Tag: The Biz

Facing imminent regulatory chaos that could completely undermine anti-doping rule enforcement in thoroughbred racing, the Board of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) has unanimously requested the Federal Trade Commission to delay final action on HISA's proposed Anti-Doping and Medication Control rules until the constitutional questions being litigated are resolved.

“We cannot have a situation where an enforcement action is overturned because the authority of the enforcing entity to act is in question,” said Ed Martin, ARCI President. “The only way to avoid that is to delay approval of HISA rules leaving existing state rules and enforcement in place for the time being.”

“The choice for the FTC is clear, state rules are better than no rules during this time of legal uncertainty,” he said, noting that state anti-doping rules have consistently been upheld when challenged in court and a successful appeal of a state enforcement action is extremely rare.

Racing's Catch-22

Should the FTC approve the HISA rules and penalties were imposed for a violation of those rules the action could be appealed and potentially overturned and wiped away due to the finding in the Fifth Circuit that HISA is unconstitutional.

Likewise if a racing commission enforces the existing State anti-doping rule and penalties imposed for a violation are appealed using the argument that the federal rule preempts state action the possibility that it can be overturned also exists.

The only way to avoid this Catch-22 is to leave state rules and enforcement in place by delaying final action on the HISA ADMC rules.

“To approve them now with this legal uncertainty is an invitation to cheaters that you might get a free ride during the first ten days in January, if not longer,” he said.

The ARCI has not taken a position on the pending litigation, although some member States have and are litigating the constitutionality of the Act. In August, Martin called for HISA to sit down with all litigants and negotiate a way out. That did not happen.

Martin said the failure of HISA to request a delay leaves the state commissions no other option but to do so.

“We believe it irresponsible to not leave a rock solid enforcement program in place until the legal questions are settled. It's that simple.”

The post Catch-22? ARCI Asks FTC To Delay Implementation Of HISA’s Medication Rules appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Racing dates for the 21^st season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing were approved by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) at their regular meeting Thursday, Dec. 1 held at Harrah's Hoosier Park. A total of 123 racing days are on the calendar with six all-Quarter Horse racing days included in the overall total.

One of the biggest changes for the 2023 racing season is the addition of several Saturday dates from June 3 through Sept. 2. Five of those dates are allotted for Quarter Horse racing with a first post time of 10:45 a.m. Five dates in that time frame will be Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing with a first post of 5:30 p.m. while two dates, July 8 and Aug. 26 will have an earlier post time of 12 p.m. The July 8 date will be the track's signature event, the 29^th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby which headlines a day of stakes action that exceeds $1 million.

“With the added Saturday dates, we will be able to offer retail customers the opportunity to come out and enjoy racing during the summer,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “We have inserted ourselves into the national weekly racing calendar and found a great fit for our product. Now, we hope to begin the process to establish ourselves during the weekend when racing activity escalates and is a more competitive market. We feel our program has grown enough over the past few years to allot us the opportunity to work for the weekend audiences.”

The general racing calendar will begin with a Monday through Thursday schedule with Monday racing dropped in the summer to accommodate Saturday racing. In September, the schedule will go back to the original format of Monday through Thursday.

In addition to Indiana Derby, the fourth annual Indiana Champions Day, also featuring stakes races in excess of $1 million, is slated for Saturday, Oct. 28 with a first post of 12 p.m.

Horseshoe Indianapolis will also conduct live racing on three holidays during the meet. Racing will be held Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day and Tuesday, July 4 for Independence Day with a first post of 12 p.m. Racing will also be held Saturday, Sept. 2 for Labor Day featuring an all-Quarter Horse card beginning at 10:45 a.m.

The 21^st season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing resumes Tuesday, April 18 and concludes Friday, Nov. 17. Racing will be held during the week beginning at 2:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday with Thursday post times set at 2:10 p.m. Saturday racing will be offered on 16 dates in 2023 with six of those dates reserved for all-Quarter Horse action.

For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

The post Horseshoe Indianapolis Adds Saturday Dates To 2023 Summer Racing Schedule appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has released new ratings for equestrian helmets, with two of the top three slots filled by helmets costing less than $60. The top helmet on the list is the is the $460 Champion Revolve X-Air MIPS helmet.

With sponsorship from Jacqueline Mars, USHJA, USEF, USEA, the lab rated a total of 40 equestrian helmets using the STAR evaluation system. Manufacturers included in the study are Charles Owen, Champion, IRH, Tipperary, Samshield, Troxel, GPA, One K, Trauma Void, among others.

The ratings are an independent and objective assessment of helmet performance for consumers, free from manufacturer influence. Each rating is based on the results of 12 impact tests in the Virginia Tech Helmet laboratory. A pendulum impactor test rig was used to assess these equestrian helmets, measuring linear and rotational acceleration for each impact, which are correlated to concussion risk. These helmets have passed American standards (ASTM F1163, SNELL E2016) and/or European standards (VG1 01.040, PAS 015).

The lab tests the helmet's front, side, and back at two impact energies based on industry standards for equestrian helmet performance, advanced video analysis of equestrian events, and peer-reviewed equestrian research. The lower and higher severity test conditions represent the range of impacts that could result in concussions.

Each lab helmet impact is weighted to contribute equally to the average helmet's overall score, and the overall score estimates the number of concussions the average person would sustain if they experienced identical impacts to those tested in the lab. A lower STAR score indicates better helmet performance.

Click here to see the complete ratings, and here for a detailed story on the helmet testing behind the scores.

The post Virginia Tech Helmet Lab Releases New Equestrian Helmet Ratings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Woodbine Entertainment is pleased to announce that The Queen's Plate, North America's longest continuously run stakes race, will once again be known as The King's Plate.

This exciting next chapter of Canada's premier Thoroughbred horse race, which will take place on Sunday, Aug. 20, in 2023, follows the September 2022 accession of King Charles III.

The 2023 edition will mark the 164th running of the prestigious, $1 million-stakes race historically named in honor of the reigning monarch, which has become one of the highest-profile events in Canadian sports. The Plate is the first of leg of the Canadian Triple Crown and followed by the Prince of Wales Stakes run at Fort Erie Race Track, and the Breeders' Stakes run at Woodbine Racetrack.

“The Plate is one of the most celebrated events in horse racing, and we're proud to celebrate its history while starting a new chapter under the banner of The King's Plate,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “Those who attend can expect more than elite-level horse racing. They can soak in the elements of food, fashion and culture that have become associated with this prestigious annual event while enjoying moments designed for a new generation of race fans. We're excited to share more details about The King's Plate in the months to come.”

The story of The Queen's Plate began in 1859 when the president of the Toronto Turf Club, Sir Casimir Gzowski, petitioned for an annual horse racing prize awarded by Queen Victoria to Canadian-bred horses. The prize from the British monarchy, which continues to this day, is the value of 50 guineas (a defunct British gold coin no longer minted).

Following the succession of King Edward VII in 1901, the event changed its name to The King's Plate (and would remain so during the reign of George V, Edward VIII, and George VI), before once again returning to The Queen's Plate (Queen Elizabeth II) in 1952, the moniker it held for the last 70 years.

The 164^th running will celebrate the tradition and style fans have come to expect while embracing the transformative spirit that comes with the royal succession.

The King's Plate is scheduled to take place at Woodbine Racetrack and run on the Tapeta track at a distance of a mile and a quarter on Sunday, August 20. Entry conditions for the 2023 King's Plate are unchanged and the race remains open to all three-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada.

The 163^rd Queen's Plate in 2022 was a sold-out event that attracted an estimated 15,000 spectators and hundreds of thousands of viewers on CTV and TSN. Moira, the winning thoroughbred, set a Plate record time of 2:01.48 in one of the most exciting finishes in race history.

Woodbine Entertainment also plans to celebrate and honor the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2023 for her contributions and support of the event and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada for the last 70 years.

The post ‘Starting A New Chapter’: Queen’s Plate Renamed The King’s Plate appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post