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Mid-Atlantic Sees Significant Drop In Racing Fatalities Following Reforms

COVID-19 forced Thoroughbred racing into what was for most a two-month hiatus, but the stakeholders in the Mid Atlantic turned the down time into an opportunity to focus on its Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities.

Regulators, racetracks, horsemen's and breeders' groups representing all seven states in the region – Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia – committed to the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities in 2019. Collectively, they have been working to adopt regulations, protocols and best practices to enhance the safety and integrity of the sport. Their efforts are having an impact. The equine fatality rate in the region has dropped from 1.78 per thousand starts in 2019, to 1.21 per thousand to date this year, a decrease of 33%.

The architects of the Strategic Plan, Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association Chairman Alan Foreman and New York State Equine Medical Director Dr. Scott Palmer, provided a progress report on the efforts of the Mid-Atlantic stakeholders Wednesday.

“It is heartening to see that the commitment and hard work of so many in the Mid Atlantic is bearing fruit,” Foreman said. “We have representatives from every faction of the Thoroughbred industry in the region at the table. Everyone has the chance to be heard and their specific issues considered. We are proud to say that, working together, we have been able to make significant advances on issues of medication reform and horse health.”

Dr. Palmer remarked, “In a climate of polarity and discord, the efforts in the Mid Atlantic serve as a shining example of what we can accomplish when we are united behind the cause of equine safety and welfare.”

Every state in the Mid Atlantic has adopted the following reforms:

A prohibition on NSAID “stacking” – the use of more than one NSAID the week of a race
Transfer of joint injection records for claimed horses
Necropsies on equine fatalities
Mortality Review Board
Voidable claim rules

Dr. Tim Parkin, a renowned epidemiologist from the University of Glasgow, released the findings of his latest study using data from The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database in June, noting that those tracks that have instituted a void claim rule in the last 10 years saw a 27% decrease in equine fatalities for those races. The states in the Mid Atlantic have all implemented this additional layer of protection; claims are voidable at the discretion of the claimant if the horse is vanned from the track after the race or is observed to be lame prior to delivery to the new trainer.

Additional reforms have been implemented in all states except West Virginia, including:

48-hour withdrawal time for NSAIDs
Enhanced penalties for NSAID overages
14-day withdrawal for joint injections

The West Virginia Racing Commission considered legislation to adopt the new guidelines for NSAIDs and joint injections, but it ultimately was voted down by the Commission.

“We are disappointed that West Virginia remains an outlier in this area,” Foreman said. “Regulatory changes in the state must go through the legislature, which takes time, but we will continue to work with all parties to get this done.”

There is a strict prohibition on the use of bisphosphonates in all horses under the age of four throughout the region, with a total ban in place in Maryland and Pennsylvania. In May, the Mid Atlantic agreed to adopt restrictions on the use of thyroid supplements, now requiring that a horse be diagnosed with hypothyroidism through a thyroid releasing hormone stimulation test; the treatment plan must be reviewed and approved by the equine medical director or chief regulatory veterinarian in the state. In October, the group moved to restrict the use of clenbuterol. The new rule requires regulatory approval for treatment with clenbuterol, mandates that the horse be placed on the Veterinarian's List, and bars the horse from racing until it tests negative in both blood and urine and completes a satisfactory workout observed by a regulatory veterinarian.

In addition to the regulatory changes, the Mid Atlantic has approved Best Practices in a dozen areas, including:

Biosecurity
Crisis Management Communication
Equine Aftercare
Layoff Report
Pre-Race Inspections
Safety Officer
Shock Wave Therapy

Maryland led the charge on the mandatory Layoff Report, a standardized form that provides regulatory veterinarians with vital information for all horses that have not raced for 150 days or more, including the reason for the layoff, medication and joint injection records, and surgical reports. The Layoff Report has been fully implemented in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and is in process throughout the Mid Atlantic.

The most high-profile of this year's changes has been the crop rule. The stakeholders in support of the Strategic Plan created a Committee of 24 regulators and stewards to review the many proposals on the table. All interested parties were invited to participate, with the Jockeys' Guild providing significant input during a series of conference calls. A draft was approved during a presentation to more than 50 representatives of the region's racetracks, horsemen's groups and regulatory agencies.

The draft underwent one final review after the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved a rule June 19, and was modified once more to align with provisions in the Kentucky rule. Starting Aug. 1, the rule went into effect in Delaware and Maryland. Pennsylvania followed suit in October. West Virginia has begun the legislative process necessary to adopt it in 2021.

“Uniformity has been a hallmark of the efforts in the Mid Atlantic for more than a decade, going back to the ban on anabolic steroids in 2008,” Foreman said. “Our annual Regulatory meetings have grown year after year, with the focus expanding from medication and testing to include equine welfare and racing integrity. The crop rule is a natural extension of our efforts. We felt it imperative to have a consistent crop rule in every jurisdiction, and we made every effort to ensure that all stakeholders had the chance to weigh in on it.”

A 30-page Strategic Plan Manual, still a work in progress, has been created as a reference for all Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions. There is also a Horsemen's Guide to the Strategic Plan, providing an overview of the regulations and best practices that impact the day-to-day business of training Thoroughbred racehorses.

A second Guide outlines the Risk Factors that have been identified through Dr. Parkin's work with the Equine Injury Database and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, which horsemen can use to assess their stable and modify care and treatment as necessary for horses at increased risk.

“From day one when concept of the Strategic Plan was first under discussion, this has been a collaborative effort, with all of our stakeholders focused on one thing – doing what is right by the horse,” said the Strategic Plan's Project Manager, Andy Belfiore. “The level of dedication and the amount of time and energy devoted to this initiative from all involved has been remarkable. It has taken a lot of work from the regulators and the state veterinarians, to racetrack's management teams, to the owners and trainers and jockeys, to get to where we are today.”

As the first phase of the Strategic Plan nears completion, the focus turns to the topics including the racetrack maintenance quality system; jockey health; the transfer of horse health records for all claimed horses; and continuing education.

Dr. Kelly Ryan of MedStar Horsemen's Health in Maryland worked with HeadCheck Health to develop a system that establishes concussion protocols for jockeys, as well as providing a HIPAA-compliant portal for jockey health information, and a communications network to ensure that all racetracks on the system are notified if there is an accident or injury affecting a jockey's status to ride. Maryland began a pilot program last fall, and Delaware Park enrolled its riders when racing resumed this spring. Additional jurisdictions are now working with HeadCheck to explore implementation, with the goal of having every Mid-Atlantic racetrack on the network by next year.

The Mid-Atlantic alliance unanimously approved a Continuing Education rule that will go into effect in 2021. Trainers and assistant trainers will have a year to fulfill the requirements, which include four hours annually of CE training, with a minimum of two hours to focus on equine health, safety and welfare. Fulfillment of CE requirements will be a condition of licensing in 2022 for all Mid-Atlantic states. New York already has a CE rule on the books, Maryland has begun the adoption process, West Virginia included it in its legislative package for 2021, and the remaining states have committed to adoption next year.

“New York has been a leader in many areas, including Continuing Education, but the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan is not about one jurisdiction calling the shots for the entire region,” Dr. Palmer concluded. “Working together, we have been able to reach consensus. We have right-minded people in the room who want to do the right thing, and we have a track record for getting things done. What we've accomplished is amazing, and we look forward to continued progress in the coming year.”

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Samantha Randazzo Ready To Begin Her Role As Safety Compliance Officer At Colonial Downs

When the stable area at Colonial Downs Racetrack opens July 13, Samantha Randazzo will begin her first stint as a Safety Compliance Officer, a job that is part of the new Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to reduce equine fatalities. Her “Best Practices” position focuses on 23 different responsibilities to ensure all activities and practices that involve the training and racing of horses at the track meet required safety standards and regulatory guidelines.

Among her duties, she will monitor daily activities in the barn area, conduct random inspections of safety equipment like helmets and vests, serve as a member of the Mortality Review Board and conduct random checks of ship-in health papers at the stable gate, along with many others.

Randazzo brings a wealth of experience to the table. She has been a Thoroughbred trainer for 27 years and most recently, has spent six years in regulatory roles. After college, she went to work full time for trainer Linda Rice and ended up having her own division of Rice's stable in Florida for 17 years, at Monmouth for 10 years and at Saratoga for seven.

“Linda and I have a symbiotic relationship with training,” she said. “I worked for her brother Brian one summer while in college because he had younger horses and got the chance to see how they were developed and trained. When I joined Linda right after graduating, she was just starting out on her own. I'd travel with her horses when they raced at Parx or River Downs just to get more experience. I love training. It's a passion.”

Randazzo was born and raised outside of Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up around horses at their family farm. Her father was a mushroom farmer and her mother was a bookkeeper and tax collector. “My mother was interested in breeding and racing so we did have a small breeding operation at the farm,” she recalled. “She did layups and rehabilitation along with breeding and foaling horses then in the late '60's, she got a racehorse that competed at Pocono.”

When Randazzo thought about pursuing a career as a Thoroughbred horse trainer, her parents insisted she have a backup plan in case that didn't work. “They didn't think it was a great career choice for women at the time,” she said.

At 16, she learned how to shoe horses at a blacksmith school in Martinsville, Virginia, so she could help at the family farm. After high school, she studied animal husbandry for two years at the Delaware Valley College of Science & Agriculture before switching majors and schools. At Albright College in Reading, Randazzo earned degrees in Political Science and History. And keeping her parents' wishes in mind, she attended the University of Toledo College of Law afterwards and earned a law degree.

Six years ago at the age of 50, Randazzo decided to switch gears in her career — not to practice law, which she has never done — but to move into the regulatory aspect of racing.

“When I turned 50, I realized I wasn't 30 anymore,” she said. “The industry had changed a lot — some good and some not so good. I found it more difficult to get things done. Help wasn't the way it was 30 years ago either. So, I decided to make the move. I may be a little Pollyanna, but I believe one person can be a force for change and make a difference given the right circumstances,” she continued. “I feel like I can contribute more at the regulatory level at this stage of my career because I have seen so much. I know the difference between things that are illegal versus things that are morally wrong. Sometimes they are the same and sometimes they are not. I have passion for both the horses and people in the sport. We don't want anyone — horse or human — getting hurt. The interest of gamblers needs to be protected as well.”

In 2014, Randazzo enrolled at the University of Louisville's Racing Officials Accreditation Program and got her certification in Thoroughbreds. She became cross accredited by completing coursework in Standardbred racing three years later.

Since then, she has held positions as a sitting steward at Canterbury Park and Fairmount Park, as an alternate state steward and as a Florida-based vet technician at Tampa Bay Downs, and as a race office team member and placing judge at Colonial Downs, among others.

“Looking back at all these experiences I've had, the industry is changing, and I believe it's for the better,” she said. “There is a litany of issues that are being addressed now between the HBPA, Jockeys Guild and various associations. They are seeing the importance of backstretch workers and helping them with health and family care needs. The progression of horse welfare and finding ways to repurpose them after their racing days are over has taken great importance now,” she added. “People didn't retire or re-home horses before or seek alternative careers for them, but today owners, trainers, grooms, and anyone else associated with the horse is involved. There is more of an awareness that avenues like New Vocations (Racehorse Adoption Program), retirement programs and even individuals are available to accept those horses and often repurpose them.”

Randazzo has first-hand experience with a retired racehorse — she owns one that is based at a farm in upstate New York. “I have to walk the walk too,” she said. “That horse competed in my division from the age of two until he was claimed from me at the age of eight. When he was racing in the bottom level at Penn National afterwards, I contacted the owner and had planned to fill out paperwork to claim him back. But the owner instead graciously just gave him to me. He's a special child,” she added. “I thought I could repurpose him for myself to be a racetrack pony horse, but he is a little too high strung. Horses are like people. Not all are actually fit for another career. Now, I just ride him when I get up that way after the Colonial meet. I spend a month or two up there visiting friends and family.”

Recently, Randazzo was working the final days of June at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale for 2-year-olds in training. She clocks and grades the horses as they are breezing. She also helps with stable release paperwork. She doublechecks the bill of sale and bill of lading then releases each horse so the sales company knows the destination of where each horse is going and how he is getting there.

“I like to stay busy and always enjoy doing different things,” she said. “There's not a lot that I couldn't do.”

Her next stop is Colonial Downs and she is looking forward to the new challenge. “I've performed most of the Safety Compliance tasks before,” she said. “At Fairmount and Canterbury, I'd walk the backside every morning. I checked every single stall to make sure the horses were properly bedded, had water and had hay. I watched breezes regularly. If a horse or rider went down, I'd speak to the outrider. They control the track in the morning but wanted them to know I was another set of eyes. I was there to back them up. I helped make sure everyone had their helmets snapped up. The outriders get tired of telling people to wear helmets securely but it is for everyone's safety. I wanted to make sure horses and people were taken care of.”

When speaking of Colonial specifically, Randazzo hopes her summer is unexciting. “Reflecting on the constitution of the backside last year, I expect to be bored this summer,” she said half joking. “I walked the barn every morning last year. People came there to race. They wanted to win, they wanted to make money, then they wanted to leave. Colonial wants a set of boots on the ground — someone who knows what should happen on the backstretch. That's what I'll be there to do this year. I'll be walking around and observing to make sure horses are being taken care of. Hopefully, I'll be pretty good at it. I believe I'm doing this job for the right reason and that I have the right attitude going into it.”

“We are very fortunate to have 'Sam' for this important role,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial's Vice President of Racing Operations. “Her extensive background and knowledge from a horse person's perspective has earned her immense respect from horsemen. Combine that with her experience as a racing official and her passion for the industry, and she is the perfect representative to ensure the safety and welfare of horses, riders, and all stable help, as well as the integrity of racing.”

Colonial Downs' summer season begins July 27 and continues thru September 2. Racing will take place every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM (EDT). Virginia Derby Night is slated for Tuesday September 1. For more information and to see a copy of the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan, visit colonialdowns.com.

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