Tag: People

“It's a huge day,” said Jaime Rodriguez after completing a record-tying seven-win day on Friday at Laurel Park.

Rodriguez also was the leading rider for the week in wins with a total of 11. Those achievements led the panel of racing experts to vote Rodriguez Jockey of the Week for March 13 through March 19. The award recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Rodriguez won each of the first five races on Friday aboard Center Mid Maddie for Laurel's leading trainer Jamie Ness, Albertano for Kieron Magee, Six the Hard Way for Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon, Big Cheeks for Jamie Ness and Pelota again for Jamie Ness before the streak was snapped in the sixth race. He came back to win the seventh race with Semper Fi for Jamie Ness and finished his day with a win on Shaft's Bullet for Gary Capuano. Rodriguez tied the record for most wins on a single card at Laurel with Horacio Karamanos and Chuck Baltazar.

“I was pretty happy when I won the first one,” said Rodriguez. “I thought that everything that I rode had a shot today. I give everything to anyone that I ride. I am so happy. It's a huge day. Seven wins in one day? It's impressive.”

On Saturday, Rodriguez continued his winning ways with a victory aboard Borracho for trainer Michael Gorham in the fourth race before guiding longshot Mavilus to a half-length win in the Conniver Stakes for trainer Carlos Mancilla. Unhurried in the early going of the seven furlong race for Maryland-bred fillies and mares, Mavilus unleashed a dramatic late run on the far outside to catch eight-time stakes winner Street Lute near the wire in 1:25.16. Mavilus paid $55.20 for the win.

“I knew there was a lot of speed in the race and wanted to get her comfortable,” said Rodriguez. “Finally, when I had time to take her out, she exploded in the clear.”

Rodriguez added two more wins on Sunday to complete the racing week with 11.

Rodriguez, 32, is a native of Puerto Rico and has been riding state-side since 2010. He rode primarily at Aqueduct and Belmont before moving his tack to Finger Lakes where he dominated the standings. He began riding in the mid-Atlantic region in 2020 and has won the Delaware Park riding title in 2021 and 2022. He currently sits atop the Laurel standings with 51 wins.

Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Francisco Arrieta who won the G3 Whitmore at Oaklawn, Hector I. Berrios with a win in the Sensational Star at Santa Anita, Chantal Sutherland who won the Hutcheson at Gulfstream, and Cristian Torres who won the G3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn.

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Woodbine Entertainment has announced the addition of Sovereign Award and Queen's Plate winning trainer Dan Vella as Horse People Liaison.

Vella joins Woodbine in this new position following a training career that spanned several decades, compiling over 800 wins and $39 million in earnings.

“Dan is a highly regarded figure on our backstretch that has his finger on the pulse of our racing community,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “Having the ability to add someone like Dan, who has spent over 50 years on our backstretch and enjoyed success at our highest levels, is a big boost for our stakeholder relationships.”

Leveraging his decades of racing experience, Vella will be a point of contact for owners and trainers as it relates to opportunities and feedback regarding race conditions, track surface matters, backstretch maintenance, equine safety and race day logistics. ​ Vella will report into the Director of Racing.

“I am so excited to have this opportunity to work for Woodbine and continue to be involved in the industry and sport that has given me so much,” said Vella. “I have had the privilege of racing throughout North America and I can say firsthand that Woodbine is a top racetrack operator that has incredibly passionate and talented horse people – all of which contributes to some of the best thoroughbred racing on the continent. I am really looking forward to working with the hardworking and dedicated management team at Woodbine, while also having the opportunity to work with horse people throughout the backstretch that I respect and admire.”

The original introduction to Woodbine for Vella began as a teenager in 1972. Becoming a groom shortly after, Vella groomed Fabe Count in the 1973 Canadian International, famously known as Secretariat's final race.

Cutting his teeth on the Woodbine backstretch, Vella eventually launched a successful training career, working for top owners such as Steve Stavro and Frank Stronach. His first stakes victory came in 1985 with Bert James in the Sir Barton Stakes.

Vella spent 1993 to 1998 training for Stronach, primarily racing in the United States. It was during this time that Vella reached the pinnacle of Canadian racing, winning the 1994 Queen's Plate with Basqueian.

Finding continued success at Woodbine during that timeframe, Vella won the Sovereign Award as Canada's outstanding trainer in 1994 and 1995.

After parting ways with Stronach Stables, Vella remained in the United States before returning to Woodbine in 2003.

In 2012, Vella captured his second Queen's Plate title with Strait of Dover.

In recent years, Vella has continued to collect stakes victories at Woodbine. The Minkster scored a stakes double for the veteran conditioner in 2021, winning the Coronation Futurity and Queenston Stakes, before running in last year's Queen's Plate. Rookie filly Jumpin Junie delivered his final stakes victory in October's Princess Elizabeth.

Vella was elected to the HBPA Board of Directors in 2021 for a three-year term. However, Vella recently resigned from its Board.

Vella will begin his new role on April 1, 2023.

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The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has announced that Samuel Reinhardt will be joining the organization as Assistant General Counsel, effective Tuesday, March 21.

Reinhardt will work alongside Outside General Counsel John Roach to support the organization's day-to-day operations regarding the safety and integrity of horse racing.

A native Kentuckian, Reinhardt joins HISA from the law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC (SKO). At SKO, Reinhardt accrued experience litigating a variety of equine-related matters, including cases regarding the sale of horses, claims asserted against Thoroughbred auction houses, and disputes over wagering anomalies. He has been recognized on numerous occasions for his legal work, in particular by nationally renowned, peer-reviewed publication Best Lawyers.

“Sam's experience with state and federal equine industry litigation as well as his passion for the advancement of Thoroughbred racing makes him a great addition to our team,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “We look forward to having Sam join us as we continue to implement important safety, operational, and integrity standards for our sport across the country.”

About the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority

Established when the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law in 2020, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is responsible for drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HISA was created to implement, for the first time, a national, uniform set of rules applicable to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. HISA is comprised of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect July 1, 2022, and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which is anticipated to go into effect on March 27, 2023.

The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury. The Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use, and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.

The ADMC Program will create a centralized testing and results management process and apply uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across the United States. These rules and enforcement mechanisms will be administered by a new independent agency, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), established by Drug Free Sport International (DFS). HIWU will oversee testing, educate stakeholders on the new program, accredit laboratories, investigate potential ADMC violations and prosecute any such violations.

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Sam Houston Race Park is pleased to announce that Mike Acton has been hired as the track's Racing Secretary. Acton, 48, assumed the role on Feb. 3 and will serve in the same capacity at Retama Park and Zia Park during their respective meets later in 2023.

“Mike is an experienced racing professional who has deep connections in our region that will serve the industry well,” Sam Houston Vice President and General Manager Dwight Berube said.

Acton most recently served as the Racing Secretary at both Remington Park and Lone Star Park. He credits those roles as opportunities which built his career.

“I am going to miss my co-workers at Remington and Lone Star,” Acton said. “But I am humbled to work with great people at Sam Houston and Retama and am excited about meeting everyone at Zia Park.”

The Sam Houston Thoroughbred meet continues through April 8 and the 25-day Quarter Horse meet begins on Friday, April 21.

About Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park is Houston's premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 miles from downtown Houston. Owned by Penn Entertainment Inc., the racetrack, which opened in 1994, offers a variety of attractions including a Suite Level featuring luxurious suites overlooking the racetrack, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at the Winner's Circle Restaurant and the Jockey Club. For more information on upcoming live racing, shows, events and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.

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