Horse racing news | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Human Error’ Behind Filly Named With Racial Slur; BHA To Review Naming Process

A filly racing at Wolverhampton this Saturday ignited social media when fans recognized her name as a racial slur, reports The Guardian. The offensive name was apparently an innocent mistake made by her owner, Emma Evans: the filly is sired by Bungle Inthejungle and was named “Jungle Bunny” in reference to a child's computer game called Jungle Bunny Run.

The filly has since been renamed Jungle Bells.

Two hours after the filly's race, the BHA wrote on Twitter acknowledging that the name was “deeply offensive and should not have been permitted. It was not picked up by the team responsible for filtering names. This is a human process and this was a human error.”

The British Horseracing Authority plans to review the process by which it approves racehorse names after the racial slur slipped by the naming committee.

In addition, a BHA spokesperson said: “We reiterate the apology that was issued after the horse ran. Racist language is not tolerated in our sport, whether intentional or accidental. We are opposed to racism and prejudice in all its forms and are committed to making British racing an open, diverse and inclusive industry that is welcoming to all.”

Visit Horse Country Launches Charitable Fund

Visit Horse Country, like many others, suffered a serious financial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several members of the industry, such as Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland, the Breeders’ Cup and The Jockey Club, stepped into help. However, Visit Horse Country has now partnered with the Bluegrass Community Foundation to launch a charitable fund supporting initiatives like services for TAA-accredited aftercare members of Horse Country which receive a complimentary membership; scholarship and field trip visits; community outreach such as Meet the Neighbors; and a new workforce development partnership with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

“Between refunds and not being able to offer tours, a year that had been trending to exceed 40% growth year over year turned into a budget net-negative,” said Price Bell, Jr., president of Horse Country’s board. “The way we’re currently structured, nearly all of our operating budget is derived from revenue sharing when members give tours. When that couldn’t happen, we were looking at a pretty dire scenario. We cut every expense we could, including a temporary furlough of our team. Even as a limited amount of tours reopened in 2020, we would not have made it without the financial support of our industry, community and members.”

So far, in a launch of the fund earlier this year, more than 70% of the initial goal of $150,000 has been raised, with major support coming from the W. S. Farish Fund, followed by the Duncan & Carol Taylor Fund, Headley & Nancy Bell, Priscilla Fallon, The Bakhaus Family Foundation, The Jones Family Foundation, Siena Farm, Godolphin and others.

“The successful work of fan development through Horse Country is vital to our industry. For it to go away after the dedication of so many wasn’t acceptable,” said Bill Farish of Horse Country member Lane’s End Farm, and on behalf of the W. S. Farish Fund. “The financial health of Horse County is vital to the success of the effort. I’m thrilled to hear the match by the W. S. Farish fund has worked and that Horse Country will make it through this pandemic.”

Tours for 2021 will be offered on a limited basis beginning late December, though some members may not resume regular operations until later in the new year. Updates can be found at www.visithorsecountry.com.

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New Type Of Equine Wart Discovered

A new type of equine wart has been identified by a New Zealand researcher. Equine warts are caused by the equine papillomavirus, which may contribute to the development of some types of skin cancer.

A 10-year-old Warmblood had two round, thick masses nearly 1 inch in diameter on the back of his left front fetlock; his treating veterinarian biopsied them, thinking they were sarcoids, which would have been difficult to treat in that area.

The biopsy results showed that the growths were actually warts, which typically go away by themselves. There are multiple types of papillomaviruses; they are divided into categories based on what type of lesion they cause. The papillomavirus that caused these warts, however, was new. The type of papillomavirus it is most similar to causes self-resolving warts.

The horse was treated with a topical chemotherapy drug and the lesions disappeared within a month. The veterinarians on the case noted that the cream may not have been the cure for the warts and that they may have gone away on their own.

Though not every lesion caused by the equine papillomavirus needs to be biopsied, in this case it was the correct approach as the masses were not recognized as warts. It's important for vets to remember that warts can sometimes present with an unusual appearance, the treating vet noted.

2021 World Harness Handicapping Championship Set For Nov. 13

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment and DerbyWars.com are proud to announce the 2021 World Harness Handicapping Championship presented by DerbyWars.com — offering a $150,000 prize pool — is set for Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.

On that date, the top horseplayers in North America will compete for an estimated $150,000 prize pool. The total prize pool is based on 150 entries, with 100 percent of entries going to player prizes and bankrolls.

With the cancellation of the 2020 WHHC Final due to COVID-19, a number of players made the decision to roll their spot over to 2021 Final.

“We are anticipating being back to normal operating capacities in mid-summer,” said Rachel Ryan, Marketing & Event Operations Director at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment. “This will allow us to run some feeder tournaments during our fall meet and host the final in mid-November. We are anxious to get our onsite contests back up and running.”

The World Harness Handicapping Championship presented by DerbyWars.com is a one-day tournament, with a welcome reception the evening prior. The Meadowlands and DerbyWars.com reserve the right to host the Final online if Covid protocols do not allow an onsite event.

Players that did not earn a seat through a qualifying event can directly buy-in for $1,300. The $1,300 entry fee includes a $300 bankroll, with the remaining $1,000 going to the prize pool. The WHHC contest format requires players to bet 10 races: their choice of seven Meadowlands races, plus three designated mandatory races. Players keep all pari-mutuel winnings. Prize payouts are to the Top 10.

The Meadowland's 2021 World Harness Handicapping Championship Qualifier schedule is as follows:

· Jan. 21, 2021 – March 27, 2021: Free Online Survival Challenge – 3 WHHC seats

· May 1, 2021 – Aug. 7, 2021: Free Online Survival Challenge – 3 WHHC seats

· Saturday, Nov. 6 – Free Handicapping Contest – 1 seat

DerbyWars will host regular online Qualifiers for the WHHC every Saturday starting in January. Players can qualify for as little as $22. Complete DerbyWars Qualifier information can be found at DerbyWars.com.

The post 2021 World Harness Handicapping Championship Set For Nov. 13 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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