April, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

McGee Leaves DRF to Become Jockey Agent

Marty McGee, the longtime Kentucky correspondent for the Daily Racing Form, announced Tuesday that he is leaving the paper to become the agent for Joe Talamo. He had been with the Racing Form since 1992.

“After 38 years as a professional racing journalist, I will begin working full-time as an agent for my nephew-in-law, jockey Joe Talamo,” McGee posted on his Twitter account. “Joe and I are very excited about what the future holds. He's an immense talent who belongs among the game's elite.”

McGee wrote that the upcoming GI Kentucky Derby will be the 50th straight that he has attended and “my last as a writer and handicapper for Daily Racing Form.”

“In the coming days, I'll be reaching out to thank many of you who have helped make my dream come true,” he continued on Twitter. “I wanted to write about racing since I was 12, and after working for the Baltimore Sun (1985-92) and the Form (1992 to present), I can honestly say it has been a career of incredible fulfillment. I filed racing stories from 17 different states and was privileged to meet thousands of wonderful people (and horses) along the way. Sometime in the next year or two, I'll be having my memoirs published, so in the meantime, there's still plenty of work to do. THANK YOU to my family, friends, and everyone who have helped to make this such a great life in the game I love!”

McGee's many accomplishments include a 2013 Eclipse Award for writing in the Feature/Commentary category for a story entitled “For Desormeaux, Conflicting Views on his Struggles.”

McGee's announcement comes roughly six months after Daily Racing Form National Correspondent Jay Privman announced his retirement.

Talamo is a veteran who has been riding since 2006 and has 2,289 career wins. He is 7-for-98 so far this year. In 2007, he won an Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding apprentice.

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Grayson-Jockey Club Approves Funding for EHV-1 and EHM Vaccine Research

The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation recently issued a special call for research proposals to address vaccines for Equid Alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) and after a thorough review process by the foundation's veterinarian advisory committee, two research proposals were selected for funding.

The projects, led by Gisela Soboll Hussey of Michigan State University and Bettina Wagner of Cornell University, aim to develop novel nucleic acid vaccines to protect horses from EHV-1/EHM and EHV-4.

Soboll Hussey's project is titled, “Use of nucleic acid vaccines to protect from EHV-1/EHM,” and it will last three years. Her objective is to develop a novel mRNA-based EHV vaccine that protects horses from EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy, a method that will likely cross-protect horses against other types of equine herpesviruses. Wagner's project, titled, “A novel DNA vaccine platform to control EHV-1 and EHV-4,” will span two years and aims to develop an effective DNA vaccine for EHV-1 to protect horses against infection and disease, working to prevent catastrophic EHV outbreaks in the future.

The EHV-1 and EHM viruses affect horses of every breed and discipline, and they continue to cause significant economic losses through closures of racetracks and sales barns, delays in training schedules, and severe disease and death of horses. Total funding for the projects of $1,885,436 was provided by special donor Dr. John Ballantyne and Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation.

“The work of our research advisory committee is timely and essential,” Dell Hancock, chairman of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, said. “We look forward to working with these institutions to develop these vaccines and protect the equine industry from the devastating effects of EHV-1 and EHM.”

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Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Approves Funding For EHV-1, EHM Vaccine Research

Considering the series of major outbreaks of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) and its sequel EHM in North America and Europe over the past decade, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation issued a special call for research proposals to address the issue.

EHV-1 and EHM are highly contagious, affecting horses of every breed and discipline, and they continue to cause significant economic losses through closures of racetracks and sales barns, delays in training schedules, and severe disease and death of horses.

After a thorough review process by the foundation's veterinarian advisory committee, two research proposals were selected for funding. The projects, led by Gisela Soboll Hussey of Michigan State University and Bettina Wagner of Cornell University, aim to develop novel nucleic acid vaccines to protect horses from EHV-1/EHM and EHV-4.

Wagner's project, titled, “A novel DNA vaccine platform to control EHV-1 and EHV-4,” will span two years and aims to develop an effective DNA vaccine for EHV-1 to protect horses against infection and disease, working to prevent catastrophic EHV outbreaks in the future.

Total funding for the projects of $1,885,436 was provided by special donor Dr. John Ballantyne and Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation.

“I am excited to support these important research efforts to combat the devastating impact of EHV-1 on equine health,” Dr. Ballantyne said.

Dell Hancock, chairman of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, added, “The work of our research advisory committee is timely and essential. We look forward to working with these institutions to develop these vaccines and protect the equine industry from the devastating effects of EHV-1 and EHM.”

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Since 1940, the foundation has provided more than $40 million to fund more than 426 projects at 45 universities in North America and overseas. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

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Tee Off For Thoroughbreds: Kentucky Charity Golf Event To Benefit Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

Celebrating the organization's 40th anniversary in 2023, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will be hosting a charity golf event at the Nevel Meade Golf Course in Prospect, Kentucky on April 18th. This will be the first year for this fundraiser which has been organized by Goshen-based TRF volunteers, Robin and Ted Mizerak, who are the event Co-Chairs along with Honorary Co-Chairs Dale and Tammy Romans. Celebrity golfers will include Brian Hernandez, David Cohen, Joel Rosario and Joe Rocco Jr. among others.

The “Tee Off for Thoroughbreds” event has been generously underwritten by Platinum Sponsor, BMW of Louisville; Gold Sponsor, Restaurant Depot; and hole sponsors See Spot Grooming, State Farm, Hermitage Farm, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Oldham County Tourism, Dark Horse CPAs, John and Kelly Boyd, Joe Kemetz and Ted Mizerak, Puritan Bakeries and Churchill Downs Incorporated.

The event will begin with 12:30pm registration and Chick-fil-A lunch, followed by a shotgun start at 2:00pm. An award ceremony will follow the conclusion of play. Included in the registration fee are greens fees, cart, lunch, range balls, a sleeve of TRF logo golf balls, an embroidered green golf shirt with TRF logo, a TRF baseball hat and more.

Prizes will be given for the 1st, 2nd and last place foursomes along with the longest drive and closest to the pin. Raffle tickets will be sold for the Justin Thomas line drive, mulligans, and a variety of fun and popular pet, golf and dining-themed raffle baskets. A silent auction of unique horse-racing themed items including a jockey-signed Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel and a morning on the backstretch with Dale Romans will help raise funds to support the TRF herd of 425 retired Thoroughbreds.

Limited golfer registrations remain available. To register visit https://www.trfinc.org/event/golf-april-2023/

About TRF: Founded in 1983 and currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is a national organization devoted to saving Thoroughbred horses no longer able to compete at the racetrack from possible neglect, abuse, and slaughter. As the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, the TRF provides lifelong sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their lifetime. In 2023, the TRF celebrates four decades of Saving Horses and Changing Lives with gratitude for all who have made this possible.

Best known for its pioneering TRF Second Chances Program, the organization provides incarcerated individuals with life-changing vocational training through its accredited equine care and stable management program. At eight correctional facilities across the US, including one juvenile justice facility, this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for program graduates upon release from prison. The TRF has three farms in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with two located in Oldham County and one at the Blackburn Correctional Complex in Lexington. For more information visit: www.trfinc.org

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