HISA Questions and Answers: Part 3

Since issuing a cheat sheet to help guide industry participants through the launch of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) on July 1, the TDN has been fielding unanswered questions that industry participants have about the process to register, and about the anticipated playing field within a few weeks, forwarding them to HISA for response.

The first two batches of reader questions, alongside HISA's responses, can be found here and here.

The latest batch of answers is below. Some of the questions have been edited for brevity and clarity.

The TDN has forwarded every question received, most of them concerned with the impending launch date, but some of them much broadly focused on the federal law in general and the draft Anti-Doping and Medication Control program.

Some of you might still be waiting for a response, however. That's because the organization has focused its attention on answering questions related to racetrack safety and registration given the “push” to July 1, explained a HISA spokesperson. Feedback on the draft ADMC rules may be sent to admcfeedback@hisaus.org.

HISA's formal website can be found here, and the online registration portal can be found here.

Question: This question is in regards to your response to the jockey crop question. Right now, only one company makes the crop that meets the compliance requirements. You say other companies can make crops that meet these requirements, however they cannot if the original company has a patent on the design. Please advise.

HISA: According to the manufacturer of the 360 crop, there is no patent on the current design. And in fact, the patent owner is encouraging other manufacturers to enter the market to increase supply.

Q: When entering horses' names, foal dates and mares' names, the portal would not accept them and I couldn't move forward. What shall I do?

H: If you have entered a horse's name and it is not present in the dropdown list, please call 1-877-513-2919 for assistance.  If the horse is unnamed, you do not have to register the horse before July 1st.

Q: Anyone with access to horses on the backstretch has to register, and I worry about people whose English might not be good or who isn't computer-savvy, getting it done. How will HISA help with this? Alternately, should the tracks and/or their representative HBPAs have people helping backstretch employees with their registration?

H: HISA is providing resource materials online and in person in English and Spanish. Some racetracks have held in-person registration drives and HISA will be visiting several racetracks to facilitate the registration process. If you work at a racetrack that is interested putting on a registration event, please send an email to feedback@hisaus.org.

Q: I'm trying to enter the information for [someone] who lives in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and it keeps kicking me out. I think because of the address. Is there something special to do for an international address?

H: HISA is expanding the list of countries for which we are providing valid addresses. In the meantime, please use the address of the racetrack that they will run at.

The post HISA Questions and Answers: Part 3 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Monmouth Appeals to Racing Commission to Amend Whipping Rules

With new regulations regarding whipping set to go into effect throughout the country on July 1 when the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) takes effect, management at Monmouth Park has asked the New Jersey Racing Commission to adopt the more lenient HISA rules when the meet opens May 7.

The story was first reported by the Asbury Park Press.

At the start of the 2021 meet controversial rules were put in place by the New Jersey Racing Commission that banned the practice of whipping horses to encourage them to run. While restrictions on the use of the whip were in place in several states, New Jersey was the only jurisdiction that banned the use of the whip outright.

On July 1, that is set to change when HISA rules will supercede regulations put in place by state racing commissions. The HISA rules allow a jockey to strike a horse six times a race but no more than twice in succession. With the rules set to change some seven weeks into the meet, Monmouth is asking the racing commission to put the HISA rules in place at the start of the meet. Track management has requested that the commission hold a special meeting to discuss the matter.

“I think we have a very good chance of getting this done,” Dennis Drazin, the chairman and CEO of the management company that operates Monmouth, told the Press. “It doesn't make sense to have different rules to start the meet and switch midstream.”

Several jockeys raised objections to the rule last year, arguing that the whip was needed for safety purposes. While most decided to ride at the meet, 13-time Monmouth champion Joe Bravo refused to ride and relocated to California. Antonio Gallardo also cited the rule when announcing he was leaving Monmouth to ride at Woodbine.

From a pari-mutuel wagering standpoint, Monmouth did not have a particularly strong 2021 meet, which raised the possibility that some bettors shied away from the Monmouth product because of the whipping ban.

The post Monmouth Appeals to Racing Commission to Amend Whipping Rules appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Research Update: The Effect Of Different Riding Crops On Force Exertion

Riding crops and whips are often used as a training or communication aid between horse and rider. In the racing industry, the employment of riding crops and whips is regulated to prevent overuse or misuse. A recent study by the New York Institute of Technology evaluated differences in force between crops with flat leather poppers and soft, padded poppers.

Two flat nylon thread leather poppers and one circular, foam-padded popper were evaluated with crop rods that varied in flexibility. Each crop was secured above a flat target plate, bent upward reaching its limit, and released. Force upon impact to the plate was measured and recorded by a digital scale. The face and side of the flat leather poppers were tested. This procedure was then repeated 30 times per crop.

Researchers found that the force exerted by the individual popper depended on the flexibility of the crop's rod. Therefore, the circular, foam-padded crop could exert more or less force than the flat leather popper depending on the material of the rod. As a result, selecting a crop based on the type of popper is not sufficient when attempting to minimize potential force to the horse. While this study is not a complete representation of crop use during riding, these findings provide useful insight to factors that can influence force from riding crops.

For more information read the abstract in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Sciences.

Sign up for the University of Minnesota e-newsletter here.

The post Research Update: The Effect Of Different Riding Crops On Force Exertion appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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ARCI Strengthens Model Rule Restrictions On Crop Use, But Declines To Limit Strike Count

Jockeys will be prohibited from using the riding crop more than two consecutive times before being required to wait three full strides in order to give the horse a chance to respond under an expanded Model crop Rule adopted by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) last week.

The modified rule tightens restrictions already in place but clearly says that any use of the crop to “urge” the horse must be limited. The new RCI Model Rule continues to rely upon the judgement of the Stewards as to when to impose sanctions, but is clear that using the crop more than two consecutive times or not waiting three full strides before reuse is to be regarded as a rule violation.

The RCI did not include an overall strike count in the actual rule but did approve corresponding guidelines to advise officials that use of the crop more than six strikes during the race is something to be assessed. The RCI Board did not want to remove the authority of the Stewards to exercise judgement based on the specific instances of the race but did want to provide guidance as to when to start questioning the possibility of overuse.

“If our accredited Stewards cannot judge when a jock has crossed the line then perhaps they should not be in the stand,” said former jock and racing official Doug Moore who is Executive Director of the Washington State Racing Commission and Chair of the RCI Rider and Driver Safety Committee.

“If the officials fail to exercise their responsibility in this matter then the feeling at the meeting was that the matter must be reviewed up top in assessing someone's job performance and deciding whether to keep them on.”

“Several years ago we changed the riding crop requirements to rely upon poppers which provide an audible stimulation to the horse in addition to the visual one of showing the horse the crop,” said RCI Chairman Tom Sage. “As a result, it is extremely rare to find a horse with evidence of crop misuse coming in off the track.”

“In helping to protect the horse we may have created an opposite impression with the public as they now hear the noise coming from the crops,” he said.

RCI President Ed Martin noted that testimony from the Jockey Club as to public perception was taken to heart and the regulators found it compelling to help address that by defining clearly what the chance to respond should be.

“The image of someone wailing away on a horse coming down the stretch is not a good one for a sport struggling to assert a positive image. But controlled and limited use with three full strides to respond was something the regulators believed would help mitigate that,” he said.

There was resistance to putting a hard strike limit in the Model Rule to emulate what Maryland and Delaware have enacted. Some jurisdictions felt that it would be deemed arbitrary and not withstand legal challenge in their states. Others questioned the “magic” of the number 6, asking why not 5 or 7 or 8? The collective wisdom was to use a strike limit as a guideline and leave the judgement in the hands of the officials as every case is individual, especially when you consider different track lengths.

There was universal agreement that any abuse of the horse in any way must be severely addressed. The RCI committees intend to develop progressive penalty guidelines in this area in the coming months to ensure that multiple violations are deterred across the system.

“We appreciate the input we have received on this issue from countless individuals and organizations like Breeders Cup, the Thoroughbred Safety Alliance, the Jockey Club, the AQHA, the Jockeys Guild and our regulatory veterinarians,” said RCI Chair Tom Sage.

“We believe we have found a balance that protects the horse, mitigates perception problems, and maintains the essence of a sport where every horse runs its best in every race,” he said.

FULL TEXT OF THE ARCI RIDING CROP MODEL RULE

Adopted 12/4/2020 – changes underlined.

  (7). Use of Riding Crop

(a)    Although the use of a riding crop is not required, any jockey who uses a riding crop during a race shall do so only in a manner consistent with exerting his/her best efforts to obtain a maximum placing that affects purse distribution or wagering pools.

(b)    In all races where a jockey will ride without a riding crop, an announcement of such fact shall be made over the public-address system.

(c)    No electrical or mechanical device or other expedient designed to increase or retard the speed of a horse, other than the riding crop approved by the stewards, shall be possessed by anyone, or applied by anyone to the horse at any time on the grounds of the association during the meeting, whether in a race or otherwise.

(d)    Riding crops shall not be used on two-year-old horses before April 1 of each year.

(e)    The riding crop shall only be used for safety, correction and limited encouragement, and be appropriate, proportionate, professional, taking into account the rules of racing herein.  However, stimulus provided by the use of the riding crop shall be monitored so as not to compromise the welfare of the horse.

(f)    Use of the riding crop varies with each particular horse and the circumstances of the race.

(g)    Except for extreme safety reasons all riders should comply with the following when using a riding crop:

    (A)   Initially showing the horse the riding crop, and/or tapping the horse with the riding crop down, giving it time to respond before using it; 

    (B)   The riding crop shall not be used more than twice in succession and the Having used the riding crop, giving the horse must be given a chance to respond before using it again;

          i. Chance to respond” is defined as at least three complete strides and one of the following actions by a jockey:

            1.   Pausing the use of the riding crop on their horse before resuming again; or

            2.   Pushing on their horse with a rein in each hand, keeping the riding crop in the up or down position; or

            3.   Showing the horse the riding crop without making contact; or

            4.   Moving the riding crop from one hand to the other.

    (C)   Using the riding crop in rhythm with the horse's stride.

(h)    When deciding whether or not to review the jockey's use of the riding crop, stewards will consider how the jockey has used the riding crop during the course of the entire race, with particular attention to its use in the closing stages, and relevant factors such as:

    (A)   The manner in which the riding crop was used

    (B)   The purpose for which the riding crop was used

    (C)   The distance over which the riding crop was used and whether the number of times it was used was reasonable and necessary

    (D)   Whether the horse was continuing to respond.

(i)    In the event there is a review by the Stewards, use of the riding crop may be deemed appropriate in the following circumstances:

    (A)   To keep a horse in contention or to maintain a challenging position prior to what would be considered the closing stages of a race,

    (B)   To maintain a horse's focus and concentration,

    (C)   To correct a horse that is noticeably hanging,

    (D)   To assure the horse maintains a straight course, or,

    (E)   Where there is only light contact with the horse.

(j)    Prohibited use of the riding crop includes but are not limited to striking a horse:

    (A)   On the head, flanks or on any other part of its body other than the shoulders or hind quarters except when necessary to control a horse;

    (B)   During the post parade or after the finish of the race except when necessary to control the horse;

    (C)   Excessively or brutally causing welts or breaks in the skin;

    (D)   When the horse is clearly out of the race or has obtained its maximum placing;

    (E)   Persistently even though the horse is showing no response under the riding crop; or

    (F)   Striking another rider or horse.

(k)    After the race, horses will be subject to inspection by a racing or official veterinarian looking for cuts, welts or bruises in the skin. Any adverse findings shall be reported to the Stewards.

(l)    The giving of instructions by any licensee that if obeyed would lead to a violation of this rule may result in disciplinary action also being taken against the licensee who gave such instructions.

ARCI Riding Crop Guidelines for Stewards

In addition to the rule restricting crop use to two consecutive instances before giving a horse the opportunity to respond as defined as three full strides:

  • A jockey may use a riding crop in an underhand position on the hind quarters or shoulder without the wrist rising above the shoulder during a race prior to the final 1/4 mile of the race; or with both hands on the reins to tap the horse on the shoulder.
  • A jockey may use the crop as necessary to control the horse for the safety of the horse and rider.
  • A jockey who elects to use a riding crop for limited urging, except as permitted above, should not use the crop more than six times during the race.

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