Tag: The Biz

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced Monday that it has launched a mobile HIWU app to assist stakeholders in the Thoroughbred industry with the components of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program.

The free app is highlighted by a Prohibited Substances database, through which users can look up any of the substances that comprise HISA's Prohibited List of more than 1,300 Banned Substances and Controlled Medications. Each substance listing is populated with information about the substance such as HISA classification, licensed and colloquial names, Detection Times and Screening Limits (as applicable), and the Food and Drug Administration label's indication for use.

In addition to the substance lookup tool, the app includes access to all educational materials on the HIWU website and the ability to submit tips through HIWU's anonymous whistleblower platforms. Pending and resolved matters concerning potential violations of the ADMC Program are also available for viewing at any time.

The app is configured to send push notifications to mobile devices to alert users about important updates.

“HIWU is pleased to offer a convenient app to the Thoroughbred industry to enable participants to access important resources about the ADMC Program wherever they are,” said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. “We are especially excited about the substance lookup feature, which will bring this important information to the fingertips of horsemen, veterinarians, and others who need to be able to easily consult the Prohibited List.

“The app is inclusive of HIWU's broader education efforts to assist industry participants to operate in compliance of the ADMC Program.”

The app is now available for download on the Apple and Android app stores.

About the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The ADMC Program establishes a centralized testing and results management process that applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions that HISA governs. As the enforcement agency of the ADMC Program, HIWU oversees all testing processes, including the selection of horses to be tested, training of sample collection personnel, and chain of custody procedures. Additionally, HIWU is charged with industry/stakeholder education, laboratory accreditation, results management and adjudication, and investigations. For more information, please visit hiwu.org.

The post HIWU Launches Mobile App Featuring Substance Lookup Tool, Educational Resources appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday that Churchill Downs Racetrack will resume live racing for the regularly scheduled meet beginning Sept. 14, 2023. The meet will take place following a temporary suspension of racing operations to conduct an internal safety review.

Following a comprehensive evaluation of existing safety protocols and a thorough assessment of industry best practices, Churchill Downs has implemented several key enhancements to further ensure the safety and well-being of equine and human athletes. Key elements include:

• Infrastructure Upgrades: Analysis by multiple leading industry experts found no issues with the racing surfaces, however, to further maximize surface oversight and consistency, the Racetrack has invested in additional new surface maintenance equipment and committed to doubling the frequency of surface testing.
• Increased Veterinary Oversight: Additional resources will be added to CDI's highly qualified veterinary team to provide additional monitoring and specialized care for horses and assist in pre-race inspections and entry screening.
• Collaboration with Industry Experts: Work will continue with HISA and other industry experts to predict at-risk horses using up-to-date data and advanced analytic techniques.
• Establish Safety Management Committee: A new safety committee will be established consisting of horsemen designees, racetrack employees and veterinarians to candidly discuss concerns and observations to constantly provide real time feedback on areas of improvement.

“We are excited to resume live racing again at Churchill Downs,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “Our commitment to safety remains paramount as we enter this September meet and our participants, fans and the public can be assured that we will continue to investigate, evaluate and improve upon every policy and protocol.”

Tickets are on sale for the entire 40-day September and Fall meets at Churchill Downs and can be purchased at www.churchilldowns.com/tickets. The September meet runs through October 1 and will feature: Twilight Thursdays, September 14, 21 and 28; Road to the 150th Kentucky Derby and 150th Kentucky Oaks Kickoff on Saturday, September 16; Stakes Room Brunch on September 17 and 24; Downs After Dark, “Bourbon and Boots” on Saturday, September 23; and Family Adventure Day on Sunday, October 1.

The Fall meet runs from October 29 through November 26 and will feature: Stars of Tomorrow I on Sunday, October 29; Trick or Treat at the Track on Sunday, October 29; Breeders Cup Watch Party, November 3 and 4; Stakes Room Brunch every Sunday from November 5-26; Military Appreciation Day on Saturday, November 11; and Thanksgiving Weekend festivities from Thursday, November 23 through Sunday, November 26 including The Clark presented by Norton Healthcare on Friday, November 24 and Stars of Tomorrow II on Saturday, November 25.

The post Safety Enhancements: Churchill To Double Frequency Of Surface Testing, Establish New Safety Management Committee appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Stronach Group's 1/ST RACING has announced a plan to help consolidate racing operations in Southern California, invigorate an aging business model that has plagued California racing for decades, and build on the state's recent reforms that have vastly improved safety.

“We are confident that this comprehensive package of important measures will not only bolster the racing, training, owner and fan experience at Santa Anita Park, 'The Great Race Place,' but also support Northern California stakeholders through a challenging transition period, and lead the way with state and industrywide changes that will result in a healthier, competitive and sustainable future for Thoroughbred racing in Southern California,” said Belinda Stronach, Chairwoman, Chief Executive Officer and President, The Stronach Group and 1/ST.

Among the steps and financial commitments announced Friday:

• Over $1 million to support the relocation of horses, trainers, jockeys, backstretch employees and caregivers from Golden Gate Fields to Santa Anita Park as part of the consolidation of racing in Southern California, and to support the California breeding program.
• A $4.5 million, brand-new all-weather synthetic track that will replace the existing training track at Santa Anita Park. This change will not only allow for the seamless transition of horses used to running on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields but will serve to improve the overall safety environment at Santa Anita Park.
• A commitment to fund a portion of 2024 heath care premiums for Golden Gate Field employees.
• The creation of a job board accessible to backside employees to support the transition to Santa Anita Park.
• An investment of $500,000+ (over two years) towards building a state-of-the-art equine pool for hydrotherapy and horse exerciser, accessible to trainers at Santa Anita Park, that will help horses more easily recover from injury.
• $23.2 million toward a backside barn improvement program.

In addition to returning a fourth day of weekly racing to Santa Anita Park resulting in 26 extra race days, 1/ST RACING will invest $2.5 million into building a turf chute at the track. The new turf chute will benefit the consolidated ecosystem of owners, breeders and trainers via the creation of new races suitable for the entire horseracing population and will provide increased racing and earnings opportunities. Further resources will be committed to encourage and ease the transition of Northern California based horses and connections.

“While we continue to work diligently on what the north might look like in 2024, today's announcement answers important short-term questions about the future of California racing and Santa Anita Park,” said Bill Nader, President/CEO of the TOC. “This represents both an investment and a commitment by Belinda Stronach and her team to not only stabilize but likely improve California racing for stakeholders, horsemen/women, backstretch workers and the betting public. These initiatives will provide a much better environment for our horses and make our overall racing stronger for the immediate future.”

“With these renovations and the commitment to California-bred racing, I see the opportunities for Cal-breds greatly increasing and providing more value for those horses because of it. I'm going to breed more mares to take advantage of it. This is going to benefit the entire industry in the state,” said Terry Lovinger, a leading California breeder.

“The sizable investments outlined today will pave the way for a future for racing in California,” added trainer Mark Glatt. “The improvements proposed will benefit the horses and the horsemen in the state. This past wet winter underlined the need for installing a Tapeta all-weather training surface for the safety of the horses and to provide the best possible training environment.”

The list of steps and financial commitments is available here:

ITEM	TSG COMMITMENT	IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
Industry Support Funds (relocation, aftercare, breeders)	$1,080,000	Dec 16, 2023 – Dec 31, 2024
Synthetic Training Track at Santa Anita	$4,500,000	Classic Meet 2023 – 2024
New One-Mile Turf Chute at Santa Anita	$2,500,000	Autumn Meet 2024
State of the Art Equine Swimming Pool & Horse Exercisers at Santa Anita	$500,000	Autumn Meet 2024
Barn Improvement Program at Santa Anita	$23,200,000	2024 – 2027
TOTAL	$31,780,000

Plus: Southern California racing industry to fund $400,000 in vanning costs to ship horses from North to South.

The post The Stronach Group Commits Over $31 Million To Consolidate Racing Operations In Southern California appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority released the following policy update on Friday, July 28:

Background: Current ADMC rules include a rule adopted from the World Anti-Doping Code requiring that any Responsible Person (i.e., trainer) whose Covered Horse tests positive for a Banned (doping) Substance be Provisionally Suspended while his/her case is being processed. A Provisional Suspension does not in any way change the presumption of innocence and is not an early determination of guilt. Instead, it is intended as a precaution to safeguard the integrity of the sport, horse welfare, and the rights of rule-abiding trainers. Provisional Suspensions have been instrumental in protecting the integrity of other sports and were introduced into horseracing for that reason.

Discussion: Last Friday, HIWU was informed that a split (B) sample did not confirm the original Laboratory finding, and, accordingly, pursuant to the ADMC regulations, HIWU dismissed the violation against a trainer who had been Provisionally Suspended 20 days earlier. This raised concerns regarding the imposition of Provisional Suspensions at this early stage of the ADMC Program's rollout. Consequently, HISA's ADMC Committee, which has oversight of the HISA ADMC rules, held a meeting and decided to make various policy decisions regarding the imposition of Provisional Suspensions under the ADMC Program. Various proposals received from horsemen's groups were considered during the course of these discussions.

Policy Change: The following policy changes will be effective immediately and shall apply to any Responsible Person Provisionally Suspended following a positive test for a Banned Substance:

1. Any Responsible Person who requests that the B Sample be analyzed following a positive test for a Banned Substance shall be eligible for postponement of the effective date of the Provisional Suspension until such time as the B Sample result is returned. If the B Sample confirms the A Sample, the Responsible Person shall be Provisionally Suspended upon Notification of the B Sample confirmation, except that the Responsible Person shall not be required to scratch any Covered Horses entered to race prior to Notification of the B Sample confirmation. However, the Responsible Person shall not be entitled to enter any Covered Horses to race subsequent to Notification;
2. Any Responsible Person who does not request the B Sample analysis shall be Provisionally Suspended upon such election, except he/she shall not be required to scratch any Covered Horses entered to race prior to Notification of the A Sample positive finding. However, the Responsible Person shall not be entitled to enter any Covered Horses to race subsequent to Notification;
3. Any Responsible Person with more than one horse that tests positive for the same Banned Substance within a six (6) month-period or who has received notice of another potential violation relating to a Banned Substance (e.g., possession, use) shall not be eligible for delayed imposition of a Provisional Suspension as set forth in paragraph 1 above;
4. Covered/Responsible Persons will continue to be Provisionally Suspended upon the notice of the A Sample result if the result involves the detection of the following Banned Substances:
   • 3,4- methylenedioxypyprovalerone Methylphenidate;
   • (MDPV, Bath Salts);
   • Mitragynine;
   • Alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone Myo-inositol trispyrophosphate (ITPP);
   • (Alpha PVP);
   • Nikethamide;
   • Amphetamines (e.g., Methamphetamine, Opioids (natural and synthetic) and Cathinone, Mephentermine, Methcathinone);
   • opioid agonists (e.g., apomorphine, Benzylpiperazine (BZP); hydrocodone, hydromorphone, Chlorpromazine; oxycodone);
   • Erythropoietin (EPO) and EPO mimetics;
   • Pentylenetetrazol;
   • Ethylphenidate;
   • Phencyclidine (PCP);
   • Etorphine;
   • Phendimetrazine;
   • Fentanyl and Fentanyl analogs;
   • Phenmetrazine;
   • Mazindol;
   • Strychnine;
   • Meldonium;
   • Synthetic cannabinoids;
   • Metaraminol;
   • Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC);
   • Methaqualone;
   • Venoms and toxins (e.g., alpha Methylhexanamine; cobratoxin, ziconotide, botulinum toxin)
5. During a Provisional Suspension, which is not a Final Suspension, Covered/Responsible Persons may engage in caring for and exercising their Covered Horses, except they cannot breeze or race Covered Horses registered to them. Should they want any Covered Horses to breeze or race, they must transfer those horses to another Responsible Person (i.e., trainer) in a bona fide transfer approved by the stewards. If the Responsible/Covered Person is an Owner, ownership of the Covered Horse must be transferred in order for it to be eligible to breeze or race. In addition, Covered/Responsible Persons: (i) must take down or cover any personal signage bearing their name or related to their operations where the Covered Horses are located at the racetrack; (ii) cannot claim Covered Horses or bring new Covered Horses into their barn; and (iii) cannot be employed in any capacity involving Covered Horses (including, but not limited to, acting as an agent for an Owner of Covered Horses or working as an exercise rider for Covered Horses.)

Additional Notes:

• The Policy Change shall also be applied to any currently suspended Responsible Persons. HIWU will be in contact with all those currently Provisionally Suspended to explain next steps.
• The Responsible/Covered Person must pay for the B Sample analysis within seven (7) calendar days of requesting it. In cases of financial hardship, and upon the demonstration of such hardship, the Covered Person may be entitled to a payment plan to cover the cost of B Sample analysis.
• This new Policy will remain in effect for so long as the ADMC Committee deems appropriate. Should the ADMC Committee decide at some future date to abandon or modify it, the industry will receive at least thirty (30) days' advance notice.
• Public Reporting under the ADMC rules will continue to occur at the time of the EAD Notice of the A Sample positive test.

A Summary Sheet for trainers is available here: Summary Sheet for Covered Persons

The post HISA Updates Banned Substance Policy: Trainers Now Have Option To Postpone Suspension Until After B Sample Test appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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