler. “They have not only helped address issues of animal welfare in horse racing, but also led us to a new level of stewardship. A stewardship that compels us to continue to educate, advise, fund and care for something so critical, and to remind us always that at the end of the day– it's all about the Horse. It's been an honor to be a small part of sharing their story.”

'Celebrating 10 Years' is a short film that highlights the North American Thoroughbred industry's initiative in the care of Thoroughbred racehorses after the conclusion of their careers on the racetrack. An international project that has provided a safety net for thousands of retired racehorses, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance celebrates 10 years of service in 2022.

“The industry has taken major steps forward in terms of their understanding of aftercare in the last ten years, but now the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance must tackle the misconception that the problem of aftercare has been solved when, in fact, there is so much more work to be done,” said TAA operations consultant, Stacie Clark Rogers. “'Celebrating Ten Years,' pays homage to the last decade of TAA and we hope it ignites viewers to support not only the TAA's mission but Thoroughbred aftercare as a whole.”

Movie tickets are $6.50 per person and can be purchased in-person or online at Kentuckytheatre.org.

About the Kentucky Theatre

The Kentucky Theatre is a unique Lexington treasure. A century old, The Kentucky has a vibrant historic past and deep roots in the community. A nonprofit cultural institution, The Kentucky is dedicated to presenting the best of independent, documentary, world, repertory, and classic cinema in a stunning architectural setting.

About the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Based in Lexington, KY, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, rehome, and retire Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from its original partners Breeders' Cup, The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, the TAA is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members. Since inception in 2012, the TAA has granted more than $24.5 million to accredited aftercare organizations. Currently 82 aftercare organizations and approximately 180 facilities across North America have been granted accreditation. To learn more about the TAA, visit ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

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