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ARCI Certificate Program Offered Online

The University of Louisville Equine Industry Program will formally launch the Association of Racing Commissioners International’s Racing Investigator Certificate Program online Oct. 5 and 6. Registration is now open at https://louisville.edu/business/payments/equine. There is an $80 fee to defray university costs associated with offering the program.

“The job of a racing investigator is a specialty involving knowledge not only of police procedures concerning interrogation and evidence gathering, but also of horseracing, the backstretch, and the horses themselves,” said RCI Chair Tom Sageof Nebraska, a former longtime law enforcement officer and racing investigator and past-Chair of the Organization of Racing Investigators.

The curricula for the program will focus on basic horsemanship skills, safety procedures in the barn or paddock areas, racing terminology, overview of officials and their duties, creating the condition book and drawing for the race as well as what is involved in preparing a horse for a racing career. Equine care and medications, vet records, investigatory tools and techniques, interactions with other enforcement entities, evidence gathering, and ways cheaters attempt to avoid detection will also be addressed.

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What Does ‘Statistically Significant’ Actually Mean?

You've most likely heard or read the term “statistically significant” numerous times in your life. What does that actually mean and how do we determine if something is significant or not?

In the most basic form, statistically significant means something that is not due to random variability (not attributed to chance).

If we want to get technical, statistical significance is all about the determination of the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis is the hypothesis that there is no significant difference between specified populations, any observed difference is due to sampling or experimental error. By performing hypothesis testing, you get a result known as the p-value, which is the probability of observing extreme results in the data you have collected. A p-value of 5% or lower is typically considered to be statistically significant.

What does this mean for the veterinary and horse communities?

By measuring the relationship between multiple variables (i.e. new diet vs. standard diet, vaccine vs. no vaccine, etc.), this allows us to establish the likelihood that an outcome is caused by what we are studying instead of just randomly happening. This means we can determine if something is actually working better than leaving things alone. Nutritionists do this all the time when testing new rations; pharmaceutical companies do this when testing new drugs or vaccines. Veterinarians, and more likely research scientists, may use this to determine if a new type of surgery or expensive treatment is worthwhile.

How does it work?

While knowing how to perform these tests is important for researchers, from a practical standpoint remember two important factors: sampling error and probability. There is always the possibility that differences you see when measuring a sample are just the result of random variability (“background noise”) or just dumb luck. This is sampling error. Probability is just that, the likelihood of something actually happening. The higher the probability of a specific event or outcome, the more likely it is to happen. However, remember that while you may have a high probability, you cannot guarantee certainty.

The use of a p-value of 5%, written as p < 0.05, the most commonly chosen value, means we are looking at a 5% likelihood of something happening by chance alone (i.e. a one in 20 chance of that being the result). That means that whatever we are looking at statistically, the results are 95% due to what we are testing, be that a new drug, vaccine, treatment or surgery.

The take home message

Once testing and analysis are complete, a p-value that is low indicates a statistically significant difference. However, that does not mean the difference will automatically be important or useful. For practical significance (i.e. noteworthy), we need to determine if the difference is large enough to actually be meaningful. A relatively large difference would be useful and practical. A small difference might not be worth the effort or cost for only a small impact. This can cause issues with regard to the interpretation of results and what decisions to make based on the data. We will be discussing these issues and concerns in future stories in this publication, so watch for our future articles.

Catalogs for Books 2, 3, And 4 Of Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Now Online

The catalogs for Books 2, 3, and 4 of the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale are online now and can be viewed at www.tattersalls.com.

Book 2 features 816 yearlings and will take place Monday, Oct. 12 – Wednesday, Oct. 14, Book 3 has 602 lots cataloged and will take place Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16, while Book 4 has a further 83 yearlings selling on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 17.

This year's October Book 2 global stars Addeybb, Battaash, Fifty Stars, Mohaater, and Way to Paris, as well as impressive Group 2 winning two year old Minzaall, have all provided the best possible advertisements for Europe's largest yearling sale and the 2020 catalog features own or half-brothers and sisters to an impressive 174 group and listed winners including the Time Test half-brother to last year's Irish Oaks winner Star Catcher, the Australia three-parts brother to Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach and half-siblings to 2018 and 2019 Group 1 winners Accidental Agent and Donjuan Triumphant. In addition there are 110 sons and daughters of group and listed winning mares cataloged, including the Sea the Stars filly out of Group 1 Matron Stakes winner Chachamaidee, the Kodiac colt out of the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes winner Fraulein and the Aclaim filly out of smart Argentine racemare Chibola, dam of this year's Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner Nando Parrado.

The sires index makes equally impressive reading with 21 of the current top 25 sires in Britain and Ireland all well represented including Acclamation, Australia, Camelot, Dark Angel, Exceed and Excel, Frankel, Invincible Spirit, Kingman, Kodiac, Lope de Vega, Nathanial, Night of Thunder, No Nay Never, Pivotal, Sea the Stars, and Showcasing.

The current leading first season sire Mehmas, who already has four individual group/listed winners to his name, has ten yearlings catalogued and there are 18 first crop sires represented including classic and Group 1 winners Aclaim, Caravaggio, Churchill, Decorated Knight, Galileo Gold, Highland Reel, Mondialiste, National Defense, Postponed, Profitable, Ribchester, and Ulysses.

Overseas-based sires have always added an extra dimension to Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale and top French based sires Dabirsim, Le Havre, Shalaa, Siyouni, and Wootton Bassett have 38 yearlings cataloged between them, with an additional seven by exciting French based first crop sire Almanzor. U.S.-based sires Air Force Blue, Flintshire, Kitten's Joy, and Nyquist are also well represented.

Book 3 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, which follows immediately after Book 2, takes place Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16, and numbers 602 lots. Book 4 comprises an additional 83 lots and will take place on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 17.

All of the yearlings in Books 3 and 4 of the October Yearling Sale are eligible for the ever-popular £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes and the catalogs include yearlings by current top 30 sires Acclamation, Australia, Camelot, Dark Angel, Exceed and Excel, Invincible Spirit, Kodiac, Mastercraftsman, Mayson, Nathaniel, Night of Thunder, Oasis Dream, Sea the Moon, Sea the Stars, Showcasing, Teofilo, and Zoffany.

Commenting on Books 2, 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said;

“Both the highest rated colt in Europe, Mohaather and the highest rated sprinter in Europe, Battaash, were purchased at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and Book 3 has also had another outstanding year demonstrating the consistent quality to be found in the second week of the October Yearling Sales at Park Paddocks. Huge demand for places in our yearling sales has ensured catalogues of real depth and quality catering to buyers at all levels of the market from throughout the world.”

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British Racing Agrees On Recovery Plan

Representatives of the British Horseracing Authority, horsemen and racecourses have agreed on a plan for the next stages of the industry’s recovery plan from COVID-19.

The recovery plan lists nine industry goals, which are as follows:

To secure a full resumption of race-day activity, with the best possible ownership and spectator experience, and the maximum attendance possible;
To maintain the health and safety of participants, staff and all those attending raceday meetings by continuing the safe return of racing and adherence to strict controls on social distancing;
To put in place a fixture list and race programme for 2021 that balances increasing revenues with the well being of participants and staff and takes account of the horse population;
To reduce the industry’s cost-base and be agile where new opportunities to increase revenue can be seized and mitigate the impact of recession, including the pursuit of immediate Levy reform;
To seek to maximise prize money for 2021 balanced against the financial constraints of stakeholders and the sport’s projected revenues, through new commercial agreements between racecourses and horsemen;
To agree a spending plan for central funds that best supports racing’s recovery;
To retain key investors, including existing owners, and reform rules for syndicates and clubs to protect members and increase their appeal to potential owners;
To present a safe, high-quality and consistent offer to race-day and betting customers based on a thorough understanding of their changing needs and behaviours due to COVID;
To put in place foundations for a longer-term sustainable recovery for British racing.

Click here for the full recovery plan.

Nick Rust, chief executive of the BHA, said, “it’s very important that this plan has been agreed by leaders from all parts of the racing industry. We know from the way we prepared to resume racing in June that working together works. The commitment shown by leaders in signing up to this recovery plan demonstrates a continued willingness to maintain a unified approach through the tough battles ahead.”

David Armstrong, chief executive of the Racecourse Association, added, “the whole industry worked very well to enable racing to return as the first major sport behind closed doors. Now we have to renew that collaboration as we enter this recovery phase and move beyond that into 2021. This plan brings together all the necessary components in one clear action plan with some ambitious goals. From a racecourse perspective the return of racegoers and the experience for owners are clear priorities that are already underway and we look forward to the wider recovery of the sport.”

Charlie Liverton, chief executive of the Racehorse Owners Association, said, “this new recovery plan goes further towards protecting the long-term future of our sport and formalizing collaboration between the stakeholders during this difficult period. It is imperative that we focus on the vital drivers that keep our sport going and growing: retaining owners and maximizing the sport’s revenues. There is a lot to be done but I am confident that, working together, we can deliver this vital work for participants across the industry.”

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