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Horsemen Hopeful Laurel Park Racing Will Resume Dec. 10

Maryland Jockey Club officials are making adjustments to the dirt racing surface at Laurel Park in hopes of resuming timed workouts as early as Monday, Dec. 6, and returning to live racing on Friday, Dec. 10, according to Timothy Keefe, president of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.

Racing this weekend at Laurel was cancelled after an alarming number of fatalities – four from racing injuries and three while training – occurred between Nov. 6-28. It was the second time in 2021 that racing at Laurel was halted because of track conditions. The first occurrence was in April after a spike in musculoskeletal injuries, which led to racing being shifted to Pimlico on an emergency basis. Track ownership undertook a multi-million dollar track renovation project that wasn't completed until August, with racing resuming at Laurel in September.

Keefe said he joined Maryland Jockey Club officials and racing surface experts – Dennis Moore from California, Glen Kozak from the New York Racing Racing Association, and former MJC track superintendent John Passero – in inspecting the track's cushion and base. The top layer, or cushion, was peeled off from the rail out approximately 30 feet to facilitate inspection of the base.

One change that's being made, Keefe said, is to add a three-eighths-inch layer called a hard pan or pad between the cushion and limestone base. The pan will be the same material as the cushion but more compacted.

Keefe also said a coarse sand will be mixed into the cushion to help the material bind together and serve more effectively in softening the impact of a horse's hooves hitting the ground.

“They're hoping to lay the cushion back down on Saturday,” Keefe said. Horses have been allowed to exercise on the outer portion of the track, but there have been no breezes or timed workouts. They could resume as early as Monday, Keefe said, and if all goes well he is hopeful racing will resume on Friday.

The Maryland Racing Commission will address the safety of the main track at a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 7 and are expected to press Maryland Jockey Club officials for a path forward. Mike Rogers, longtime executive with the Stronach Group that owns Laurel Park and Pimlico, has been acting president and general manager since former president Sal Sinatra left the company for a position at Equibase earlier this year.

“Mike has been great, very helpful, as we've addressed this situation,” said Keefe. “And Aidan Butler (Stronach Group's chief operating officer) is focused on this, too.”

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Wesley Ward Asks Court To Allow Sale Of Ramsey Horses

Trainer Wesley Ward has filed a new motion in Jessamine County circuit court requesting that a judge allow the sale of 14 of Ken and Sarah Ramsey's horses to put toward unpaid training bills, reports bloodhorse.com. The legal dispute traces back to March of this year, when both Ward and trainer Mike Maker filed civil suits against the Ramseys for nearly $2 million in unpaid bills.

At that time, Ward also acquired agister's liens against Ramsey's horses, essentially giving him ownership of the horses for one year.

Ward and Ramsey had previously agreed to an arrangement in which Ramsey was to pay $100,000 per month until the debt was paid off, but the motion alleges that Ramsey only made one payment. Ward also alleges he told Ramsey he could race the horses and use any earnings toward that debt, but that Ramsey declined.

The 14 horses have continued to incur care costs of $1,500 per day.

“Rather than pay his debt to Ward Enterprises and take possession of his horses, Ramsey has instead chosen to publicly make false assertions against Ward Enterprises in a misguided attempt to trump up claims against Ward Enterprises,” the Dec. 1 motion states.

The new motion requests that the court require all 14 horses to be sold during the Keeneland January sale.

Santa Anita’s Traditional Wall Calendar Giveaway Returns On Opening Day

A decades-long tradition, racing fans will again be treated to a magnificent Santa Anita Wall Calendar, beginning opening day, Sunday, Dec. 26. Free with paid admission, this year's calendar features many never-before publicized archival photos of The Great Race Place dating back to its opening on Dec. 25, 1934.

With first post time for a tremendous 11-race card on opening day set for 11 a.m., Santa Anita has also announced that it will be open for live racing on Monday, Dec. 27, with first post for a 10-race program at 11:30 a.m.

From crowd shots to photos of legendary racing figures such as George Woolf, Gordon Glisson, Johnny Longden and Bill Shoemaker, the calendar will also feature racing and architectural photos depicting technological advances offered in a “compare and contrast” format each month.

Following opening day, the Santa Anita Wall Calendar will be available for sale in the track's gift shop, Champions! Gifts & Apparel.

Following Dec. 27, Santa Anita will be idle for live racing on Dec. 28 and 29 and will reopen for a four-day racing week on Thursday, Dec. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 2.

First post time on Dec. 30, 31 & Jan. 2 will be at 12:30 p.m. First post time on New Year's Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, will be at 12 noon.

Free General Admission and parking will be offered on Dec. 30 & 31.

While post times will vary due to limited daylight over the first six racing days, first post with few exceptions, will be at 12:30 p.m. for most other racing days through April.

Santa Anita's 78-day Winter/Spring Meet will conclude on June 19.

For additional information regarding opening day Dec. 26 and the upcoming Winter/Spring Meeting, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Santa Anita’s Traditional Wall Calendar Giveaway Returns On Opening Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Incident That Left Jockey Paralyzed Was ‘Completely Avoidable,’ Veteran Racing Analyst Tells High Court

Testimony in the paralyzed jockey Freddy Tylicki's lawsuit against Graham Gibbons continued on Thursday in London's High Court, with veteran racing analyst Jim McGrath revealing that he believes the incident was “completely avoidable,” according to The Sun.

Tylicki, a former champion apprentice, has been confined to a wheelchair since a racing incident at Kempton in October of 2016. The 35-year-old has filed a £6 million (about US$6.77 million) lawsuit against jockey Graham Gibbons, with Tylicki alleging that rider's negligence breached the “duty of care” owed by one jockey to another.

Gibbons denies the charges.

Tylicki took the stand earlier this week to relive the moment of his life-altering injuries, watching video of the incident from multiple angles. Similar video was shown in court on Thursday, with McGrath singling out a specific point at which Gibbons' actions affected the incident.

“I don't think there is any question that Mr. Gibbons had the opportunity to correct his horse,” McGrath said. “My experience as a race reader and commentator and my knowledge of the rules and, crucially in this incident the length of time it took to unfold and the position of the incident in this race, are all important matters.

“Putting that all together – to me it was a completely avoidable incident.”

The trial continues.