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Horseshoe Indy Makes Donation To Grayson Jockey Club Equine Research

Horseshoe Indianapolis hosted the fourth annual Grayson Grass Challenge throughout the month of August to benefit Grayson-Jockey Club Equine Research and made a $9.6k donation as a result.

“We just completed our fourth year hosting this event and the handicappers involved raised a record amount for Grayson,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Grayson came to us a few years ago about partnering on a promotion and this special contest emerged as a result. We are elated to donate a total of $9,674.60 to Grayson this year and truly thank all the handicappers who donated their time for this promotion.”

Eight handicappers were given a $500 bankroll to spread out over five weeks of turf racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The individuals lent their expertise on various wagers and raised a total of $3,174.60, adding to the $6,500 donation from Horseshoe Indianapolis that included the bankrolls. Scott Ehlers, representing Daily Racing Form, earned the most money with a total of $785.20 followed by Rachel McLaughlin of Horseshoe Indianapolis with a tally of $646.80. Dan Tordjman of America's Best Racing was a close third with $633.20. Other handicappers who contributed to the cause included Ellis Starr (Equibase), Brian Arrigoni (Horseshoe Indianapolis), Jenna Otten (Caesars Entertainment Racing-Scioto Downs), and Nick Luck (NBC).

“We recognize the health and well-being of horses is so important, and anything we can do to assist is vital to the racing industry,” said Jamie Haydon, President of Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation. “We currently have 40 projects at 16 universities working to better understand the health of horses and allow horses of all breeds to live healthier lives. We are very appreciative of this partnership with Horseshoe Indianapolis, and this would not be possible without the commitment from management to host this event annually.”

Grayson-Jockey Club Equine Research is the leading source of private funding for equine medical research, assisting all disciplines of equine performance and wellness since 1940. More than $40 million has been assigned so far through more than 426 projects at 45 universities internationally.

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An Argument for Dirt: Letter to the Editor, by Steven Crist

To the Editor: The campaign to abolish dirt racing in favor of synthetic surfaces may be well-intentioned, but is a dangerous knee-jerk overreaction that would accomplish little but the destruction of Thoroughbred racing as we know it.

These advocates seem to have forgotten that we tried this a generation ago, when Southern California, Keeneland, and Dubai all switched to synthetic racing–and then tore out those tracks when it became obvious that they were producing misleading results and undeserving Grade I winners and champions. As Bob Baffert correctly said at the time, synthetic surfaces make mediocre horses look good and good horses look mediocre.

Do we really want to return to a randomizing form of racing under which Street Sense struggled home in the Breeders' Futurity and Blue Grass on synthetics, as opposed to his definitive dirt victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Derby? Would Curlin be the breed-changing stallion he has become if his dull fourth-place finish on synthetic in the Breeders' Cup Classic was as good as we had ever seen from him?

The raw data that has led people to conclude that synthetics are safer is deceptive, an apples-to-oranges comparison that disregards the poor condition of the nation's lower-tier dirt tracks and ignores the anecdotal evidence of increased soft-tissue injuries on synthetic surfaces. The more important data is the sharp reduction in breakdowns on dirt tracks in the last decade. That is a record of major improvement that, coupled with other new procedures and technology, can continue to the point where dirt is every bit as “safe” as synthetics without discarding centuries of breeding for dirt and grass.

There have been more catastrophic deaths on grass than dirt this summer at Saratoga. Should we therefore abolish grass racing too, and continue signaling our alleged virtue by urging the rest of the world to uproot its grass courses and go all-synthetic as well?

Switching to synthetics will irreparably harm American racing and breeding and will not placate a single foe of our sport.

Steven Crist

Hempstead, NY

The writer covered racing for nearly 40 years for The New York Times, Racing Times and Daily Racing Form. He was among the inaugural inductees to the Racing Hall of Fame's media honor roll in 2011 and received the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2016.

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Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Finalists And Runners-Up Named, TDN’s Sara Gordon A Finalist

The finalists and runners-up for the 2023 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA), set for Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Keeneland, were named in a release by Godolphin late Thursday.

Sara Gordon, TDN's Social Media Manager, is a finalist for the Newcomer Award. Gordon, a native of Woodbine, Maryland, is a lifelong equestrian who parlayed her love of horses into a career in turf writing. She is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

With finalists in six categories, the winner and runner-up of the seventh category, the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, have already been decided with Linda Doane of The Healing Place in Louisville, Kentucky awarded the top prize, and Francisco Torres, with the Backstretch Employee Service Team, placing second.

Out-of-town finalists and a guest will be provided with travel and accommodations, while those named will tour a local horse farm and attend a ceremony dinner before an afternoon of racing the following day at Keeneland.

The shortlist judging panel, the first of two, met on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to determine the finalists and runners-up in each category as well as the Community Award winner and finalist. Their meeting was hosted by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. The second and final stage of judging will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 17, when finalists will meet with the judges for in-person interviews.

Panel Chair Tom Law commented, “It's hard to put into words what it means to be involved with these awards. Everyone in our industry knows someone that works tirelessly, day-in and day-out, to take care of our magnificent two-legged and four-legged friends because they love what they do. The nominees, year-on-year, are a tremendous group, and while we wish we could reward them all, I do hope they feel honored that someone thought enough about them to submit a nomination.

“I'd also like to thank the National HBPA, TOBA, The Jockey Club, Breeders' Cup, and Godolphin, without whose underwriting and support these awards would not be possible to implement. Lastly, a heartfelt thanks to our media partners--The Thoroughbred Daily News, BloodHorse Publications, Daily Racing Form, FanDuel, Paulick Report and America's Day at the Races–for helping to spread the reach of the awards.”

Sponsors of the awards include Hallway Feeds, NTRA, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Keeneland, NYRA and Churchill Downs, and first-time sponsor 1/ST Racing.

The winners of the Katherine McKee Administration, Dedication to Breeding, Dedication to Racing, Leadership and Support Services Awards will receive a prize of $7,500, with an additional $1,000 to their farm, stable or organization, with two finalists receiving $2,500 each and $1,000 to their farm, stable or organization as well. For the first time in 2023, separate from the winners and two finalists, two runners-up will receive $2,000 each.

The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive $5,000 with $1,000 going to their farm, stable, or organization. Two finalists will receive $2,500 each, and separate from the winners and two finalists, two runners-up receive $1,000 each.

As the winner of the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, Linda Doane will receive a prize of $7,500 and an additional prize of $2,500 will be donated to the charity of her choice. Francisco Torres will receive $2,500 as the other finalist in this category, and separate from the winners and finalist, two runners-up receive $1,500 each.

The 2023 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards finalists are:
Katherine McKee Administration Award sponsored by Keeneland

Kelly Danner, Churchill Downs
Samantha McGreevy, Taylor Made Sales Agency
Jamie Bradley, Asmussen Racing

Runners-up

Gwenn Pierce, WB Payson Park LLC
Eleanor Poppe, NY Race Track Chaplaincy

Support Services Award sponsored by 1/ST Racing

Bill Vest, Churchill Downs
Tracy Attfield, Tlore
Rita Cutler, NYRA

Runners-up

Raul Gutierrez, Santa Anita Park
Julie Adair, Self

Dedication to Breeding Award sponsored by Hallway Feeds

Jimmy Tate, Winstar Farm
Phillip Hampton, Godolphin
Rafael Zambrano, War Horse Place

Runners-up

Harmon Sullivan, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program
Abel Garibay, Four Pillars Holdings LLC

Dedication to Racing Award sponsored by National Thoroughbred Racing Association

Laura Tilbury, Todd Pletcher
Kathy Sanchez, Tom Amoss Racing Stable
Moises Morales, Gustavo Delgado

Runners-up

Myra Hall, Herringswell Stables
Carlos Davila, Craig Wheeler

Leadership Award sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

Lorretta Lusteg, John C. Kimmel
Gene Guy, Glencrest Farm
Manuel Hernandez, Walmac Farm, LLC

Runners-up

Juan Aguilar, Indian Creek
Christine Jones, Pleasant Acres Stallions

Newcomer Award sponsored by New York Racing Association

Deja Robinson, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital
Sara Gordon, Thoroughbred Daily News
Dominick Merrit, Todd Pletcher

Runners-up

Adrianne DeVaux, Cherie Devaux Racing Stable
Susan Kemper, Coolmore America, Ashford Stud

Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award sponsored by Churchill Downs

Linda Doane, The Healing Place (Winner)
Francisco Torres, Backstretch Employee Service Team (Runner-up)

Runners-Up

Merlin Cano, Backside Learning Center
Diana Varon, Keeneland

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McGee Leaves DRF to Become Jockey Agent

Marty McGee, the longtime Kentucky correspondent for the Daily Racing Form, announced Tuesday that he is leaving the paper to become the agent for Joe Talamo. He had been with the Racing Form since 1992.

“After 38 years as a professional racing journalist, I will begin working full-time as an agent for my nephew-in-law, jockey Joe Talamo,” McGee posted on his Twitter account. “Joe and I are very excited about what the future holds. He's an immense talent who belongs among the game's elite.”

McGee wrote that the upcoming GI Kentucky Derby will be the 50th straight that he has attended and “my last as a writer and handicapper for Daily Racing Form.”

“In the coming days, I'll be reaching out to thank many of you who have helped make my dream come true,” he continued on Twitter. “I wanted to write about racing since I was 12, and after working for the Baltimore Sun (1985-92) and the Form (1992 to present), I can honestly say it has been a career of incredible fulfillment. I filed racing stories from 17 different states and was privileged to meet thousands of wonderful people (and horses) along the way. Sometime in the next year or two, I'll be having my memoirs published, so in the meantime, there's still plenty of work to do. THANK YOU to my family, friends, and everyone who have helped to make this such a great life in the game I love!”

McGee's many accomplishments include a 2013 Eclipse Award for writing in the Feature/Commentary category for a story entitled “For Desormeaux, Conflicting Views on his Struggles.”

McGee's announcement comes roughly six months after Daily Racing Form National Correspondent Jay Privman announced his retirement.

Talamo is a veteran who has been riding since 2006 and has 2,289 career wins. He is 7-for-98 so far this year. In 2007, he won an Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding apprentice.

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