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Thoroughbred Safety Coalition: HISA ‘The Beginning Of A New, Safer Era For Our Storied Sport’

To all of the hard-working individuals who make up the Thoroughbred community and the fans who share in our love for the horses that set our sport apart from all others:

As one of our nation's oldest and most celebrated pastimes, racing's traditions run deep. However, the most durable traditions are the ones that evolve and improve with time. Amid the pageantry and beauty, we've faced challenges around equine safety and racing integrity throughout our history, which is why leaders across the Thoroughbred industry came together to make the changes necessary to bring our sport into the 21st century and secure its future for generations to come. Leaders in Thoroughbred racing agree with those who have argued for greater transparency and more rigorous safety standards, and are united in choosing to prioritize, above all else, the safety and well-being of our equine athletes.

Through the collaborative work of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition (the Coalition), its members, and broader efforts by leading organizations across the Thoroughbred industry, including The Jockey Club, we worked with lawmakers to help pass The Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), which was signed into law on December 27, 2020.

Under the oversight of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (the Authority) will implement consistent, transparent, and enforceable rules across all state racing jurisdictions. These efforts will be divided into an Anti Doping and Medication Control Program, which will be executed and enforced in partnership with the United States Anti-Doping Authority (USADA), and a Racetrack Safety Program. Most of the medication, organizational and operational reforms that the Coalition and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) have adopted and continue to advocate for will likely serve as a basis for these programs. Additionally, the Authority will work with state regulators and horsemen's groups to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective approach to implementing the new programs.

The passage of HISA represents a monumental turning point for our traditionally decentralized industry, and we hope it will go a long way in increasing public confidence in the sport. Even stakeholders who historically sought to avoid government intervention in racing are embracing HISA because they understand that it represents a roadmap to a safer sport and will modernize the industry through strengthened accountability measures.

HISA has given all of us a mandate to build on the unprecedented display of unity that brought us to where we are today. The formation of the independent Authority as a vehicle to establish and implement uniform medication rules and racetrack safety standards will codify the culture of safety and integrity that the Coalition was founded to strengthen and protect. The Coalition, The Jockey Club, the NTRA and our respective members are proud to have played a role in this industry-wide effort that will improve our sport. Now, we must work together to support HISA's continued success and the success of Thoroughbred racing for generations to come.

This is the beginning of a new, safer era for our storied sport, and our work has only just begun. We can't think of a greater task to undertake.

Sincerely,

American Association of Equine Practitioners

Aqueduct Racetrack

Belmont Park

Breeders' Cup Limited

Churchill Downs, Incorporated Colonial Downs Racetrack

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Fair Grounds Race Course

Golden Gate Fields

Gulfstream Park

Keeneland Association Inc.

Kentucky Thoroughbred Association Laurel Park

Monmouth Park

National Thoroughbred Racing Association

New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA)

Parx Racing

Pimlico Race Course

Presque Isle Downs

Santa Anita Park

Saratoga Race Course

Suffolk Downs

The Jockey Club

Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association

Thoroughbred Safety Coalition

Turfway Park

1/ST RACING

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Additional H-2B Visas Soon to be Available During Second Half of Federal Fiscal Year

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor have agreed to offer 22,000 additional H-2B visas to employers for the second half of the federal fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. These visas are used by employers, such as racehorse trainers, who seek seasonal guest workers. They are capped at 66,000 annually, with an even split of 33,000 available for each half of the federal government's fiscal year. The additional visas will be made available later this spring or early summer via a temporary final rule in the Federal Register.

“We are pleased to learn that additional H-2B visas will be available for trainers soon and applaud Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh for this action,” said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. “At the same time, the NTRA supports relief from the burdensome annual H-2B visa cap through a permanent returning worker exemption and urges both departments to reform the program accordingly, enabling affected employers to stabilize their businesses.”

This past December, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 became law and included a provision that provides the DHS with the discretionary authority to release an additional 64,176 H-2B visas when significant need is demonstrated. The NTRA, through its involvement with the H-2B Workforce Coalition, supports all efforts to make additional visas available to seasonal businesses struggling with labor issues.

The H-2B visa guest worker program is a nonimmigrant visa program used by many industries that need temporary non-agricultural help when domestic workers are unavailable. For the horse racing industry, trainers rely heavily on the H-2B program to fill various backside positions.

Demand for H-2B visas often exceeds their availability and the cap level is quickly reached, leaving employers in need. For the second half of federal fiscal year 2021, DHS announced that by Feb. 12 it had received enough H-2B worker petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap of 33,000 visas allotted.

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Essential Quality Retains His Lead In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll

Undefeated Essential Quality, the likely favorite for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1, remains at the top of this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

Essential Quality, a striking gray Godolphin homebred, trained by Brad Cox, breezed five furlongs in 59.60 on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. He is undefeated in five starts, including his most recent victory in the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3. The Eclipse Award-winning two-year-old male of 2020 received 34 first-place votes and 373 points in this week's poll.

Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's Rock Your World, winner of the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, retains second place. Trained by John Sadler, Rock Your World has one first-place vote and 286 points.

St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda, winner of the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby on March 27 for two-time Kentucky Derby- winning trainer Todd Pletcher, has moved into third place with one first-place vote and 265 points, and has switched positions with Grade 2 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie.

Trained by Doug O'Neill, who also has saddled two Kentucky Derby winners, Hot Rod Charlie has one first-place vote and 263 points. Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Highly Motivated, a game second to Essential Quality in the Blue Grass for trainer Chad Brown, rounds out the top five with 167 points.

Keith Asmussen and Erv Woolsey's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock moves up one spot to No. 6 this week. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Super Stock has 138 points. Zedan Racing Stables Inc's Medina Spirit, who finished second to Rock Your World in the Santa Anita Derby, rises to seventh place with 114 points. Gary and Mary West's homebred Concert Tour, who was withdrawn from Kentucky Derby consideration over the weekend, drops to eighth place with 109 points. Life is Good, who is sidelined with an injury and will miss the Triple Crown, is in ninth place with one first-place vote and 75 points. Another Steve Asmussen runner, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, second in the Louisiana Derby, is in 10th place with 52 points.

The racing world is still buzzing following last Saturday's rousing finish in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, where St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska defeated two-time Eclipse Award-winner Monomoy Girl by a nose. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska zoomed to sixth place in this week's National Thoroughbred Poll. Godolphin's 4-year-old Mystic Guide, winner of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, maintains the No. 1 ranking with 29 first-place votes and 358 points. Charlatan, runner-up in the Group 1 Saudi Cup, retains second place with eight first-place votes and 330 points. Despite her defeat, Monomoy Girl (253 points) remains in third place, followed by Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go in fourth (231 points). Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf winner Colonel Liam moves up one spot to fifth place (191 points), and is followed by Letruska (183 points). Last year's Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter, Gamine, is in seventh place (99 points) followed by Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Idol in eighth (86 points). After finishing third in the Apple Blossom, Swiss Skydiver is now in ninth place (78 points). She is followed by Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap winner C Z Rocket in 10th place (49 points).

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll concludes following the Belmont Stakes on June 5 and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through November 6.

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NTRA Poll: After Final Preps, Top Three Are Essential Quality, Rock Your World, Hot Rod Charlie

Essential Quality, who is training at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1, remains at No. 1 in this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll.

Trained by Brad Cox and bred and owned by Godolphin LLC, Essential Quality is undefeated in five starts, including his most recent victory in the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3. Essential Quality, the Eclipse Award-winning two-year-old male of 2020, received 34 first-place votes and 366 points in this week's poll. Rock Your World, who won the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, has moved from fourth to second place this week. Owned by Hronis Racing and Talla Racing, and trained by John Sadler, Rock Your World has 266 points. Another California-based star, Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie, remains in third place. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie, winner of the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on March 20, has one first-place vote and 261 points. St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda, winner of the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby on March 27 for trainer Todd Pletcher, takes the fourth spot with one first-place vote and 253 points. Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Highly Motivated, who gave Essential Quality all he could handle finishing second in the Blue Grass by just a neck, moves from seventh to fifth place with 158 points.

Following his third-place finish as the odds-on favorite in last Saturday's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, Gary and Mary West's homebred Concert Tour drops from second to sixth place with 144 points. Keith Asmussen and Erv Woolsey's Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock, joins the top 10 for the first time at No. 7 with 138 points. Zedan Racing Stables Inc's Medina Spirit, who finished second to Rock Your World in the Santa Anita Derby, retains eighth place in the poll with 101 points. Life is Good, who is sidelined with an injury and will miss the Triple Crown, is in ninth place with 66 points. He is followed by Greatest Honour, who was taken out of Kentucky Derby consideration last week by trainer Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III. Greatest Honour, beaten favorite in the Florida Derby, has 57 points in 10th place.

The first eight positions in NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, remain unchanged from last week. Mystic Guide, winner of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, holds onto the No. 1 ranking with 24 first-place votes and 346 points. Charlatan, runner-up in the Group 1 Saudi Cup, is second in the voting with seven first-place votes and 317 points. Two-time Eclipse Award Champion Monomoy Girl (five first-place votes, 313 points) remains in third place, followed by Eclipse Award Champion filly Swiss Skydiver (one first-place vote, 296 points) in fourth place, and Knicks Go in fifth (239 points).

Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup winner Colonel Liam is in sixth place (213 points). Idol holds onto seventh place (179 points), and Gamine is in eighth place (97 points). The new shooter to the top 10 is C Z Rocket, who won last Saturday's Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park. C Z Rocket is in ninth place (89 points), followed by Maxfield in 10th (56 points).

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