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‘Fair Compromise’: With Jockeys’ Guild On Board, Kentucky Commission Approves New Whip Rules

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission gave unanimous approval Tuesday to the new whip rules agreed upon by the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition and The Jockeys' Guild last month, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission is expected to recommend the new whip rules for approval later this year, so they could go into effect in late 2021.

The new rules are as follows:

A limit on overhanded strikes to a total of six throughout the race. Riders are required to give the horse a chance to respond after two. Overhanded uses may not include the rider raising the whip above the helmet.
Underhanded or backhanded use may begin in the final 3/8 of a mile. These uses will not count toward the six strike limit.
Showing the horse the whip or tapping the horse on the shoulder will remain acceptable if both hands are on the reins
Stewards can impose either a $500 minimum fine or a three-day minimum suspension. If the violation is egregious and intentional, they could impose both. Mitigating factors could include the rider's history with whip violations, and the number and types of use beyond the above restrictions

“We know this rule is a fair compromise and in the best interests of our industry,” Terry Meyocks, the chief executive officer of The Jockeys' Guild, told the KHRC after Tuesday's vote.

NYRA Increases Purses Across The Board At Saratoga; Maiden Allowance Fields To Run For $100,000

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced significant increases to its purse schedule for the 2021 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which opens on Thursday, July 15 and continues through Monday, September 6.

The condition book for the Saratoga summer meet is now available online at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/horsemen. Physical copies of the condition book will be available in the Belmont Park racing office beginning Friday, June 25.

All open stakes at Saratoga that previously carried a purse of $100,000 will see an increase of $20,000 to $120,000. Open maiden special weight races at Saratoga will enjoy a $10,000 boost, increasing from $90,000 to $100,000. New York-bred maiden special weights will increase by $5,000 to $85,000.

“We look forward to welcoming horsemen from across the country back to Saratoga,” said Keith Doleshel, NYRA Racing Secretary for the Saratoga summer meet. “The purse increases across the board should help make the 2021 season a summer full of the competitive racing that Saratoga is known for.”

Allowance optional claiming races at Saratoga featuring non-winners of three/$100,000 claiming will see its purse raised to $110,000, while non-winners of two/$80,000 claiming will have a purse of $105,000. Non-winners of one will offer a $103,000 purse.

State-bred non-winners of 2/$45,000 claiming will compete for an increased purse of $95,000, while the purse for state-bred non-winners of one was bumped to $90,000.

In addition to these purse increases, the NYRA Maiden Allowance Auction Series will return this summer for the third year following its launch in 2019. All races in this series are restricted to horses that sold or RNA'd for $45,000 or less at their most recent auction, providing an additional incentive and opportunity for owners to compete at Saratoga.

The Maiden Allowance Auction Series races will be offered in the first condition book of the Saratoga meet for purses of $80,000, a $5,000 increase over 2020. The Maiden Allowance Auction Series condition will also include up to $13,920 in New York Breeding Fund open company owners awards for New York-breds finishing first through third in the Maiden Allowance Auction Series.

Pari-mutuel wagering funds the majority of the NYRA purse account, which is awarded to horsemen and, in turn, benefits hundreds of small businesses operating at NYRA tracks and others dependent on the thoroughbred racing industry. Thoroughbred racing in New York State is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual statewide economic impact.

Highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 7, the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses.

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Flagstaff Ordered Unplaced Over Bisphosphonate Positive; No Hearing Yet Scheduled For Sadler

A stewards' ruling released on Saturday ordered Flagstaff unplaced from the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Sept. 27, 2020, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., due to the presence of clodronic acid, a bisphosphonate sold under the brand name Osphos, in a post-race sample, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Flagstaff finished second in that race, and stewards have ordered the purse money to be redistributed.

The bisphosphonate positive was originally announced in late May and trainer John Sadler could still be facing Class 1 drug sanctions, but no hearings have yet been scheduled, according to the DRF report.

Because clodronic acid is not included on the CHRB's current list of prohibited substances, under the regulatory body's rules it automatically falls under the most severe drug category, Class 1. A medication classification proposal working its way through the CHRB's approval process recommends classifying clodronate (clodronic acid) as Class 3, but in the A penalty category.

Sadler referred questions to attorney Darrell Vienna, who said Flagstaff was legally treated with Osphos on an unspecified date “late in 2019” when Flagstaff was 5 years old.

Vienna cited the extended half life of Osphos as an explanation for the positive test, saying it can linger in a horse's system for many months or even longer than a year.

Introduction Of Returning Worker Exemption Act Could Help Solve Racing’s Labor Shortage

This week's Senate introduction of the H-2B Returning Worker Exemption Act of 2021 could help solve the labor shortage constantly facing racing's backstretch, according to a report in the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The bill is written to allow H-2B workers from any of the previous 3 years to qualify as returning workers, which are generally exempted from the annual cap on H-2B visas. It is also designed to help streamline the application process.

“This is something we've always advocated for,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA). “And this has been the first time, at least since I've been in my current role, there's been a strong champion for that.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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