Tag: Horse Care

Ballybristol Farm, LLC announced Tuesday that Andi'amu, the National Steeplechase Association Timber Horse of the Year for 2019 and 2022, will retire to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The 13-year-old Thoroughbred will be the first steeplechase horse to reside at the park's Hall of Champions barn.

“As a two-time National Steeplechase Association Timber Horse of the Year, Andi'amu, was a dominant force until his recent retirement. His addition to the Hall of Champions celebrates his success in his sport and recognizes the importance of steeplechase in the history of the Kentucky Horse Park,” said President Lee Carter. “We are grateful to Ballybristol Farm and Tom Collins for sharing Andi'amu with the park and our guests.”

Andi'amu was sired by Walk in the Park (IRE) and foaled in France in 2010. He began his flat racing career in France in 2012 and switched to jump racing in the United Kingdom in 2013. In 2015, he was purchased by Ballybristol Farm LLC and began his U.S. career participating in hurdle races which are generally 2 to 2 ½ miles long and the fences are 51 inches high. In 2017 and 2018, he switched to Timber Races where the distances are generally 3 to 4 miles long and fences are higher and may be constructed of timber, masonry or other materials.

In the U.S., Andi'amu was trained by Leslie Young in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2023 when he moved to Neil Norris in Middleburg, Virginia. He raced at Steeplechase venues along the east coast from New York to Virginia and in Tennessee. He also ran in hurdle races at the predominately flat tracks of Monmouth and Saratoga.

In his racing career, Andi'amu earned $544,400. This is a remarkable amount of prize money considering shorter race seasons and the lower purses for steeplechase races, especially timber races. In 49 starts, Andi'amu had 15 firsts, 12 seconds, 5 thirds and won 10 stakes races. In 2022 he was named Virginia Steeplechase Association Steeplechase Horse of the Year.

Andi'amu will reside at the Hall of Champions with Thoroughbreds Accelerate and Roy H; Standardbred Pacers Western Dreamer and Won The West; and Standardbred Trotters Mr. Muscleman and Marion Marauder.

The post Steeplechase Horse Of The Year Andi’amu Retired To Kentucky Horse Park Hall Of Champions appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

When reviewing figures from the last fiscal year, pathologist Dr. Francisco Uzal said he has seen something new in the California racing fatality numbers.

Uzal is in charge of the necropsy program at the University of California, which examines any horse who dies on a state-sanctioned racetrack there. He gave a report on the current year's figures from his program at a regularly-scheduled meeting of the California Horse Racing Board on Dec. 14. Uzal gave figures for the last fiscal year and the current one. In California, the fiscal year runs from July to June.

Across all breeds in the current fiscal year so far, there have been 25 musculoskeletal fatalities and 19 non-musculoskeletal deaths. The same period in 2022 saw 11 musculoskeletal fatalities and 22 non-musculoskeletal deaths.

Uzal also noted that in the fiscal year that ran from July 2022 to June 2023, there was a change in the most common cause of death.

“Traditionally we have many more musculoskeletal than other systems but when you look at 2022-23 this changed,” Uzal told commissioners. “For the first time this past [fiscal] year we had more medical cases than musculoskeletal. This is a good thing because it means the accidents are going down.”

“Medical cases,” in this context, refers to non-orthopedic cases. That includes sudden deaths as well as colics, infections, or barn area accidents.

For the 2022-23 fiscal year, there were 69 total equine fatalities across breeds, with 29 of them musculoskeletal and 40 non-musculoskeletal.

Uzal said he believes this is because various state- and track-level reforms, as well as the increased availability of high-tech imaging modalities, has allowed officials and trainers to intervene before a horse suffers an orthopedic injury. He reiterated to commissioners that research shows 85-90% of fatal injuries occur at the site of a pre-existing injury, although that injury may be subclinical prior to the catastrophic damage.

Sudden deaths have held steady in recent years in California, and Uzal said he continues to struggle to find an explanation for them.

“We think 60% are heart-related,” he said. “We think they're probably electrical conduction issues. We thought that perhaps there's some hereditary component; we don't know that, we are speculating. We are currently studying the exercise records and we are noticing some differences. We've seen that a number of horses that die suddenly, over the last weeks before death, had been slowing down, so we think that either the trainer, the vet, or the horse itself picked up something that nobody knows what it is.”

Uzal clarified that when he says “slow down” he means the horse's workload seems to get slower and lighter. They start going shorter distances and are spending less collective time exercising in those last weeks. He has expanded the toxicology testing he has done on some sudden death cases in recent years, but hasn't found an underlying cause there. The lab does keep urine, blood, follicle, and tissue samples frozen for retesting and research as new methods come along.

“Currently there's not much more we can say,” he said regarding sudden deaths. “The numbers are more or less constant. The percentage has been going up, just because the musculoskeletal deaths are going down.”

The post Pathologist Seeing Shift In Causes Of California Racehorse Fatalities appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) commends Gov. Kathy Hochul for signing S.2163-B into law to protect New York horses from being sold and transported for slaughter. Championed by Assemblymember Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan) and Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Woodhaven), this legislation was overwhelmingly approved by the New York State Legislature earlier this year, and the new law is set to take effect 120 days from today.

This measure is a follow-up to a 2021 law enacted by Gov. Hochul, which recognized this practice as fundamentally brutal and inhumane by outlawing the sale or transport of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses for the purpose of slaughter. This prohibition was an urgently needed first step as most equines bound for slaughter are crammed into crowded trailers without access to food, water, or rest, and many suffer serious injuries or death in transit. Once they arrive at the slaughterhouse, their death is even more gruesome. Due to their biology, horses are difficult to stun effectively, and they frequently require repeated blows and may even remain conscious during dismemberment. However, the original law made it difficult for officers stopping a horse trailer headed to the border to determine what breed each equine was. The enactment of S.2163-B makes the existing law more just and more effective by protecting all horses, not just racehorses.

“A staggering 83 percent of Americans oppose the slaughter of horses for human consumption and Congress has already acted to shut down slaughterhouses in the U.S., but a legal loophole still allows tens of thousands of American horses to be shipped to Canada and Mexico each year to be slaughtered for their meat,” said Bill Ketzer, senior legislative director for the ASPCA's Eastern division. “With the enactment of this new law, New York has taken a stand against the cruel, unnecessary, and predatory horse slaughter industry. We're grateful to Assemblymember Glick and Senator Addabbo for their commitment to ending the transport and slaughter of all horses and we thank Governor Hochul for strengthening the existing law to protect thousands of horses and ensure New York will no longer be a part of the slaughter pipeline.”

ASPCA research shows that 2.3 million Americans have the interest and resources to adopt a horse, demonstrating that there are more than enough homes for the approximately 20,000 American horses who were exported for slaughter last year. This means that every horse who has been sent to slaughter could have had a home waiting, if given the opportunity to find it, or compassionate end-of-life care close to home – a far cry from commercial slaughter. America's equine adoption community works to match the horses in their care with foster and adoptive families, increasing the number of adoptions every year, but as long as the financial incentive for slaughter exists, it will continue to hamper the lifesaving efforts of rescue and welfare groups to provide humane care to equines.

The horse slaughter industry not only exploits horses who must endure grueling journeys to slaughter plants and an inhumane death, it also harms the broader equine community, including horse owners, riders, and rescues, who fear that their horses will end up in the slaughter pipeline despite their best efforts to keep them safe. Kill buyers – those who buy horses to ship to slaughter in Canada and Mexico – attend auctions and often outbid rescue groups trying to help vulnerable equines. Kill buyers have also been known to pose as good homes in response to ads from horse owners who can no longer care for their animals. Many owners are so fearful that they may even keep their horses beyond the point that they can afford basic care to prevent their animals from being sold to slaughter, causing further suffering. In fact, approximately 75 percent of horse owners surveyed at the ASPCA's Equine Transition and Adoption Center admit that the threat of horse slaughter played a primary role in delaying relinquishment and seeking care.

The ASPCA is committed to ensuring good welfare for all equines in the U.S. by building programs that support horses and their owners, advocating for stronger laws for these under-protected animals, and reimagining and increasing equine adoption. In addition to supporting efforts to prohibit horse slaughter at the state level, the ASPCA is also advocating for the passage of the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R.3475/S.2037), federal legislation that would permanently protect American horses from commercial slaughter by expanding the Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act that passed as part of the 2018 Farm Bill to include equines, thereby prohibiting the commercial slaughter of horses in the U.S. and ending their export for that purpose abroad.

For more information about the ASPCA's work to ban horse slaughter or to join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation's leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

The post ASPCA Commends Gov. Hochul For Signing Bill To Protect New York Horses From Slaughter appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

More than 100 veterinary students attending the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in San Diego got a unique glimpse behind the racetrack at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on one of the final race days of the fall meet. From morning workouts through afternoon races, students learned firsthand about the important roles racetrack veterinarians play in ensuring the safety and welfare of these equine athletes. Several equine veterinarians involved in racetrack practice were on hand to share their experiences, advice, and above all, passion for their careers.

“Many veterinary students, including myself, did not grow up with exposure to the racetrack,” said California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Official Veterinarian Alina Vale. “After I was introduced to the track, I knew I wanted to devote my career to these amazing athletes. Practicing veterinarians and regulatory veterinarians at the track can have a profound impact on racehorse welfare and safety.”

The unique opportunity of the proximity of the AAEP Convention location to Del Mar, and the fact that the track was still running its fall meet, made this opportunity possible.

“The goal was awareness of the racing industry, its relationship with veterinary medicine, and the multiple opportunities for a career on the track as a private practitioner or regulatory veterinarian,” said California Equine Medical Director Jeffrey Blea.

Initially expected to attract 20 to 30 participants, overwhelming interest saw attendance soar to more than 110 students from veterinary schools across the United States, and even internationally.

“When Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) President and Chief Operating Officer Josh Rubinstein and Executive Vice President of Racing and Industry Relations Tom Robbins were made aware of the numbers of interested students, their response was, 'Bring them all. We would love to have them!',” reflected Blea.

One of the most famous racetracks in the world, DMTC began welcoming racing enthusiasts in 1937. From Hollywood celebrities to local residents, visitors have cheered on famous horses including Seabiscuit, Cigar, and Zenyatta, and renowned jockeys such as William (Bill) Shoemaker, Gary Stevens, and Victor Espinoza. Although the facility has changed with the times, the rich history and lingering air of old Hollywood glamor made it an undeniably unique setting for many of the students to experience their first horseraces.

“On behalf of the California Thoroughbred racing industry, I was thrilled at the response we received from the veterinary students that attended our race day at Del Mar,” said Rubinstein. “A special thank you to Dr. Blea, for his hard work on making the event such a success. We hope some of these future veterinarians will choose the exciting and rewarding career path of Thoroughbred racing in California.”

A sunny Southern California morning welcomed the students to the storied track where they began the day watching workouts and chatting with fellow students. A number of small groups also formed to talk with veterinarians about their career paths. Along the rail, Vale and outrider Enrique Alférez, aboard his pony horse Scarface, explained the role of outriders and their horses in keeping racehorses and jockeys safe.

From there, the students ventured to the receiving barn, where regulatory veterinarians Drs. Brent Cassady and Dana Stead outlined pre-race veterinary examinations and the role of veterinarians in the safety program. Topics included how many horses a regulatory veterinarian sees in a day, how much time they spend evaluating each horse, and the importance of communicating clearly and plainly with trainers. A few trainers brought horses in for race day examinations so the students could appreciate how veterinarians look for changes in factors such as stride length, hip symmetry, and head carriage that can be signs of potential issues.

“The thing that most stood out to me was the sheer volume of people tasked with safeguarding the health of the horse,” said Fred Holcomb, a third-year veterinary student at Texas A&M University. “From the head steward monitoring for crop violations during training to the veterinarians doing the pre-race evaluations, it was clear that the equine athletes' safety was a priority.”

Chief Official Veterinarian for the CHRB Dr. Tim Grande and Official Veterinarian Dr. Nolton Pattio rounded out the discussion of veterinarians' race day responsibilities, testing procedures, how horses are placed on the veterinarian's list and how they are removed from the list, and special considerations for horses in claiming races.

“When you practice on the track, you work together with the regulators,” said Pattio. “Safety and integrity are a collective effort.”

“The opportunity to tour the Del Mar racetrack was the perfect occasion to learn about a portion of the equine industry that I was not familiar with,” said Kenzie Jones, a second-year veterinary student at Kansas State University. “They walked us through the rigorous protocols of how horses are evaluated before and after their races. I was very impressed when the veterinarians shared that all recorded evaluations of the horses are logged into a nationwide system so that the information will follow them when they travel to different locations.”

After a tour of the barn area, students were treated to lunch in a suite with prime seats for the afternoon races. Private practitioners and officials, including representatives from the Stronach Group, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), New York Racing Association, San Luis Rey Downs, and more welcomed them and shared opportunities for externships and other learning experiences, along with encouragement for career paths in racetrack medicine.

“There is such a need for these types of veterinarians, but it's so hard to imagine what their day-to-day would be like without talking to the professionals who practice it,” said Rachel Akin, a second-year veterinary student at Mississippi State University. “I'm not sure I would have gotten an experience like this anywhere else. It is such a beautiful track, and it was a great spot to watch my first races ever!”

The second race of the afternoon – which ended in an exciting photo finish – was named for the AAEP event and some of the scholarship recipients had the opportunity to stand in the winner's circle for the official photo.

“It has been really meaningful to come out with other students because I'm always talking about how I want to go into racetrack medicine,” said AAEP scholarship recipient and fourth-year UC Davis veterinary student Megan Elcombe. “I think it is invaluable for us to be here, see what it's about, and not just have the perception of what's in the media but actually talk to the practitioners that are working so hard to make this a better industry.”

Given the success of this event, similar opportunities will likely be available to veterinary students in the future, either with the AAEP Convention or through regional opportunities for AAEP student chapters to travel to local tracks.

“This event was a means to break down barriers, let the students interact, and realize this is something they could possibly explore, and even go into after graduation,” said Blea. “We are grateful to Del Mar for hosting and for their commitment to the veterinary profession.”

The post Veterinary Students Receive Warm Welcome At Del Mar During AAEP Convention appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post