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Clerk Of Scales At Presque Isle Downs Suspended For Failure To Weigh-Out Jockeys

A longtime racetrack employee and the current Clerk of Scales at Churchill Downs Inc.-owned Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania was suspended by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission's Bureau of Thoroughbred Horse Racing for 30 days beginning Jan. 8. Danny Hamilton was found by the stewards to have neglected to weigh-out jockeys before the eighth race Oct. 11.

Director of Enforcement Jason Klouser, who led the investigation, said, “The Racing Commission's investigators observed Danny Hamilton failing to weigh-out the jockeys for race 8, which is a violation of numerous sections of Pennsylvania's rules of racing.”

Klouser added, “At this point, the investigation into Hamilton's activities is ongoing to determine if there were any other violations.”

According to the stewards ruling which is posted on the commission's website, part of the duties of the Clerk of Scales and/or their assistant is to preside over the racing process from when the jockeys assemble before the race to weigh-out, all the way through its conclusion when they come off the course to weigh-in.

Hamilton appeared this past summer on an episode of Horse Racing Today co-hosted by Jamie Martinez in which he discussed his experiences and delved into his duties as a clerk.

On that program, Hamilton said, “We run a very tight ship here at Presque Isle.” When asked what happens if a rider's weight is off when he or she comes off the course, the clerk said with a laugh, “Well then we have real problems! Then the Racing Commission gets involved and stuff gets really real.”

He went on to say, “But we don't have that problem, all the riders come back heavier than what they went out. So, if you go out at 124 [pounds], chances are you're going to come in at 126 [pounds], 127 [pounds], because the saddle towel, the pad, the horse's are sweaty, it soaks up into the pad and saddle towel … it weighs a lot. If they come back lighter than they went out, major problem, if they come back heavier, then you're good to go.”

Growing up around racetracks, including Beulah Park and Delaware Park, Hamilton as recently as 2019 served as an inspector for the Ohio State Racing Commission. Since then, he's had several other stops at locations such as Oaklawn Park, where he was an integrity officer.

Hamilton was hired as the Clerk of Scales by Presque Isle Downs earlier this year after he was the horse identifier at the course during the 2022 season. An attempt was made to contact the track's Director of Racing, Matthew Ennis, but several messages were not returned.

Currently, Hamilton is serving as a placing judge at Fair Grounds, which is also owned by Churchill Downs Inc.

Klouser confirmed that, “We have notified the Louisiana Racing Commission of the pending suspension.”

As for the ruling, Hamilton is denied access to all grounds under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission and does have the right to appeal. He was unable to be reached for comment.

The post Clerk Of Scales At Presque Isle Downs Suspended For Failure To Weigh-Out Jockeys appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Broberg Will Be Allowed To Run At Fair Grounds, Commission Rules

According to bloodhorse.com, the Louisiana Racing Commission ruled on Oct. 26 that despite a ban issued by Churchill Downs Inc., trainer Karl Broberg will be allowed to run his horses at the CDI-owned Fair Grounds so long as he has a valid Louisiana license and is not suspended.

CDI issued the indefinite ban on Sept. 24, revoking Broberg's stalls and banning him from the entry box at all its parent company's racetracks after an incident involving a voided claim of Rockandahardplace on Sept. 18 at Churchill Downs.

A statement from CDI released to the Paulick Report at that time read: “A claim for the 5-year-old gelding was voided after the race by rule when the horse was declared lame by a KHRC veterinarian at the test barn. The horse was returned to his stall by a paid hotwalker, but a subsequent investigation revealed that there was no responsible representative of the trainer on-site to make veterinary decisions or to take appropriate steps to protect the welfare of the injured horse.”

Broberg told the Paulick Report that a veterinarian treated the horse for injury, and he was left in the receiving barn due to being too sore to travel. Rockandahardplace has since been retired from racing.

The commission's ruling is based on due process concerns, arguing that the matter should have gone before stewards in either Kentucky or Louisiana.

Louisiana Commission Sides with Broberg in CDI Exclusion Dispute

The Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) unanimously passed a motion Tuesday that owner and trainer Karl Broberg believes will allow him to race horses at the upcoming Fair Grounds meet despite an exclusion order imposed last month by that track's corporate owner, Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI).

“I am allowed to enter and run at the Fair Grounds,” Broberg told TDN hours after the LSRC ruled that the private-property exclusion by CDI doesn't carry the same reciprocity as a ruling issued by a board of stewards or state racing commission.

According to the Blood-Horse, which first reported the story, the LSRC questioned whether Broberg had been afforded due process when CDI barred him from participating at all of its properties over allegations that he didn't properly care for a gelding who returned sore after a race at Churchill Downs Sept. 18.

According to previously published reports in the Blood-Horse and the Paulick Report, the Broberg-owned and trained Rockandahardplace (Hard Spun) came back sore after a sixth-place finish in a $10,000 claiming race. The 5-year-old had been claimed, but the claim was voided post-race when the horse was determined to be lame by a Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) veterinarian.

After a preliminary investigation, CDI alleged that “the horse was returned to his stall [but] there was no responsible representative of the trainer on-site to make veterinary decisions or to take appropriate steps to protect the welfare of the injured horse.”

Broberg, the nation's winningest trainer by victories between 2014-19 (he was second in both 2013 and 2020), had said last month that Rockandahardplace was indeed treated, but had been left in the Churchill receiving barn because he was too sore to travel immediately, according to the Paulick Report.

Broberg pointed out to TDN that CDI didn't want to hear his side of the story before issuing the multi-track ban, yet the Churchill stewards did not sanction him in any way after explaining what happened when he met with them last month.

CDI, Broberg told TDN in an Oct. 26 phone interview, “just came with this out of nowhere, with no facts or reason.”

Broberg continued: “I was sad that I never even had the opportunity to weigh in with the facts that Churchill, to this day, still hasn't even heard. The stewards were willing to [hear me out], which is why they made no ruling, because there was [no wrongdoing] there.”

Broberg was at Tuesday's LSRC hearing, but he didn't get to testify there, either. Neither did Dr. Will Farmer, the equine medical director for CDI. The commissioners did hear from CDI's attorney, Haley Nix, but after ascertaining there were no known rulings against Broberg in this matter, the board voted unanimously to pass the measure in Broberg's favor.

On the way out of that meeting, Broberg said “I did hand [CDI's] counsel some information that I wish they had prior to them making the decision that they did. I can only hope that it doesn't fall on deaf ears.”

Broberg continued: “This is the epitome of cancel culture just going crazy. I can only try to hope and work to mend the relationship. I mean, obviously, I don't want to poke the bear. I want to be able to get along with everyone. Most racing secretaries love me with the way they get starts per stall.”

Asked if he has a Fair Grounds stall application pending or plans to file one soon, Broberg said, “It's way too early to say at this point. This is unchartered territory I'm in right now.”

As to whether he plans to challenge CDIs ban of him at its flagship track in Kentucky via the KHRC or through the courts, Broberg said, “One step at a time.”

The post Louisiana Commission Sides with Broberg in CDI Exclusion Dispute appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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State Gaming Board Approves Sale Of Louisiana Downs

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board has approved the sale of Louisiana Downs in Bossier City from Caesars Entertainment Inc. to Rubico Acquisition Corp., reports dailyunion.com.

The Louisiana Racing Commission still needs to approve the $22 million sale; it meets Tuesday.

Rubico plans to add games and concessions to the casino at Louisiana Downs, and under the terms of the sale, will be required to keep the racetrack open.

“I really believe if this sale didn't go through Caesars would ultimately close the facility; the company just isn't interested in operating a horse racetrack,” said Gaming Board Chairman Ronnie Johns.