December, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rosella Hunter Named Business Manager Of National Steeplechase Association

A critical job in any office rests on the shoulders of its business manager, and effective Dec. 1, the National Steeplechase Association has a new one in Rosella Hunter, a native Californian who now makes the NSA's base of Fair Hill, MD., her home.

Besides running the office, Hunter, an equestrian with an eclectic background, will shoulder all financial matters, including general and horseman's bookkeeping, and insurance. In addition, she will act as liaison, servicing all licensed owners, trainers, and riders. Rosella can be reached via e-mail at rosella@nationalsteeplechase.com.

Growing up in a small farming community on the central coast of California, Hunter moved East, to Fair Hill, to campaign an eventer in 2007, and never looked back.

“I grew up showing horses on the West Coast, which led me to working with trainers at Golden Gate Fields, Bay Meadows, and some of the Southern circuit racetracks to re-train and re-home Thoroughbreds retired from racing,” Hunter said.

While attending the University of California at Fresno, Hunter studied agriculture business and pre-veterinary medicine, earning a bachelor of science degree.

With a growing interest in the Thoroughbred industry, Hunter landed a job with WinStar Farm in Kentucky after graduation, where she was foreman of the barren/maiden barn and helped keep watch over the newborn foals at night. Next, she moved on to WinStar's yearling division, prepping them for the sales at the farm and handling them in the ring.

Following her relocation to Fair Hill, Hunter purchased a barn at the Training Center and also continued her education at the University of Delaware, becoming a certified paralegal. But her resume doesn't end there. A licensed realtor in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, Hunter has managed the daily operations for a racehorse trainer, been an executive assistant for a property developer, and business manager for an excavation company.

Living near Fair Hill has its perks, and Hunter enjoys being able to walk her English Lab, Crew, and hacking out on her former lead pony turned pasture pet. In addition, she's an avid fisherman and in the warmer months can be found on her boat exploring the Eastern Shore.

What was it about the NSA job that attracted her?

“I love equestrian sports in general, but racing especially. I have a great appreciation for the horse and human athletes, as well as all the hard work and countless hours that are invested by everyone behind the stable gate. Now that I'm not hands-on in the barn, supporting our horsemen with a well organized and professional association, like the NSA, is the next best thing. My hope is to provide excellent service and support to our members, jockeys, and volunteers, and help grow our sport across the region.”

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Santa Anita To Offer Three Distinct Turf Options During Winter Meet

With an ever-increasing demand for more turf racing nationwide, Santa Anita Park is now positioned to offer fans and horsemen three distinct turf options at sprint and route distances—from its one-of-a-kind Camino Real Hillside Turf, 6 ½ furlong (flat) turf chute and main turf oval, all of which promise to afford fans and horsemen an unmatched set of racing and gambling opportunities this winter beginning on Santa Anita's Classic Meet opening day, Monday, Dec. 26.

Although weather is always a concern in carding races on turf, Santa Anita could now card perhaps more than half of its races on grass this winter.

“Having 10 different options over three courses gives us great flexibility in writing turf races here at Santa Anita,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita's Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “Over the past several years, the demand for turf racing has grown substantially. Whereas it comprised about 30 percent of our racing product 10 years ago, turf racing now accounts for more than half the races we offer. This is in large part a testament to the great work our Track Supervisor Jesse Martinez and his crew have done to maintain our turf and keep it in great shape.

“With the Camino Real Hillside Course coming back online for the Autumn 2021 Meet and the installation of our new turf chute in late 2020, we now have the ability to do something we had never before been able to do at Santa Anita, and that is, run turf races back-to-back on any given race day. Weather permitting, we intend to use all three facets of our turf presentation, the downhill, turf chute and turf oval, as much as possible throughout the Classic Meet.”

Santa Anita's turf chute, which was installed under the direction of Track Surfaces Consultant Dennis Moore beginning in the summer of 2020, came online Dec. 26 of that year and has now proven to be an invaluable complement to the track's European-style Camino Real Turf Course, which was unveiled on Dec. 26, 1953.

The Camino Real Course features a downhill component with the only right-hand turn in American Racing as horses sprint about 6 ½ furlongs downhill. The course is also comprised of a seven furlong oval, enabling routes with a downhill start at 1 ¼ miles, 1 ½ half miles and at 1 ¾ miles. Horses routing at one mile and at 1 1/8 miles, each begin with a “flat” start.

“Our Camino Real Turf Course is truly one-of-a-kind,” said Merz. “It's as important to Santa Anita's identity as anything you can think of. Wherever you go, if racing people know you're associated with Santa Anita, they invariably talk about the beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains as a backdrop and our downhill Camino Real Turf Course, there simply isn't anything like all of this in American racing.”

With an ever-increasing number of foreign-born or raced turf horses being imported from around the world, and an increasing number of races carded on turf, Santa Anita is also well-positioned operationally, to make adjustments during the course of each race day.

“Our ability to move the inner rail has proven to be a huge factor in keeping the course in good condition,” said Merz. “The key is to be able to run as much as we can on the turf while keeping it as fresh as possible. Jesse Martinez takes regular readings from the rail out at various points on the course and the data he provides lets us know when it's time to move the inner rail and how far.

“Additionally, we now have the ability to adjust the rails on the fly, during racing, as Jesse's crew can get the entire oval done in under an hour. We typically aim to use the zero and 10 foot settings on weekends and the 20 and 30 foot settings during weekday racing. Again, weather is a big factor here, but the key to all of this is the communication Jesse and his team provide us with.

“Collectively, we all take great pride in helping to provide our fans and horsemen with what is in my opinion, the best winter turf racing in America.”

Originally introduced in the summer of 2016, Santa Anita's turf course is comprised of Bandera Bermuda hybrid turf which is overseeded with winter rye on a seasonal basis.

With entries for opening day set to be taken on Dec. 21, Santa Anita will offer a total of six graded stakes, three of them on grass, headed by the Grade I, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and one quarter.

Additionally, a pair of Grade II, $200,000 stakes, the Santa Anita Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds and the San Gabriel, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth, will also be run on turf.

Special early first post time on opening day, Monday, Dec. 26, will be at 11 a.m. For additional information, fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com or to call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Santa Anita To Offer Three Distinct Turf Options During Winter Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Orlando Noda Fined $5,000, Suspended 90 Days For Striking A Horse Excessively During Workout

Trainer Orlando Noda has been fined $5,000 and suspended for 90 days by the New York State Gaming Commission in relation to an incident which occurred in August of 2021, according to NYSGC director of communications Brad Maione.

On Aug. 15, 2021, state steward Braulio Baeza, Jr. issued a notice of violation to Thoroughbred trainer and exercise rider Orlando Noda for actions detrimental to the best interests of racing for striking a horse excessively while working the horse out at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 5, 2021. Baeza imposed a $5,000 fine, but Noda requested a hearing, staying collection of the fine.

A hearing was conducted on Feb. 16, 2022, and March 28, 2022. The hearing officer submitted a report to the Commission's Secretary dated November 1, 2022, recommending that the Commission dismiss the charges.

The commission voted unanimously to reject the hearing officer's report and recommendations, instead issuing Noda a $5,000 fine and 90-day license suspension. Noda was also ordered to complete an anger management course as a condition for reinstatement.

Noda's penalties will go into effect upon formal issuance of the Commission's findings and order (expected within a few days).

The NYSGC also issued a $2,500 fine and 30-day suspension to clocker Richard Gazer.

On May 19, 2022, Baeza issued a notice of violation to Thoroughbred racing clocker Richard Gazer for altering a horse's workout time while training at Belmont Park to make the horse eligible to race. Baeza imposed a 30-day license suspension and a $2,500 fine, but Gazer requested a hearing, which stayed enforcement against his license.

According to the Daily Racing Form, the horse in question was the Randi Persaud-trained Papi On Ice. After being beaten 26 3/4 lengths in a maiden special weight on April 16, the horse needed a workout of a half-mile to get off the New York Racing Association's poor-performance list and become eligible to be entered.

On May 1, Papi On Ice was initially credited with a five-furlong work in 1:04.60 over the Belmont training track. The work was later changed to read a half-mile in :51.33.

Gazer told DRF that he is based on the main track, not the training track, but that the time of the work was not changed–the distance was. The clocker responsible for timing Papi On Ice reportedly told Gazer the horse did work a half-mile in 51.33 seconds as part of the five-furlong move in 1:04.60.

A 40-year veteran clocker at NYRA, Gazer told DRF he appealed because: “I believe I was well within the guidelines of what the protocols are.”

A hearing was conducted on Aug. 15, 2022. The Hearing Officer submitted a report to the commission's secretary dated Oct. 21, 2022, recommending that the Commission dismiss the charges.

The commission duly deliberated and considered this matter and determined, upon a unanimous vote, to reject the Hearing Officer's Report and Recommendations and issued a $2,500 fine and a 30-day license suspension to Gazer.

Gazer's penalties will go into effect upon formal issuance of the Commission's findings and order (expected within a few days).

Papi On Ice has raced eight more times in 2022, finishing second twice and third once.

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Letter to the Editor: Jingle Bells Ring for the Backstretch Families!

The Belmont Child Care Association, Inc. (BCCA) annually hosts a Holiday Shopping Day for all of the families of backstretch workers at Belmont Park and Aqueduct Race Track. This year, BCCA held its event on Saturday, Dec. 3 in the clubhouse at Belmont Park. The Belmont Cafe was transformed into a Winter Wonderland which included a Sugar Plum Cafe and Holiday Shop. Thanks to the New York Racing Association (NYRA), BCCA was provided with a beautiful venue to host its event and NYRA's facilities and security departments provided much needed support on all levels.

This year, 500 children were escorted by elves who assisted them as they chose presents for themselves and for everyone in their families. Over 100 volunteers assisted the children while they shopped. Other elves helped to select merchandise for the Holiday Shop and personally baked treats for the Sugar Plum Cafe. Our children met elves at the wrapping station where they watched while their gifts were prepared.

The shopping experience was complete when they stopped to visit Santa in the Reindeer Court. Santa was assisted by elves as the children received candy canes, took photos, and told Santa what was on their wish list. The day was filled with smiling faces as the children and elves sang along with the carols playing in the lobby and in the shop.

This event day was made possible thanks to the incredibly generosity of donors who participated in BCCA's call-to-action at its annual Racing for the Children dinner and auction, held each year in Saratoga Springs in late August. The funds raised that evening were used to purchase new coats, vests, sweaters, robes, kitchen appliances, beauty accessories, and tool boxes, to name a few. BCCA received donations of new toys thanks to a new partnership with Jazwares Inc. through their philanthropic arm, Jazwares Cares, in addition to donations from the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Foundation with whom BCCA has shared a long-lasting partnership.

BCCA's volunteers are essential to the success of the event beginning with the planning stage, set-up day, day of event operations, and clean up and break down. BCCA recognizes all its volunteers from the Thoroughbred racing industry and its bountiful group of volunteers from the National Charity League, New York Chapter of Garden City.

This year, as BCCA celebrates 20 years of providing an early childhood education and development program for children year-round at Anna House and during the summer race meet at Faith's House at Saratoga Race Course, BCCA is grateful to our donors for their incredible support of our most important programs. The generosity of our donors allows us to fulfill our commitment to the families of the backstretch workers with the knowledge that their children will receive a great start toward a better future. You really can't put a price on giving a child a great start in life and a gift of any size matters.

We invite you to Think BIG for BCCA because when we come together, we can make a great impact on the lives of our children and their families. To join our year-end appeal, please visit us at www.belmontchildcare.org.

The mission of the Belmont Child Care Association, Inc. (BCCA) is to provide a safe, supportive, and academically inspiring environment for the children of parents working in the Thoroughbred racing backstretch area located at New York's historic Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Saratoga Race Course. We are committed to promoting early childhood education, molding young minds, and encouraging the fulfillment of dreams.

Joanne K. Adams is the Executive Director of the Belmont Child Care Association, Inc. (BCCA), a 501 c 3 organization.

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