Tag: The Biz

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is hosting a Claiming Seminar Saturday, Dec. 2 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, Louisiana. The morning seminar is strategically positioned on the day of the 25th Claiming Crown, an event that will feature eight races totaling $1 million in base purses, headlined by the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel. 

Conceived to be a Breeders' Cup-style event for claiming horses, the Claiming Crown was created in 1999 by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). The program gives Thoroughbred racing's workhorses, their owners and trainers a day in the spotlight in recognition of their importance to filling out race cards across the nation. Attendees will learn insights on different aspects of claiming Thoroughbreds, pedigree, past performance and conformation analysis, and more from industry professionals as well as enjoying a day at the races.

The topics and speakers at the seminar include:

• • Understanding Racing Office Policy & Procedures, presented by Jason M. Boulet (Fair Grounds, Senior Director of Racing) and Scott L. Jones (Fair Grounds, Racing Secretary)
  • Understanding Claiming Strategy & Process, presented by Brett A. Brinkman (Multiple Graded Stakes Winning Trainer) and W. Bret Calhoun (Multiple Graded Stakes Winning Trainer)

The TOBA Claiming Seminar is aimed towards all levels of experience – from beginners to knowledgeable owners looking to continue their education. The clinic is open to the general public, with a special discount for TOBA members. Meals, educational materials, and a TOBA gift bag are included in registration.

Registration is available online, until Tuesday, November 28, at: toba.memberclicks.net/seminars-clinics. Questions about the clinics and seminars may be directed to Barkley N. Porter at barkley@toba.org or (859) 276-6793.

The Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association (TOBA), based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of leading Thoroughbred owners and breeders. TOBA's mission is to improve the economics, integrity, and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, US-Bred, TOBA Owners Concierge, OwnerView and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee, and International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA Media Properties, a subsidiary of TOBA, is the co-owner of BloodHorse LLC. TOBA is represented on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium as founding members.

The post Speakers Announced For TOBA’s Claiming Seminar To Be Held At Fair Grounds Dec. 2 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has released its 2024 overall budget, as well as a breakdown of assessments by state and by racetrack, and credits available to states to help offset their assessed costs.

The 2024 budget is larger than it was in 2023, but the organization didn't begin requiring drug testing services via the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit until six months into the year, just ahead of the 2023 Belmont Stakes. Total expenses for 2024 are projected to be $80,967,416, with $78,586,798 being passed on to states or racetracks. HISA expects that the amount of credits used by the industry will be $18,740,635, which means a remaining $59,846,163 would actually be passed on to the states and/or racetracks.

Last year, the total expenses came to $66,490,436.

The largest portion of the 2024 budget is the anti-doping and medication control program, which is expected to cost $62,748,741, with just over $21 million of that going towards the expense of lab testing and another $38 million going towards the expenses of HIWU's operation, which includes sample collection. That number could be lower if states use offered credits in exchange for using their own personnel to do the sample collection.

The 2024 budget includes two line items for legal expenses — $1.37 million in general expenses and another $2.22 million that is allocated towards defending lawsuits. Questions around HISA's constitutionality and authority have it in federal civil court in multiple jurisdictions.

At the state level, 2024 assessments went up for most states, but so did the amount of credits that were offered to most states. Still, the majority of states will see budget increases even with the additional credits. The biggest changes are on tap for Pennsylvania, which will see a 73% higher bill for 2024 and Iowa, which saw a 47% increase. Pennsylvania's total assessment went up roughly $1 million year to year but its available credits increased only $100,000. Iowa saw a slight decrease in available credit and an increase in assessment.

Two states – Oklahoma and Minnesota – could actually end up paying less in 2024 if they take advantage of all available credits. Oklahoma could save $186,652 and Minnesota could pay $61,011 less.

Only one state – New York – saw the amount of available credits decrease in 2024 compared to last year.

States are offered credits if they choose to allow existing personnel to do sample collection on behalf of HIWU, which saves HIWU the expense of hiring its own personnel to do so. Two states – California and Pennsylvania – are also offered lab credits, because they have existing contracts with labs at state universities that are also approved for HIWU drug testing.

If a state racing commission chooses not to allow this use of existing collections personnel, the credit is not applied to the assessment made to the state. State racing commissions that do not accept or are not legally permitted to pay the HISA assessment will pass those costs on to racetracks.

The portion of the overall HISA budget that is to be paid by a state (or, when applicable, racetrack) is calculated based on a formula that takes into account both purses and number of races at each racetrack in the previous year, with the idea being that states with a high volume of cheap races shouldn't get saddled with a disproportionate amount of the bill while sparing states that have bigger purses at shorter, high-profile meets. Breeders' Cup races are not included in the calculation.

This formula was challenged in one of the federal civil cases against HISA and adjusted slightly, to the disadvantage of states running a higher volume of cheaper races.

If the expense were to be passed along to racetracks with no credits given, Kentucky Downs would have the highest per-start fee in the country to offset HISA expenses at $1,095.65. Saratoga's summer meet would follow at $778.99. Kentucky's commission opted to apply for credits offered by HISA in 2023 but declined to collect fees from the racetracks to pay the remaining expense. New York's commission did not enter into an agreement allowing it to get credits for 2023 or opt to pay the bill, so last summer, NYRA and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association implemented per-start fees at its racetracks.

States that don't hold “covered” horse races (meaning those which do not export their signal for interstate wagering) were not included in the cost allocation. This includes Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, and Wyoming. Louisiana and West Virginia both have assessments listed in the document even though they have a temporary restraining order preventing HISA regulations or expenses from going into effect there.

Documents detailing assessments, the proposed 2024 budget, and the 2022 IRS Form 990 can be found on the HISA website here.

The post HISA Releases 2024 Budget, State And Racetrack Assessments; Expenses Rise For Almost All appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Anyone who maintains a lawn at their home knows the two most difficult times of the year to keep the grass green are in the height of summer and late autumn, when the temperatures at night start to plummet.

Fortunately for Del Mar and it's 10½-acre Jimmy Durante Turf Course, they have landscape superintendent John Beggin, who knows just what to do to keep the grass green through the upcoming Bing Crosby Season and its Turf Festival.

Beggin says they've been working on the turf course since the close of the summer meet in September.

“A lot of fertilizing,” he says, “and we blanket the track multiple times to help bring the soil temperatures up.”

Beggin admits they do some turf painting but it's not for aesthetic reasons.

“It helps radiate heat,” Beggin notes, “to get it to recover and grow. Our soil is not ideal for warm season grass so we do anything we can to raise the temperature of the soil. That's the key.”

Del Mar patrons will notice immediately the excellent job Beggin and his staff have done on the turf course. The lush green look of the course jumps out at you when you enter the grandstand. But looks aren't everything. Safety is also top in mind.

“I try to keep a consistent softness to the grass,” Beggin says. “If the course starts to get firm we aerify it to soften it back up. The drier it is, the firmer it is. There's kind of a fine line between keeping the moisture right where we want.”

The Jimmy Durante course consists of Bermuda grass and Beggin finds himself in a constant battle with Mother Nature and the persistent marine layer that blankets our coast.

“Bermuda really thrives off of UV's,” Beggin contends. “Without direct UV's it just doesn't thrive as much.”

He says having Tropical Storm Hilary blow through back in September has helped with the maintenance of the turf course this fall.

“The rains really helped,” Beggin notes. “We don't usually get that kind of rain during that season and it helped push certain salts and toxins out of the soil to have everything thrive.”

Turf racing is a big emphasis for the Bing Crosby Season but it's no different for Beggin.

“Every time we race I feel pressure,” he says. “My ultimate goal is to keep everything consistent to where it has been in the past. All the way through the meet, in between seasons and into the next meet.”

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Winter racing is approaching in the Bluegrass State and some of the country's top owners, trainers and jockeys will compete for substantial purse money at the Turfway Park Holiday Meet, which spans from Nov. 29-Dec. 30.

The Holiday Meet Condition Book features more than $7.6 million in purses (excluding extras and substitute races). The average daily purses throughout the 20-day meet amount to $384,700, which is about $29,000 more than what was offered over the 19-day period in 2022. The purse money includes funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund and is awaiting final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Registered Kentucky-breds participating in maiden special weight races will compete for a generous $70,000 purse, while allowances will range from $74,000 to $80,000. The Holiday Meet stakes schedule includes five black-type races, each worth $125,000: Holiday Inaugural (on Dec. 2), My Charmer (Dec. 9), Prairie Bayou (Dec. 16), Gowell Stakes (Dec. 23), and Holiday Cheer (Dec. 30).

“We're excited to kick off another racing season at Turfway Park and thrilled to offer some of the top overnight purses during the winter in North America,” Director of Racing Tyler Picklesimer said. “The Kentucky circuit has proven to be one of the best in the country and we are proud to be represented by some of the outfits who are stabled at Turfway Park and the surrounding training centers.”

In addition to the substantial purses, bettors will have the opportunity to wager on horses from some of the top stables in North America, including Turfway mainstays Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox and Mike Maker along with newcomers Tom Amoss, Josie Carroll, Phil D'Amato, Kelsey Danner and Cherie DeVaux.

Multiple leading rider Gerardo Corrales will return to ride at Turfway this winter and will be joined by many new faces in the jocks room including Gavin Ashton, Adam Beschizza, Declan Cannon, Declan Carroll, Abel Cedillo, Axel Concepcion, Tyler Conner, Colby Hernandez, Gabe Saez and Joe Talamo. Several Turfway mainstays are also scheduled to return including Alex Achard, Fernando De La Cruz, Albin Jiminez, Chris Landeros, Luan Machado, John McKee, Perry Ouzts, Ferrin Peterson, Joe Ramos and Walter Rodriguez.

Live racing will commence on a Wednesday-Saturday schedule with a daily first post of 5:55 p.m. ET. The Turfway Park Winter/Spring Meet will begin on Jan. 3.

For more information about racing and gaming at Turfway Park, please visit www.turfwaypark.com.

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