Tag: The Biz

House Of Cards? No Betamethasone In Medina Spirit’s Pre-Race Testing For Derby

As attorneys prepare for the Aug. 22 appeals hearing in the ongoing Medina Spirit case, a pre-race test result has now become public for the first time.

In response to a public information act request filed by the Paulick Report, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has released results of the out-of-competition testing performed on Medina Spirit ahead of the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

An Industrial Laboratories form dated April 18, 2021, indicates blood was drawn from Medina Spirit at Santa Anita Park and assigned sample number E42871. (It is common for the Kentucky commission to work with official veterinarians in other states to do pre-race sampling of likely Derby contenders ahead of the race.) An undated page titled “Screening Results By Sample” lists several sample numbers along with drug amounts and concentrations. E42871 was found to contain 13.269 ng/mL of omeprazole sulfide, which is a common ulcer medication permitted in racehorses. It does not show any concentrations for betamethasone, although a separate sample from another horse whose results appear elsewhere on the page did indicate a level for .319 ng/ml of “dexamethasone or betamethasone.”

The colt famously tested positive for betamethasone after the Derby and was disqualified from his win by Kentucky stewards, who also fined trainer Bob Baffert and suspended him 90 days. Baffert has served his suspension, but the appeal by Baffert and owner Zedan Racing of the other sanctions is ongoing.

Baffert announced eight days after the race that he had been informed of the positive test result, which at the time had not been confirmed by split sample analysis. At that time, he indicated he had no idea how betamethasone could have been present in the horse. Several days later, he said the horse had been treated daily with Otomax, a topical product formulated for dogs, to combat a skin rash. Otomax contains betamethasone valerate as one of its active ingredients, a fact that is notated on the exterior packaging and on the bottle. Baffert indicated that the horse had been battling the skin rash since just after his win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3. A photo of the affected area released to media on May 11 showed skin lesions consistent with a healing rash.

Medical records for Medina Spirit show that Otomax was dispensed in the colt's name on April 9, 2021 and on April 19, 2021.

Baffert has long maintained that the colt received the ointment from his groom daily through the day before the May 1 Derby.

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Craig Robertson, attorney for Baffert, did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Clark Brewster, who represents Zedan Racing, told the Paulick Report he thinks the lack of betamethasone finding is an example of how unpredictable topical drug administrations can be.

“That's the vagaries of using a salve or an ointment,” said Brewster. “Most vets, and I'm talking about leading vets, couldn't believe you could get a positive from a salve or an ointment. Vince Baker [Baffert's veterinarian who prescribed the drug] testified that he's had Otomax dispensed to horses literally hundreds, if not thousands of times, and nobody reported a positive.

“It depends on, was the horse washed that day before they took the test? Did the horse have more of a lesion on him as the days went on so they used more? Who's to say? But that's the arbitrariness and the unfairness of having a reported positive from a topical.”

Further, Brewster pointed out, there is nothing on the document listing the screening limit for betamethasone for the pre-race tests. He also indicated that other pre-race tests taken from Baffert horses ahead of that race did not find betamethasone.

Despite the test results, Brewster said he is confident ahead of the Aug. 22 hearing.

“I feel very good about the facts, and the rules,” he said. “Without a doubt, he will win. The question is when? And the answer is whenever someone applies the facts to the laws in an unbiased way.”

Read our previous reporting on discoveries from public information act requests in the case here and here.

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Lexington Sporting Club Alters Plans, Will Not Pursue Soccer Complex At Former Ashwood Training Center

The Lexington Sporting Club announced via Twitter on Thursday that it will no longer pursue building a youth recreational soccer complex in the agriculture-rural zone which had been home to the Ashwood Training Center off Newtown Pike

“After discussions with the Mayor, community leaders and trusted colleagues in the farm community, we believe this decision is the best for our community and are grateful for the support they have pledged in helping with this effort,” the Club statement reads.

In early July, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Board of Adjustment approved plans for a 12-field soccer complex and 750 parking spaces in the Agricultural-Rural zone, despite dozens of community members voicing their opposition. The site plan had the soccer fields located where the training track sits and near the southeast border of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's sale grounds. The fields were adjacent to trainer Ken McPeek's Magdalena Farm. The site plan also called for 750 parking spaces.

There were questions about the relationship between the proposed recreational fields and an “anticipated” commercial stadium for a USL League One professional soccer franchise that is coming to Lexington in 2023. Plans for a downtown soccer stadium have fallen through and no new plans have been announced. The site plan did not include a stadium, though the Division of Planning staff said “separation between the uses” (recreational soccer fields and pro stadium) should be more “clearly delineated.” William J. Shively, owner of Dixiana Farm in Lexington, brought the franchise to Lexington. Vince Gabbert, a former vice president at Keeneland, is the soccer franchise president.

The Planning Commission had been set to consider two zoning ordinance text amendments (ZOTAs) on July 28 – which would permit lights, concessions and retail sales at the Newtown site as well as a 10,000-person stadium, thousands of surface parking spaces and intense commercial use in the nearby Economic Development zone – but those agenda items have been postponed.

As for the future of the property, Marc Ricker, owner of Ashwood Training Center, told bloodhorse.com on Thursday: “At this time, I will not be making any changes to my current plans for the back portion of the farm, which previously housed independent trainers. For the time being, I will continue to focus on the front portion as a yearling breaking and layup facility.

“I will begin discussions with Anderson Communities to discuss making necessary improvements to the barns and track which would be necessary to reopen in the future. If purchasing the property from Anderson becomes a possibility, I will also pursue that to help ensure the property's existence as an agricultural asset to the community.”

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Belmont Fall Meet Will Be Held At Aqueduct Due To Construction

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced that, due to the construction of vehicular and pedestrian tunnels designed to provide access to the Belmont Park infield, the 2022 Belmont Park fall meet will be held at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 28-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet will begin on Thursday, September 15 and run through Sunday, October 30. Headlined by four Grade 1 races and four “Win and You're In” qualifiers to the Breeders' Cup in November at Keeneland, Belmont at the Big A will feature 23 graded events among 41 stakes worth $9.9 million in total purses. Live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday.

The construction of tunnels for vehicular and pedestrian access is a major capital improvement project that will unlock the 45-acre infield at Belmont Park. In addition to providing access for fans and the surrounding community, the tunnels will serve as a conduit to the infield for commercial vehicles allowing NYRA to completely reconstruct the Belmont main track and its two turf courses. The tunnels will also provide NYRA with the opportunity to consider the installation of a synthetic track in the future.

“This investment in the future of Belmont Park will transform our racing operations and pave the way for a broader re-imagining of the facility,” said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “The shift to Aqueduct this fall will minimize the overall impact on the racing schedule, and ensure continuity for the Belmont spring/summer meet and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. We appreciate the patience of our horsemen and fans as we enter this period of transition at Belmont, and look forward to an exciting fall at the Big A.”

Construction on the tunnels will require the closure of the Belmont Park main track and turf courses at the conclusion of training hours on Sunday, August 7. NYRA expects main track and turf training to resume in April 2023. Construction on the racetracks will begin following the conclusion of the 2023 Belmont Park spring/summer meet, which will be held in its entirety at Belmont.

Following a three-week closure for annual track maintenance, the Belmont Park training track will re-open on Monday, August 8 and remain open throughout tunnel and track construction.

As part of the same round of capital improvement projects, NYRA will install a synthetic surface on the ¼ mile Belmont Park Pony Track. Expected to be complete in September, the Tapeta Footings track will provide a new all-weather training option and yield information and data on the performance of a synthetic surface in the weather conditions at Belmont.

The Oklahoma Training track will operate as normal, with scheduled turf training available throughout the fall.

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) is responsible for advancing and protecting the interests of thoroughbred owners and trainers at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. In his role as NYTHA President, Joe Appelbaum expressed support for the planned renovations and improvements to Belmont.

“NYTHA membership recognize the importance of modernizing Belmont Park and look forward to competing at a world-class thoroughbred racing venue,” said Appelbaum. “We will continue to work closely with NYRA to reduce any burdens on horsemen created by the temporary closure of the main track at Belmont.”

Belmont at the Big A will offer significant purse increases with a particular focus on adding value to conditions impacting the broadest group of owners and trainers. Accordingly, open allowance races will be run for six-figure purses while all claiming categories, New York-bred, and maiden races will enjoy purse enhancements.

Beyond the increases to the purse schedule, NYRA will introduce a new bonus program to further reward horsemen for competing at the fall meet. The Belmont at the Big A bonus will pay $500 to the owner and $500 to the trainer of any horse finishing outside of the top three in his/her first fall start provided the most recent start was during the 2022 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. Stakes races at Aqueduct do not qualify for the Belmont at the Big A bonus.

The Belmont at the Big A stakes action will kick off on Saturday, September 17, with the closing legs of the Caesars Turf Triple Series: the Grade 3, $1 million Caesars Jockey Club Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/2 miles on the turf and the Grade 3, $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks for sophomore fillies. The Grade 3, $150,000 Pebbles at one-mile on turf for sophomore fillies will then be contested on Sunday, September 18.

The first New York-bred stakes of the meet will be the $125,000 Joseph A. Gimma on Friday, September 23, leading into a weekend that includes the Grade 3, $175,000 Athenia for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up competing at 1 1/8 miles on the turf on Saturday, September 24. The Saturday card will also include the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole, a nine-furlong turf test for state-breds 3-years-old and up. The following day will see fillies and mares 3-and-up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in the Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom, with the undercard rounded out by the $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard for New York-bred juveniles going seven furlongs.

The weekend of October 1-2 will be comprised of seven graded stakes with a pair of Grade 1s highlighting the Saturday card in the $500,000 Woodward for 3-year-olds and up going nine furlongs and the $500,000 Champagne for 2-year-olds running one mile. The Champagne affords the winner a spot in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The October 2 card will also include the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo for fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, along with the Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the turf.

Sunday, October 2 will be headlined by the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies at one mile with a spot in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies up for grabs. The October 2 card will include the Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the turf and the Grade 3, $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya at 1 3/8 miles for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Top quality racing will continue on Saturday, October 8 with the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2-miles, along with the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh, a seven-furlong sprint [previously run at six furlongs] for 3-year-olds and up, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint. Rounding out the October 8 stakes action will be the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron at six furlongs on turf for juvenile fillies.

October 9 will offer the fall meet's final Breeders' Cup qualifier with the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on the turf providing a spot in the Grade 1, $2 million Juvenile Turf Sprint. Also on tap that day will be the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame at nine furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Knickerbocker for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

On Saturday, October 29, the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up will offer the top-four finishers a free nomination and starting fee in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile. The October 29 card will include the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs [previously run at seven furlongs] on the main track.

Additional graded races include the Grade 2, $200,000 Sands Point [October 15], Grade 2, $300,000 Hill Prince [October 22], and the Grade 3, $150,000 Noble Damsel [October 22].

Belmont at the Big A will close on Sunday, September 30 with the annual Empire Showcase Day, which will include eight stakes for New York-breds worth $1.6 million in total purse money. The lucrative card is highlighted by the $250,000 Empire Classic for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles, and its counterpart the $250,000 Empire Distaff at nine furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Both the Empire Classic and Empire Distaff were previously run at 1 1/16-miles. Empire Showcase Day will also include four $200,000 stakes in the Sleepy Hollow, Maid of the Mist, Mohawk and Ticonderoga, along with a pair of $150,000 stakes in the Iroquois and Hudson.

For the complete Belmont at the Big A stakes schedule, visit https://bit.ly/3vmPaJP.

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Aftercare, Promotion, Communication Highlighted At Thoroughbred Owner Conference

The need to ensure responsible ownership at all stages of a racehorse's life was a recurring theme at this week's Thoroughbred Owner Conference, which was held July 25-26 in the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course. The event, which attracted more than 100 attendees, was presented by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and hosted by The Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

The keynote address of the conference was delivered by Stacie Clark-Rogers, operations consultant for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). Clark-Rogers summarized the evolution of aftercare over the last 50 years and its increased prioritization among those involved in the Thoroughbred industry. She touched on the various organizations and initiatives formed by the industry to support aftercare, including the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Retired Racehorse Project, Thoroughbred Incentive Program, and TAA. She talked about the importance of the TAA and its role as racing's accrediting and funding body for aftercare.

Among the organizations accredited by the TAA are groups that offer equine-assisted therapy (EAT) by utilizing off-the-track Thoroughbreds, and Clark-Rogers advocated for EAT as an option for these horses.

“These programs in my opinion are greatly undervalued, and we could be doing so much more to connect people with retired Thoroughbreds, and in return, promote the horse, the industry, and the sport of horse racing,” she said.

“If we have learned anything over the last 20 years of aftercare initiatives, we all need to work together in all aspects of this industry, not just so the aftercare groups can succeed, but so the industry can be more accountable and thus succeed as a responsible, ethical sport.”

Other topics of focus at the conference included buying at the sales, selecting a trainer, equine safety, partnerships, and international racing. The second day of the event featured a panel composed of a family of jockeys: Dylan Davis was joined by his sister Katie and her husband, Trevor McCarthy, with an appearance by Dylan and Katie's father, former jockey Robbie Davis. The discussion was moderated by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Richard Migliore, who currently works as a racing analyst for NYRA.

Tony Allevato, chief revenue officer for NYRA and president of NYRA Bets, opened the conference by describing efforts NYRA has made to improve the racing and ownership experience. For example, during NYRA's racing coverage on Fox Sports, the production team makes it a priority to interview owners before and after each race.

“It's important for us as an operator to make the experience as good as possible,” he said. “If an owner thinks that there's a chance that they can get on national TV, we think that adds to the experience.”

The conference began with a reception at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and attendees enjoyed the races at Saratoga on Wednesday.

“After being postponed for two years due to COVID-19, we were delighted to finally bring the Thoroughbred Owner Conference to Saratoga for the first time,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “Competing at Saratoga is a dream for any Thoroughbred owner and a fitting location for this conference, where we provide existing, new, and prospective owners the opportunity to learn about all aspects of owning racehorses while facilitating networking with the industry's most prominent names.”

Tom Durkin served as the master of ceremonies. Participants on the panels included owners Tina Bond, H. James Bond Racing Stable and Song Hill Thoroughbreds; Michelle Borisenok, Old Tavern Farm; Peter Brant; Terry Finley, West Point Thoroughbreds; Tom Gallo, Dream Maker Racing; Len Green, D.J. Stable; Jack Knowlton, Sackatoga Stable; and others. A video replay of all panels at the conference will be available at ownerview.com within the next week.

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.

Additional information about OwnerView is available at ownerview.com or by contacting Gary Falter at gfalter@jockeyclub.com or 859-224-2803.

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