CHRB Meeting: HISA, Accident Taskforce, Betting Option Menu

Newly minted California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) member, Thomas Hudnot–an education consultant and a former racehorse owner–enjoyed a relatively smooth landing on his first public day on the job, with few of the highly combustible topics on the monthly commission meeting agenda that have lit the touch paper during any number of board meetings these past few years.

The meeting, however, did signal a potential brewing storm in the shape of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's scheduled implementation of its racetrack safety rules July 1.

CHRB executive director, Scott Chaney, pointed out that HISA's crop rules–which allow for overhand use of the whip–are more permissive than those currently in place in California, which prohibits use of the whip above the shoulder.

Furthermore, HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control program, which is set to go into effect early next year, currently restricts the administration of pre-race mediations to 24 hours, in contrast to the CHRB's 48-hour cut-off.

These two areas give Chaney cause for “concern,” he said, adding that he is in frequent communication with the new CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority–the broad non-profit umbrella established by HISA and commonly referred to as just the “Authority”–to find a solution to these issues “which are frankly non-starters for California.”

“I am hopeful that we can reach a resolution in which there will not be any loosening of the rules already in place here,” said Chaney.

Chaney also broached the prickly issue of HISA's cost, saying that “the current reg's require that they provide the amount of California's contribution by Apr. 1.” Before then, he added, the CHRB will begin negotiations with the Authority to conduct as many of the functions under the new federal rules as the law permits.

Needless to say, Chaney said, “this implementation is very fluid, and will require both the Authority and the CHRB to be flexible as we both seek to promote human and animal welfare.”

Earlier in the meeting, California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT) executive director, Alan Balch, provided a status update on the accident prevention taskforce created late last year to systematically study the myriad factors behind fatal equine injury.

The key component of Balch's presentation concerned shoulder fractures–a common cause of catastrophic injury in racehorses.

These types of injuries have long bedeviled veterinarians and trainers due to their subtlety of visible symptoms, and the sheer difficulty of diagnosing them prior to a catastrophic breakdown occurring.

“As you know, if we could eliminate shoulder fractures, our safety record would improve even more significantly,” said Balch.

One especially high-risk group of horses said Balch–floating the findings of a nationwide statistical survey performed by The Stronach Group chief veterinarian, Dionne Benson–are those returning to training from lay-offs.

“Generally, the factors are lay-offs of 90-days or more,” said Balch, “and possibly a premature return to serious training once they've returned to the track or an auxiliary facility.”

In short, explained Balch, the general understanding in the equine medical world is that in horses returning to training after a break, the musculature develops faster than the bone can remodel, and that horses can appear outwardly fit enough to handle a degree of exercise greater than the bone is able to withstand.

And so, what's to be done?

California trainers are required to routinely complete continuing education courses, covering a variety of topics from track surfaces to pre-race examinations, as well as those on shoulder fractures.

Most California trainers have completed the shoulder-related module, but not all, admitted Balch. In response, the CHRB discussed a variety of amendments to the rules to potentially mandate completion of the module, including making it a prerequisite for re-licensing.

In the meantime, the CTT will contact over the next 30 days all trainers who have skipped the online course to encourage them to complete it, said Balch.

More broadly, the aim of the accident taskforce “is to provide a statistically sound guide, perhaps even by way of a rule based on verified evidence, of steps which must be taken before a horse returning from a lay-off of a specified period can gallop or work at speed,” Balch explained.

During a report about the prior day's pari-mutuel and wagering committee meeting, commissioner Dennis Alfieri explained how the Xpressbet wagering platform has developed a technology allowing gamblers to select an alternative primary selection in multi-race wagers–such as a pick four, pick five, or pick six–in the event their primary pick is a late scratch.

The new feature was launched to online customers in mid-February, said Alfieri.

The technology was developed in response to the Modern Games debacle at last November's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, when a veterinarian prematurely scratched the horse, only for the Godolphin runner to be reinstated into the race for purse-money only.

Modern Games ultimately won the race, with winning returns going to the second-place finisher, Tiz the Bomb. And while many multi-race gamblers who selected Modern Games automatically received the eventual favorite, Dakota Gold, instead, that horse eventually finished out of the frame in fifth.

Alfieri explained that Chaney had suggested at the pari-mutuel and wagering committee meeting that the CHRB make this wagering option a condition of licensure for other betting platforms when their licenses are up for renewal.

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Can The Horseracing Integrity And Safety Act Entice More Vets To Regulatory Work?

The veterinary shortage in the United States has reached an almost critical juncture, but those behind the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act believe they may be able to entice more vets to regulatory work with the promise of a work-life balance.

As an increased veterinary presence at tracks in California is required, the lack of veterinarians in the state – and throughout the United States – is becoming more apparent, reports Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

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There are multiple reasons why fewer students are studying veterinary medicine and even fewer are interested in pursuing large animal practice, including debt, stress, mental health concerns, and work-life balance. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), which is slated to launch in July of 2022, is hoping to entice more vets into the regulatory side of veterinary medicine.

In racing, veterinarians typically fall into two camps: vets employed by racetracks and vets employed by state racing commissions. In California, the veterinarian's scope of duties now extends well beyond that of a pre-race examiner: vets in the state now are asked to monitor training, help with entry review panels and sit on necropsy review programs.

Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer for The Stronach Group (TSG), has a unique proposal to attract vets into regulatory work: The creation of a fellowship program aimed at vet school graduates who have completed an internship, but who would like to do something more before entering into full-time practice.

Benson suggests the fellowship be a two-year program split between academic studies and practical experiences, with the student graduating from the program with a master's degree in regulatory or sports medicine.

Proponents are hopeful the job of a regulatory vet may soon be streamlined through HISA's creation of a nationwide veterinarian database, which could better allow regulatory veterinarians to communicate about required tasks and prevent the role from being too overwhelming. Another potentially large draw for regulatory vet work is the standardized hours.

Read more at Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

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First Round of Blood Tests Clean On Baffert Pimlico Horses

Per the condition of the entry agreement into the GI Preakness S. between the Maryland Jockey Club and trainer Bob Baffert reached earlier this week, Baffert-trained horses Medina Spirit (Protonico), Concert Tour (Street Sense) and Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) underwent three rounds of out-of-competition blood sample testing. The Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) took two samples, one May 6 and the other May 10. A third sample was taken by 1/ST RACING and the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) May 11.

Samples drawn May 6 and 10 by the MRC were sent to Industrial Laboratories in Colorado, while the samples drawn by 1/ST RACING and MJC on May 11 were sent to the University of California at Davis Maddy Laboratory.

The May 6 samples were screened for both prohibited and therapeutic substances and were reported clear for all horses Thursday by Industrial Laboratories.

Results for the May 10 and 11 samples will be available Friday, and are expected by 3:00 p.m. ET in advance of the GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S., in which Beautiful Gift is entered. The outcome of those results will be announced publicly by 1/ST RACING and MJC upon receipt.

“1/ST RACING is committed to achieving the highest level of horse care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing. We have been an industry leader in instituting processes and protocols that have led to nationwide medication reform and increased accountability and transparency,” said Craig Fravel, Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST RACING. “While we acknowledge the challenging circumstances that prompted this further need for transparency, it reflects, above all else, that the principles of integrity, accountability, and safety in our sport are non-negotiable.”

In addition to third-round sampling, the medical records for all Baffert trained horses have been reviewed by Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer, 1/ST RACING. Baffert has provided medical records covering the period of Apr. 1 through May 10. Medical records for Medina Spirit reportedly reflected the dispensing of Otomax Apr. 9 and 19. Otomax is a legal, topical ointment used off-label to treat dermatitis in racehorses. Medina Spirit's medical records were compared to confidential veterinary records obtained from the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) which were submitted within 24 hours of those dates and have been verified.

Baffert also voluntarily submitted radiographs of Medina Spirit's fetlocks (ankles) and carpi (knees), which his veterinarian took at Pimlico May 12. These radiographs were reviewed by the Maryland Equine Medical Director, 1/ST RACING's Chief Veterinary Officer, and a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons that consults with 1/ST RACING and MJC. All three veterinarians independently determined the radiographs showed no abnormal findings.

To view a copy of the Maryland Jockey Club and Bob Baffert agreement, click here.

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Experts Say Difficult Winter Could Be To Blame For Woes With Laurel Track Surface

Thursday's announcement that live racing would be not be held at Laurel Park until further notice, with this weekend's races cancelled and future racing moved to Pimlico Race Course, stemmed from concerns about the safety of the racetrack surface. Officials from the Maryland horse community appeared on a teleconference meeting to discuss the issues with the surface, which Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory's Dr. Mick Peterson believes may originate from a tough winter in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The entire track cushion will be rehabilitated in the coming weeks, with a timeline that is expected to take less than three weeks as light training (no workouts) continues over the Laurel Park main track. Meanwhile, horses will be able to ship to Pimlico for workouts using the Maryland Jockey Club shuttle.

Training tomorrow will be held from 5:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., with no break. Only jogging and galloping will be allowed at this time.

“From a race track operator's perspective, we have a couple of responsibilities,” said Aiden Butler, Chief Operating Officer, 1/ST RACING. “The most important one is to make sure that the sanctity and the safety of the racetrack is the best it can be at all times. Varying degrees of weather and varying degrees of protocols mean that it's not always as optimum as we would like … When we got the heads up last week that the track was not performing quite as well as we'd like it to, we immediately rallied and put a team together.

“We decided that for Maryland to be as good as it can be, there was only one approach, and it's one that's a heck of a lot of work, and unfortunately going to be a heck of a lot of inconvenience for everyone on this call. But there really is no other way. Maryland has the opportunity to be as good a racing jurisdiction and as good a racing surface as any in the country, and we're not going to get there if the track isn't as good as it can be.”

A total of four equine fatalities, one during racing and three during morning training, have occurred at Laurel this year, Stronach Group chief veterinary officer Dr. Dionne Benson told the Paulick Report. The four fatalities resulted from different types of injuries and occurred at different locations on the racetrack, Benson said, adding that the numbers are very similar to this time last year. One morning fatality occurred in February, the racing fatality on March 7, one morning fatality during March, and one morning fatality over the past week.

“The bigger issue was that we weren't happy with how the track came out of winter,” Benson explained.

The general consensus was that the issues with the track surface have been a concern for the past two weeks.

“I don't want to focus on how we got to this point,” said Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Tim Keefe. “I would like to focus on how to avoid it in the future.”

Butler continued the conversation by adding that he'll be on the grounds in Maryland over the next several weeks and is looking forward to speaking with horsemen, both formally and informally, about how to open a more direct dialog so similar issues can be avoided in the future.

“We definitely want to be proactive on this, not reactive,” said Peterson, adding that the MJC has implemented the some of the RSTL's improvements over the past couple years, including an on-site weather station and other rapid-response testing abilities.

Peterson went on to explain that the issues with the Laurel Park track cushion stemmed from several factors.

“Winter racing on a dirt track is challenging, and it's clear that in the Mid-Atlantic region, some years are more challenging than others,” Peterson said, “especially with these years where the freeze/thaw cycle leads to a lot of salt usage. The other challenge, and this is not unique to the Mid-Atlantic tracks, is getting consistent materials in the quantity required for racetrack maintenance.

“The key is not only meeting the immediate needs, but in changing the operation mode for the Maryland Jockey Club.”

1/ST RACING's Senior Track Superintendent Dennis Moore and the Maryland Jockey Club's Track Superintendent Chris Bosley have located a supplier and began the project on Friday, stripping material off the track. Moore has experience mixing the material on site for consistency, and will be confirming the process along the way with additional samples sent to the RSTL and Peterson.

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