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Spendthrift Donates $50,000 To Light Up Racing Initiative

Spendthrift Farm has made a $50,000 donation to the Light Up Racing initiative, the community-driven organization said in a release early Friday morning.

Founded by a group of horse racing advocates, Light Up Racing's primary mission is to educate both the industry and the public on evidence-based practices, with a strong emphasis on horse welfare and transparency. The organization seeks to reshape perceptions and foster a well-informed community.

“Our donation demonstrates our commitment to upholding the highest standards of horse welfare, fostering transparency, and driving positive perception change for our industry,” said Spendthrift's Eric Gustavson. “We were inspired to contribute by Boyd's [Browning] call to action. Our only reason for agreeing to a press release is to hopefully inspire others as well. If not us, who? If not now, when?”

By providing accurate, scientifically-backed information, Light Up Racing will empower community members to become knowledgeable industry ambassadors and ensuring a sustainable and thriving future for horse racing.

Click here for more information about Light up Racing.

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McIngvale To Help Defray Costs of StrideSAFE Technology at Rillito

'StrideSAFE' Horse Safety will be instituted as part of the track's Equine Wellness Program during the 2023 racing season, and prominent Thoroughbred owner James McIngvale has pledged to cover two-thirds of the costs for the testing of Thoroughbreds.

StrideSAFE is 'a biometric sensor mechanism that slips into the saddle cloth to detect minute changes in a horses's gait at high speed.' The changes are said to be undetectable to the naked eye and are recorded in a stoplight fashion–green for all clear, varying shades of amber as warnings for possible lameness issues and red for the most potentially serious injuries.

In a study conducted by the New York Racing Association of 6,600 starters in 2022, it was reported that the StrideSAFE technology accurately detected 90% of all the catastrophic injuries. The Rillito study aims to identify horses the Track Regulatory Veterinarians should examine before they run.

The testing of 1,000 Thoroughbreds and American Quarter Horses during the meet is estimated to cost $45,000. Though the technology has only been applies to Thoroughbreds thus far, Quarter Horses will be included at Rillito. Following the research, American Quarter Horse tracks could employ the StrideSAFE sensors across the country.

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Pennsylvania Racing Commission Releases Welfare and Safety Quarterly Report

The Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission reported Monday on the progress of its Equine Safety and Welfare Plan, a list of tangible steps intended to increase protections for horses racing at Pennsylvania's six tracks. The measures, which the commission began implementing Mar. 1, 2022, included an Integrity Hotline for reporting suspected illegal or unethical behavior.

“Early results from the hotline and other measures have been promising and reinforce the thorough consideration that went into developing the action plan,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, who chairs the commission. “Implementing the strategy will be a long-term effort. The commission is committed for the long haul to protecting the integrity of the sport and the safety and welfare of the horses and participants.”

The development of an equine fatality database was among the plan's 10 measures. Thoroughbred fatalities from Apr. 1-June 30 were 30 in 2021 and 17 in 2022. Fatalities to date in 2022 include 10 at Parx Racing in Philadelphia, five at Penn National in Dauphin County, and two at Presque Isle Downs in Erie County. Harness racing fatalities included three in 2021 and two during the same period in 2022–one at The Meadows in Washington County and one at Pocono Downs in Luzerne County.

Other new measures included an independent, third-party analysis of the racing surfaces at each track. No racing surface issues were flagged as a result of the analysis.

As a result of increased commission veterinary oversight of morning workouts, eight horses were placed on the veterinarians' list and deemed ineligible to race. As a result of enhanced post-race supervision and stricter criteria, 17 horses were placed on the veterinarians' list and six horses were retired from racing.

Five horses were deemed ineligible to race in Pennsylvania based on the new rule providing for the disqualification of any horse that finished 12 or more lengths behind the winner in five consecutive starts.

The Integrity Hotline received 51 calls from Mar. 1 through June 30. Every call is investigated and referred for action as warranted. Ten calls are pending investigation and 41 alleged issues have been closed. No fines or penalties have been issued as a result of issues alleged in calls.

Allegations at Thoroughbred tracks accounted for 32 calls, including unethical conduct by race officials and horsemen, use of illegal devices by a jockey, unethical treatment of horses, unauthorized ingress or egress by horses, wagering irregularities and monetary disputes.

Among 17 allegations made regarding standardbred race tracks were incorrect decisions by judges, unethical conduct by horsemen and training center officials, unethical treatment of horses, licensing concerns, and administration of performance-enhancing medications.

Two calls without a specific location included an allegation of unethical treatment of horses, and a question about standardbred racing.

Tips can be reported to the hotline anonymously at any time by leaving a detailed message at (717) 787-1942. More information about the Pennsylvania State Horseracing Commission can be found at agriculture.pa.gov.

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FTC Approves HISA Safety Program Rules, Accreditation Standards

Edited Press Release

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today approved the rules and accreditation standards that comprise the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Racetrack Safety Program, a major milestone in HISA's mission to protect the wellbeing of equine and human athletes along with the integrity of the sport. With FTC approval, HISA will now move forward with robust industry education efforts ahead of the program's July 1, 2022 implementation date.

“The Racetrack Safety Program's multi-faceted approach will enable veterinarians, horsemen and all racing participants to optimize the safety of every horse before they set foot on the track while also increasing our understanding of the conditions that contribute to equine injuries,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “The importance of this program cannot be overstated as we build on advances the industry has already made by implementing national, uniform rules and regulations, increasing accountability, and using data- and research-driven solutions to enhance the safety of our horses and jockeys. We sincerely believe that this data will generate the information we need to help prolong equine and jockey careers.”

In drafting the rules, the Racetrack Safety Committee examined existing rules and best practices in addition to seeking input from state racing commissions, racing participants and other experts and industry organizations in a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process. The interested public had further opportunities to provide input on the draft rules via the HISA website and during the FTC's public comment period. Highlights of the Racetrack Safety Program include:

• Expanded veterinary oversight
• Surface maintenance and measurement standards
• Enhanced reporting requirements
• Collection and analysis of medication, treatment, injury, and fatality data
• A voided claim rule
• The transfer of claimed horses' medical information
• Jockey concussion and medical care reporting

Starting July 1, all tracks that are accredited with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) will receive interim accreditation, while tracks that are not accredited with the NTRA will be granted a one-year provisional accreditation and be given a reasonable period to achieve compliance as long as they are demonstrating continuous progress. HISA intends to work with individual racetracks and state racing jurisdictions, recognizing that compliance with new legal requirements on day one is not realistic.

“We are gratified that after a rigorous process, the FTC has overwhelmingly approved the Racetrack Safety regulations and national accreditation standards,” explained Dr. Susan Stover, Chair of the Racetrack Safety Committee. “The next step in the process will be for HISA to share cost assessments with each of the states by Apr. 1, 2022. These new rules will decrease fatalities by detecting horses with mild pre-existing conditions through expanded veterinary oversight and the review of medication and treatment records and training histories. They will also provide a window into understanding and preventing the development of mild injuries in the first place via uniform surface maintenance standards and ongoing data analysis.”

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