Tag: The Biz

Assistant trainer James Anthony Tracy, named in a stewards ruling as the occupant of an allegedly contraband-filled Delta Downs tack room assigned to his brother, trainer Gregory John Tracy, was licensed by the Louisiana State Racing Commission while under suspension in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.

Both men were suspended six months after the search of the Tracy barn turned up 59 injectable medications, 352 hypodermic needles, 256 syringes, and 75 packs of Albuterol Sulfate inhalation solution, according to the March 1 ruling from the board of stewards at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. The ruling said the contraband was found in Barn 9, Tack Room E, “assigned to trainer Gregory Tracy and occupied by assistant trainer James 'Jim' Tracy.”

Their appeal of the suspension was granted by the stewards and the Tracy brothers are allowed to continue to train and race horses in licensed enclosures, Gregory having saddled a horse at Fair Grounds in New Orleans as recently as March 12.

A Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission ruling dated May 28, 2015, suspended James Tracy indefinitely for writing $1,000 in checks “returned by the bank for closed account.” The suspension was for violation of a Pennsylvania rule stating, “A person may not issue a check in payment for a license fee, fine, nomination or entry fee or other fees, or for services or supplies when the person knows or should reasonably know that the check will be refused for payment by the bank upon which it is written, or that the account upon which it is written does not contain sufficient funds for payment of the check, or that the check is written on a closed account or a nonexistent account.”

The ruling stated the suspension is indefinite until the financial matter is resolved.

Tom Chuckas, director of Thoroughbred Horse Racing for the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, told the Paulick Report on Tuesday, “The matter is unresolved and Mr. Tracy's suspension is still in place.”

According to model rules of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI-003-025), “The commission and the stewards/judges shall honor rulings from other pari-mutuel jurisdictions regarding license suspensions, revocation or eligibility of contestants.”

Charles A. Gardiner III, executive director of the Louisiana Racing Commission, served as ARCI chairman in 2022-23, his term ending last week. Gardiner did not respond to an email asking whether Tracy should have been issued a Louisiana occupational license while suspended in Pennsylvania.

Both Tracy brothers have numerous medication violations in the ARCI database. Under the name Gregory John Tracy, ARCI lists 11 rulings; under Gregory J. Tracy, 62 rulings. While some rulings may be for not having foal papers in the racing office or other minor violations, Gregory Tracy has been sanctioned at least three times previously for possession of medication, unlabeled drugs, or hypodermic needles and injectables.

There are 89 rulings in the ARCI database for Jim A. Tracy, including a previous sanction for possession of hypodermic needles and medication and multiple positive drug tests. A separate listing for James Anthony Tracy shows two violations: the 2015 indefinite suspension in Pennsylvania and the recent suspension for possession of contraband at Delta Downs.

James Tracy has not saddled a horse in his own name since 2021 at Canterbury Park. Since his indefinite suspension in Pennsylvania in 2015, he apparently has been licensed in Minnesota, Iowa, and Ohio, in addition to Louisiana.

The post Assistant Trainer Named In Delta Downs Barn Search Was Under ‘Indefinite’ Suspension In Pennsylvania appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) released this statement following the passage of HB 594:

KEEP applauds the Kentucky General Assembly for the passage of HB 594, legislation that will ban illegal gray machines.

Getting this bill across the finish line was an incredible effort and KEEP is grateful to the legislators who supported the bill through the committee process and voted to pass the bill on the House and Senate floors.

KEEP would like to recognize the hard work of Representative Killian Timoney who sponsored the bill. We would also like to recognize Speaker of the House David Osborne; House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade; Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer; House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Committee Chairman Matt Koch; and Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee Chairman John Schickel for their work on this bill. The successful passage of this bill would not have been possible without their critical support.

KEEP, along with many other organizations, worked closely with legislators to ensure that they understood the negative impact of illegal gray machines on families, communities, and on Kentucky's legal forms of gaming.

KEEP will continue working on behalf of Kentucky's entire horse industry and community to advocate for policies that benefit everyone within the industry's economic ecosystem. Growing the success of the industry's more than 60,000 jobs and $6.5 billion economic impact on the state benefits all Kentuckians.

About KEEP

The Kentucky Equine Education Project, Kentucky's equine economic advocate, is a not-for-profit grassroots organization created in 2004 to preserve, promote and protect Kentucky's signature multi-breed horse industry. KEEP is committed to ensuring Kentucky remains the horse capital of the world, including educating Kentuckians and elected officials of the importance of the horse industry to the state. KEEP was the driving force in the establishment of the Kentucky Breeders Incentive Fund, which has paid out more than $177 million to Kentucky breeders since its inception in 2006, and pari-mutuel wagering on historical horse racing, which has been responsible for more than $40 million to purses and more than $24 million to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

KEEP works to strengthen the horse economy in Kentucky through our statewide network of citizen advocates. To learn more about how you can become a member or support our work, please visit www.horseswork.com.

The post Kentucky General Assembly Passes Bill To Ban Illegal Gray Machines appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Turfway Park officials announced Tuesday that following the close of the Winter/Spring Meet on April 1, the barn area and racetrack will remain open for year-round training and stabling in Florence, Ky.

Trainers wishing to fill out a stall application can visit www.TurfwayPark.com or contact Peggy Pate at Peggy.Pate@turfwaypark.com. Stall applications are due by March 24.

This year, Turfway Park finished construction on a new dormitory for backstretch workers and five new barns. The track can stable approximately 1,000 horses.

Local trainers expected to remain stabled at Turfway Park and race on the Kentucky circuit include Jeff Greenhill, Will Walden and Ethan West. They'll join Kentucky mainstays Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox and Mike Maker who are all expected to keep a string of horses stabled in Northern Kentucky.

The post Turfway Park Will Now Remain Open For Year-Round Training appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Jockeys' Guild have announced an industry initiative to provide jockeys and riders with mental wellness support and resources.

As a critical first step, HISA and the Jockeys' Guild will launch a survey to be sent out to jockeys and exercise riders relating to their mental wellness needs, as well as what resources and support would be most impactful in supporting our sport's valued human athletes. Jockeys throughout the country will be strongly encouraged to participate in the anonymous survey. The results will be reviewed by HISA and the Jockeys' Guild and serve as a starting point for building a framework to effectively use collective resources to address our riders' most important health and safety needs.

“HISA is tasked with regulatory oversight for jockey welfare, and we are delighted to be working collaboratively with the Jockeys' Guild to determine how we can best support the health and safety of riders, including in the critical area of mental wellness,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus.

“Jockeys' well-being, including their health and welfare, is and has been the main priority of the Jockeys' Guild since its inception in 1940,” said Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of the Jockeys' Guild. “Jockeys, as well as the exercise riders and others at the racetrack, have an immense amount of pressure on them both physically and mentally. We are encouraged by the response of HISA to help us prioritize jockey and exercise rider health, and we are hopeful that we will have industry support to address these important issues for the riders and their families.”

“I am excited to work with the Jockeys' Guild on this important initiative,” said HISA National Medical Director Dr. Peter Hester. “HISA is committed to protecting and enhancing the holistic wellbeing of jockeys and riders, including their physical, mental and emotional health.”

An industry-wide stakeholders meeting is also being planned to discuss these important issues and drive collaboration on a national level.

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.

About The Jockeys' Guild

Jockeys' Guild, Inc. is the organization representing professional jockeys in Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing in the United States. It was founded in May 1940 and has approximately 1,050 members, including active, retired and disabled jockeys. The purpose is to protect jockeys, strive to achieve a safer racing environment, obtain improved insurance and other benefits for members and to monitor developments in local, state and federal laws affecting the racing industry, and in particular, the jockeys. For more information about the Guild, visit www.jockeysguild.com or www.facebook.com/jockeysguild

The post HISA, Jockeys’ Guild Partner In Initiative To Support Jockey Health, Mental Wellness appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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