Horse racing news | Horse Racing Free Tips

Overnight Purse Increase at Louisiana Downs

Officials at Harrahs Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, LA, have announced an across-the-board purse increase of $1,500 per race beginning Saturday, Aug. 8 and continuing through the end of the meet Wednesday, Sept. 23.

“We thank our local horsemen for their support since the live racing season began on June 6,” said David Heitzmann, director of racing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs. “This has been a very challenging year due to COVID-19, so we are pleased to reward these hard working men and women with a purse increase of $1,500 across the board.”

Track officials also announced that the Louisiana Cup Day program, which had been in limbo due to the ongoing pandemic. A half-dozen stakes, each offering purse money of $40,000, will take place Saturday, Sept. 19. Roger Heitzmann, Executive Director of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA); Ed Fenasci, Executive Director of the HBPA and David Heitzmann, director of Racing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, have worked diligently to put the annual stakes day back on the calendar. On June 16, the LTBA Board of Directors voted to earmark $100,000 for Louisiana Cup Day.

“We are grateful to LTBA for allocating the funds so we can run Louisiana Cup Day once again this year,” added Heitzmann. “This is a very important day for our breeders, horsemen, and of course, the fans at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs.”

The post Overnight Purse Increase at Louisiana Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

A Spotlight on Stress in the Era of COVID: Price Bell

Working in racing has always been a stressful occupation; a roller-coaster of emotions, triumphs and tragedies, long hours and travel. Add a global pandemic and unprecedented economic worry, with many participants fearing for their health, livelihoods and businesses, and the stress can become almost overwhelming. It’s the sort of topic many people don’t like to talk about, but we asked several industry participants to open about what particular stresses they were feeling during these very concerning times, and how they were dealing with them.

PRICE BELL, Mill Ridge Farm

We are very lucky. My godfather spent 20 days in the ICU due to COVID-19 and twice was presented DNR papers to sign, giving him 30 minutes to improve his oxygen saturation levels prior to intubating him.

He is home- still recovering, but home. He was diagnosed on March 16^th. We spoke on March 18^th and at that time, “it was not as bad as the flu, just more aggravating.” On March 20th he was admitted to the hospital, March 22nd the ICU and discharged home on April 12th. He is still recovering, but can now walk for 30 minutes. He played fullback for Coach Parcells at Vanderbilt, and on March 15th he was in the best shape of his life. We are lucky.

It is really hard. Like many, Beth and I both work full-time. Trying to excel in our professions, parent/teach/keep it on the rails with our two children (five and three) and have a relationship is impossible. The peace of two sleeping children is often our greatest victory.

Perspective, patience and community have been key to “handling” the stress of the pandemic.

Perspective that our health, the health of our team, the health of their families and the health of our families and loved ones is paramount.

Patience that we are all going through this together. We have to be patient with each other because it’s impossible to know if someone is up or down on the “coronacoaster.” I can’t say that I always have perspective and patience, but it’s something I am consciously working towards.

Our community has provided us with plenty of silver linings. We have felt great joy in sharing Mill Ridge on virtual tours, we have had many family picnics that never would have occurred because we would have been “too busy” in the past and we have forged relationships with plenty of neighbors with whom we would have normally only shared a passing hello. And, the love I felt at the outpouring of support when I tested positive for COVID-19 recently and had to isolate away from my family for 11 days. I was lucky and asymptomatic.

We will get through this and be stronger together.

Would you be willing to share your thoughts on stress during this particularly difficult time? Email the TDN’s Katie Ritz at katieritz@thetdn.com or Sue Finley at suefinley@thetdn.com.

The post A Spotlight on Stress in the Era of COVID: Price Bell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Study: Lasers Help Heal Equine Tendon And Ligament Injuries

High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) can be used to reduce inflammation in horses that have tendon and ligament injuries, a study from Poland has found.

Drs. Paulina Zielińska, Jakub Nicpoń, Zdzisław Kiełbowicz, Maria Soroko, Krzysztof Dudek and Daniel Zaborski used 26 Warmbloods with tendon and ligament injuries to see if laser therapy could provide anti-inflammatory relief. All horses were between 5 and 24 years old and were patients at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences.

All horses were assigned to a group that received 15 HILT treatments or a group that received no laser treatments. All horses had the same 40-day rehabilitation program, which included one 20-minute walk on hard ground each day, followed by cold water application on affected tendons or ligaments. The injuries were assessed before and after treatment, and ultrasound images were taken.

The team concluded that HILT provided swelling and pain relief; the ultrasound images showed a reduction in lesion size in the horses treated with laser therapy, as well. The researchers say that HILT can be used as a supportive treatment for horses that have tendon and ligament injuries, reducing swelling and lameness, and improving pain. They note, however, that there is no protocol for the number of HILT sessions, duration, energy dose or frequency of treatment for horses that have tendon and ligament injuries.

Fighting Mad Wins Clement Hirsch, Earns Breeders’ Cup Distaff Berth

Last week, Gary and Mary Wests' homebred Maximum Security made his first start for trainer Bob Baffert and carried the silks of partners Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith to