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‘Ill Advised And Slanderous’: CHRB Chairman Unloads On Vet Board Over Blea Investigation

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, called the recent investigation and action by the California Veterinary Medical Board to temporarily suspend the license of the CHRB's equine medical director, Dr. Jeff Blea, an “unwarranted and unfair vendetta” that is “ill advised and slanderous.” Ferraro said Blea has become a “pawn in a politically driven effort” to hurt horse racing in California. As a result of Blea having to be put on administrative leave from his post with the CHRB, Ferraro added, “the health and safety of racehorses are being compromised.”

Ferraro, formerly a racetrack practitioner and director of the University of California-Davis Center for Equine Health, made the remarks during Thursday's regularly scheduled meeting of the CHRB following a report by the regulatory agency's executive director, Scott Chaney. Chaney, a one-time assistant trainer at Southern California racetracks, also defended Blea's integrity and professionalism, as did CHRB vice chairman Oscar Gonzalez and commissioner Alex Solis, a retired jockey.

Chaney's comments to the board follow:

“As you know, the California Veterinary Medical Board has filed accusations against our Equine Medical Director, Dr. Jeff Blea last month alleging violations from his previous employment as an attending veterinarian. Although I question the veracity of those allegations, what is particularly disturbing is the desire to suspend his veterinary license in advance of his hearing and more to the point, prevent him from working in his role as Equine Medical Director.

“The CHRB has hired outside counsel to represent our interests and in the interim, UC Davis, for which Dr. Blea works, has appointed acting EMDs to fulfill the statutory and regulatory roles. On a personal note, I would like to say that I have known and worked with Dr. Blea for more than 20 years. He is the one of the finest and most ethical veterinarians I have met and more importantly, one of the finest humans with whom I have interacted. I am sorry for Dr. Blea and his family, and although he has been professional and hopeful throughout this ordeal, it is not right that his excellent reputation be besmirched in this way.

“The CHRB is doing everything in its legal power to right this wrong. And while we are making do for the time being, in a very real way, the CHRB is less effective at protecting animal welfare without him.“

Chaney gave a promising report on the decline in California horse racing fatalities in recent years, particularly in 2021. The 0.63 deaths per thousand starts for California racing in 2021 may be the lowest in the country, Chaney said, adding that it is difficult to compare data to other states that are far less transparent than California.

“Our reform efforts are working,” said Gonzalez, suggesting the CHRB will push to have Blea reinstated. “We need Dr. Blea as equine medical director.”

“I know how much he cares about horses,” said Solis.

Blea is among several racetrack veterinarians being investigated following anonymous complaints to the Veterinary Medical Board that certain regulations were not being followed. Other racetrack practitioners have called those regulations outdated and ill-suited to equine practice. Dr. Rick Arthur, the CHRB's former equine medical director, said his experiences with the Veterinary Medical Board have led him to believe some board members are anti-horse racing.

Blea is the only veterinarian being investigated whose license was temporarily suspended.

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Jury Selection Still In Progress After First Day Of Fishman/Giannelli Trial

The Jan. 19 selection of jurors for the federal horse-doping trail of Dr. Seth Fishman and Lisa Giannelli was extended into at least a second day when only 37 of 75 potential jurors were questioned inside a lower Manhattan courthouse.

U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil called for an end to the marathon nine-hour session at about 6 p.m. ET, ordering the jurors who had yet to be interviewed to return to the same Southern District of New York court by 9:30 a.m. Jan. 20.

The interview process consisted of 72 questions posed to the possible jurors, asking about a wide topic of subjects, including their knowledge of horse racing, ownership of pets, gambling, medications, feelings about veterinarians, and their background. These questions were asked to learn if any of them had personal conflicts that would prevent them from viewing the court case fairly and impartially.

Nine of the persons interviewed Wednesday were excused for a variety of reasons.

Of the 37 questioned, the only potential juror who said he follows horse racing closely at the present time was excused after he voiced concerns about judging the case without a bias.

Fishman and Giannelli are facing federal charges for allegedly working through a company called Equestology to sell adulterated and misbranded performance-enhancing drugs to clients in the horse racing industry.

Fishman and Giannelli are part of the March 9, 2020, indictments that also snared trainers Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis. Fishman is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit drug adulteration and misbranding while Giannelli is facing one count of misbranding conspiracy.

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Straight Talk About HISA: NHBPA, ARCI CEOs To Appear On Kentucky Racing Spotlight This Friday

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), legislation scheduled to go into effect July 1, will be the subject of a special edition of Kentucky Racing Spotlight this Friday from 6-7 p.m. ET on Louisville's ESPN 680 AM.

Eric Hamelback and Ed Martin, the CEOs respectively of the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), will be the featured guests discussing one of the most fundamental changes to the administrative structure of horse racing in history. Peter Ecabert, the National HBPA's general counsel, also will participate.

HISA general counsel John Roach and the HISA Authority's interim executive director Hank Zeitlin declined invitations to take part.

“We look forward to opportunities for discussion with you after Lisa Lazarus takes on her role as CEO next month,” Zeitlin responded in an email.

Roach and Zeitlin referenced pending litigation as the reason for not participating. The National HBPA and 12 of its state affiliates have a lawsuit pending in Federal District Court in Lubbock, Texas. Additionally, nine individual states, along with two state racing commissions and the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association, filed a separate suit in Federal District Court in Lexington, Ky.

The National HBPA believes HISA is an unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority to a private non-governmental organization – the Authority. The Kentucky HBPA, the radio show's presenting sponsor, did not join the suit, though it was represented on the National HBPA's executive committee that voted unanimously to pursue a legal challenge.

HISA is now the acronym for both the legislative act and the regulatory Authority the law created.

The HISA legislation was passed by Congress in late 2020 and included as part of a year-end spending and Covid-19 relief bill. The law grants the Authority broad powers to create, regulate and enforce rules with respect to medication/drug, safety and integrity matters for thoroughbred racing in the United States. The Authority is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission, which must approve any regulations it proposes. Currently, regulations have been submitted to the FTC and published for public comment, others await submission, while no regulations have been approved or disapproved.

“We are less than 5 1/2 months from HISA's legislatively mandated implementation,” said Kentucky Racing Spotlight co-host Jennie Rees, a veteran turf journalist who works as a communications consultant for both the National and Kentucky HBPA along with other entities in horse racing. “Our show by design is not political. HISA is clearly a polarizing issue, but we thought this close to such a paradigm shift in thoroughbred racing that it was important to get straight talk, facts and informed perspective about what it means for the industry – including racing's consumers, the horseplayers – without the rhetoric or heated emotions.

“We are disappointed that HISA thus far has declined to participate. The invitation remains. I dare say the majority of racing participants – including many supporting or opposing the law – have no idea what is and isn't in the legislation. We wanted to take one step toward changing that.”

The National HBPA represents close to 30,000 licensed owners and trainers throughout America, making it the largest thoroughbred horsemen's organization in the world. ARCI is the umbrella organization of the official regulatory and rule-making bodies for horse and greyhound racing throughout North America and parts of the Caribbean. The organization's members heretofore were the only independent entities recognized to license, enforce and adjudicate matters pertaining to racing.

Kentucky Racing Spotlight, co-hosted by Joe Clabes, airs weekly through March 4 on ESPN 680-AM/105.7 FM, the region's sports-talk leader. The program also will be streamed live at espnlouisville.com, on the ESPN 680 app and the TuneIn and iHeart apps. The replay will be available on espnlouisville.com under the podcasts tab. All shows also are archived at davisinnovation.com/kyracing.

Kentucky Racing Spotlight is also sponsored by Davis Innovation equine marketing, the Louisville Thoroughbred Society and NKYTribune.com.

Previous shows archived at
https://www.davisinnovation.com/kyracing

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Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy Schedules Race For Grace On May 2

The Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy has scheduled the 20th annual Race For Grace, traditionally held the Monday prior to the Kentucky Derby. This dinner event raising financial support for the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy will be held on Millionaires' Row in the clubhouse at historic Churchill Downs on May 2, 2022. Hall of Fame Jockey and Kentucky Derby winner Pat Day, who has been the President of the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy the past six years, will be the Master of Ceremonies.

The keynote speaker will be nationally recognized Pastor Bob Russell. At just 22 years of age, Bob became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky. That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the three worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired. Now through Bob Russell Ministries, Bob continues to preach at churches and conferences throughout the United States, provide guidance for church leadership, mentor other ministers and produce video Bible studies. An accomplished author, Bob has written over a dozen books including the 2016 release, After 50 Years of Ministry: 7 Things I Would Do the Same and 7 Things I Would Do Differently.

There will be a live auction featuring a box for the 2023 Kentucky Derby and Oaks and a silent auction featuring leather halters from 2022 Kentucky Derby participants, horse racing art and memorabilia.

For more information, please go to https://kychaplaincy.org. Race For Grace tickets are limited and sponsorships are welcome. For an invitation to Race For Grace and more information about sponsorships, please contact: Sharilyn Unthank at sharilyn@kychaplaincy.org or 502-297-3508.

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