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California’s More Restrictive Whip Rules Go Into Effect On Oct. 1

A more restrictive rule governing use of the riding crop will go into effect Oct. 1 for all Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, and mixed-breed races and also during training in California. The amended rule is designed to further protect horses without compromising the safety of horses and riders.

The key revisions to California Horse Racing Board Rule 1688 include:

Riders cannot use the crop more than six times during a race, excluding showing or waiving the crop or tapping the horse on the shoulder.
Riders cannot use the crop more than two times in succession (within the six-time limit) without giving the horse a chance to respond before using the crop again.
The crop must be used in an underhanded position with the crop always at or below the shoulder level of the jockey.
During training the crop can only be used for the safety of horse or rider.
Absent mitigating circumstances, which includes but is not limited to use of the riding crop for the safety of horse and rider, if a jockey or exercise rider rides in a manner contrary to this rule, the stewards shall impose a maximum fine of $1,000 and a minimum suspension of three days. In trial heats, the suspension shall include the subsequent related stakes race.
The jockey or exercise rider shall not be penalized if, in the opinion of the stewards, the use of the crop was necessary for the safety of the horse or rider.

In order to ease the transition, stewards will be meeting with the jockey colonies at the respective tracks to explain the rule and to answer questions. In addition, the CHRB is recommending to the Boards of Stewards that they should for a reasonable period of time use the “mitigating circumstances” language to employ the current penalty structure – lighter penalties — in order to make the transition to the amended rule less disruptive to jockeys, in particular, as well as all stakeholders and the wagering public generally.

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Failure Of Stewards’ Checks And Balances To Blame For Wrong Order Of Finish At Golden Gate

A disruption in the system of checks and balances between racing officials is to blame for a strange incident at Golden Gate Fields Sept. 7 in which the incorrect order of finish was posted and made official for roughly 15 minutes before being corrected.

Initially, stewards posted the order as 5-2-3-4, when in reality it should have been 5-3-2-4, the difference lying in a photo for second place between #2 Blues Rapper and #3 Hold Me Close. A note from steward Richard Lewis published on the California Horse Racing Board website stated Lewis “spoke with the placing judges, who called the 2 as the place horse and 3 as show finisher. I misread the photo picture as well.”

Lewis admitted he failed to have fellow stewards Will Meyers and Dennis Nevin review the photo. At the same time as the outriders gave Lewis the “all clear” signal after the race, Meyers was telling Nevin to pull #5 Herdsman and #2 Blues Rapper (the second betting choice) for testing. As Lewis was listening to Meyers' suggestions on test horses, he looked at the tote board, which indicated the 5 and 2 were the top two finishers, and gave the go-ahead to make the race official.

Nevin had been checking with Equibase chartcallers to see if the #4 Arc Nation, who finished last in the four-horse field, had officially been eased when he heard the photo operator reading out the finish. When he realized the mistake, he immediately notified Lewis and Meyers and contacted the mutuels department to put a hold on the system until the issue could be sorted out.

According to Golden Gate announcer Matt Dinerman, he was instructed to let the public know horseplayers who had the correct order of finish would be paid out for exactas, trifectas and place wagers.

California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) spokesman Mike Marten reported that $528.40 was paid out on the incorrect order of finish to horseplayers cashing tickets in person at California brick and mortar betting locations before the error was caught. In the case of advance deposit wagering (ADW) monies, one company told Marten ADWs were responsible for removing incorrectly-cashed amounts from customers' accounts.

It remains unclear whether Lewis could face disciplinary action for the error.

“After gathering all of the information the CHRB will determine whether any action is appropriate with respect to the racing officials involved,” Marten said.

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California Legislature Approves Racing Safety Bill

The California Legislature voted Sunday night to approve a bill designed to improve horse racing safety in the state.

“We must do everything possible to make horse racing safer for animals and jockeys, and this bill takes another step in that direction,” Sen. Bill Dodd, sponsor of the bill, said in a statement released by his office Monday. “I thank the Legislature for approving my plan, which will help ensure track conditions are right and horses are fit before they hit the starting gate.”

Senate Bill 800 is expected to incorporate reforms recommended by the California Horse Racing Board, including improved veterinary medical review prior to races and increased transparency in drug testing. After passing the State Senate and Assembly Sunday night, the bill will head to Governor Gavin Newsom to sign.

Last year, in the wake of a series of equine fatalities at Santa Anita, Dodd introduced Senate Bill 469, which was signed by Gov. Newsom, allowing the California Horse Racing Board to suspend racing at tracks where perceived dangerous conditions exist.

The post California Legislature Approves Racing Safety Bill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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CHRB Will Hold Hearing To Disqualify Justify From 2018 Santa Anita Derby Victory

The California Horse Racing Board voted during closed session Aug. 20 to proceed with a complaint seeking the disqualification of Justify from his victory in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby and the redistribution of that purse based on laboratory findings that his post-race sample tested positive for scopolamine.

The CHRB will not be filing a complaint against trainer Bob Baffert, due to substantial evidence that the scopolamine resulted from environmental contamination from jimson weed.

The hearing for disqualification is a condition of a settlement agreement between the CHRB and Ruis Racing LLC, the owner of Bolt d'Oro, the horse that finished second behind Justify in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7, 2018. In that matter, the CHRB is represented by counsel from the Office of the California Attorney General.

In addition, the CHRB is seeking the disqualification of Hoppertunity, winner of the Tokyo City Cup race at Santa Anita on April 8, 2018, and the redistribution of that purse based on laboratory findings that his post-race sample for that race tested positive for scopolamine. While not the subject of current litigation, this medication positive was similar to the one involving Justify. Baffert trained both horses.

The CHRB investigative unit has filed both complaints for redistribution of the purses with the Board of Stewards at Del Mar Racetrack. CHRB Investigators have also noticed the affected parties by mail or personally if possible. The stewards have scheduled the required hearings for consideration of a disqualification and purse distribution on Sept. 20 at Santa Anita Park.

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