Tag: The Biz

The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission has issued a second 30-day suspension to apprentice jockey Axel Concepcion for careless riding, penalizing the 18-year-old for incidents that occurred just under two weeks apart at Delaware Park.

Concepcion was aboard Backwoods Boogie for trainer Mary Eppler in a starter optional claiming event, race seven at Delaware Park on Sept. 21. Concepcion and Backwoods Boogie broke from the far outside stall in the field of 11, scheduled for one mile on the turf course. The stewards found that Concepcion was “extremely careless in failing to control his mount, Backwoods Boogie, leaving the starting gate, impeding several horses, and causing the horse Trumpence to fall, which resulted in a fatal injury to Trumpence.”

The race was immediately suspended and declared no contest, due to the fallen horse. No injury was reported to jockey Nik Juarez, who was aboard Trumpence.

This first suspension was reduced to 21 days because Concepcion did not appeal the sanction, according to his agent, Tom Stift. The 21 calendar days to be served are scheduled for Oct. 6 through and including Oct. 26.

A second 30-day suspension was issued for an incident that occurred at Delaware Park on Oct. 4. Riding Speargun for trainer Jamie Ness in race six, a starter optional claiming event, the stewards found that Concepcion used “poor judgement in riding his horse into a very tight spot in the middle of the far turn, causing his horse to push a rival over heels, resulting in the rival to fall and unseating the rider.”

The fallen horse was Golden Gulley, ridden by jockey Jeiron Barbosa; the Equibase chart states that Golden Gulley walked off the track under his own power. No injury was reported to Barbosa. The chart also states that no head-on replay of the race was available.

The 30 calendar days set out in the ruling are Nov. 2 through Dec. 1, inclusive. Though the DTRC ruling allows for a reduction of days from 30 to 21 if the rider “waives” his right to an appeal, agent Stift said Concepcion had retained lawyer Drew Mollica to represent him in an appeal against this second 30-day suspension.

Concepcion also received a one-day suspension from racing, set for Nov. 1, over HISA whip violations from the third race on Oct. 4.

Concepcion, a native of Puerto Rico, has ridden 176 winners from 880 starters in 2023, and won the leading rider title at the Laurel Park Spring Meet earlier this year.

The rulings are available below:

• First 30-day suspension
• Second 30-day suspension

The post Apprentice Axel Concepcion Appeals Second 30-Day ‘Careless Riding’ Suspension From Delaware Stewards appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Indiana Horse Racing Commission approved 2024 racing dates for Horseshoe Indianapolis Wednesday, Oct. 4 at their monthly meeting held at Harrah's Hoosier Park. A total of 124 racing programs are slated for 2024 beginning with a special Total Solar Eclipse racing day Monday, April 8. The season extends through Thursday, Nov. 14.

“Our season will kick off with a unique opportunity to race during the Total Solar Eclipse,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Horseshoe Indianapolis is in the epicenter zone of the eclipse, which will begin in mid-afternoon. Thousands of people have already made plans to visit the area for the phenomenon, and we plan to offer a fun day at the track with racing conducted literally around the total solar eclipse.”

Horseshoe Indianapolis will offer several Saturday racing programs throughout the season with the first set for Saturday, May 4 during Kentucky Derby Day. The program begins at 10:45 a.m. and will extend into the evening in coordination with racing from Churchill Downs. A special racing day will also be held Saturday, June 8 during Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 10:45 a.m.

The track's premier racing day, Indiana Derby, has been slated for Saturday, July 6 beginning at 12 p.m. with Indiana Champions Day set for Saturday, Oct. 26, also beginning at 12 p.m. Other Saturdays on the racing calendar are July 13 and August 17 with a first post of 5 p.m.

The bulk of the season will be held on the customary Monday through Thursday schedule with first post at 2:10 p.m. Six all Quarter Horse racing dates begin June 1 and conclude Oct. 5. Two Friday cards will be held July 5, the day before Indiana Derby, and Sept. 6 beginning at 2:10 p.m.

“We have worked closely with our horsemen's organizations and found our product has found a good fit on the national schedule of racing during the week, so we want to continue to keep that momentum going as we are coming off back-to-back record setting years in 2022 and 2023,” added Halstrom. “With a total of 12 Saturdays of racing throughout the season, we feel our schedule is diverse enough to cover all types of activities and cater to different audiences who enjoy watching the races at Horseshoe Indianapolis.”

A full list of racing dates and times may be found on the website at www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing.

The 21st season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Friday, Nov. 17. Live racing is held Tuesday through Thursday. First post Tuesday and Wednesday is 2:30 p.m. Thursday and select Friday racing begins at 2:10 p.m. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

The post 2024 Race Dates Approved For Horseshoe Indianapolis; Opening Day Scheduled Around Total Solar Eclipse appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Following last week's presentation by 1/St Racing, parent company of the Maryland Jockey Club, calling for a dramatic reduction in racing days and bigger purses to bolster racing, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Horse Breeders Association Friday afternoon laid out a proposal of their own that includes an alternative to private racetrack ownership, The Racing Biz reports.

The presentations by both groups were a part of a fact-finding mission by the state-created Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. The body was created earlier this year by the state's General Assembly and charged with making recommendations regarding the state's racing industry and working to improve horse racing and training facilities in the state.

The Maryland Jockey Club operates Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness (G1), and Laurel Park.

The horsemen's presentation included a slide suggesting the creation of a nonprofit entity to serve as the racing licensee operating racing in the state under lease agreements with the Authority, which would own the racing facilities. The arrangement is somewhat similar to that at Del Mar, where the state of California owns the Del Mar Fairgrounds, which are leased to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for its race meets.

“Why not look at a not-for-profit model for Maryland racing?” MTHA general counsel Alan Foreman asked the Authority, of which he is also a member. “We suggested the idea of a Racetrack Operating Authority, which is what we have now. And then that would flow down to the not-for-profit entity that can operate our tracks with innovative management, good management, no subsidies, and is dedicated to Maryland racing… But that's the model, and that's the one that we think needs to be carefully studied as an alternative to private operation.”

At last week's meeting, 1/ST executives Craig Fravel and Kevin Gilmore emphasized the company's recent financial woes and suggested a drastically a shortened racing calendar –possibly 80-90 days of live racing versus the approximately 175 in recent years – large increases in purses, a share of video lottery terminal revenue for the track operator, and a rebuilt Pimlico as the “future home of racing.”

“We're not a top-tier racing state anymore,” Foreman said. “There was a time when Maryland was; I think we're in tier two now. Tier two tracks are absolutely critical to the foundation of racing not only in Maryland but throughout the country. You have to preserve those because they are the foundation. You cannot move this sport to just the elites or it will collapse. If you raise your purses too high, you're going to invite the big outfits from out-of-state to come in and take those opportunities away from your own horsemen.”

To read the full story at The Racing Biz, click here.

The post Maryland Horsemen, Breeders Propose Model For Nonprofit Racing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

A staff report from the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) was issued Friday providing data and a programmatic analysis of HISA Programs  after its first year responsible for equine and racetrack safety in Thoroughbred racing and six months responsibility for anti-doping and medication control. 

The main takeaways are: 

• HISA's biggest success lies in common rules and drug testing; 
• HISA/HIWU Testing Labs have not found any new drugs that had not been found under the previous state based programs; 
• Based on HIWU statements as to the extent of testing and HIWU website postings, it appears the rate of adverse analytical findings triggering regulatory review or action is roughly the same as the previous state-based program.
• The equine fatality rate remains small and results are mixed as to whether HISA has had any effect, either way.  
• HISA receives considerable help from State Racing Commissions who are expected to provide almost $18 million in funding or services in the coming  year. 
• HISA's almost $81 million proposed budget for next year relies on the Thoroughbred racing industry paying almost $60 million in assessments. 

The report was prepared for State Racing Commissions who anticipate being asked by state legislative oversight committees as to the performance of HISA in their State. It is considered preliminary and is the first and only independent assessment of the new program so far. To date there has been no congressional oversight or review by the Federal Trade Commission. 

The full report is available here: HISA Assessment and Analysis

The post ARCI Releases One-Year Analysis Of HISA Programs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post