California | Horse Racing Free Tips

California-Based TRF Second Chances Program Celebrates First Anniversary

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, ten student/inmates began a new semester at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Equine Care Program at the Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) at Coalinga, California.

There was no better way to celebrate its one-year anniversary.

“The four groups that made this happen – the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the (California) Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, West Hills College and Harris Farms – worked extremely well together,” said Heidi Richards, whose work with the Equine Care Program earned her the CDCR's 2020 Corrections Officer of the Year Award. “We had 30 student/inmates in the first class, and 28 were certified. We are very excited about how successful the program is.”

The Equine Care Program at PVSP opened Oct. 16, 2019 and coincided with the prison's 25th anniversary celebration. The program is an extension of the TRF's Second Chances/Groom Elite Program that began in 1983 at the Wallkill State Correctional Facility near New Paltz, NY. Former racehorses enjoy a tranquil sanctuary home at Second Chances, which is now offered at prisons in New York, California, Kentucky, Florida, Illinois and South Carolina. In return, the horses provide hands-on vocational instruction in horse care as well as lessons in mutual respect, compassion, responsibility, and trust.

In collaboration with West Hills College, PVSP's Equine Care Program is a two-semester course that, at conclusion, not only certifies its participants to work at entry level jobs within the racing industry but gives them six transferable college credits. The program at this minimum-security facility is offered to student/inmates within five years of parole.

The fledgling program managed to hold strong despite the turmoil of 2020.

“Our biggest concern was the pandemic,” said Richards, who also is the West Hills College instructor for the program. “But our COVID-19 numbers were low enough to open the program this semester. Warden Scott Frauenheim and everyone here did a great job in maintaining the program. They kept testing everyone at the gate and, additionally, the staff was tested every 10 days. They were really on top of it.”

Warden Frauenheim, who will retire on Friday (October 30) after 26 years of state service and the last seven as PVSP's warden added: “I am proud and honored to have been the first Warden with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to start an Equine Care Program. I am grateful to provide a unique rehabilitative program that helps incarcerated people follow a new path in their lives. Although COVID-19 placed a hold on Pleasant Valley's Equine Program, Pleasant Valley State Prison has commenced with the program and its college courses. The Pleasant Valley Equine Program just completed its first year of program, and I foresee many more successful years to come.”

Presently, the student/inmates are working with two former racehorses. Michael the Man, a 13-year-old Kentucky-bred who had 60 races and earned $197,724 from a record of 11-8-9 and California-bred Slycy, who is also 13, earned $230,606 and posted a record of 14-10-7 from 52 starts.

The horses live on the Equine Care Program's two-acre facility that student/inmates built and help maintain in addition to their work with the animals.

A CDCV grant of $300,766 was secured last year with the help of the West Hills Community College District to fund the Equine Care Program at Pleasant Valley State Prison until 2022.

“It is hard to believe that the program is only a year old with all that Heidi has accomplished,” said TRF Executive Director Pat Stickney. “We are incredibly grateful to all the groups that came together to launch this Equine Care Program which, under Heidi's leadership, will continue to have such a positive impact on the graduates and the horses for years to come.”

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CHRB Allocates 2021 Race Dates For Southern California, First Six Months Of Northern California Season

The California Horse Racing Board conducted a meeting by teleconference on Thursday, October 22. The public participated by dialing into the teleconference and/or listening through the audio webcast link on the CHRB website. Chairman Gregory Ferraro chaired the meeting, joined by Vice Chairman Oscar Gonzales and Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, Brenda Washington Davis, Wendy Mitchell, and Alex Solis.

The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief:

The Board allocated 2021 racing dates for Southern California thoroughbreds (and one fair meet), harness racing, and quarter horse racing, The Board also allocated dates for Northern California thoroughbred racing for the first six months of the year. Due to uncertainties created by COVID-19, the Board delayed consideration of dates for the latter half of 2021 for Northern California thoroughbred meets and fairs. At this time, all meets are expected to run without the public in attendance, but that also could change depending on circumstances. Allocated dates include dates for simulcasting without racing. The actual dates a meet will offer racing will be approved when the meet's license application is considered. As allocated:
The Southern California thoroughbred racing circuit will begin December 23, 2020, at Santa Anita, through June 22, 2021, then proceed to Los Alamitos (day racing, June 23 through July 6), and then to Del Mar (July 7 through September 7). The Los Angeles County Fair meet will run daytime at Los Alamitos from September 8 through September 28. The thoroughbred circuit will continue at Santa Anita (September 29 through November 2), Del Mar (November 3 through November 30), Los Alamitos (day racing, December 1 through December 14), and then back to Santa Anita for simulcasting only from December 15 through December 21.
Golden Gate Fields received allocated dates for thoroughbred racing from December 23, 2020, through June 15, 2021.
Los Alamitos received allocated dates for quarter horse racing from December 23, 2020, through December 21, 2021. Commissioner Mitchell made a point to advise Los Alamitos management that the CHRB will be looking for further improvement in quarter horse safety relative to the racing dates. This message was echoed by others during discussions of daytime thoroughbred and fair allocations given to Los Alamitos.
Watch & Wager received allocated harness racing dates at Cal Expo from December 23, 2020, through May 11, followed by a second meet from October 27 through December 21.
The Board approved the license application for the Los Angeles County Fair to run a race meet at Los Alamitos operating from December 4 through December 20. This day meet will run concurrently with night quarter horse racing at Los Alamitos. In conjunction with this license, the Board approved an agreement between the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the racing secretary at Los Alamitos regarding entry conditions limiting specific drug substances for entered horses.
The Board approved two regulatory amendments to limit the practice of some owners and trainers conditioning their horses at non-CHRB locations and then shipping them to operating meets shortly before their races into the care of trainers who have not been involved in the care of those horses, a practice known as program training. In addition to expressly forbidding program training, the Board voted to require all horses to be within a CHRB-licensed facility and in the care of a licensed trainer for at least seven days before a race.
Executive Director Scott Chaney reported that the CHRB's concerns about the proposed federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) have been communicated to legislators. A principal concern is that national standards, as called for in HISA, may actually be less strict than California's safety rules and protocols, which are the strictest in the nation.
Chairman Ferraro reported on the previous day's meeting of the Medication, Safety, and Welfare Committee. Dr. Francisco Uzal presented the annual CHRB/University of California, Davis, Postmortem Report, which is available on the CHRB website. Chairman Ferraro pointed out that 90 percent of the horses that have been examined in the Postmortem Program had pre-existing lesions. When he then reported on the next agenda item discussed by the committee – a proposal to clarify that official veterinarians may require diagnostic imaging before removing some horses from the Veterinarian's List – he said this should help identify those pre-existing lesions that contribute to equine fatalities. He said the committee also discussed the need to eliminate the use of thyroxine in horse racing, given that thyroid problems in young horses “are practically nil.” He reported that the committee supports a proposed elimination of a requirement for each track to receive a fire clearance just prior to each meet, as local fire authorities seldom visit racetracks that often. He said a one-year clearance from fire authorities should be sufficient. Dr. Arthur, the CHRB's equine medical director, reported at the committee meeting that California horse racing experienced 20 Class 1, 2, and 3 violations last year from more than 30,000 samples.
In a separate report, Dr. Arthur described the Postmortem Program and methods of tracking and reporting equine fatalities at facilities under the jurisdiction of the CHRB as consistent, complete, and transparent for over 30 years.
The Board approved for 45-day public notice a proposed regulatory amendment to eliminate the requirement for retention of syringes used to administer furosemide, or Lasix, to racehorses. Chairman Ferraro stated that because Lasix must be administered by regulatory personnel, never by private veterinarians, there is no chance of the syringes containing anything but the authorized bleeder medication.
The Board approved a regulatory amendment stipulating that the racing veterinarian is under the supervision of the official veterinarian.
Because the pandemic forced the cancelation of the Big Fresno Fair meet this year, the mandatory payout of carryover money in Pick 5 and Pick 6 pools at the fairs did not take place as scheduled. The Board authorized the fairs to distribute those carryovers on the final day of the 2021 Big Fresno Fair meet if there are no winning tickets beforehand.
Public comments made during the meeting can be accessed through the meeting audio archive on the CHRB website

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Del Mar Releases Protocols for Owners Attending the Fall Meet

For the Del Mar Fall meet, which begins Saturday, Oct. 31, all CHRB licensed owners will be permitted on track for both morning workouts and afternoon races. Unfortunately, due to state and local guidelines, non-licensed guests are still not permitted. Owners wishing to attend the races should email or call Mary Forney, Executive Director of TOC (mforney@toconline.com) to secure access, and reservations can be made up until 24 hours before race day. To attend morning workouts, no advanced reservation is required.

On race days, owners must show their license when entering the track and park in the designated area just outside the clubhouse. Owners will enter through the gate on the east side of the track across from the receiving barn. Owners will be required to be on the owner reservation list, provide their CHRB owners license, and undergo a full COVID-19 health screening, including a temperature check. Masks will be required to be worn at all times, and owners must respect social distancing guidelines.

On non-race days owners attending morning workouts must use the vehicle gate adjacent to the fire-station off Jimmy Durante Blvd. The first come, first served seating is located in the spacious clubhouse box seat area. At this time, owners must remain in the clubhouse seating area and may not enter the paddock or the winners circle. Owners are still not permitted to access the backstretch. Any violation of this strict policy will result in a forfeiture of racetrack privileges.

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‘All I Wanted Was A Chance’: 35-Year-Old Apprentice Taking His Shot At Monmouth

At an age when most of those in his profession are already well established, Victor Flores is just starting. But a dream delayed beats one that is not pursued every time in the view of this 35-year-old apprentice jockey.

Flores, who arrived at Monmouth Park from California in early August, will continue to try to make up for lost time – both in his career and this season – with two scheduled mounts on Wednesday's nine-race card that kicks off the final week of the Thoroughbred racing season in New Jersey.

The Meadowlands-at-Monmouth Park meet's closing-day card will be Saturday, Oct. 24.

Flores, who hails from Hidalgo, Mexico, was able to make some inroads at the Monmouth Park meet despite his late arrival. He had a 5-5-4 line from 48 mounts during the meet and has already won a race at the abbreviated Meadowlands-at-Monmouth Park meet.

“I came to Monmouth Park because I thought I could get more opportunities to ride,” said Flores, who spent the first seven months of the year riding in California. “I heard if you work hard the trainers at Monmouth Park will give you a chance. All I wanted was a chance to show what I can do.

“I'm very happy with what I was able to do and I'm grateful to everyone who helped me and gave me a chance and supported me.”

Flores delayed the start of his riding career at first because of college, attending the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas to study animal husbandry.

“In my mind I thought I was going to be a veterinarian,” he said. “My other option was to study the Arts and become an actor.

“After I finished my studies and internships I worked for five years but the work was not enough.”

He then relocated to the United States and took a job in construction and painting in Hilton Head, S.C. and wound up as part of a crew that was sent to California to do a job. It was there, he said, that he saw Hollywood Park Racetrack for the first time. Immediately after his shift was over that day, and bitten by the racetrack bug again, he went to look for a job on the backstretch.

Eventually, the foreman for Jerry Hollendorfer's barn gave him a job galloping horses, which he did for six years. Flores launched his riding career in 2018, doing so without the help of an agent, a challenging endeavor for any jockey. He is now represented by Rudy Rodriguez, Jr.

“I've always loved horses since I was young,” he said. “Once I started galloping them I knew I wanted to be a rider.”

That Flores is still an apprentice after nearly three years of riding is another part of his improbable story. Four months into his riding career he was involved in a spill and suffered a dislocated shoulder that sidelined him for four months. Less than two months after returning he broke his collarbone when the horse he was on went down during a morning work.

“I was wondering `Why me?' ” he said. “Just before that happened, that weekend, I had so many horses (to ride) and several had a chance to win. The falls totaled nine months of me being out.”

Because of the missed time the California Thoroughbred Racing Commission granted him an extension of 219 days to continue as an apprentice. It's the same number of days he was sidelined for.

His apprenticeship was due to expire July 14, 2020 but was extended through Feb. 18, 2021 – or until he wins 40 races.

He currently has 23 career wins.

“I feel like this year I did get the attention of some trainers at Monmouth, even though I wasn't here very long,” he said. “At first I was only riding a few horses a week. Now it seems like I am getting more chances and I am getting them on live shots. Right now, I just want to ride. The more I ride the better I will get. I hope this is just the start for me.”

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