A massive 21 of the 31 staff have been told they are no longer needed at RACE and the decision is understood to have come as a major shock to the workforce.

The 10-month residential trainee jockey course, which has also been completed by top-notch jump jockeys such as Brian Hughes and Daryl Jacob, has been discontinued and replaced by three courses over shorter periods. In the case of all three new courses, the students will no longer live on the campus and the courses will no longer have an academic element.

The restructuring of the facility has been overseen by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and comes after accommodation blocks at RACE were closed last month due to safety concerns.

HRI appointed an interim CEO at RACE when such issues arose and, following a strict overhaul, just 10 staff will remain.

RACE is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, but the future of the esteemed programme will look very different given students will no longer be based on site and the traditional jockeys' course has now been scrapped.

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“We are thrilled to partner with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and enhance the Pacific Classic Day experience for our guests,” said Josh Rubinstein, President, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “By merging the thrill of top-notch racing with a spotlight on accredited aftercare throughout the day, our goal is to craft a genuinely unforgettable experience for both dedicated racing enthusiasts and newcomers alike.”

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Away well from the rail, Skims tugged her way forward to sit just behind the leading duo and outside of familiar foe Vergara. She continued to apply pressure to the top two after an easy half in :50.90, and took over midway on the bend as frontrunner Hail To (Kitten's Joy) dropped anchor and backed up into Vergara. Skims was a couple lengths clear as she pointed for home and she comfortably fended off Vergara from there. Favored Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine, could only manage fourth from the back of the pack.

“She had really trained well since her last race,” said winning Hall of Fame conditioner Shug McGaughey, who was celebrating his second Sands Point win. “We were kind of in between this one and the [GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup] at Keeneland. [Owner/breeder] Andrew [Rosen] thought this race might be the right spot and when he said that I felt the same way. We figured it could come up a little more to our liking and all she had to do was ship down the road.”

He added, “I said from the inside, I thought if [Velazquez] broke well, then maybe he would be on the lead. He felt those two horses would go and he said he just wanted to reverse from what beat her at Kentucky Downs. He said he held her in there and then when he went, he said he had a lot of horse.”

McGaughey said the GI American Oaks Dec. 26 at Santa Anita could be a next target for Skims.

Rosen is an investor in the Kim Kardashian co-founded clothing and shapewear brand Skims.

“It's amazing. It's good to have a plan and have it come together and work out the way it did,” said Rosen, the retail and fashion executive best known for founding fashion label Theory.

“[Frankel] has really taken over, I think, as the best sire in the world. I was wondering when my Frankel was finally going to win a stake and it's exciting that it was today and I could be here.”

Saturday, Belmont
SANDS POINT S.-GII, $200,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-15, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:51.14, gd.
1–SKIMS (GB), 118, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
          1st Dam: Royal Decree, by Street Cry (Ire)
          2nd Dam: Ticker Tape (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
          3rd Dam: Argent Du Bois, by Silver Hawk
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($235,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Andrew Rosen (GB); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-John R. Velazquez. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-1-2, $281,485. *1/2 to War Decree (War Front), GSW-Eng, GSW-Ire, $312,212. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Vergara, 118, f, 3, Noble Mission (GB)–Figure of Beauty, by Street Cry (Ire). ($130,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Gary Broad; B-Neil Jones (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $40,000.
3–Eminent Victor, 118, f, 3, Mr. Z–Juliet Victor, by Unusual Heat. O-Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, LLC (Stuart Grant), Louis Lazzinnaro LLC and Michael J. Caruso; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $24,000.
Margins: 1, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 4.60, 3.65, 4.20.
Also Ran: Pizza Bianca, Spirit And Glory (Ire), Canisy, Hail To, Lady Baffled. Scratched: Baby Man, Golden Rocket.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

It's a rare weekend that doesn't have a group/graded winner by Frankel, who ranks among the elite sires in the world with his 103 black-type winners from a mere seven crops of racing age. Skims is the Banstead Manor Stud's 73rd group/graded winner worldwide and he's one of the truly special stallions who can boast Grade/Group 1 winners on four continents: Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.

Skims is out of an unplaced Street Cry (Ire) mare, a $385,000 Keeneland November broodmare purchase by Hugo Merry Bloodstock in 2012. Now the dam of two GSWs, including War Decree (War Front) in England, Royal Decree is out of Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), whose GISWs included the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. in 2004. Ticker Tape traces to the spectacular mare Terlingua (Secretariat), her fourth dam, through that legend's GSW daughter Chapel of Dreams (Northern Dancer). English G1SW Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow Quest) and French G1SW Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) are part of this family, but most significant is Terlingua's GISW and breed-shaping son, Storm Cat (Storm Bird).

Royal Decree had fillies the last two years: a now-yearling by Lope de Vega (Ire) and a foal by Kingman (GB). She is back in foal to Too Darn Hot (GB). Skims is the 120th black-type winner out of a Street Cry daughter, four of which have been by Frankel.

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The JRA has subsidies in place to support high-end retiring racehorses, but maintaining a retired racehorse still costs between $600 to $1,000 per month. The Japan Times reports that previously, those that did not qualify for these were “culled,” which often means they were sent for slaughter. Horse slaughter is legal in Japan.

In 2018, the JRA launched a program that focuses on finding retired racehorses second careers and improving their environment when they retire. The JRA is investigating new ways to support Thoroughbred aftercare, with particular focus on programs that allow children to learn from OTTBs.

The Japan Times notes that it remains difficult to find the physical facilities or skilled personnel to support a robust aftercare initiative in that country.

Read more at the Japan Times.

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The series, titled “Truth to Power,” will bring together various participants within the racing realm to share their perspectives on racial, gender, and social inequality and how it impacts the sport as a whole. In addition to featuring industry stakeholders, the multi-part series will also seek out diversity experts from other sports to help illustrate why greater inclusion is crucial for any business seeking sustainable growth.

The first panel will take place on February 24 at 5 p.m. ET and is set to feature noted bloodstock agent Greg Harbut, a third-generation horseman, and his business partner, Lexington-based entrepreneur Ray Daniels, to discuss their experience as Black owners in the racing and their non-profit the Ed Brown Society, which is working to create opportunities for people of color in the Thoroughbred industry through scholarships, internships, and apprenticeships.

“As a biracial female working in the Thoroughbred industry, the issue of diversity – specifically the lack thereof in this sport – is a deeply personal one for me,” Hughes said. “I am hoping we can further enlighten aspiring allies while holding industry leaders accountable to have their practices match their statements denouncing systemic injustice.”

In addition to Harbut and Daniels, the panel will also feature an interview with Rose Grissell, head of Diversity and Inclusion for the British Horseracing Authority, which has had a Diversity in Racing Action plan in place since 2018.

“With each passing year, the United States becomes a more multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural society,” said Frank Vespe, owner and publisher of The Racing Biz. “The future of the Thoroughbred industry here will depend in no small part on its ability to adapt to that changing landscape and to speak to, and most importantly, listen to, people of all races and ethnicities.”

“The racing industry has been slow to become more inclusive and equitable,” Genaro said. “The sport could not survive without the labor of people of color, yet their voices are seldom part of the big conversations about its future. Increasing the participation of people of color and of women, on boards, in offices, and as customers, is an essential step in the industry's growth.”

The panel will be streamed on both The Racing Biz website (www.theracingbiz.com) and social media platforms @TheRacingBiz as well as on the NTRA's Twitter account @NTRA.

Tentative dates for future panels include March 17 and April 7, both at 5 p.m. ET.

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Foals involved with the study had undergone treatments for septic arthritis over a 6-year period. These treatments included arthroscopic, cannulae or through-and-through needle lavage. The stifle joint was the most affected (35 percent of foals), with hocks (20 percent affected) not far behind.

In total, 130 synovial fluid samples were cultured; bacterial growth was detected in 80 percent of samples. Thirty-nine of the foals needed repeat lavage of the synovial joint structure to clear the infection.

Overall, 90 foals were discharged alive (78 percent). Foals that were less than 26 days old when they were admitted were five times less likely to be discharged alive. Foals that were also afflicted with multisystemic disease were six times less likely to be discharged alive.

The researchers found that 67 percent of foals discharged alive started in one or more races; there was no difference in the proportion of foals that started or in racing performance between foals that had been treated for septic arthritis and their maternal siblings.

The scientists conclude that the prognosis for the survival of foals with septic arthritis is good and that future racing performance does not seem to be affected by this infection.

Read the published piece here.

Read more at EquiManagement.

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The donation comes in light of the NTWAB's decision to cancel what would have been the 61st annual Awards Dinner held in advance of the upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course.

The NTWAB annually makes donations of a similar cumulative amounts to charities in the names of its award winners and encourages other industry organizations and stakeholders to support the Legacy Equine Academy, which has already partnered with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Dean's office, Kentucky Community and Technical College, Midway College, Fayette County Public Schools along with many other equine related enthusiasts in the corporate community.

“The NTWAB officers and board voted unanimously in the spring and gained the support of its general membership at our meeting prior to the Kentucky Derby to make a significant, one-time donation to a group that benefits both the industry and the community,” said Tom Law, NTWAB President and Managing Editor of ST Publishing Inc. “We hope this donation helps and can open doors to a segment of the community that is not only underrepresented in the racing industry but also in possession of great potential to improve the game on many levels. We could not be more proud to support an organization like the Legacy Equine Academy.”

Through its relationship with Fayette County Public Schools, the Legacy Equine Academy recruits students who are then tagged as a “Legacy Leaders” at the Middle School level. Academy members then identify the targeted students interested in the equine industry and works to ensure their candidacy for Locust Trace multi-level curriculum during their High School years, creating a pipeline toward developing future farm and racing industry professionals.

“We are so appreciative of the NTWAB for its support and advocacy of our mission,” said Ron Mack, founder and director of the Legacy Equine Academy. “We look to continue to create a pathway and a pipeline for young people into the equine industry.”

The NTWAB, which consists of more than 180 professional racing journalists, plans to resume celebrating the industry and its participants at its 61st Awards Dinner prior to the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar.

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“This project has been a labour of love and a welcome distraction during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Osborne. “The essays cover a diverse range of topics and I hope that the core messages in them will resonate with readers.  My family has a longstanding link with RACE, so this is an opportunity to support the academy and to highlight the great work they are doing.”

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The TAA fundraises to award annual grants to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare nonprofits. At this year's Breeders' Cup, the TAA is asking connections of Breeders' Cup entrants to pledge a percentage of their potential Breeders' Cup earnings to the TAA. Those interested in making a pledge can contact the TAA office at info@thoroughbredaftercare.org, 859-224-2756 or by visiting ThoroughbredAftercare.org/Pledge.

“It is our privilege to see Thoroughbreds at their finest moments in the Breeders' Cup World Championships and it is this industry's collective responsibility to see to their aftercare when the celebrations are over,” said Dora Delgado, TAA board member and executive vice president and chief racing officer at Breeders' Cup. “As a proud founding member and supporter of the TAA's mission and vision, we partner with them in their work and dedication to Thoroughbred aftercare.”

During the World Championships, the TAA will present the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2), formerly the Marathon Stakes. In addition, the TAA has partnered with TVG to be a part of the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), the feature race on Future Stars Friday Nov. 6.

As a seed money donor, the Breeders' Cup has been a supporter of the TAA since its inception, along with Keeneland and The Jockey Club.

“While this year's event may be different, we are honored to be a partner of the Breeders' Cup and we are grateful for their ongoing support,” TAA President John Phillips said. “Aftercare is our responsibility to the horse and our obligation to the sport. We encourage those who are racing at the highest level in the World Championships to give back to secure a future for our horses and for our industry.”

Learn more here.

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They discovered that 13,677 Thoroughbreds were born in 2014. Of those, 66 percent started training and 51 percent had raced before the beginning of their 4-year-old season in Australia. The scientists chose a geographically diverse sample of 4,124 horses to use as part of a study. Of those, 1,275 horses had not entered race training.

Breeders of the 1,275 horses that had not entered race training were sent an online survey, then received a follow-up call to discover what happened to the horses. Fifty percent of the breeders responded. The researchers discovered that each horse fell into one of four categories:

• Alive and active within the Thoroughbred racing industry
• Alive and active outside of the Thoroughbred racing industry
• Exported
• Deceased

The scientists discovered that 154 horses were actively training or racing and 84 horses had been sold at a public or private sale. Many breeders indicated that they were not sure what happened to the horse once it sold. Only one horse was reported as exported.

There were 83 horses reported as retired or rehomed, with 61 percent of these never having any official training. Illness or injury and then poor performance were cited as the main reasons for retirement.

The reports discovered that 239 horses had died, with just over half dying in the first year of their lives of reported congenital malformation. In total, 73 percent of the horses that died passed before they turned 2 years old; these horses were not eligible to start in a race when they died.

Twenty horses had owners that were still intending to race them; the fate of the final 35 horses was unknown, meaning the owners stated they could not remember, did not know or did not choose a response.

The scientists extrapolated the results and concluded that most Thoroughbred deaths in the 2014 foal crop were related to non-training illnesses or injuries. They suggest that research into farm design and infrastructure might provide information to lower the fatality risk to horses. They also note that while official race records indicate the number of horses that start, data underestimates the percentage of foals that enter training.

Read more at HorseTalk.

Read the study here.

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