Tag: The Biz

Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif., will be closing its track and stable area for nearly two months this summer to address infrastructure issues related to orders from local officials, a statement from the 1/ST Racing track said on Wednesday.

The closure will be from June 18 through Aug. 7, the statement said. Racing in Northern California moves to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton from June 17-July 10, according to dates approved by the California Horse Racing Board, then to the state fair at Cal Expo July 15-31. The Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa is scheduled to run from Aug. 3-16 but held its 2021 meet at Golden Gate Fields. The Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale is scheduled from Aug. 19-28,

The following was distributed by Golden Gate Fields:

On behalf of Pacific Racing Association and Golden Gate Fields (“GGF”), I write to inform you that GGF will need to close its track and stable area to all activities and occupants from June 18, 2022, through and including August 7, 2022, to provide safe and unimpeded access for required upgrades, repairs and inspection of the utility infrastructure serving the GGF facility. For the reason explained below, we will not be able to accommodate any live horse racing, training, or housing at the GGF property while the required work is being done. Please know that GGF is closing this summer because we have no choice.

GGF had to close its facility 15 years ago when we replaced the racetrack. Now, GGF is required to undertake steps to evaluate, repair, and replace sanitary sewer infrastructure serving the GGF facility in order to comply with legal requirements imposed upon GGF under the East Bay Municipal Utility District (“EBMUD”) Regional Private Sewer Lateral Ordinance (the “Regional Ordinance”). GGF has been working cooperatively with EBMUD and the City of Albany to facilitate GGF's full compliance with these legal requirements.

As required by the EBMUD Regional Ordinance, GGF prepared a Condition Assessment Plan which requires GGF to undertake an extensive evaluation of its more than 6,000 linear feet (more than one mile) of sanitary sewer laterals serving the GGF facility. The portions of that work scheduled during the period specified cannot be completed safely or expeditiously in the context of a fully operational training facility. GGF has been advised by its consulting contractor that the planned temporary closure is necessary to meet regulatory requirements and to avoid the inconvenience and risks to occupants and horses that would otherwise result from this work absent the planned temporary closure. Following completion, GGF will be required to prepare a Corrective Action Work Plan to complete additional repairs and replacements of portions of that infrastructure within timeframes required by the EBMUD Regional Ordinance.

We apologize for the inconvenience and pledge to work with stakeholders over the next three months to minimize the impact. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as GGF undertakes to comply with the EBMUD Regional Ordinance requirements in a manner that is protective of human health, safety and the environment.

Thank you very much.

The post Golden Gate Fields To Close Track, Stabling June 18-Aug. 7 To Address Sewer Infrastructure appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As part of the ongoing series of federal trials dealing with racehorse doping, bloodhorse.com reports that former standardbred owner, trainer, and driver Carl Garofalo has been sentenced to a six-month prison term.

Garofalo was named in a superseding indictment in May of 2021, charging him alongside pharmacist Scott Mangini and others with conspiracy to commit drug adulteration and misbranding.

The 60-year-old admitted culpability without an attorney present, and pled guilty in June of 2021 to a reduced charge of drug adulteration or misbranding. His sentencing, originally set for October of 2021, was delayed to accommodate maternity leave for one of his lawyers.

Judge Paul Oetken of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York also ordered Garofalo to pay $751,000 in satisfaction of a $6.7 million forfeiture amount.

Read more at bloodhorse.com.

The post Standardbred Owner/Trainer Carl Garofalo Sentenced To Six Months In Prison appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Del Mar will offer its richest “Ship & Win” program yet in 2022, the 12th year the seaside track has used its unique incentive to lure out-of-state horses to come be part of the local scene. The strategy has proven a roaring success so far with nearly 1,900 runners signing on over the previous 11 seasons.

This year the 'S & W' enhancements have been taken up another notch to a $5,000 starter bonus and a 50% purse supplement for any dirt runner. Additionally, turf horses earn a $4,000 starter fee and a 40% purse bonus.

The purse bonuses extend to additional starts at the summer meet and are designed to increase all purses won by first through fifth finishers. Further, should a 'S & W' horse be claimed out of its first outing and subsequently run back at the meet, the original owner will receive all bonuses.

“This has proven to be an exceptional program for Del Mar and California racing,” said David Jerkens, a Del Mar vice president and its racing secretary. “We strengthen our fields each summer with “Ship & Win” horses and the majority of them stay on and race in the state. Our local owners and trainers bring us the bulk of these out-of-state runners and our partnership with Santa Anita on this has worked very well.”

Here are the simple rules for 'S & W' horses:

• Guaranteed $5,000 check for any qualified starter in their first dirt start (stakes included).
• 50% bonus applied to qualified horse's purse earnings for every dirt start of the summer meet (stakes excluded).
• Guaranteed $4,000 check for any qualified starter in their first turf start (stakes included).
• 40% bonus applied to qualified horse's purse earnings for every turf start of the summer meet (stakes excluded).
• Purse bonus applies to earning for placings 1 through 5. If an eligible horse is acquired after its initial 'S & W' start, the original owner will receive purse bonuses from subsequent starts for the balance of the meet.
• Horses cannot have raced in California for the past 12 months, regardless of ownership changes. Horse's previous start must have taken place outside of California and first-time starters are not eligible.
• Purse bonuses will extend to a horse that makes its initial 'S & W' start in May or June at Santa Anita. Further, that same horse may make up to two starts during that period and still have its purse benefits extended through the Del Mar summer meet.
• Horses that make their initial 'S & W' start during the Del Mar summer meet will have their purse benefits extended through the Santa Anita fall meet.
• Del Mar Thoroughbred Club reserves the right to determine eligibility for qualified starters.

Those with questions concerning the program are encouraged to contact Jerkens via e-mail (david@dmtc.com) or by phone (858) 792-4230.

“This has been an across the board winner for California,” said Thoroughbred Owners of California Chairman Gary Fenton. “My two favorite aspects are always that a) our owners are the biggest recipients of the bonus and b) there is a benefit to the entire ecosystem as up to 10% of Santa Anita's field size is made up of 'Ship & Win' graduates. There isn't a more lucrative way to bring horses to California.”

Earlier this month Del Mar announced the richest summer schedule – both for purses and stakes – in its storied history. It will pay out over $800,000 a day in overnight purses during the 31-day stand and present 34 major stakes worth $8,275,000.

Del Mar will conduct is 83rd summer session from Friday, July 22 to Sunday, September 11. It will open with a three-day weekend (July 22, 23 and 24), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 5) before finishing with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 9, 10 and 11).

The post Richest ‘Ship & Win’ Program Yet Available At Del Mar In 2022 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has issued a 30-day suspension and $500 fine to trainer Grant Forster after a positive test for the Class B medication Gabapentin in his trainee Epicurean, who finished sixth in the seventh race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26, 2021.

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant and nerve pain medication which has been studied in horses for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain.

The ruling, date March 12, 2022, indicates that Forster waived his right to a formal hearing and will serve 15 days from March 28 through April 11 (inclusive). The remaining 15 days have been stayed due to mitigating circumstances (number of violations in relation to overall record), on the condition that no Class A or class B medication violation occurs in any racing jurisdiction within 365 days from the date of this ruling.

Epicurean has been disqualified, with all purse money forfeited.

The filly, a 4-year-old daughter of Speightster, was sent off as the 1.50-1 favorite in that Nov. 26 start. She was claimed for $20,000 that afternoon by new trainer Robertino Diodoro, and returned in January to win a maiden special weight at Sam Houston by 6 1/2 lengths.

Epicurean then shipped to Oaklawn for a March 6 claiming race, finishing second as the 1.60-1 favorite, beaten a neck. She was claimed from that race for $20,000 by new trainer Bentley Combs.

The full ruling is available here.

The post Trainer Grant Forster To Serve 15-Day Suspension Over Gabapentin Positive appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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