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Equine Workforce Development Initiative Launches Thoroughbred Farm Data Collection Project

The Equine Workforce Development Initiative has launched a Thoroughbred industry workforce data collection effort for the state of Kentucky to better identify employer needs and fill staff shortages.

The Equine Workforce Development Initiative is a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation Workforce Center, created to address the shortage of skilled equine workers across the state. The goal of the initiative is to understand the needs of employers and subsequently use that information to better inform educational and community partners who can assist with filling gaps in the equine industry's workforce.

The work and results of the Equine Workforce Development Initiative all stem from employer collaboratives in which employers engage in conversation about the most pressing issues of the industry. In a 2019 study conducted by the Thoroughbred Farm collaborative, it was projected by just ten farms that there was a need for 255 new and replacement grooms before 2021. With an estimated five-hundred Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky, this is little more than a drop in the proverbial water bucket of actual talent needed.

“Like many states and industries around the country, the equine industry in Kentucky is struggling to find qualified workers to fill its ranks,” states Laurie Mays, Equine Talent Pipeline Project Manager with KEEP and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “However, the lack of concrete data needed to substantiate the current workforce crisis has hindered progress in equine workforce development. The creation of the Thoroughbred Data Collection Project survey will allow the industry to obtain the vital information needed to advance crucial conversations with organizations and individuals who support workforce growth in our unique industry.”

The Thoroughbred Data Collection Project was derived from the Thoroughbred farm collaborative group to obtain concrete evidence of the state of the equine workforce. Despite the widely acknowledged fact that workforce shortages are prevalent in the Thoroughbred industry, there is limited industry-specific data that quantifies the scope of workforce needs and where deficiencies exist. Without statistical evidence of staffing challenges, the industry's quest for community engagement, initial job training, upskilling, and financial assistance is difficult.

The data collection process, completed by Thoroughbred Farms around Kentucky, will occur through a brief online survey developed collaboratively with the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program. The anonymous survey will identify the size of farms and demand projections for particular positions, analyze trends in recruitment and hiring, as well as understand staff retention and reasons for turnover. After analysis from the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program, the information provided will form an industry baseline to enhance existing projects and assist in identifying new programs and initiatives that need to be implemented.

For more information about the Thoroughbred Data Collection Project or to participate in the survey, contact Laurie Mays at lmays@kychamber.com.

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Purse Increases Announced At Indiana Grand

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino has announced purse increases for both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, effective Tuesday, July 6. The increase will add 10 percent onto all Thoroughbred overnights and roughly $1,000 to each Quarter Horse overnight and trials, which reflects approximately a six percent increase for the sprinters.

“We have had a great season so far in 2021 and we are pleased to announce this purse increase across the board for our horsemen,” said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. “This boost is a direct result of elevated business levels that continue to be strong this year. We appreciate the support from our racing fans, and we are working hard to continue offering a solid, competitive program for both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.

The purse increase will go into effect two days before Indiana Grand's biggest race of the season, the 27th running of the Grade 3 Indiana Derby set for Wednesday, July 7. A total of six stakes offering purses in excess of $840,000 will be provided during the late afternoon program beginning at 2:25PM. The Indiana Derby is joined by the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks on the card that has set new track all-source handle records the past three seasons. Stakes purses will remain at their current levels and will not be affected by the purse increase.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Monday, Nov. 8. Live racing is conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.

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Ellis Park To Feature Record Purses, High-Def Broadcast, Full Fan Capacity

Ellis Park's 99th season will feature record purses, horse races shown in high-definition and arguably its deepest jockey roster ever. But what is Ellis Park General Manager Jeff Inman most fervently awaiting?

Crowds. Having people back at the 31-date RUNHAPPY Meet at Ellis Park session that begins Sunday June 27 and ends Saturday Sept. 5.

Because of the pandemic, Ellis last year was limited to socially-distanced reserved seating and no general admission. The 2021 meet will return to full capacity, with free general admission. Tickets for Clubhouse and Sky Theatre dining and grandstand boxes can be purchased at ellisparkracing.com/admissions or by calling 812-435-8918. Ellis runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays along with Thursday July 1. Post time for the first race each day is 12:50 p.m. CDT.

“We're looking forward to the roar of the crowd and getting back to what has made Ellis Park so popular for so many generations in the Tri-State region,” Inman said. “This is going to be the first year that we're broadcasting in high-def. We'll get our race signal out to more people. More people will see Ellis than ever. That's fantastic and can't be underestimated. Even so, what we're really excited about is getting fans back in the stands.”

Starting open day, those crowds again will be able to enjoy Sunday Funday Dollar Days, the weekly $2 16-ounce domestic draft beer and $1 hotdogs, peanuts and popcorn. That was among the promotions revealed at Thursday's annual Media Day at Ellis Park. Other promotions include Military and First Responders Weekend July 1-4, Teachers Appreciation Weekend July 9-11, Ladies Weekend (Fillies and Fun) July 16-18, Men's Weekend (Studs and Buds) Aug. 20-22 and Healthcare Workers Weekend Aug. 27-29. There will be live music every Saturday and a “Talk Derby to Me” Ellis Park Derby Party on Sunday Aug. 15.

Racing enthusiasts on-track and off-site will appreciate Ellis Park broadcasting its races in high definition for the entire meet. For the second year in a row, Ellis Park's stakes-laden programs on Aug. 7, 8 and 15 are expected to be shown on the racing network TVG's main channel. LTN Global, the media-technology company that last year worked with TVG to broadcast Ellis' big days, will oversee the entire meet's production.

Henderson's Bill Latta is among the racing fans with great anticipation for a gangbuster meet. Latta, the retired president of Field & Main Insurance, has attended the Ellis Park races every year for the past 65 seasons, since he was a tyke going to the track with his parents.

“I think they're going to have nice crowds,” Latta, one of the featured Media Day speakers, said before the event. “People are wanting to get out. There's a base of racing fans around this Tri-State area — southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Kentucky – who are starved for local racing.”

Ellis Park will open its gates at 8 a.m. CT on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with the Gardenia Room on the Clubhouse second floor serving breakfast. Henderson's J & B Bar-B-Cue will return with a stand underneath the grandstand on race days. Inman said that Ellis is working to get local food trucks to provide a variety of fare in the beer garden area near the paddock.

For the second year in a row, the meet will be sponsored by the Claiborne Farm stallion Runhappy, whose 2015 season as champion sprinter was kicked off by an allowance victory at Ellis. RUNHAPPY, whose name is capitalized when used in racing sponsorships, will also be the title sponsor of four stakes on Aug. 15: the the $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby (which last year was captured by Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass winner Art Collector), $125,000 RUNHAPPY Groupie Doll, $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Juvenile and $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Debutante. All the meet's 2-year-old races will be presented by RUNHAPPY.

Purses are scheduled to average an Ellis-record $350,000 a day, with maiden races going for $51,000 for Kentucky-bred horses. The 16-stakes schedule includes two new races for the highly successful Kentucky Downs Preview program, which has expanded from five to seven grass stakes while morphing from one day into a weekend, Aug. 7-8. Winners of Kentucky Downs Preview stakes, which carry purses of at least $100,000, receive a fees-paid berth in the corresponding stakes at Kentucky Downs' all-turf meet in early September.

Five dirt stakes take center stage on Aug. 15, the RUNHAPPY quartet and the $100,000 Audubon Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at seven-eighths of a mile.

The Ellis Park jockey colony will feature the bulk of Churchill Downs' elite roster. Among those returning will be 2020 Ellis champion rider Joe Talamo and past meet leaders Corey Lanerie, Rafael Bejarano, James Graham, Brian Hernandez Jr. and Jon Court, along with two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Julien Leparoux. Leading riders from Indiana Grand such as Marcelino Pedroza, DeShawn Parker and Fernando De La Cruz also plan to ride regularly at Ellis. Notable newcomers include David Cabrera, Drayden Van Dyke and Francisco Arrieta.

“I didn't think we could top last year's jockey lineup, but we are adding even more depth,” said Jeff Hall, Ellis Park's Director of Racing Operations. “Our racing just keeps getting better, too, with current standouts such as Sconsin, Midnight Bourbon and Crazy Beautiful — and of course, Art Collector — running here last summer. I can't wait to see what comes out of our 2021 'baby' races and stakes. It will be fun for our fans to be able to say, 'I saw them race at Ellis Park!'”

Ellis Park 2021 stakes schedule
Each includes $25,000 KTDF*

Sunday July 4 — $75,000 Ellis Park Turf, fillies & mares, 3 years old & up; 1 1/16 miles (turf); $60,000 Dada Park Dash Overnight Stakes, 3-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf).

Saturday July 17 — $75,000 Good Lord, 3-year-olds & up, 6 1/2 furlongs.

Sunday July 18 — $60,000 Pea Patch Overnight Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf).

Saturday Aug. 7 — $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles (turf); Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles (turf); $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint, 3-year-olds & up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf).

Sunday Aug. 8 — $125,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup, 3-year-olds & up, 1 1/4 miles (turf); Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint, fillies & mares 3 years olds & up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf); $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf, fillies & mares 3 years old & up, one mile (turf); $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Million Mile, 3-year-olds & up, mile (turf).

Sunday Aug. 15 — $200,000 Ellis Park Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles; $125,000 Groupie Doll, fillies & mares, 3 years old and up, mile; $125,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, 2-year-olds, 7 furlongs; $125,000 Ellis Park Debutante, 2-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs; $100,000 Audubon Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs.

*Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund

Ellis Park condition book
EP condition book index

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‘They Just Didn’t Wait’: De Sousa, Horseplayers Frustrated By Starter At Royal Ascot

Jockey Silvestre de Sousa expressed his frustrations with the starter at Royal Ascot to the Racing Post on Thursday, after an incident in Wednesday's final race saw the gates open before he could remove the hood from his mount, Stunning Beauty. De Sousa was forced to immediately pull up the horse, but after a lengthy 30-minute delay, stewards officially ruled Stunning Beauty had been a starter.

“The hood didn't come off so I couldn't race,” de Sousa told the Racing Post. “He could have waited two more seconds for me to get it off, but he wouldn't wait and opened the stalls before I could take the hood off. I was shouting, there was a lot of talking going on in there, and they could have waited for me. They just didn't wait.”

Gamblers were also frustrated, as the stewards' decision meant no refunds or deductions would be given out.

A report from the stewards said: “The stewards only have the power to declare a horse a non-runner if it has been prevented from starting due to a faulty action of the stalls or the horse is riderless at the time the start was effected. As De Sousa was mounted at the time the start was effected and there was no faulty action of the starting stalls, Stunning Beauty was deemed to have started.”

In an article in the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Jockey Club chief steward Kim Kelly said bettors wagering on the race via the world pool ought to have received a refund, and in fact would have if the race had occurred in Hong Kong.

“The IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities) have introduced a model rule into the international agreement dealing with non-runners but not everyone has signed up to it,” Kelly said. “I have no doubt at all she would have been declared a non-runner (here). The old saying is that to lose money you've got to be able to win money.”

Read more at the Racing Post and the South China Morning Post.

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