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Racetrack Managers Program Offers Training To First Group Of Track Professionals, Announces a Second Course

With its online courses continuing to attract national and international participation and the first edition of its in-person Grader School program set to be held in mid-September at Keeneland, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment's Racetrack Managers Certification Program (RMCP), and National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that it will be launching a second in-person Grader School course in the future.

The Racecourse Manager Certification program curriculum is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. The online classes are free. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

The online course offered by the RMCP, “Turf as an Equine Sports Surface,” provides training for professionals by experts from within and outside of horse racing. The second course, dubbed “Grader School,” will debut September 13-15 at Keeneland and offers hands-on training in the use of motor graders for maintaining a safe and consistent depth of dirt and synthetic surfaces.

The first session of Grader School will include a select group of five racetrack maintenance professionals seeking to acquire advanced skills and experience to improve their career progression. The class will be taught by veteran racetrack superintendents Dennis Moore and Alfredo Laureano. Moore is a Southern California-based track superintendent with nearly 50 years of racing experience while Laureano is the track superintendent at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Both Moore and Laureano have extensive experience with both dirt and synthetic surfaces. Their experiences include maintenance through a range of use and climate conditions and experience with both older graders and state-of-the-art equipment.

The inaugural enrollees for Grader School include:
Brian Brown, Track Maintenance Skilled Laborer, Fair Grounds Race Course (Louisiana)
Derek Pettinger, Assistant Superintendent, Remington Park (Oklahoma)
Keith Stockman, Superintendent, Delaware Park Race Track
Richard Sweeney, Assistant Track Superintendent, Maryland Jockey Club
Stirling “Harrison” Young, Assistant Superintendent, Turf, Colonial Downs (Virginia)

Two scholarships that cover class tuition and include support for lodging expenses have been awarded. The Equinox Racing Award will go to Harrison Young of Colonial Downs. The Horsemen's Track and Equipment scholarship will be awarded to Derek Pettinger of Remington Park. These award recipients were chosen based on their potential for future leadership in racetrack maintenance.

“Maintaining a safe, fair, and consistent racetrack is truly an art form. Experienced and proficient grading of the surface is one of the most vital keys to this entire process for the safety of our world-class equine and human athletes,” said David Richardson, Executive Director of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. “Richard (Sweeney) and the rest of the first class for this program are young and dedicated and the future of our industry.”

Based on the large number of applications and inquiries, a second session of the Grader School will be scheduled in the future. Opportunities for hands-on experience will be extended to both new and experienced operators.

Sign up to receive information about RMCP offerings here. Learn more about the Racecourse Managers Certificate Program here. Enroll in the “Turfgrass as an Equine Surface” course here.

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About the University of Kentucky Ag Equine Programs
UK Ag Equine Programs serves as the front door to equine work being done at the University of Kentucky, representing the breadth and depth of all things equine in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. It exemplifies the college's long-term commitment to serving the equine industry and horse enthusiasts regionally, nationally, and internationally.

About the Equine Sports Turfgrass Alliance
The Equine Sports Turfgrass Alliance, (ESTA) is a recently formed group of university and industry turfgrass experts in partnership with Dr. Mick Peterson. ESTA as an organization is dedicated to conducting research and providing education about turfgrass surfaces for racetrack, eventing, polo, and other-use equine surfaces. This education event is their first offering. However, future research and educational opportunities for horse owners, trainers, and equine facility managers are currently being developed. It is the goal of ESTA to bring science-backed maintenance practices to the forefront of equine turfgrass systems.

About the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance
The NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance is a standing organization formed in 2008 with the goal of establishing national uniform standards in the areas of safety and integrity. Alliance accreditation standards cover six broad areas: (1) injury reporting and prevention; (2) creating a safer racing environment; (3) aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; (4) uniform medication, testing and penalties; (5) safety research; and (6) wagering security. The standards are revised annually to adopt new and progressively more stringent requirements.

About the NTRA
The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance; NTRA.com; the Eclipse Awards; the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC); NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program; and Horse PAC®, a federal political action committee. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com and social media.

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Pendergest, Reeves Highlight Second Session Of Racecourse Manager Certification Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, an online curriculum for turf surface maintenance personnel, will host its second session on Monday, June 14 at 11 a.m. ET, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky announced today.

Entitled “Cultivation of Turf for Compaction and Wear,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations by Keeneland Director of Racing Surfaces Jim Pendergest and Atlantic Tractor's Jamie Reeves, who will present John Deere research and development findings.

Topics and participants include:

“Turfgrass aeration – why, how, when.” – Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates;
“How often in practice: Lessons from Del Mar, Woodbine, Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs.” – panel discussion led by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL);
“Tractor selection (100 hp with creep), tires and tow versus 3-pt. (John Deere Research and Development)” – Jamie Reeves, Atlantic Tractor;
“Topdressing and surface maintenance. What can you add or use to eliminate wear and divots? Why pick one thing over another?” – Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland, and Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland;
“Divot mix, germinating seed and the use of cutouts.” – Jim Pendergest and John N. “Trey” Rogers, III, Ph. D., Professor of Turfgrass Research, Michigan State University;
“Selection of cultivation equipment.” – Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University.

Individuals who pre-register at https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/ will be sent a Zoom link prior to the Monday's webinar.

The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL).

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All-Star Panel Of Experts Set For Inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification Program

An all-star panel of national experts on turf management and ongoing maintenance headlines (or leads) the June 7 session of the inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky announced Tuesday.

The program is the first in a three-course program entitled “Turfgrass as an Equine Sports Surface.” Jamie Richardson, Racetrack Superintendent at Churchill Downs, will provide introductory remarks at the opening session. Other speakers include:

Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates;
Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland;
Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University;
Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University;
Gregg Munshaw, Ph.D., Director of Agronomy, Mountain View Seeds; and
Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland

Individuals who pre-register at https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/ will be sent a Zoom link prior to the webinar on June 7 at 9 am.

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Racecourse Manager Certification Program To Launch In June At University Of Kentucky

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory (RSTL) announced Friday the dates for the launch of a joint initiative offering a Racecourse Manager Certification from the University of Kentucky.

The initial three-course program, entitled “Turfgrass as an Equine Sports Surface,” is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. Free online classes will begin June 7 and will be archived. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

The “Turfgrass as an Equine Sports Surface” courses are:
June 7: Selection of Turf for Climate Zones
June 14: Cultivation of Turf for Compaction and Wear
June 21: Measurement of Turf Condition

Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates;
Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland;
Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University;
Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University;
Gregg Munshaw, Ph.D., Director of Agronomy, Mountain View Seeds; and
Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland.

Participating experts in equine biomechanics include:

Dr. Sarah Jane Hobbs, University of Central Lancashire;
Alison Northrop, Nottingham Trent University; and
Lars Roepstorff, Swedish University of Agriculture.

Racing industry leaders participating include:

Brian Jabelman, Senior Director of Track Operations, New York Racing Association;
Jim Pendergest, Director of Racing Surfaces, Keeneland Racetrack;
Jamie Richardson, Racetrack Superintendent, Churchill Downs; and
Sean Gault, Equine Racing Specialist, DCS & Associates.

Individuals interested in receiving additional information and pre-enrolling for the online sessions can visit https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/.

“This is exactly the type of collaboration we envisioned when the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL) joined forces with the University of Kentucky Ag Equine Programs. The benefits of this interaction are undeniable as we seek to further protect the welfare of the horse and develop the industry's future workforce,” said NTRA President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Waldrop.

“We have assembled a powerhouse line-up of instructors to cover multiple equine disciplines ranging from turf racing to polo to eventing,” said Peterson. “This will be a science-based curriculum for individuals who are serious about their profession and desire to be leaders in their chosen fields. We are starting with a turf curriculum, but future modules will focus on all types of surfaces and will include hands-on training with track maintenance equipment.”

“We are thrilled to see this program get off the ground and appreciate the support of NTRA. Our college has a strong commitment to getting our best information out to those in the real world who can use it,” said Nancy Cox, UK Vice President for Land Grant Engagement and College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Dean.

“The science driving progress on racing safety includes not only the horses and riders themselves, but also clearly the racing surfaces on which they compete. It is exciting to see the optimization and application of knowledge from turfgrass science applied to the management challenges of turf racing,” said James MacLeod, director of UK Ag Equine Programs and Elizabeth A. Knight chair and professor of veterinary science at the Gluck Equine Research Center.

About the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory
The Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory is a non-profit (501c3) organization that carries out on-site and laboratory testing and data services for surfaces used for horse racing and equine sports. Founded in 2009, the lab is able to compare data from a wide range of surfaces used in the horse racing industry including dirt, turf and synthetic track surfaces. In 2020 the mission of the laboratory was expanded through a major gift which will allow improved on-site testing capabilities and expanded database services. In addition to racetrack testing and the development of tools to improve the consistency of the surfaces, the laboratory works with the University of Kentucky on the study of alternative racetrack surfaces and equipment, and the development and the development and promotion of standards for racetrack surfaces. All of these efforts are focused on increased consistency of racing surfaces as a part of broader efforts for the protection of horses and riders.

About the University of Kentucky Ag Equine Programs
UK Ag Equine Programs serves as the front door to equine work being done at the University of Kentucky, representing the breadth and depth of all things equine in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. It exemplifies the college's long-term commitment to serving the equine industry and horse enthusiasts regionally, nationally and internationally.

About the Equine Sports Turfgrass Alliance
The Equine Sports Turfgrass Alliance, (ESTA) is a recently formed group of university and industry turfgrass experts in partnership with Dr. Mick Peterson. ESTA as an organization is dedicated to conducting research and providing education about turfgrass surfaces for racetrack, eventing, polo and other-use equine surfaces. This education event is their first offering. However, future research and educational opportunities for horse owners, trainers and equine facility managers are currently being developed. It is the goal of ESTA to bring science-backed maintenance practices to the forefront of equine turfgrass systems.

About the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance
The NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance is a standing organization formed in 2008 with the goal of establishing national uniform standards in the areas of safety and integrity. Alliance accreditation standards cover six broad areas: (1) injury reporting and prevention; (2) creating a safer racing environment; (3) aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; (4) uniform medication, testing and penalties; (5) safety research; and (6) wagering security. The standards are revised annually to adopt new and progressively more stringent requirements.

About the NTRA
The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance; NTRA.com; the Eclipse Awards; the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC); NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program; and Horse PAC®, a federal political action committee. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com and social media.

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