October, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ascot Racecourse to Host TIEA Awards, Chamberlin Returns to Host

Ascot Racecourse will host the 20th anniversary celebration of the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, set to be held on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin will host the festivities for the first time since 2020.

The awards, sponsored by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and by Godolphin, honours and celebrates the skill, passion and dedication of the remarkable individuals who care for the horses. There are six award categories–Leadership Award, Dedication Award, Rider/Racing Groom Award, Stud Staff Award, Community Award (in recognition of Rory MacDonald), and David Nicholson Newcomer Award.

“We are delighted that the 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards ceremony will be held at Ascot Racecourse and that Ed Chamberlin has again agreed to host the celebrations,” BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said. “Ascot is an iconic venue, renowned for quality both on and off the track–it's the ideal setting for our 20th anniversary and we are proud and very grateful that Ascot Racecourse Supports joins us as a formal partner.”

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot Racecourse, commented, “It's a privilege for Ascot Racecourse to host the 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards and celebrate the 20th anniversary. People are the heart and soul of this industry and we are very lucky to have so many talented, dedicated, hard-working and enthusiastic employees that help keep this industry thriving, so it is only right we celebrate the best our industry has to offer.”

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ARC, Doncaster Racecourse, Qatar Racing Join Forces For Futurity Trophy Sponsorship

Arena Racing Company (ARC), Doncaster Racecourse and Qatar Racing have partnered this year to sponsor the G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy, the organisations announced in a joint statement on Friday.

The one-mile event, worth £200,000, is the final Group 1 of the British Flat season and is set to be contested on Saturday, Oct. 28. A total of 66 entries remain, including Aidan O'Brien's unbeaten G1 National S. winner Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“We are delighted to be able to support the 2023 Kameko Futurity Trophy, a race that consistently provides one of the highlights of the Flat season by whetting the appetite for the following year's Classics,” David Redvers, Qatar Racing's bloodstock and racing manager and owner of Tweenhills, said.

Recent Futurity Trophy winners Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) both went on to victories in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and this year's G1 Betfred Derby, G1 Irish Derby and G1 Irish Champion winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is the Futurity Trophy's reigning champion.

“Qatar Racing continue to be tremendous supporters of British Racing and we are delighted to secure their support of what is one of the highlights of the season at Doncaster,” David Leyden Dunbar, group director of Commercial Strategy and Partnerships at ARC, said. “Kameko will always have a special connection with the race as 2019's renewal, run at Newcastle Racecourse and won by Kameko, remains the only British Group 1 race to be run on an artificial surface. Our thanks go to them and the entire team at Qatar Racing for their support.”

For tickets to the Kameko Futurity, visit the Doncaster website.

The post ARC, Doncaster Racecourse, Qatar Racing Join Forces For Futurity Trophy Sponsorship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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NYS Gaming Commission Announces Actions To Hold Trainers Accountable For Employee Wage Issues

At the October Public Meeting of the New York State Gaming Commission, Chairman Brian O'Dwyer spoke about concerns regarding wage issues involving prominent horse trainers, and highlighted a partnership with the New York State Department of Labor to readily identify any Commission licensees that are subjects of Labor wage-related investigations.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “We remain dedicated to ensuring that hardworking New Yorkers receive wages they rightfully earned. I thank the New York Gaming Commission for helping to protect workers by holding horse trainers accountable and ensuring a level playing field for all.”

Chairman O'Dwyer's comments, as prepared:

“Last month, I directed our Horse Racing & Pari-Mutuel Wagering Division to examine the matter of licensed trainers owing significant back-pay to workers, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in H2-B back wages. Most trainers and workers at New York State's racetracks comply with the law. But when we learn of trainers not paying workers, we hold them accountable.

“For example, a trainer was recently ordered by the U.S. District Court to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in back wages, fines and penalties. This is not the first time that this trainer and his stable have been ordered to pay back wages, damages and fines due to federal labor law violations. Accordingly, the Commission requested the trainer provide appropriate employment records as part of its review. The Commission also requested the trainer explain why he believes he continues to meet New York State's standards for licensure. We are reviewing his response.

“To promptly identify any licensees engaging in bad labor practices, we've forged a partnership with the NYS Department of Labor so that the Commission is notified when complaints regarding a trainer's business practices spur an investigation. This bridges the regulatory gap so that when we learn of trainers engaged in practices that shortchange their employees, we can consider action regarding the trainers' licensure.

“This should be fair warning to all. Just as we expect equine athletes to be treated with dignity and respect, so too we expect all who work in the industry to be treated with dignity and respect.

“I thank the Department of Labor and Commissioner Roberta Reardon for continuing to partner with us to protect the thousands of workers who take care of racehorses.”

Chairman O'Dwyer concluded with: “I can assure you and the general public that the Commission does not take those types of violations lightly.”

The post NYS Gaming Commission Announces Actions To Hold Trainers Accountable For Employee Wage Issues appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Report: Awesome Again Winner Slow Down Andy Out Of Breeders’ Cup Classic

An impressive gate-to-wire winner of the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita on Sept. 30, Slow Down Andy will miss his next scheduled appearance in the Breeders' Cup Classic. According to a report in the Daily Racing Form, the 4-year-old son of Nyquist exited his 2 1/4-length victory with a minor ankle injury.

“He came out of the [Awesome Again] with a little bit of filling in an ankle,” trainer Doug O'Neill told DRF. “He was sound on it, but had a little bit of filling. We X-rayed him, and he X-rayed clean. We followed up with a nuke scan, and he's got some heat in the ankle.”

Owners Paul and Zilla Reddam plan to race Slow Down Andy next year at age five, so he'll get 60 days of rest and return to training.

Slow Down Andy finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, two starts after winning the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on the turf. Overall, Slow Down Andy has compiled a record of 5-4-3 from 14 starts for earnings of $1,276,600.