Tag: The Biz

Facing necessary repairs to the three new infield arenas, members of the Board of Directors of the Fair Hill Foundation have made the decision to cancel the 86th running of the Fair Hill Races in Spring 2022.

“Of course, we are disappointed the Races won't be run this Memorial Day weekend,” Fair Hill Foundation President Charles C. Fenwick, Jr. said. “Major work is required in the infield show arenas this summer in order to ensure they will be ready for the second annual Maryland 5 Star in October, and it is thought that construction should begin before Memorial Day.”

The new turf track, finished in summer 2019, has been realigned to feature a sophisticated irrigation and rail system and banked, wider turns for the safety of the horses. “Hopefully both flat and steeplechase racing can resume in 2023,” Fenwick continued.

“Ensuring the facilities are safe and secure for the Maryland 5 Star in October will require trucks to cross the track, making it impossible to race while that work is taking place. Safety for our horses and riders is our paramount concern, and we appreciate the patience of our owners, trainers and fans as we deal with these not-uncommon issues in new construction,” he concluded.

The Fair Hill Races continue a grand tradition dating from 1934 when William du Pont, Jr. envisioned a place to give American horses the experience they would need to compete in the English Grand National at Aintree – considered the international pinnacle of steeplechasing.

The post Repairs To Infield Arenas Force Cancellation Of Memorial Day Fair Hill Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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TVG, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), Keeneland and Santa Anita will team with Hall of Fame jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild and other prominent racing personalities to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) on Sunday, April 10, for the fourth annual telethon to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

The event will be broadcast on both TVG and FS2 in collaboration with NYRA and FOX Sports.

After missing 2020 due to the pandemic, the popular event returned in 2021 and raised $339,672. Once again, the horse racing industry will unite in support of jockeys who have suffered serious on-track injuries. Fan favorite jockeys of today and years past will be on hand live at call centers in California from Santa Anita and at Keeneland in Kentucky from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET as their schedule permits. Throughout the day, TVG and America's Day At The Races will be connecting with personalities and horsemen who have been involved with the PDJF's work.

“We sincerely appreciate the continued support of TVG, NYRA, 1/ST Racing and Keeneland in helping to raise critical funds for the PDJF and also raise awareness of its mission. With no guaranteed funding from the industry, this event is the major fundraiser for the organization which provides monthly monetary assistance to approximately 60 riders who have sustained catastrophic on-track injuries. Active and retired riders will be answering the phones to take donations while giving racing fans across the country the unique opportunity to speak and interact with their favorite jockeys,” said Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks.

Among the jockeys participating in the event include retired stars Alex Solis, Chris McCarron, Don Brumfield, Ramon Dominguez, Laffit Pincay, Sandy Hawley, Mike Manganello, Shane Sellers, Donna Brothers and Steve Cauthen. They will be joined by Mike Smith, John Velazquez, Julian Leparoux, Corey Lanerie, Joe Bravo and Tyler Gaffalione alongside other prominent jockeys riding at Keeneland and Santa Anita that day.

“On behalf of the PDJF and our recipients, we are very appreciative for TVG providing this platform and hosting this annual telethon,” said Nancy LaSala, PDJF President. “The combined donations from the three telethons hosted in 2018, 2019 and 2021 has raised over three quarters of a million dollars for the PDJF. We were grateful to have the opportunity to host the telethon in October 2021 after close to a 30-month gap due to the pandemic and we are excited to be returning to the originally scheduled month of April to have this event.”

Callers who donate via the telethon will be entered in a drawing to win a pair of reserved tickets for Friday and Saturday at the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, donated by the Breeders' Cup and valued at $1200 each. The event will be held November 4 and 5. In addition to the Breeders' Cup tickets, there will be several other items available to win in a sweepstakes which will take place each hour of the telethon.

“This event is a meaningful one for the industry and for all of us at TVG,” said Kevin Grigsby, TVG executive producer. “We are proud to collaborate with the Guild and our friends at Santa Anita, Keeneland, NYRA and FOX Sports to support the PDJF and its critical mission to provide care and resources to injured riders. Every day, at tracks across the country, jockeys undertake incredible risk and, in addition to important funding, we hope this telethon helps raise awareness and appreciation for everything they do.”

“It is a privilege to support the PDJF by broadcasting this year's telethon to a national audience on America's Day at the Races,” said Eric Donovan, NYRA Senior Director of TV Broadcast Operations. “The PDJF exists to improve the lives of jockeys who have dedicated so much to the sport, and we encourage racing fans to tune in on April 10 and consider a donation to the PDJF.”

The PDJF is a registered 501(c)3 charity that provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered on-track injuries. Since its foundation in 2006, PDJF has disbursed over $11 million to support disabled jockeys, the organization is 100% reliant on charitable donations.

When: Sunday, April 10th, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET

Where: TVG, TVG.com, Fox Sports 2

Who: Solis, Chris McCarron, Don Brumfield, Ramon Dominguez, Laffit Pincay, Sandy Hawley, Mike Manganello, Shane Sellers, Donna Brothers and Steve Cauthen. Mike Smith, John Velazquez, Julian Leparoux, Corey Lanerie, Joe Bravo and Tyler Gaffalione

The post Fourth Annual Telethon To Benefit Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Scheduled For April 10 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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An analysis of data from the 13^th year of reporting to the Equine Injury Database (EID) shows a decrease in the rate of fatal injury in 2021 (1.39 per 1,000 starts) compared to 2020 (1.41 per 1,000 starts), The Jockey Club announced Tuesday.

This is the third year in a row that the number has decreased, and the 2021 rate of fatal injury is the lowest number since the EID started collecting data in 2009.

The risk of fatal injury in 2021 declined 1.4 percent from 2020 and 30.5 percent overall since 2009.

Statistical Summary from 2009 to 2021

(Thoroughbred Flat Racing Only)

Calendar Year	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Rate	2.00	1.88	1.88	1.92	1.90	1.89	1.62	1.54	1.61	1.68	1.53	1.41	1.39

Based on the 2021 data, 99.86 percent of flat racing starts at the racetracks participating in the EID were completed without a fatality.

Key statistics from the 2021 analysis are as follows (figures represent the incidence of racing fatality per 1,000 starts):

• By age
  • 2-year-old:        0.98
  • 3-year-old:        1.52
  • 4+-year-old:      1.38
• By race distance
  • <6 furlongs:      1.35
  • 6 – 8 furlongs:  1.46
  • >8 furlongs:      1.19
• By track surface
  • Dirt:                  1.51
  • Turf:                 1.25
  • Synthetic:         0.73

For trends of the EID since 2009, please visit jockeyclub.com/pdfs/eid_13_year_tables.pdf.

After spiking in 2020 to lead all age groups, 2-year-olds returned to having the lowest incidence of racing fatality among the age groups. The 0.98 per 1,000 starts is the lowest on record by age and the first time the fatality rate for 2-year-olds has dropped below 1.0 per 1,000.

“The trends we discovered in the 2020 data show evidence that interrupting a 2-year-old's prep year may have a detrimental effect, but it does not carry over to the 3-year-old year,” said Dr. Tim Parkin, the veterinary epidemiologist who has consulted on the EID since its inception. “We will continue to investigate the data to further help prevent injuries and make the sport safer.”

There has been a statistically significant drop overall since 2009 in the risk of fatal injury across all surfaces: dirt (28.1%), turf (35.6%), and synthetic (51%). The rate on synthetic (0.73) dropped below 1.0 for the second time and is the lowest since 2009.

Also for the second time, the middle-distance races (1.46) were higher overall than the shorter (1.35) and longer (1.19) distances. The shorter and longer distance fatality rates were the lowest for the respective categories since 2009.

“We provided this database as a service to the industry, and we are pleased that it is proving to be an invaluable asset in learning more about keeping our athletes safe,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “The downward trends in the EID data are very encouraging, and I'd like to thank the participating racetracks and official veterinarians for working with us and making this critical data available.”

Since March 2012, racetracks have been able to voluntarily publish their statistics from the EID on The Jockey Club website. The racetracks that publish their EID statistics reported racing fatalities per 1,000 starts of 1.15 as compared to 1.54 for those that do not publish.

The 22 racetracks accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance reported 1.24 racing fatalities per 1,000 starts versus 1.50 for the 58 non-accredited tracks that raced in 2021 and reported to the EID.

The EID statistics are based on injuries that resulted in fatalities within 72 hours from the date of the race. The statistics are for official Thoroughbred races only and exclude steeplechase races. Summary statistics for the EID are subject to change due to a number of considerations, including reporting timeliness. All data entered into the EID goes through a multilevel quality control process to ensure the data is completely and accurately reported.

The list of racetracks participating in the EID and detailed statistics from those tracks that voluntarily publish their results can be found at jockeyclub.com/default.asp?section=Advocacy&area=11.

Throughout the course of 2021, approximately 99 percent of all Thoroughbred starts were included in the EID.

The Equine Injury Database, conceived at the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's first Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit, was launched by The Jockey Club in July 2008 and seeks to identify the frequencies, types, and outcomes of racing injuries using a standardized format that generates valid statistics, identifies markers for horses at increased risk of injury, and serves as a data source for research directed at improving safety and preventing injuries.

The post Equine Injury Database Shows Continued Decline In Racing Fatalities; 2-Year-Olds Lowest-Risk Group appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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According to a ruling posted on the Association of Racing Commissioners International website, owner/trainer Juan De Dios Torres has been summarily suspended by the New Mexico Racing Commission after his trainee Parker Dam tested positive for the prohibited substance Clenbuterol.

The 2-year-old Quarter Horse filly finished third in her only career start, the West Texas Futurity Trial on March 11, 2022, at Sunland Park.

Torres' suspension is pending a hearing scheduled before the board of Stewards at Sunland Park on April 2, 2022. There is no permissible concentration of Clenbuterol allowed to appear in any official sample.

Torres has been excluded from all areas of the grounds under the jurisdiction of the NMRC. Additionally, effective upon applicable suspension dates, all horses owned, trained, or under the care of Juan D. Torres are ineligible to be entered or start in any race in that jurisdiction, and all transfers and sales of horses trained, owned, or in the care and custody of Juan D. Torres must be done in accordance NMRC regulations.

Equibase records have Torres training for over 15 years, with 80 Quarter Horse wins and two Thoroughbred wins on his resume. Torres saddled Streakin Cherry to win the Grade 3 All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs in 2009.

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