Letter To The Industry: Iowa HBPA Response To HISA Town Hall Comment On PMRC Catastrophic Breakdowns

Unfortunately, as is typically the case with the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority (HISA) corporation, CEO Lisa Lazarus left out important details from her remarks during HISA's town hall meeting on March 11 regarding the toe grab rules in relating to horsemen and breakdowns at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino (PMRC).

The following comment is quoted from the TDN article HISA Town Hall: Regulatory Reach, Environmental Contamination, Lab Variability and More Discussed: “Probably the racetrack that had the biggest complaints about this rule was Prairie Meadows, and they went from in 2022 at 2.39 [fatalities per 1,000 starts rate], a much higher fatality rate. And this year, they were exceptional–they were 1.14,” said Lazarus. “I'm not suggesting the whole reason is to do with toe grabs, but at least the data shows they're not worse off with that rule than they were previously.”

The facts: in all of 2021, PMRC experienced two breakdowns from 3,849 starters, thus 0.52 fatalities per 1,000. In May and June of 2022 prior to that, when horsemen believed the new zero tolerance on toe grabs was to go into effect, PMRC experienced 0 breakdowns from 1,265 starters, thus 0 per 1,000.

More precisely, for all of 2021 and including the period prior to the implementation of HISA's safety protocols and toe grab rule, there were two breakdowns out of 5,114 starters, thus 0.39 fatalities per 1,000.

Beginning July 11 (the period after which horsemen believed they couldn't have front or rear toe grabs and were trying to come into compliance with the rule), we had our first of eight breakdowns in less than 11 weeks.

The Iowa HBPA, along with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission's (IRGC) regulatory veterinarians, early on in the spate of breakdowns identified there was an urgent issue and unsuccessfully pleaded with HISA to grant us a waiver of the rule until the end of the racing season. Our stance was that nothing had changed in this environment other than horsemen re-shoeing their horses to be in compliance with the no toe grabs rule, front or rear.

As many others also began to reach out to HISA about the absurdity of no toe grabs at all, HISA acquiesced to the pressure, releasing on July 29, 2022 a newly-updated noncommittal statement saying they would not enforce the rule regarding hind-shoe toe grabs effective Aug. 1. That attempt at communication failed badly, lacking clarity and coming much too late after many horsemen had gone to the considerable expense of re-shoeing their horses.

Nine months later, horsemen–even contenders in last year's Kentucky Derby–were still confused or unaware about an alternative shoe rule to the point that the Kentucky HBPA had to issue a horsemen's advisory trying to explain what was or was not allowed for something as easy as toe grabs!

But while the hind toe grabs ban was in effect and the injuries accumulated, the pleas of the IA HBPA and IRGC's veterinarians went unheard. A back and forth of letters (one of which HISA provided after the end of the racing season in 2022) effectively said our horsemen and IRGC regulatory veterinarians were solely at fault and missed the underlying issues with the horses who had suffered catastrophic injuries.

Point of Fact: not one member of the HISA Racetrack Safety Committee ever made a trip out to Prairie Meadows, reached out to either the IA HBPA, IRGC or jockey colony or spent any time understanding the issues for which we were expressing our heartfelt concerns over a cascading series of events or helped us resolve the horrendous continuation of horses breaking down on our racetrack.

Quite the opposite occurred in fact. Instead we, and specifically PMRC, were spotlighted in a Twitter post by PETA for one of the breakdowns, highlighting the horse's name and calling us all out on where the horse was and what occurred.

At the end of the 2022 racing season, there had been a total of eight breakdowns from 3,762 starters, thus 2.13 fatalities per 1,000. If only reviewing from July 11 through September 19, there were eight breakdowns from 1,754 starters, thus 4.56 fatalities per 1,000 starters in that small time frame.

So, what happened post PMRC's 2022 racing season and the start of the 2023 racing season, all without the help of HISA? The IA HBPA and PMRC did the work.

Work that involved the IA HBPA and PMRC having long discussions on what horsemen encountered, what jockeys experienced riding across the surface, and what veterinarians expressed about the horses coming back from training and racing. PMRC then took the initiative and worked in such a way to ease what the IA HBPA viewed then–and still do now–as an abysmal application of a one size fits all rule to revamp the racing surface to fit the rule.

PMRC added 900 tons of sand, 21 tons of clay and finally 100 yards of pine bark, something that never had been added to PMRC's surface ever in its history nor never needed to be before. But needed to be done now to make the surface fit the rule.

We went from having one of the safest track surfaces in America to a horrific streak of catastrophic injuries. The only thing that changed was HISA's toe-grab ban, implemented with virtually no input from those with boots on the ground. Thankfully our safety record got back on track, and contrary to the figure stated by Ms. Lazarus of 1.14 breakdowns per 1,000, our 2023 record was back to 0.57–with no help from HISA. For Lisa Lazarus to suggest otherwise is disingenuous.

Sent on behalf of the Iowa HBPA.

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Prairie Meadows Outlines ’24 Season, Stakes Schedule

Beginning May 10 and continuing through Sept. 28, Prairie Meadows will feature 22 stakes totaling over $1.85 million. A total of 80 racing days will be highlighted by both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. The season begins with 20 days of Thoroughbred-only racing from May 10 – June 15 and continues with a mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse schedule of 60 race days from June 16 – Sept. 28.

“Overnight Thoroughbred purses have been increased approximately 5% across the board for the upcoming 2024 season,” noted Quarter Horse Racing Secretary Chad Keller.

Live racing will be offered on a Friday – Monday schedule with the following exceptions:

  • Opening week of racing which will feature racing Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 with no racing on Sunday or Monday May 12-13
  • No racing on Monday, July 1 during the week leading up to Independence Day there will be a special Wednesday racing July 3, highlighted by central Iowa's fireworks display taking place after the races with post time set for 4:00 p.m.
  • Standard post times for Friday and Saturday programs will be 6:00 p.m. while post times for Sunday and Monday programs will begin at 4:00 p.m.
  • Special post times are scheduled for Saturday, May 18 (Preakness) and Saturday, June 8 (Belmont) at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 28 at 4:00 p.m. for the Iowa Classic.

 

The 2024 Thoroughbred stakes schedule during the Festival of Racing on July 5 and 6 is highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Cornhusker H., $250,000 Iowa Derby, and $225,000 Iowa Oaks, the latter two for 3-year-olds anchoring the Festival.

The top Iowa bred runners will take center stage during the Iowa Classic closing night card on Sept. 28 featuring all Iowa bred races for both breeds including a new addition for 2024 on the Thoroughbred schedule with the Iowa Classic Distaff Sprint overnight stake for Iowa bred fillies and mares going six furlongs with a purse of approximately $51,400.

Prairie Meadows Condition Book 1 is available and features the first 14 days of racing for Thoroughbreds only from May 10 – June 3.

Barn Area Opens for Horses Friday, Apr. 12 at 8:00 a.m. while training resumes Sunday, Apr. 14 (weather permitting). Stall applications for both breeds are due to the Racing Office by Tuesday, Apr. 2.

For more information, click here.

 

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Klimt Filly Caps Big Day for McPeek in Iowa Oaks

Well-supported at 39-10, Butterbean (Klimt) completed a most productive Saturday for the Ken McPeek barn, accelerating sharply three furlongs out before cruising home to a handy success in Saturday's GIII Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.

A convincing 5 3/4-length winner of the local Oaks prep in the June 11 Panthers S. over a mile, the chestnut was dragged back to last and dropped down onto the fence to caboose the field through an opening couple of furlongs in a solid :23.50. Content to bide her time in the rear, Butterbean had one beaten entering the turn, but made eyecatching progress inside at the three-eighths pole. Tipped out under a full head of steam by Glenn Corbett, Butterbean raced up to odds-on Falconet (Uncle Mo) with a bit more than a furlong to travel and scampered clear to score impressively. Free Like a Girl (El Deal) made the running inside of Falconet and held gamely for third.

McPeek was also represented by GI Belmont Derby upsetter Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) and Runaway Wife (Gun Runner) and Silverleaf (Speightster), second and third, respectively, in the GIII Indiana Oaks.

Runner-up in auction-price-restricted maiden allowances at Churchill in October and November last year, Butterbean completed the exacta in an 'open' Gulfstream maiden Jan. 22, but was only sixth in a similar test at Keeneland Apr. 10. A neck second when in search of a confidence boost against $75,000 maiden claimers beneath the Twin Spires May 4, the $22,000 Keeneland September bargain graduated 23 days later and made it two straight when last seen in the Panthers.

Pedigree Notes:

The first graded winner for the expatriated Klimt, Butterbean is out of an unplaced half-sister to GSW Conquest Daddyo (Scat Daddy) and SW Hangingbyathread (Giant's Causeway). Her 2-year-old half-brother Fast Forward (Bolt d'Oro) is unplaced in a single start in Churchill maiden special weight company this past May and Letting Go produced a full-sister to Butterbean last season.

 

 

 

Saturday, Prairie Meadows
IOWA OAKS-GIII, $225,000, Prairie Meadows, 7-9, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.72, ft.
1–BUTTERBEAN, 122, f, 3, by Klimt
                1st Dam: Letting Go, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Hangingbyamoment, by Thunder Gulch
                3rd Dam: Kermis, by Graustark
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($22,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Magdalena Racing & William Klimashousky; B-Woodgate
Farm (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Glenn W. Corbett.
$134,400. Lifetime Record: 8-3-4-0, $294,510. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Falconet, 122, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Birdatthewire, by Summer
Bird. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($250,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-CHC Inc. & WinStar Farm LLC; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $44,800.
3–Free Like a Girl, 122, f, 3, El Deal–Flashy Prize, by Flashy Bull.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($5,500 Ylg '20 ESLYRL). O-Gerald
Bruno, Jr., Carl J. Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry
Caroom; B-Kim Renee Stover & Lisa Osborne (LA); T-Chasey
Deville Pomier. $22,400.
Margins: 3, 5, 1. Odds: 3.90, 0.70, 9.90.
Also Ran: Candy Raid, My Friend Amy, Hartley, Miss Hard Knocks, Nosilverspoonshere.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Stuart Slagle Named Thoroughbred Racing Secretary At Prairie Meadows

Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel in Altoona, Ia. is proud to announce the hire of Stuart Slagle as Thoroughbred Racing Secretary for the 2022 live racing season.

Slagle has worked in various capacities in the racing industry since 2003. In 2006, Slagle was a Racing Official at Prairie Meadows, and most recently was the Racing Secretary and Director of Thoroughbred Race Planning and Analysis at Woodbine Entertainment/Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

“What Stuart has accomplished and excelled at in his prior endeavors within the racing industry really stood out and convinced me that he'll be a fine asset to our team in the Racing Department going forward,” said Derron Heldt, Vice President of Racing at Prairie Meadows.

The 2022 live racing season with 84 race days, begins with 22 days of Thoroughbred-only racing from May 13 – June 18 with an additional two days of Thoroughbred-only racing on Thursday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 2. A mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse schedule of 60 race days will take place from June 19 – Oct. 1.

Prairie Meadows extends congratulations to jockey Glenn Corbett who is a 2022 George Woolf Memorial Award nominee, and is a member of the Prairie Meadows Racing Hall of Fame. Corbett is one of five finalists, along with Joe Bravo, Julien Leparoux, Rodney Prescott, and Tim Thornton for this year's George Woolf Memorial Award. The award recognizes riders whose careers and personal character garner esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. The winner will be announced at Santa Anita later this month.

To continue receiving information about Prairie Meadows 2022 live horse racing season, visit https://www.prairiemeadows.com/signmeup.

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