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Oaklawn Releases New Proposed Integrity Initiatives for ’21

Working in partnership with the Arkansas Racing Commission and the Arkansas HBPA (Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort has announced, subject to legislative approval, a series of significant proposed safety and integrity enhancements planned for the 2021 racing season. Key provisions include the prohibition of Clenbuterol within 60 days of a race, reduction in the maximum amount of Lasix without specific approval, and the mandatory use of safety whips in races.

“We began working on these measures last spring,” said Oaklawn President Louis Cella. “We hosted a series of roundtable meetings with horsemen, regulators, racing officials, and our own management team where we asked a simple question: ‘What can we do to enhance the safety and integrity of our program?'”

The rule changes are currently making their way through the regulatory approval process in Arkansas and are expected to be finalized in advance of the start of the 2021 racing season Jan. 22.

“We could not have accomplished all of this without the strong partnership we have with our Racing Commission and our horsemen,” Cella said. “When it comes to integrity and safety, we are united.”

Some of the proposed rule or policy changes include:

The use of Clenbuterol or any other beta2-agonist will not be allowed within 60 days prior to a race at Oaklawn, confirmed for the first time through hair testing.
The maximum dosage of Lasix that can be administered has been reduced by 50% without specific approval of the State Veterinarian. Lasix is also prohibited in any 3-year-old stakes that awards points towards eligibility in the GI Kentucky Derby (Smarty Jones, GII Southwest S., GII Rebel S., and GI Arkansas Derby) and GI Kentucky Oaks (Martha Washington, GIII Honeybee S., and GIII Fantasy S.)
The use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy, radial pulse wave therapy or similar treatments will not be allowed within 30 days of a race. Also, shock wave equipment will not be allowed on Oaklawn’s grounds at any time.
Trainer and veterinarian records must be made available upon request for review by the pre-race exam veterinarians.
The only riding crops allowed during races will be the 360 Gentle Touch (360 GT), Pro-Cush or other similar riding crops approved by the stewards.
Off-track training facilities in Arkansas will be asked to agree to abide by rules similar to rules that apply on-track.
Horses will be required to be on the grounds at least 72 hours before races unless approved for late arrival. To facilitate this, entries will be scheduled at least four days prior to a race.

“Our racing program has become one of the elite racing programs in America with a projected average daily purse distribution of $700,000 a day in 2021,” he added. “In addition, we are close to completing a $100-million expansion project that will elevate the program even further. So, the time for safety and integrity enhancements is now.”

One of the individuals who worked closely with Oaklawn and horsemen in the development of these measures was Alex Lieblong, Chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission. A horse owner himself, Lieblong said, “I applaud Oaklawn for taking these forward-thinking steps that will help solidify Oaklawn’s status as one of the premier racing destinations in the country. They have the full support of the Racing Commission.”

Another key participant, Bill Walmsley, president of the Arkansas HBPA, added, “We began these meetings in early 2020 and continued working through the summer and into the fall. While we do not endorse every change, we do not object to any of these changes. Overall, it has been a true partnership effort, and it demonstrates why Oaklawn, the Arkansas HBPA and the Arkansas Racing Commission enjoy what I believe is the strongest working relationship in the industry.”

Oaklawn’s 2021 season runs from Friday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, May 1. Stall applications are now available on www.oaklawn.com and are due Nov. 5.

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Different Jurisdictions, Different MMV Rules Could Play In Baffert’s Favor

As news broke Tuesday of another positive post-race drug test for a Bob Baffert trainee, some readers found themselves wondering — when do these alleged violations begin to add up to a single, long suspension?

The answer to that remains unclear, but it's probably, “They won't.”

After Charlatan and Gamine tested positive for lidocaine following their races at Oaklawn Park this spring, Baffert announced he would be appealing the 15-day suspension given out by the Arkansas Racing Commission.

As reported last week, Baffert-trained Gamine got a positive test post-race for betamethasone after her third-place finish as the favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, but that case has not yet been adjudicated because testing on the split sample is not complete. (If a split sample does come back negative, the commission will not pursue charges against a licensee.)

Finally, the most recent case, a positive test for dextorphan from Merneith – second in a July 25 allowance race at Del Mar – has been confirmed on split sample, but the stewards' hearing into the matter won't take place until Nov. 12.

That means, from a regulatory perspective, none of Baffert's positive tests from this year are closed cases yet.

A hearing will take place on Thursday into whether or not stewards should disqualify Justify or Hoppertunity from 2018 races based on scopolamine positives. The CHRB has already made clear that it is not pursuing action against Baffert's license in either of those cases after a recommendation by equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur that the positive test likely resulted from hay contaminated with jimsonweed.

Baffert's home base of California provides a sliding scale of suspensions and fines for repeated medication violations in the same penalty class. (Lidocaine and dextorphan carry a Category or Class B penalty in Arkansas and California, while betamethasone carries a Class C penalty in Kentucky.) Per California rules, one Category B offense gets between 30 and 60 days' suspension, but a second offense in two years could carry 60 to 180 days. Currently however, stewards cannot take into account violations from other states when deciding what constitutes a repeat offense in a given penalty category; even if they could, they would have to focus on completed cases, meaning those not under appeal. That means that under current rules, if California stewards do decide to suspend Baffert for the dextorphan, they'll have to address it as a B violation in a vacuum when deciding on a suspension length or fine amount.

That may seem frustrating to readers who feel Baffert's violations are adding up, even if they are for therapeutic substances. This is the kind of situation a multiple medication violation (MMV) penalty system was designed to address. The MMV, which is in force in the Mid-Atlantic, is supposed to operate similarly to many state systems that assign points to a driver's license for repeat violations. Those points can compound the base fines or suspensions given out for a violation if the license holder is a repeat offender, regardless of the penalty category of previous offenses. The idea is that repeated low-level offenses eventually pack a big enough punch that a trainer will be more careful, even with therapeutic drugs that are regulated but not considered major performance enhancers. In an ideal world, the MMV system is supposed to tally offenses across jurisdictions.

California hasn't yet finalized adoption of MMV language but the rule is in process. The proposed language has completed the 45-day public comment period and is likely to be on the agenda for a Nov. 19 meeting of the CHRB to be publicly heard and (potentially) adopted. Even after that vote, however, a CHRB spokesman said it takes new rules roughly two months to complete the administrative process to become enacted, so California's MMV rule won't be live until early 2021. Part of the proposed rule language to be considered on Nov. 19 would allow stewards to consider violations from other jurisdictions. It remains legally unclear, but seems unlikely, however, that the CHRB could use out-of-state violations occurring before finalization of the MMV rule against a trainer after the rule's implementation.

Kentucky has not yet taken up MMV language. A 2016 initiative by former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin aimed at reducing red tape for Kentucky businesses required state agencies to reexamine and simplify existing language, which also slowed the drafting of new regulation.

Arkansas does have MMV language on the books. Currently, Baffert's appeal in Arkansas is still in progress. A spokeswoman for the Arkansas Racing Commission confirmed Wednesday that the case is still in the legal discovery process and no hearing date has been set.

MMV language will only allow officials to take into account points from cases where all appeals have been exhausted. So, Arkansas couldn't issue MMV points unless its appeal was concluded after proceedings in California and Kentucky are complete.

All this means that, if Kentucky officials confirm the betamethasone overage and California officials proceed with a suspension and/or fine for the dextorphan overage, they will likely be required to consider each case in their state's bubble, which would suggest fairly mild sanctions for each.

The post Different Jurisdictions, Different MMV Rules Could Play In Baffert’s Favor appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Oaklawn Announces 57-Day Meet With Four $1 Million Stakes Races

Pending approval from the Arkansas Racing Commission, Oaklawn plans to conduct its regular 57-day meet highlighted by four $1 million stakes races – $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2), $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) – and the richest purse structure in its 117-year history. The 2021 season, which will be accentuated by the opening of a multi-purpose event center and a luxury 200-room hotel overlooking the track, is scheduled to run Friday, Jan. 22 – Saturday, May 1.

In addition, 21 stakes will have their purses raised by at least $25,000, most notably are $150,000 increases to both the Essex Handicap on March 13 and Oaklawn Mile on April 10, which will be worth $500,000 and $400,000, respectively. The purse of the Razorback Handicap (G3) on Saturday, Feb. 13 will be raised by $100,000 to $600,000. All stakes, including ones for state-breds, will be at least $150,000 each.

“We would not be able to once again offer record purses next year if it weren't for the tremendous support we've received from the Arkansas Racing Commission, the horsemen, and our fans in 2020,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “We are excited to continue building on our 'New Level of Excellence,' which will include our new hotel, event center, state-of-the-art spa, and additional restaurants, which are all on schedule to open late 2020/early 2021.”

Oaklawn's rich 3-year-old program for horses with Kentucky Derby aspirations will begin opening day, Jan. 22, with the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and will culminate closing day, May 1, with the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational. In between are the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) on Feb. 15, Presidents' Day Monday, the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) on March 13, and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 10.

Oaklawn's five signature races that comprise the traditional Racing Festival of the South will be run over three Saturdays starting with the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies on Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail on April 3.

The $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), a major stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby, will be run on April 10 along with three other stakes. Oaklawn's series for older horses culminates on April 17 with the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and the $1 million Apple Blossom (G1) for fillies and mares.

“Once finalized, the full purse program will be released soon,” added Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith. “We anticipate it will exceed $700,000 a day.”

Oaklawn's 2021 stakes schedule features a total of 33 races worth $11,000,000. Racing will be conducted Friday–Sunday for the first two weeks of the meet and then shift to a Thursday–Sunday schedule starting in February. There will be racing on Presidents Day – Monday, Feb. 15, but there will be no racing on Easter Sunday, April 4.

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Oaklawn Planning 57-Day Meet with Four $1-Million Stakes Races in 2021

Pending approval from the Arkansas Racing Commission, Oaklawn plans to conduct its regular 57-day meet highlighted by four $1-million stakes races–$1-million GII Rebel S., $1-million GI Arkansas Derby, $1-million GII Oaklawn H. and $1-million GI Apple Blossom H.–and the richest purse structure in its 117-year history. The 2021 season, which will be accentuated by the opening of a multi-purpose event center and a luxury 200-room hotel overlooking the track, is scheduled to run Friday, Jan. 22–Saturday, May 1.

In addition, 21 stakes will have their purses raised by at least $25,000, most notably are $150,000 increases to both the Essex H. Mar. 13 and Oaklawn Mile Apr. 10, which will be worth $500,000 and $400,000, respectively. The purse of the GIII Razorback H. on Saturday, Feb. 13 will be raised by $100,000 to $600,000. All stakes, including ones for state-breds, will be at least $150,000 each.

“We would not be able to once again offer record purses next year if it weren’t for the tremendous support we’ve received from the Arkansas Racing Commission, the horsemen, and our fans in 2020,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “We are excited to continue building on our ‘New Level of Excellence,’ which will include our new hotel, event center, state-of-the-art spa, and additional restaurants, which are all on schedule to open late 2020/early 2021.”

Oaklawn’s rich 3-year-old program for horses with GI Kentucky Derby aspirations will begin opening day, Jan. 22, with the $150,000 Smarty Jones S. and will culminate closing day, May 1, with the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational. In between are the $750,000 GIII Southwest S. Feb. 15, Presidents’ Day Monday, the $1-million GII Rebel S. Mar. 13, and the $1-million GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 10.

Oaklawn’s five signature races that comprise the traditional Racing Festival of the South will be run over three Saturdays starting with the $600,000 GIII Fantasy S. for 3-year-old fillies on GI Kentucky Oaks trail Apr. 3.

Oaklawn’s series for older horses culminates Apr. 17 with the $1-million GII Oaklawn H. and the $1-million GI Apple Blossom for fillies and mares.

“Once finalized, the full purse program will be released soon,” added Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith. “We anticipate it will exceed $700,000 a day.”

Oaklawn’s 2021 stakes schedule features a total of 33 races worth $11,000,000. Racing will be conducted Friday-Sunday for the first two weeks of the meet and then shift to a Thursday-Sunday schedule starting in February. There will be racing on Presidents Day – Monday, Feb. 15, but there will be no racing on Easter Sunday, April 4.

The post Oaklawn Planning 57-Day Meet with Four $1-Million Stakes Races in 2021 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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