Tag: The Biz

The British Horseracing Authority's implementation date for the revised whip rules in Jump racing launched on Monday, Feb. 13.

Throughout the bedding-in period, the BHA has worked with the Professional Jockeys' Association and jockeys to identify where improvements could be made to the raceday procedures and the Whip Review Committee process.

This was the purpose of the bedding-in period.

Over the course of this period, the BHA refined the way the Stewards and the Whip Review Committee are assessing rides as part of their operating procedures, to ensure the rules and guidance are being applied proportionately, as intended and within the scope of the guidance. This includes, for example, refined procedures for Stewards and the Whip Review Committee to assist with identifying use of the whip above shoulder height in a proportionate manner.

In addition, the BHA has marginally adjusted the way penalties are calculated to ensure they will also be applied proportionately. This includes ensuring that only offences for use of the whip above the permitted level are being doubled in Class 1 and 2 races (noting that the vast majority of all pre-reform whip offences were for above permitted level), and a tweak to how offences are aggregated where multiple offences are committed in the same ride.

The BHA is grateful for the input of the PJA, NTF and a number of senior riders and trainers and, as a result of that collaboration, the new rules and guidance will be implemented in the manner in which they were intended – to deliver more considered and judicious use of the whip.

The Whip Review Committee has also today published the findings of its review of rides from the period Jan. 30 – Feb. 5, details of which can be found here: WRC_decisions_070223.pdf (britishhorseracing.com)

There were only two breaches of the rules under the existing guidance, the same as last week.

It is clear that the bedding-in process has been beneficial and jockeys have made significant changes in riding style. They deserve great credit for responding to the challenge of new rules. It has also allowed officials to familiarize themselves with how to implement the new rules.

A BHA spokesperson said:

“The rules being implemented on Monday are the result of a detailed consultation process designed to foster more considered and judicious use of the whip.

“They are being introduced after an extensive bedding-in period which has successfully allowed jockeys and officials to familiarise themselves with the new rules and guidance and identify where improvements can be made to their implementation, or where some jockeys might need to adapt their riding style. This was the purpose of the bedding-in period.

“We are grateful for the input of the PJA, NTF and a number of senior riders and trainers and we have now reached a position where the new rules and guidance will be implemented in the manner in which they were intended.

“We were pleased to note jockeys stating that the responsibility now rests on them to ride within the new rules and adapt their riding style where necessary. We have already seen this happening during the bedding-in period, for which jockeys deserve great credit.”

The post Britain: New Whip Rules Implemented In Jump Racing On Monday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 3-year-old filly Decorated My Life sustained a fatal injury during Saturday's running of the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park. Jockey Joe Bravo was unseated and wound up taking off his Sunday mounts; the filly was vanned off and euthanized.

After the race, a video clip of the horse during the pre-race warm up was widely circulated on social media.

California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director, Jeff Blea, told the Thoroughbred Daily News that the video appeared to have been taken while the filly was negotiating a portion of the uphill course that regulatory vets are only able to see on video screens.

“What I saw is visual right front inconsistency or lameness,” Blea told the TDN. “It's a short window. It's there. You can't argue that. You can't deny that. Those are the facts.”

However, Blea also stated that the filly did not show any lameness during the multiple pre-race exams undergone by all horses racing at Santa Anita, nor did she show any lameness when arriving at the starting gate.

According to the TDN, Blea referenced a study which shows how slight slopes can affect lameness exams in horses.

The most recently published study on slopes and equine lameness is found in The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, titled “An objective study into the effects of an incline on naturally occurring lameness in horses.”

“Horses with forelimb lameness showed no significant difference in asymmetry” when comparing lameness on a flat surface versus on an incline/decline of 2.4 percent, the study abstract explains. “However, there were considerable changes in poll asymmetry (>20 mm) among conditions in individual horses. Two horses with hindlimb lameness and two horses with forelimb lameness switched asymmetry between left and right by changing incline.”

After the incident with Decorated My Life, Blea said he and the track veterinarian are planning to implement a couple modifications to the pre-race warmup routine of the regulatory vets.

“I spoke with the track vet and we're thinking of making a couple modifications, especially for horses that are warming up on the turf course—and the downhill turf course in particular—so maybe we can get an eye on these horses as they're going up the hill, not just on a flat surface,” Blea told TDN.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Jockey Club will host an open forum for horsemen with Dr. Mary Scollay, Chief of Science for the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit, to discuss the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program.

Trainers, owners, and other interested persons are encouraged to attend the event, which will be held at Laurel Park Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. (ET) in the Conference Area located adjacent to the Carriage Room in the grandstand.

Scollay will make a Powerpoint presentation and will stay for a question-and-answer period.

Although everyone is strongly encouraged to attend in-person, the event will also be open to participants to join in on the discussion online via ZOOM Webinar.

Pre-registration is required for all online attendees. To register for the Webinar, click here.

HIWU was established by Drug Free Sport International to administer the ADMC Program for HISA. Scollay was hired in October 2022 to oversee HISA's lab accreditation program. She is charged with prioritizing research development into prohibited substances and engaging with veterinary scientists, pharmacologists, and others in the Thoroughbred industry.

Scollay and her team also will manage a prohibited substances database that will be available for industry stakeholders to use as a reference tool.

Scollay previously served as Executive Director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium. She directed the advancement of world-class laboratory drug-testing standards, promotion of RMTC-recommended rules and penalties for prohibited substances and therapeutic medications, monitoring of emerging threats to the integrity of racing and the health and welfare of racehorses, and administrative oversight of RMTC-funded research projects and educational programs. Scollay also served 11 years as the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Equine Medical Director.

Additional information on HIWU is available at hiwu.org.

The post Maryland Horsemen, MJC To Host Open Forum With HIWU’s Scollay appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Thoroughbred enthusiasts have a unique opportunity to own a piece of horse racing history. In fact, they have three chances: blankets worn by Justify (2018 Triple Crown), American Pharoah (2015 Triple Crown), and Epicenter (2022 Kentucky Derby favorite and 2022 champion 3-year-old male) are up for auction online.

“There haven't been many opportunities ever before to acquire the actual blankets worn by celebrity Thoroughbreds,” said Melynda Jamison, executive director of CASA of Lexington, the nonprofit auctioning the blankets. “We are excited to have these unique items in our auction! Whoever wins them will also be supporting brighter futures for abused children in the heart of horse country.”

The blankets are being auctioned individually as part of CASA of Lexington's annual “Bourbon and the Bayou” silent auction. The auction regularly features one-of-a-kind items from the horse racing industry that cannot be found anywhere else. Bidding is open now at this link; bidding closes at 9:45 p.m. ET on Feb. 24.

Justify was the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown and only the second ever to do so with an undefeated record. His ancestors include Seattle Slew, Secretariat and War Admiral.

American Pharoah was the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown. The horse also won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic, and is the first horse to win the “grand slam” of Thoroughbred racing.

Epicenter is a retired champion American Thoroughbred who won the 2022 Risen Star, 2022 Louisiana Derby, 2022 Jim Dandy and 2022 Travers Stakes. He also finished second as the favorite in both the 2022 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Justify's blanket is item no. 432; Epicenter's is item no. 433; and American Pharoah's is item no. 434. All three blankets were donated by Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., the base of U.S. operations for Coolmore America.

All proceeds from the auction go to CASA of Lexington, which provides advocacy for abused and neglected children in the family court systems of seven Central Kentucky counties.

“Horse farms around central Kentucky have really put great efforts into supporting our mission of ensuring every child has a safe, permanent home,” Jamison said. “We would not have nearly the impact we do for children without their support.”

CASA of Lexington's Bourbon and the Bayou silent auction is live here and bidding is open until 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.

To view each horse blanket's item page visit the following links:

Justify Blanket: https://bit.ly/bandb2023-justify

Epicenter Blanket: https://bit.ly/bandb2023-epicenter

American Pharoah Blanket: https://bit.ly/bandb2023-americanpharoah

CASA of Lexington's trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court systems in Bourbon, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Lincoln, Scott, and Woodford counties to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children.  The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child's future. Learn more at casaoflexington.org, by calling (859) 246-4313 or by emailing info@casaoflexington.org.

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