Tag: The Biz

Past the midway point of the Bing Crosby Season at Del Mar, the effects of the rain and the closing of the track to training last weekend are showing up in the numbers used to gauge the success of the meet.

It affected field sizes, which are down a bit this year compared with 2022.

After six days there have been 52 races with 366 horses for an average of 7.04 per race, down from 7.55 per race at this point last year.

“Overall, it's been a little bit of struggle,” Racing Secretary David Jerkens said. “The training disruptions last week certainly didn't help. It's not up to the standard we typically have in the fall thus far, but six days is a small sample size.”

Just the threat of rain and the closing of the main track to training on Saturday and Sunday threw a wrench into things. Many trainers missed works for their horses and chose not to enter in the races. There were 176 starters in 26 races last week for a field average of 6.77, down from 7.15 in the second week of the fall meet a year ago.

“Trainers are very patterned,” Jerkens notes. “They have their regiments and when that gets disrupted, not only here but also at Santa Anita, certain trainers won't enter because they didn't get to work.”

“Hopefully we're clear the rest of the way,” Jerkens said. “So much of this fall meet is dependent on Mother Nature.”

The hope is those trainers who passed on the races last week will re-enter in races scheduled in the final two weeks of the meet.

The turf racing at Del Mar remains strong. There have been 27 races run on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course with a total of 206 runners for a 7.63 average field size. Those numbers are expected to increase this week during the Turf Festival.

“We're expecting probably about a dozen or so shippers,” Jerkens said. “That definitely helps add to the intrigue of those races. I know they're off the turf now in New York. In Kentucky, they're just trying to get through the Churchill meet, so we're hoping for a strong contingent of shippers.”

The number of shippers racing during the first two weeks of the meet are down sharply in 2023. This year there have been seven horses qualifying for the 'Ship & Win' program compared to 21 in the first two weeks last year.

“In years past we've had quite a bit of contributions from all over,” Jerkens recalls. “Locally, we have some participants that will be very strong. Phil D'Amato's all over every race so I think we'll have a good local contingent.”

The post ‘Bit Of A Struggle’: Field Size Down Just Past Midway Point Of Del Mar Fall Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The California Horse Racing Board conducted a meeting on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at Los Alamitos Race Course. Chairman Gregory Ferraro chaired the meeting, joined by Vice Chair Oscar Gonzales and Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, Brenda Washington Davis, and Thomas Hudnut.

The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link, accessed through the Media Room tab. In brief:

• Continuing to cooperate with the Horseracing and Safety Authority (HISA) in every way, the Board agreed to collect and remit fees on behalf of HISA, as the Board did in 2022. The HISA assessments will cover California's share of both the anti-doping and medication control program and the racetrack safety program. Discussions are ongoing with HISA to determine the amount of credits California will receive for enforcing the federal rules.
• The Board also adopted HISA's recommended national concussion protocol for jockeys, which includes return-to-ride guidelines for jockeys declared fit to ride following an incident.
• The Board approved the license application for Los Alamitos Racing Association to operate a daytime Thoroughbred meet from December 8 through December 17. This meet will run concurrently with night Quarter Horse programs.
• The Board approved the license application for Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association to operate a night quarter-horse meet from December 23, 2023, through December 22, 2024. Los Alamitos is the only racetrack in California that operates throughout the full year. Los Alamitos is in the process of making $1 million in backside improvements.
• The Board approved the license application for the Los Angeles Turf Club to operate a Thoroughbred meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia from December 26. 2023,  through June 16, 2024. The basic schedule for racing will be Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with occasional programs on Mondays and also opening-day Tuesday and Thursday, June 13. Santa Anita is in the process of replacing its dirt training track with the Tapeta synthetic surface at a cost of more than $7 million.
• The Board approved the license application for Pacific Racing Association to operate a thoroughbred at Golden Gate Fields from December 26, 2023, through June 10, 2024. As currently scheduled, this will be the final race meet at Golden Gate before it is closed forever. Stakeholders in Northern California will be working to determine how racing will proceed without its anchor at Golden Gate.
• The Board approved Stephanie Hronis, Lucy Lawrence, and Dr. James T. Dunn as directors of the California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation (CTHF).
• The commissioners took the opportunity to acknowledge retiring CTHF Executive Director Cliff Goodrich for his valued leadership of the organization that provides free health care services to racetrack workers. Commissioner Castellanos said Goodrich's “and his impact on a daily basis as well as his leadership during crises…has been substantial. His wisdom and character and the desire to always 'do the right thing' has benefited the backstretch workers, the CTHF staff and the overall racing industry. Vice Chair Gonzales presented Goodrich with a certificate of recognition signed by Assemblyman Mike Fong on behalf of the California Assembly.
• The Board authorized Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association to distribute $15,530 in race day charity proceeds to four beneficiaries.
• The Board approved a request to modify the distribution of certain ADW revenue to include funding a California co-op marketing program.
• In his report to the Board, Executive Director Scott Chaney said it was important to point out to stakeholders and licensees that “the regulation passed by this Board a few months ago regarding unsanctioned or 'match' racing will become effective on January 1. This new rule makes it a CHRB rule violation to participate in or be present at any event involving unsanctioned or unrecognized racing.  While there is clearly more work to be done to combat this challenge to animal welfare, this is an important step in eliminating the practice. I believe it to be the first of its kind in the country.”
• In his report to the Board, Dr. Jeff Blea, equine medical director, reported that both of the horses that were injured during the running of Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita earlier this month underwent successful surgery and are out of danger.

The post CHRB Votes To Once Again Remit Fees On Behalf Of HISA, Adopts HISA’s Concussion Protocol appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Horses and Hope will celebrate 15 years of cancer education and screening and honor breast cancer survivors with a special day of racing at Churchill Downs on Sunday, Nov. 19. Race day festivities will include remarks by Former First Lady Jane Beshear, founder of Horses and Hope, Governor Andy Beshear, a performance by D'Corey Johnson, 2023 America's Got Talent participant and emcee Heather French Henry, Miss America 2000 at 1 p.m.

Horses and Hope℠ began in 2008 to increase breast cancer awareness, education, screening and treatment referral among Kentucky's horse industry workers and other special populations. The program has hosted screenings and events honoring cancer survivors across the state in collaboration with the Horses and Hope/UofL Health Brown Cancer Center Screening Van and the Horses and Hope Pink Ford Mustang. Former First Lady Jane Beshear and the Kentucky Cancer Program at the University of Louisville were instrumental in the program's launch, along with the Pink Stable, a committee of Kentucky horse owners, riders, trainers, farm owners, jockeys and others.

Operated by the UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center, the Horses and Hope van launched in 2016 has screened more than 17,000 women for breast cancer. Through breast cancer race days at Kentucky racetracks, Horses and Hope has reached more than a million racing fans.

Today, Horses and Hope has been expanded to offer cancer prevention and early detection programs along with screening and treatment referrals for many different cancers through the mobile van. Special events are held throughout the state to honor breast cancer survivors and to raise funds for Horses and Hope, including events at Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Ellis Park, the North American Championship Rodeo and others.

For more information, contact the Kentucky Cancer Program 1-877-326-1134 or email Horses and Hope.

The post Horses And Hope To Celebrate 15 Years Of Breast Cancer Education And Screening appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

In accordance with the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit's (HIWU) commitment to fairly and effectively implementing the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, HIWU is in continuous communication with its contracted laboratories to promote harmonized and consistent testing.

Historically, the presence of cocaine, a Banned Substance under the ADMC Program, has been regulated in blood and urine through its metabolite, benzoylecgonine (BZE). This is because cocaine quickly metabolizes in the body, making it difficult to detect through testing. The control of BZE in urine has been harmonized across testing laboratories for years.

Recently, Covered Horses trained by Keri Brion and R. McLane Hendriks tested positive for BZE in blood. While controls in urine for BZE have long been established, no corresponding testing specifications existed for blood. These circumstances prompted HIWU to lift each trainer's Provisional Suspension and review scientific literature to determine appropriate testing specifications for blood such that it would correspond to existing controls in urine. The goal of this investigation was to ensure that cocaine is regulated consistently regardless of the testing matrix.

Examination of the existing scientific literature failed to identify a testing specification for BZE in blood. However, in consultation with multiple scientific advisors, including laboratory directors, HIWU reviewed laboratory testing data in which BZE was detected in blood and urine samples collected in the same session and was able to determine a testing specification for blood based on this previously unavailable information.

As a result of this investigation, HIWU concluded that the levels of BZE detected in the blood samples for Hendriks' and Brion's horses will not be pursued as Adverse Analytical Findings, for they did not exceed this new blood testing specification.

In the interest of fairness to horsemen and program consistency, HIWU has elected to withdraw Brion's and Hendriks' cases.

The post HIWU Determines New Testing Specification For Cocaine In Blood Samples; Withdraws Positives For Trainers Keri Brion, McLane Hendricks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post