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Horsemen’s Groups Partner To Provide Thoroughbred Trainers With Online Continuing Education Platform

The California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT), Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) have teamed up to provide a Continuing Education platform for Thoroughbred trainers and assistant trainers. Horsemen U offers approved online CE webinars and issues CE certificates after a course and a short quiz have been completed. Trainers and assistant trainers can register, free of charge, and maintain their CE records in their account. The website for the platform is www.HorsemenU.com.

Continuing education has been adopted as one of the core Best Practices developed by the stakeholders involved in the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities. CE requirements have been implemented in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and West Virginia. Pennsylvania and Virginia are in the process of adopting CE regulations.

Dr. Scott Palmer, the Equine Medical Director for the New York State Gaming Commission, spearheaded the nation's first CE regulation, which was enacted in New York in December of 2016.

“There have been so many advances in the field of racehorse training in just the last five years,” Dr. Palmer said. “We have new technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of injuries, new developments in equine nutrition, and new regulations on everything from medication to immigration to wage and hour law every year. We want to be sure our horsemen can keep up with these changes, and use the knowledge gained to further their success, and the success of our industry as a whole.”

All licensed trainers and assistant trainers in the U.S. are eligible to register for a Horsemen U account. There are currently 12 webinars offered on the platform, on topics ranging from “Diagnostic Imaging of the Racehorse Fetlock” to “Equine Drug Testing” to “Equine Welfare, Horse Racing and the Social License to Operate.” The webinars have been hosted by the California Horse Racing Board, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit and the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.

“California has been developing its CE program and rules for many years, thanks to the leadership of retiring Equine Medical Director Dr. Rick Arthur and our Racing Commission,” said Dr. Jeff Blea, who took the reins as the CHRB Equine Medical Director July 1. “Horsemen U was largely developed by Andy Belfiore. California Thoroughbred Trainers is indebted to her for her foresight and pleased to be a contributor to a platform that is not only convenient, but in many ways essential for professional trainers who are committed to always improving their standards of horsemanship and understanding of the increasingly complex regulatory and public environment in which we all live.”

Live webinars are part of the Horsemen U program, with Dr. Dionne Benson scheduled to give a presentation on “Compounded Medications: What Trainers Need to Know” on July 12. All live webinars are recorded and posted on the Horsemen U website.

“Schedules can't always be adjusted to make room for the live webinars, so it is important to have online options as well,” said MTHA President Tim Keefe. “Horsemen U also provides storage for the CE Certificates earned on the site, so the trainers have less paperwork to keep track of. We want to make the process of meeting the CE requirements for our horsemen as seamless as possible.”

The Mid-Atlantic stakeholders and regulators who have committed to the Strategic Plan include Delaware Park, DTHA, Delaware Racing Commission, Maryland Jockey Club, Maryland State Fair (Timonium), MTHA, Maryland Racing Commission, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Monmouth Park, NJTHA, New Jersey Racing Commission, New Jersey Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Finger Lakes Racetrack, Finger Lakes HBPA, NYTHA, New York State Gaming Commission, New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., Penn National Gaming, Parx Racing, Presque Isle Downs, PTHA, Pennsylvania HBPA, Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Colonial Downs, Virginia Racing Commission, Charles Town, Mountaineer Park, Charles Town HBPA, Mountaineer HBPA, West Virginia Racing Commission, and the National Steeplechase Association.

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Maryland Boosts Overnight Purses 15 Percent Effective July 2

Overnight purses in Maryland will increase 15 percent across the board for the remainder of 2021 effective July 2, the next live racing at Pimlico Race Course. The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association Board of Directors unanimously approved the increase during its June 29 meeting.

The idea was to devise a higher purse schedule that Maryland can sustain through the end of the year.

The MTHA Board of Directors also voted to restore overnight purse distribution levels effective July 2. First place will be 60%, up from 57%; second place is 20%, down from 21%; third place is 10% rather than 11%; and fourth place will be 5% instead of 6%. Fifth place will be 3% (plus 1% for the fifth-through-last place bonus) and sixth place will be 2% (plus a 2% for the fifth-through-last place bonus). The 4% bonus remains in place for horses that finish seventh through last.

The Pimlico summer meet runs through Aug. 22 and Laurel is scheduled to begin its fall meet Sept. 10. In between, the Maryland State Fair at Timonium will race seven days from Aug. 27-Sept. 6. The increased purses will be in effect for the State Fair meet as well.

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Keeneland Announces Record Stakes Purses For Fall Meet

While Keeneland celebrates its 85th anniversary during the 2021 Fall Meet in October, the track will offer a race meet record $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races. The Fall Meet, which covers 17 days of racing from Oct. 8-30, will open with the signature Fall Stars Weekend, feature 10 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races, offer two new $150,000 stakes for 2-year-olds and reposition several stakes to create a total of six race cards with multiple stakes.

Keeneland opened Oct. 15, 1936, for a nine-day Fall Meet.

“The Keeneland Fall Meet is incredibly important, and 85 years of racing at Keeneland is a testament to the uncommon vision of our founders, who tirelessly worked to create an entity that would take a leadership role in the global Thoroughbred industry and in the Central Kentucky community,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “This summer, as we look forward to welcoming back fans and the superstars who will compete here, we feel the anticipation building for the Fall Meet and we look forward to celebrating the anniversary.”

Keeneland will release information about 2021 Fall Meet ticketing along with the timeline for purchases in early July.

All existing stakes for the 2021 Fall Meet have been restored to 2019 purse levels except for the Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3), which received a boost from $125,000 to $150,000, and the Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) and Bourbon (G2), which remain at 2020 levels of $750,000 and $200,000, respectively.

“After thoughtful review by our racing team and input from horsemen, we made adjustments to our fall stakes program that will further elevate the quality of racing throughout the meet,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We feel the lucrative purse money and expanded racing opportunities, including two new stakes for 2-year-olds, now in place will broaden Keeneland's appeal to horsemen and fans alike.”

During Fall Stars Weekend, nine stakes are included in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Presented by America's Best Racing. Each winner receives an automatic starting position and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Nov. 5-6 World Championships at Del Mar:

· $400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) (Juvenile Fillies-G1) and $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) (Sprint-G1) on Friday, Oct. 8;

· $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) (FanDuel Mile-G1), $500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) (TVG Juvenile-G1), $400,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1) (Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf-G1) and $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) (Filly and Mare Sprint-G1) on Saturday, Oct. 9; and

· $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) (Distaff-G1), $200,000 Bourbon (G2) (Juvenile Turf-G1) and $200,000 Indian Summer (L) (Juvenile Turf Sprint-G2) on Sunday, Oct. 10.

The fifth stakes on Fall Stars Saturday, Oct. 9, is the $200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG.

On Wednesday, Oct. 13, Keeneland will present its 10th Breeders' Cup Challenge race, the $200,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) (Juvenile Fillies Turf-G1).

The Fall Meet's sixth Grade 1 stakes is the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, an invitational turf race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, to be run Saturday, Oct. 16.

For the season, Keeneland has shifted the dates of several stakes. The first is the $150,000 Sycamore (G3), a 1½-mile turf event for 3-year-old and up, which has been moved from Thursday to Friday, Oct. 22.

To enhance the final days of the Fall Meet, Keeneland has introduced two new $150,000 juvenile stakes, the Myrtlewood and Bowman Mill; revived the Perryville and Bryan Station, both fixtures for 3-year-olds, and scheduled the Valley View (G3) and Hagyard Fayette (G2) to create multiple stakes cards:

· Joining the $250,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) on Saturday, Oct 23 is the $150,000 Perryville, a 7-furlong race for 3-year-olds. Keeneland ran the Perryville from 1999-2009 and revived the race in 2015 and 2020 as a 6-furlong event that was part of the undercard stakes for the Breeders' Cup here.

· The $150,000 Valley View (G3) will be run Friday, Oct. 29 alongside the new $150,000 Myrtlewood for 2-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs.

· The $200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2), for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, resumes its traditional role as the Fall Meet's closing-day feature. Joining the Hagyard Fayette on Saturday, Oct. 30 are the $150,000 Bryan Station for 3-year-olds at 1 mile on the turf and the new $150,000 Bowman Mill for 2-year-olds at 6 furlongs.

Keeneland previously ran the Bryan Station from 1993-2009 and revived the race as a 1 1/8-mile stakes on the turf for 3-year-olds in 2015 and 2020 as part of the Breeders' Cup undercard.

Keeneland 2021 Fall Meet Stakes Schedule: Oct. 8-30

Date	Stakes	Division	Distance
Oct. 8	$400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1)*	2YO Fillies	1 1/16 Miles
Oct. 8	$250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2)*	3YOs & Up	6 Furlongs
Oct. 9	$750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1)*	3YOs & Up	1 Mile (T)
Oct. 9	$500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1)*	2YOs	1 1/16 Miles
Oct. 9	$400,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1)*	3YOs & Up, F&M	1 Mile (T)
Oct. 9	$250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2)*	3YOs & Up, F&M	6 Furlongs
Oct. 9	$200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG	3YOs & Up	5½ Furlongs (T)
Oct. 10	$500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1)*	3YOs & Up, F&M	1 1/8 Miles
Oct. 10	$200,000 Bourbon (G2)*	2YOs	1 1/16 Miles (T)
Oct. 10	$200,000 Indian Summer (L)*	2YOs	5½ Furlongs (T)
Oct. 13	$200,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2)*	2YO Fillies	1 1/16 Miles (T)
Oct. 15	$150,000 Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3)	3YOs & Up, F&M	5½ Furlongs (T)
Oct. 16	$500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana (G1)	3YO Fillies	1 1/8 Miles (T)
Oct. 22	$150,000 Sycamore (G3)	3YOs & Up	1½ Miles (T)
Oct. 23	$250,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2)	3YO Fillies	7 Furlongs
Oct. 23	$150,000 Perryville	3YO	7 Furlongs
Oct. 24	$150,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3)	3YOs & Up, F&M	1½ Miles (T)
Oct. 29	$150,000 Valley View (G3)	3YO Fillies	1 1/16 Miles (T)
Oct. 29	$150,000 Myrtlewood	2YO Fillies	6 Furlongs
Oct. 30	$200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2)	3YO & Up	1 1/8 Miles
Oct. 30	$150,000 Bryan Station	3YO	1 Mile (T)
Oct. 30	$150,000 Bowman Mill	2YO	6 Furlongs

*Breeders' Cup Challenge stakes

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Saratoga General Admission Tickets Go On Sale July 1

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that single-day general admission tickets for the 2021 season at Saratoga Race Course will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com beginning Thursday, July 1 at 10 a.m.

General admission tickets may also be purchased on the day of the event at all track admission gates. Single-day Grandstand admission is $7 and Clubhouse admission is $10 – the same as in 2019.

General admission tickets for the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on Saturday, August 28 are $15 when purchased in advance. Tickets may also be purchased at the gates on the day of the event for $20, pending availability. A limited number of Clubhouse admission tickets are available for $25.

“There is no change to our general admission policy for the 2021 summer meet,” said NYRA Senior Director of Communications Pat McKenna. “Fans can purchase their general admission tickets in advance or at the gates. We do, however, encourage fans to plan ahead and purchase their Runhappy Travers tickets in advance to save $5 and guarantee admission to the signature day of the summer meet.”

A Grandstand general admission ticket provides access to the popular Saratoga backyard, trackside apron and select areas of the Grandstand. Clubhouse admission provides access to Clubhouse dining areas, including the Turf Terrace, Club Terrace and The Porch.

Fans may also purchase season admission passes to Saratoga Race Course. A season pass provides admission to all 40 days of the Saratoga meet, including Runhappy Travers Day.

Clubhouse season passes are available for $75 at Season Passes | NYRA. Grandstand season passes are $50 and may be purchased in-person at more than 150 participating Capital Region Stewart's Shops and online at Season Passes | NYRA.

Fans will not be required to provide proof of vaccination for admission to Saratoga Race Course. Non-vaccinated individuals will be required to wear a facial covering during their day at Saratoga Race Course, in accordance with federal CDC guidance.

NYRA reserves the right to amend admission protocols based on updates and adjustments by New York State.

The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses highlighted by the 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 7, as the anchors of two of the most prestigious racing days in North America.

Following the four-day opening weekend from Thursday, July 15 through Sunday, July 18, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day.

For more information about hospitality and dining areas at Saratoga Race Course, visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.

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