December, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

HISA To Provide Pro Bono Legal Assistance For Eligible Covered Persons

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has established a new program to provide pro bono legal representation to eligible Covered Persons who fall below a certain income threshold and are alleged to have violated HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. This program will match Covered Persons who are financially unable to secure legal representation with volunteer attorneys who have agreed to provide legal services without any expectation of compensation.

“I am incredibly proud to be launching this free legal services initiative, the first of its kind in American sport,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “Providing all Covered Persons with the tools to properly defend themselves in these cases is critical to ensuring integrity in our ADMC program adjudication procedures. We don't want the cost of legal services to ever be a barrier to pursuing a rigorous defense. I'm grateful to the reputable law firms and experienced attorneys who have already agreed to participate, and I look forward to expanding their ranks.”

“We are pleased to participate in HISA's Covered Person Pro Bono Program, so that those who truly cannot afford a lawyer can have access to the same depth of experience and zealous representation that we provide to all of our non pro bono clients,” said Howard Jacobs, international sports law attorney specializing in disciplinary cases involving anti-doping and other disputes. “As a result of HISA's Covered Person Pro Bono Program, we hope that no Covered Person will feel that they simply cannot afford to defend themselves against a potentially life-changing charge.”

“Jackson Kelly is always glad to help support the industries we serve,” said Jay Ingle, Chair of Jackson Kelly's Equine Group. “We quickly said yes when asked to participate in this program and donate our legal services and expertise, and hope that our contributions will help the sport and the horsemen and women in it.”

“The Wyatt firm is honored to be part of the HISA Covered Person Pro Bono Program to support those in need of legal assistance and to help promote the health and well-being of Thoroughbred racing and the equine industry as a whole,” added Craig Robertson, Partner-In-Charge, Lexington Office of Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP.

If the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) has alleged that a Covered Person committed an ADMC Rule Violation, and the Covered Person has an annual household adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less and no significant liquid assets, the Covered Person will be eligible for free legal services from a volunteer attorney and limited reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the volunteer attorney.

The application for assistance under the program is available here and more information about the program can be found here. Additional information about all Covered Persons' rights under HISA's ADMC Program can be found here. Covered Persons who need additional assistance or have questions about the pro bono program or the adjudication process more broadly should contact HISA and HIWU ombudsman Alan Foreman at alan@foremanlaw.net.

To volunteer under the program, attorneys must have a valid license to practice law in any state and have up-to-date malpractice insurance. In addition, they may be required to complete training provided by HISA before accepting a referral under this program. Interested attorneys should contact HISA Assistant General Counsel Sam Reinhardt at samuel.reinhardt@hisaus.org.

About the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority

When the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law, it charged the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) with drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HISA is implementing, for the first time, a national, uniform set of rules applicable to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. HISA is comprised of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect on July 1, 2022, and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which went into effect on May 22, 2023.

The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury. The Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.

The ADMC Program includes a centralized testing and results management process and applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across the United States. These rules and enforcement mechanisms are administered by an independent agency, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), established by Drug Free Sport International (DFS). HIWU oversees testing, educates stakeholders on the Program, accredits laboratories, investigates potential ADMC violations and prosecutes any such violations.

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KEEP Foundation Awards $30,000 In Grants To Kentucky Equine Non-Profits

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation has awarded $30,000 to Kentucky equine non-profit organizations though its Seattle Slew Grant Program. With this latest grant round, the KEEP Foundation has provided more than $42,000 in grants to equine organizations across the state in 2023. The KEEP Foundation is committed to helping support educational programs, projects and other endeavors that help advance the future of the equine industry in Kentucky.

The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew grants are available to Kentucky non-profits providing equine-related educational programs, events and initiatives. The Seattle Slew Grant Program is part of the Foundation's efforts to support education and promote the importance of the equine industry to Kentucky's economy and culture.

“I am immensely proud to announce the recipients of the prestigious Seattle Slew Grant. These exceptional equine-related non-profits exemplify unwavering dedication, tireless commitment, and profound passion for enhancing the lives of our equine community across our state. Through their innovative programs and steadfast advocacy, they embody Seattle Slew's spirit of strength, determination, and triumph. This grant not only recognizes their outstanding contributions but also signifies our collective belief in their capacity to catalyze positive change within our communities. We applaud their relentless efforts and extend our heartfelt congratulations. The KEEP Foundation remains resolute in our support of these invaluable organizations as they continue to be champions of our state.” Katie LaMonica, KEEP Foundation Board Chair

The Seattle Slew Grant Program is open to non-profit organizations, schools, and other groups that are involved in equine-related educational programs and projects. Recipients of the Seattle Slew Grant awards are: Amplify Horse Racing, HorseSensing, Justin's Place, Life Adventure Center, Kentucky Equine Management Internship and Stable Recovery.

“The Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) is very pleased to receive The Seattle Slew Grant from the KEEP Foundation. For the past 20+ years KEMI has been focused on educating and preparing young people from around the world for careers in the equine careers here in Kentucky. This grant will be used to enhance our online and social media presence to provide more opportunities to these young people who are the future of our industry!” Leslie Janecka, Kentucky Equine Management Internship

Grants of up to $5,000 are available, and new submissions are reviewed quarterly. For more information or to apply for a grant, please visit HERE.

The KEEP Foundation programs and initiatives would not be possible without the support of Kentucky's equine industry and proceeds from the KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew license plate. Proceeds from sales and renewals of the 2022 license plate topped nearly $60,000.

The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew specialty license plate would not have been possible without the gracious support of Karen and Mickey Taylor, the owners of Seattle Slew, and Bobby Shiflet, owner of the Tony Leonard Collection, who donated the photo of Seattle Slew that was used for the license plate.

If you would like to support the KEEP Foundation's education initiatives, donations can be made HERE.

ABOUT THE KEEP FOUNDATION

The mission of the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), established in 2014, is to support the economic success of Kentucky's signature industry by ensuring its continued economic viability, making the industry accessible for all who want to participate, introducing more young people to the industry and its opportunities, and educating the people of the Commonwealth about the importance of horses to the state, its economy, its heritage, and its people. www.thekeepfoundation.org

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Gunite Follows Fellow Winchell Colorbearer to Ashford

Last year's Eclipse Champion 3-Year-Old Epicenter is the first stallion that Coolmore's Ashford Stud has stood for Winchell Thoroughbreds and the partnership got off to a blazing start as the son of Not This Time was one of the most popular stallions in Kentucky this year, covering 262 mares in his debut season.

Now, Coolmore has teamed up with the same racing and breeding operation to debut another Grade I-winning stallion–this time a homebred son of Winchell's own Gun Runner. Gunite, who claimed the GI Hopeful S. as a juvenile and won at the top level again this year at four in the GI Forego S., will stand for an initial fee of $40,000 in 2024.

When Gun Runner was bursting onto the scene as a first-crop sire in 2021, Gunite broke his maiden in June at Churchill Downs on the same card that Gun Runner got his first stakes horse as a sire with another Steve Asmussen trainee Wicked Halo, who placed in the Debuante S. Soon after that, Gunite claimed the GI Hopeful S. the day after future champion Echo Zulu gave Gun Runner his first Grade I score in the Spinaway S.

“Durable is the word to describe Gunite,” said Coolmore's Adrian Wallace. “He ran six times in all as a 2-year-old, showing his soundness and fortitude and culminating in a very impressive display beating Wit (Practical Joke), who was a very accomplished horse in his own right, at Saratoga in the Hopeful. I think the thing about him was he had a 'never say die' attitude. He was a highly accomplished, precocious 2-year-old who then traveled around the world at three and later on at four.”

Over a three-year career, Gunite placed in all but two of his 21 starts, recording eight stakes victories. The winner of the GII Amsterdam S. and runner-up to eventual studmate Jack Christopher in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at three, Gunite's 4-year-old campaign this year was marked by a rivalry with MGISW Elite Power (Curlin) that spanned from the Middle East to Saratoga to California. Gunite got the better of Elite Power in the GI Forego S.,winning by nearly two lengths, and finished second to the same rival in his final career start in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“He broke his maiden in June of his 2-year-old year, won the Hopeful, and then competed at a very high level in all three years of his racing career,” said Wallace. “I think in today's environment, a horse that is able to win two Grade I races, place in five more and compete at the highest level not only in the United States but in Saudi Arabia and in Dubai, that shows how sound and durable of a horse he is.”

Gunite scores in the GI Forego S. | Sarah Andrew

Wallace attributes much of Gunite's speed and toughness to his pedigree. The 4-year-old hails from three generations of stakes winners and his dam, Simple Surprise, is a daughter of Cowboy Cal (Giant's Causeway) who won the Bolton Landing S. for the Winchells and Asmussen in 2015.

“I think the main thing when you consider a horse like him is how similar he is in many ways to his sire Gun Runner and how similar he is to both Cowboy Cal and Giant's Causeway himself,” Wallace explained. “He was ultra, ultra tough and the great thing about the Gun Runners is that they are tough, sound horses. When you combine that with two doses of the Iron Horse's blood, you get horses that are going to be built for durability and brilliance.”

Wallace added that the new stallion should have all the potential to not only pass on his own brilliance and precocity, but also the two-turn ability shown on both sides of his pedigree.

Wallace said that Gunite, who is just over 16'1, is a standout physically as well.

“He is a great combination of Gun Runner's and Giant's Causeway's blood,” he explained. “Cowboy Cal was a very elegant racehorse himself and is becoming quite a good broodmare sire from very limited opportunity. Gunite has a lot of leg and is very balanced. Priced at $40,000, as a dual Grade I-winning son of Gun Runner, I think he'll fit a lot of people's bill.”

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Baroness Harding Appointed Senior Steward of The Jockey Club

Baroness Dido Harding is to succeed Sandy Dudgeon as Senior Steward of The Jockey Club in July 2024.

It has also been announced that Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National-winning amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, who is now retired from the saddle, will join The Jockey Club's board of stewards from January 1, 2024.

Baroness Harding, 56, a former amateur rider herself and a Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning owner, has been on the board of stewards since the end of 2017, having been appointed a member of The Jockey Club in 2004. She was previously a racecourse committee member at The Jockey Club's Cheltenham Racecourse and a director of Racecourse Holdings Trust, which was later renamed Jockey Club Racecourses.

Her business roles have included being chief executive of TalkTalk Telecom Group plc, as well as senior positions at Sainsbury's and Tesco, and until October 2021 she was chair of NHS Improvement and executive chair of NHS Test and Trace.

Having been a member of the House of Lords since 2014, Baroness Harding sits on the Lords Communications and Digital Select Committee.

She said, “As a lifelong racing enthusiast, it is a huge privilege to be appointed Senior Steward. The Jockey Club holds a unique position to both protect the sport's heritage and tradition and also to innovate to attract and delight racegoers of the future to ensure horseracing can thrive for generations to come.”

Nine new members of the Jockey Club were elected at a members' meeting on Monday, December 11. The three new honorary members are HH Sheikha Hissa bint Hamdan Al Maktoum, HH Princess Zahra Aga Khan and Gaynor Rupert.

They are joined by six ordinary members: Guy Henriques, Sue Lucas, Rishi Persad, Zara Tindall, Michael Wainwright and David Wiggin.

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