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California’s More Restrictive Whip Rules Go Into Effect On Oct. 1

A more restrictive rule governing use of the riding crop will go into effect Oct. 1 for all Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, and mixed-breed races and also during training in California. The amended rule is designed to further protect horses without compromising the safety of horses and riders.

The key revisions to California Horse Racing Board Rule 1688 include:

Riders cannot use the crop more than six times during a race, excluding showing or waiving the crop or tapping the horse on the shoulder.
Riders cannot use the crop more than two times in succession (within the six-time limit) without giving the horse a chance to respond before using the crop again.
The crop must be used in an underhanded position with the crop always at or below the shoulder level of the jockey.
During training the crop can only be used for the safety of horse or rider.
Absent mitigating circumstances, which includes but is not limited to use of the riding crop for the safety of horse and rider, if a jockey or exercise rider rides in a manner contrary to this rule, the stewards shall impose a maximum fine of $1,000 and a minimum suspension of three days. In trial heats, the suspension shall include the subsequent related stakes race.
The jockey or exercise rider shall not be penalized if, in the opinion of the stewards, the use of the crop was necessary for the safety of the horse or rider.

In order to ease the transition, stewards will be meeting with the jockey colonies at the respective tracks to explain the rule and to answer questions. In addition, the CHRB is recommending to the Boards of Stewards that they should for a reasonable period of time use the “mitigating circumstances” language to employ the current penalty structure – lighter penalties — in order to make the transition to the amended rule less disruptive to jockeys, in particular, as well as all stakeholders and the wagering public generally.

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Keeneland, Kentucky Downs Plan For New Racing Facilities In Southeastern Kentucky

Keeneland and the majority owners of Kentucky Downs announced Monday their filing of an application for a racing license and proposed construction of a state-of-the-art racing facility and related track extension in Kentucky to be located in Corbin and Williamsburg, respectively. The proposed facilities will feature live Standardbred racing and historical racing machines for guests from Kentucky and beyond.

Kentucky Downs, located in Franklin, Kentucky, is majority owned, controlled and managed by a partnership led by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone.

“Horse racing is an extremely vital part of the Commonwealth's economy,” said Winchell. “With the addition of a new race track and related amenities in southeastern Kentucky, it will help to continue the momentum we have created for the state and our industry in recent years.”

“Keeneland has dedicated resources to this region and project for many years and we look forward to working alongside our partners at Kentucky Downs to bring this project to life,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “This project will strengthen Kentucky's vital horse industry and positively impact the Commonwealth and the local communities by stimulating significant economic growth, generating hundreds of new jobs and enhancing tourism and hospitality.”

Officials from each racing association are working with state and local officials on a number of incentives and necessary infrastructure improvements to bring the facilities to fruition. Additionally, the venture is working with local investors to enhance the magnitude of the impact to the region.

“Corbin is thrilled to be a part of this endeavor,” Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus said. “The new racing facility will be a welcome addition to our city's already long list of sites and attractions for local residents and visitors.”

“We are proud of the significant investment this partnership is committed to making in our community, and are excited to see the infusion of tourism, economic development and new jobs it will bring to Williamsburg and Whitley County,” Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison stated.

Each facility is contingent upon approval of an initial pari-mutuel racing license by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

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Start Date Delayed By Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita Announces Revised Autumn Stakes Schedule

With its original start date delayed due to air quality concerns related to the Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita Park has announced a revised Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule, which will begin on Friday, Sept. 25 and will offer fans and horsemen a total of 12 stakes, 11 of them graded, over its three-day opening weekend. Prominent among these stakes offerings are a total of seven Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, which will be run Saturday and Sunday.

With first post time set for 12:30 p.m. on Friday, the Grade II, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs on turf and the Grade III, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes, for fillies and mares three and up at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track, will highlight the opening day card.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, a total of seven stakes, five of them Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” qualifiers, will be offered on what promises to be a blockbuster Breeders' Cup prep afternoon.

The Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth (which promises to attract superstar Maximum Security), the $300,000 Rodeo Drive, for fillies and mares at a mile and one quarter on turf, the Grade I, $300,000 American Pharoah, for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, the Grade II, $200,000 Chandelier, for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes, for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, are all Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” stakes that will provide the winners of each race a fees-paid berth into their respective Breeders' Cup races at Keeneland Nov. 6 & 7.

In addition to these five Breeders' Cup Challenge Races on Saturday, Santa Anita will also present the Grade II, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one quarter on turf and the $75,000 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on turf.

On Sunday, two additional Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Races will be offered, the Grade II, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. The Grade III, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup, to be run at the marathon distance of a mile and one half, will also share top Sunday billing.

Although Santa Anita remains closed to the general public due to the Covid-19 pandemic, fans are encouraged follow Santa Anita's live racing free of charge via santaanita.com. Those wishing to watch and wager may do so via XpressBet.com or 1stBet.com. Santa Anita's complete Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule is available at www.santaanita.com/stakes-schedule/.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Australian Jockey Gets Suspended For Going Too Fast (Yes, You Read That Right)

Winx's jockey Hugh Bowman has been handed a 20-day suspension – on his first day back riding in Sydney after a six-week ban for a notorious careless riding incident in July.

Bowman's latest alleged misdemeanor came on Saturday when he was found to have gone too fast on beaten favorite Farnan, the Golden Slipper winner, in the G2 Run To The Rose at Rosehill.

The 40-year-old jockey, who pleaded not guilty, was charged under the rule stating that “a rider must take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that the rider's horse is given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field”. He received the 20-day ban after a two-hour meeting by Racing NSW stewards on Thursday.

Bowman, who has never before been sanctioned over a 'handling' charge, vowed to clear his name. He immediately lodged an appeal against the decision, which is set to rule him out for nearly three weeks and means he will miss four G1 events – including three on the lucrative Epsom Handicap card at Randwick on Oct. 3.

Saturday's card at Rosehill marked Bowman's return to the saddle for the first time since he was banned in July for his role in the horrific fall that left fellow jockey Andrew Adkins in hospital with serious injuries including a collapsed lung and seven broken ribs.

He was called into the stewards' room for his efforts on 7-5 favorite Farnan in the Run To The Rose, the main trial for the AUS$ 1million Golden Rose on Sept. 26.

Bowman was adjudged to have gone too fast in front and not made sufficient effort to restrain the 3-year-old – trained by the Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott partnership – before folding in the closing stages to be beaten nearly four lengths into fifth behind Rothfire in the six-furlong contest.

After connections were interviewed at the track, the inquiry was adjourned while betting and sectional times were reviewed. There were no abnormal betting patterns but sectionals revealed that Farnan had travelled 12.8 lengths faster than average in the first 800 meters.

According to Racenet, chief steward Marc Van Gestel labelled the ride “as aggressive as I've seen you on a horse out of the gates” on raceday.

Bowman, whose appeal will be heard next week, strongly disagreed with the stewards' findings, saying he had ridden aggressively to try to control the race.

He will be able to ride at Randwick on Saturday and at the Golden Rose meeting seven days later before beginning his penalty on September 27.

“What can't be determined despite all the mathematical genius is how the horse is traveling underneath me,” Bowman said. “He probably wouldn't have beaten Rothfire in all seriousness but had he come back a length and relaxed for me, it wouldn't have looked so bad.

“I am doing my best to steady him and relax him and slow him back,” he added. “If I start to fight him to slow him down it's not going to help him finish the race off.”

This story has been reprinted with permission from Horse Racing Planet. Read the original here.

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