Tag: The Biz

Woodbine Racetrack is pleased to announce the return of the Ladies of the Lawn Series for the 2022 Thoroughbred racing season.

Launched in 2019, the Ladies of the Lawn Series consists of three premier turf races for fillies and mares, the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes, Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes.

This year's series will offer a lucrative $250,000 bonus to the owner of the horse that wins all three races in the series. Should no horse sweep the series, a $50,000 bonus will be paid out to the connections of the horse that accumulates the most points during the series.

“The Ladies of the Lawn Series has received tremendous feedback over the last few years,” said Tim Lawson, Director of Thoroughbred Racing for Woodbine. “The addition of a $250,000 bonus should provide not only incentive for owners and trainers to point their fillies and mares at these premier races, but also raise the profile of this series with horseplayers, fans and racing participants.”

The points breakdown for each leg of the Ladies of the Lawn series is listed below:

1st: 10
​2nd: 7
​3rd: 5
​4th: 3
​5th: 2
​Horses finishing 6th through last in any leg will receive one point.

The dates for each leg of the Ladies of the Lawn Series are listed below:

Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes ($200,000) – Sunday, July 24
​Grade 2 Canadian Stakes ($200,000) – Sunday, August 21
​Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes ($750,000) – Saturday, October 8

The inaugural Ladies of the Lawn Series was won by the Kevin Attard trained 2019 Canadian Horse of the Year, Starship Jubilee. In 2020, the series was won by Elizabeth Way, trained by Hall of Fame trainer, Roger Attfield. Mutamakina secured last year's Ladies of the Lawn Series title with a victory in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes for trainer Christophe Clement.

To stay up to date on all racing news from Woodbine, visit www.Woodbine.com.

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Leicester Racecourse in the U.K. has become one of the first courses to open brand-new warm-up and performance facilities designed to support jockeys as elite athletes.

Jockey and PJA board member Page Fuller officially opened the facility as she, alongside fellow jockey Andrew Mullen, has been integral in working towards weighing room improvements, in conjunction with the full support of the PJA. After a significant £650,000 (about US$820,000) investment, the area includes a range of gym equipment which will see a huge improvement to the preparations jockeys can undertake for racing and are aimed at ensuring that they are physically ready to compete from the first race and to act as an injury prevention tool.

The redevelopment is part of a wider initiative by racing bodies to update and modernize the weighing room across all racecourses, bringing it in line with jockeys' needs as elite athletes. The organizations involved are the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) and the Racecourse Association (RCA).

With the new gym equipment at Leicester provided by Perform Better, the jockeys now have access to a new warm-up area that includes fitness bikes, a TRX suspension trainer, resistance bands, kettle bells and skipping ropes. Danny Hague, Strength and Conditioning coach at the IJF's Jack Berry House, has been working with those involved to develop the warm-up areas and create warm-up and performance exercises for the jockeys to use ahead of racing, that are available on the IJF Youtube channel and can be played on smart TVs inside the facilities.

Clerk of the Course Jimmy Stevenson said of the new facilities: “It's fantastic to be a part of this initiative and be one of the first racecourses to show off our new warm-up facilities. We are very grateful to the RCA, BHA and PJA for their help in making this a success. We look forward to getting the jockeys' thoughts and continuing to work with them closely to make our participant facilities the best they can be.”

Dr Jerry Hill, Chief Medical Adviser at the BHA said of the initiative: “It has been great to see Leicester really champion the scheme to improve the jockeys' facilities, they have been immensely positive, and I look forward to seeing other racecourses do the same as part of this ongoing project. It is a huge testament to all involved and their hard work that the facilities have opened today and a tribute to Leicester's care and enthusiasm for the participants of the sport.

“Jockeys are a key part of our sport and as elite athletes it is a top priority that we provide them with the tools they need to excel and perform at their best, whilst also considering their well-being. We worked with our participants when planning the changes, and these weighing room updates are part of a larger project to bring all aspects of jockey facilities in line with their needs and the standards of other elite sports.”

Jockeys are top athletes who have to be incredibly fit to perform at the highest level day in day out. To become a licensed jockey, participants must undergo a grueling fitness test including holding a plank for up to four minutes and riding a WattBike with all-out effort for three minutes. During racing, a jockey's body is working close to its limits, with a typical energy expenditure of 80%-90%, which is increased to over 90% in the last 30 seconds of a race. Their heart rate will often go above 180 beats per minute, and they will experience a force of two times their bodyweight going through their legs. Therefore, to make sure jockeys can perform at their best, warm up areas in the weighing room are critical.

As similar facilities are rolled-out at other courses, the organizations involved will be able to monitor and measure the warm-up effects on jockey performance and use this to make further improvements in facilities and performance coaching and advice.

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In order to protect the integrity of horse racing in Ontario, and to ensure the highest standards of equine and human health and safety, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has suspended the license of Thoroughbred trainer, Robert Gerl of Palgrave, Ontario, for 20 years. The suspension takes effect May 30, 2022.

The AGCO has also issued Mr. Gerl a monetary penalty of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00).

The AGCO has taken these regulatory actions due to alleged infractions of the Rules of Thoroughbred Racing involving two horses (“ARAFAT” and “KOMUNIST”) trained by Mr. Gerl, which tested positive for ostarine (enobosarm), a non-therapeutic substance.

According to webmd.com, ostarine is not FDA-approved but is often found in supplements, particularly those marketed for bodybuilding. It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Ontario's Rules of Racing include clear restrictions on the use of prohibited drugs or substances for horses so as to protect the horses, jockeys and drivers, and uphold the integrity of the sport. The health and welfare of the racehorse and the integrity of racing is of paramount interest to the AGCO, and it will continue to hold those who fail to follow regulations accountable for their actions.

A licensed horse racing participant issued a Ruling under the Rules of Racing has the right to appeal the AGCO's action to the Horse Racing Appeal Panel (HRAP) which is an independent adjudicative body mandated to hear appeals of decisions.

“The health and welfare of racehorses, and the integrity of racing are of primary concern to the AGCO,” said chief executive officer and registrar Tom Mungham. “We will continue to take all appropriate actions to protect horses and maintain the fairness of racing. The administration of prohibited substances, especially non-therapeutic drugs, have no business in the sport, and positive test results can lead to severe consequences for licence holders.”

Thoroughbred horses “ARAFAT” and “KOMUNIST” participated in different races at Woodbine Racetrack in October 2021, and they finished second and fourth, respectively.

In line with its focus on promoting the integrity and public confidence in horse racing in Ontario, the AGCO selects horses competing in a race to provide a post-race sample (blood) for testing. “ARAFAT” and “KOMUNIST” were selected for testing after their respective races and they both tested positive for ostarine.  In addition to the post-race testing, Out of Competition testing was also conducted in October 2021, confirming the presence of the ostarine in one horse.

In addition to the suspension of the license and the monetary penalty, the AGCO has ordered that “ARAFAT” and “KOMUNIST” be declared unplaced in their races, and their order of finish changed. All purse monies associated with these horses on the affected race dates must therefore be returned for redistribution to other participants in those races. In addition, any horses owned or controlled in whole or in part by Mr. Gerl shall not be eligible to race in Ontario.

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A six-alarm fire tore through the grandstand at Boston's Suffolk Downs Monday night, reports WCVB5. No injuries were reported on the scene.

“We had a very difficult time with water. It was very limited here. We had a lot of help to get lines running thousands of feet,” Boston Fire Department Commissioner Jack Dempsey told WCVB5.

Officials did not know what caused the fire.

Live racing was held at Suffolk Downs until 2019, but the grandstand had remained open for simulcasting, including on Memorial Day. Last week, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the site's redevelopment into a mixed-use community.

Read more at WCVB5.

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