In 2021, we let out some of our collective angst after the annual planning meeting by writing a satirical list of stories that you won't see in our pages, along with reasons they were rejected. We continued the tradition in 2022. The process of composing satire is so cathartic (and had such a good response from our readers) that we've decided to continue the tradition. Some of the rejected series ideas were completely fictional of course, but some were actually (briefly) (jokingly) discussed in some form or another. 

Mainstream Media Rebuttal: A weekly series finally putting into practice what so many people seem to believe – that it's our job to run point-by-point corrections to mainstream media coverage we did not do. The fact that the mainstream reporters/audiences will almost certainly not see such a series is, uh, not the point, somehow. Rejected because: With everything horse racing needs to worry about, whether 60 Minutes correctly designated betamethasone as “restricted” rather than “banned” is the least offensive mistake anyone has made in mainstream coverage of the sport's problems in a long, long time. This kind of correction would be the job of a public relations firm and not a trade publication anyway, and we're not interested in the job. It is, frankly, way too much work to serve as racing's public relations organization. Which is probably why no one – not the NTRA, and not The Jockey Club – has made a sustained effort to do it.

They Didn't Ask Me What I Thought! At last, a solution to the problem we've encountered since the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which prompted alphabet soup groups we'd honestly forgotten about to complain their input hadn't been included in the rule construction process. Or that they hadn't been included enough. Whatever that means. Rejected because: This would be an endless loop of comments, responses to comments, and responses to responses. Besides, if you've ever read the Federal Trade Commission's printout of comments from these very groups on each set of proposed HISA rule changes, you'll have basically gotten the gist anyway. And probably a headache.

Horseplayers' Takeout Index: This one we really have talked about at different times through the years. Readers write to us periodically and ask us to pick up where the Horseplayers Association of North America left off some years ago and maintain a track-by-track list of takeout for different wagers. We'd love to see that list, too. Rejected because: As much as we would like to provide this service, many tracks are not inclined to provide this information to us when asked and there is no uniform disclosure requirement with state racing commissions that would enable us to glean this from public records requests, either. Much like the rebate deals offered to computer-assisted wagering teams, it's not in the best business interests of some entities to have this out there, because they must know it will compare unfavorably with some of their competition.

Who Props Up The Sport Today? We've had so many different groups (horseplayers, breeders, owners, tracks, etc.) claim to be the sole economic reason racing continues forth that it would be good to have consensus, if only for 24 hours at a time. We will create a Wheel of Fortune-style graphic to be virtually spun at the start of each day, with the selected group being designated the “most important” for that day's coverage. Rejected because: Just as there can only be one winner of a horse race (usually) there can only be one “most important” – despite all the aforementioned groups desperately wanting participation trophies. No one would be able to stand being left out, which would sort of suggest that the racing economy is a diverse ecosystem with equally-important parts, but what do we know?

Ye Olde Veterinary Techniques: If you've never picked up a century-old veterinary manual, you might find the contents astonishing and horrifying. As is true in human medicine, it's fascinating to see what early practitioners had right and what they got wrong back in the days before anybody knew any better. We once read a passage explaining that the best way to get medication in a horse was to mold the substance into a ball and slingshot it back into the horse's throat, which we can only assume was suggested by someone who never tried it. Rejected because: The late, great Denise Steffanus warned us that the trouble with this series idea is that some fool out there would actually try some of the concoctions or strategies that we would be writing about from a historical interest perspective, no matter how many “absolutely do not try this” disclaimers we added.

How To Breed For Durability: A how-to guide offering a once-and-for-all mandate on how to make the breed sounder, for every mare, every stallion, and every breeder. Rejected because: We strangely could not get pedigree or bloodstock experts to provide guidance on this. Everyone kept saying boring things like “Well, how are you measuring durability?” and “It really depends on the mare” and “You realize any breeding strategy takes generations to prove out, right?” How are we supposed to move ill-defined mountains in an instant without the aid of generalized advice? To Twitter!

I've Got The Cheater Right Here: In which we write a personality profile of every single trainer we've ever been told by an anonymous emailer is cheating in some undefined way. We'd include quotes from the would-be tipsters, which usually feature phrases like “Because I just know it!” or “Well, look at their statistics! It's obvious!” Rejected because: We do not have the resources to write about literally every licensee in this country who has ever won a horse race.

Did He Do 'Enough'? We ask a panel of randomly-chosen experts to review a horse's race record with his name and connections obscured and ask whether the male horse has “done enough” to either 1) be retired to the stud barn or 2) (if a gelding) to be retired to a new job. No one will actually consult with the connections to learn about the horse's soundness or training progress, because where would the fun be in doing any research before passing judgment? Rejected because: It seems the answer varies considerably by horse and emotion, and not by any hard and fast rules. Some hard-knocking geldings are heroes for running past the age of four, while others are considered desperate welfare cases if they're still running at five. Meanwhile, stud prospects never can (or do) seem to run enough to satisfy anybody; if they're successful enough that the insurance cost probably got prohibitive, they were retired “too soon” and if they kept running “long enough” it's because they're “not accomplished enough.” We worry the panelists could eventually become targets for social media trolling. And we're sure these horses' connections could tell you that that's no fun.

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The recent launch by Mike Repole of the National Thoroughbred Alliance has brought many concerns about the sport to the forefront, and I'd like to go ahead and throw my hat into the ring of public debate, as a longtime racing fan and student of the game whose livelihood as a bloodstock advisor depends on the continuation of the breed.

It's easy to say things like “X stallion shouldn't be breeding because he had soundness issues/only raced Y times/etc,” and “his owners should just geld him rather than letting him have hundreds of foals with these same issues.” It's easy to be frustrated that “the only thing that matters is getting a sales horse,” and complain that a one furlong breeze in March or April of a horse's 2-year-old season shouldn't be the most important eighth of a mile in their entire career. And there are very valid concerns behind these sentiments, but I don't find them to be particularly productive comments on their own. Telling people “don't do that” doesn't generally lead to a change in behavior: an alternative needs to be presented, and there needs to be a short-term reason for that alternative to be considered. Unfortunately, the long-term betterment of the breed doesn't pay this year's bills.

I and many others have long bemoaned the fact that the commercial market plays a huge role in breeding decisions. Unfortunately, as with most issues in the sport, the trend of breeding to sell isn't something that is readily changed. With foal crops steadily declining, the last thing the sport needs is to discourage breeders from breeding horses, and for many breeders, being able to sell their young stock is the only way to ensure their operation is sustainable. Whether we like it or not, the commercial market is going to continue to drive a large percentage of breeding decisions, especially at the highest levels of the sport. So, is there a way to encourage buyers to factor durability more heavily into their considerations? I believe there is.

The commercial market relies heavily on nick ratings such as TrueNicks to determine the appeal of a particular mating. What if there were a similarly easy-to-digest rating for soundness, something akin to a durability index? Even better, what if horses above a certain durability index rating were eligible for purse bonuses? What if, similar to programs such as the Virginia-Certified program, there was a set amount of money to be dispersed to horses who were certified by this durability index to be bred to a certain “breed improvement” standard that factored in things like the class, number of lifetime starts by the sire and dam, and the performance of their offspring by metrics such as percentage of starters and number of starts?

In my vision of this hypothetical program, the breeder pays a small fee to certify the horse, which is then given a letter grade (or perhaps a simple pass/fail rating) based on a standard that remains dynamic and is reviewed on a regular basis. This certification could be printed on a catalog page alongside other incentive programs the horse is eligible for, and horses could earn a small bonus on purses throughout their career, likely a percentage of an allocated yearly budget. In theory, this would help incentivize breeding horses with a focus on durability and soundness, as potential buyers could tell at a glance how certain horses compare to one another on common metrics such as those used by the Grayson-Jockey Club's yearly durability and soundness ratings.

This is an idea that I've been tossing around in my head for a few years, and I'd love to kickstart a conversation around the subject of how to make durability a commercial factor. “Breed sounder horses” is a noble but ultimately vague goal; without quantifiable measures of what that means, evidence of how to do so without sacrificing quality, and incentives for the commercial breeder, it's a hollow call to action.

— Jessica Tugwell

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Jessica Tugwell is a longtime horse racing fan who works as a pedigree consultant under the business name Hawkstone Bloodstock. This is a truncated version of a recent post at hawkstonebloodstock.substack.com. 

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Voting for those awards is now under way and closes on Jan. 3, 2024.

Brion does so without any conflicts of interest (none of the horses are from her stable) but with the hope that this information will help Eclipse Award voters better understand the steeplechase division and some of its best races, and lead to fewer voter abstentions in this category. Over the last five years, an average of 30 voters have abstained in the steeplechase category, representing about 12 percent of all voters casting ballots for Eclipse Awards each year. The voters are from Daily Racing Form, National Thoroughbred Racing Association/Equibase, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Daily Racing Form past performances for the six leading steeplechase candidates can be seen here.

A former assistant to the late Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard who opened a public stable in 2021, Brion trained Eclipse Award champion The Mean Queen in her first full year of training. In 2022 she became just the second trainer to exceed more than $1 million in steeplechase earnings in a single season in North America. – Ray Paulick

By Keri Brion

It is an interesting year for the steeplechase category as there is no real standout on paper. Hopefully, I can shed a bit of light about each nominee and help keep people from abstaining in this category. The majority of these horses have beaten one another at some stage, and the weights they have carried during the Grade 1 handicaps are something Eclipse Award voters may want to consider.

Awakened

Awakened is one of the two American-bred nominees bred by the Phipps Stable and was a consistent horse all season, with five starts, two wins, a second, and a third. He was third in a never won two allowance race at Middleburg before winning an alw1x at Radnor in the spring. He then went to Saratoga in a novice stakes where he was second to McTigue carrying 153 pounds when McTigue was carrying 147. A few weeks later he came back in the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard and turned the tables on McTigue when carrying 146 pounds (McTigue carried 150). The first three finishers of the G1 Jonathan Sheppard were novice stake horses jumping up into open company, the fourth-place finisher was Merry Maker – whom I will talk about in a few.  The summer stakes in the steeplechase circuit are all handicaps so you will want to keep that in mind when deciding how to weigh the wins of each horse. Awakened finished his year in the Grade 2 Zeke Ferguson at Great Meadow, where he finished third behind Snap Decision. If you are looking for consistency, Awakened has done nothing wrong.

Merry Maker

Merry Maker is an Irish-bred gelding who finished in the top three in four of his five starts this season. He started his season with a win in a never won 2 allowance race at the Gold Cup. He then went to the same novice stake as Awakened and finished 13 lengths third behind both McTigue and Awakened carrying the same weight (153 pounds) as Awakened. He then also came back in the Jonathan Sheppard and was defeated eight lengths when fourth behind three novice horses like those mentioned above while carrying the bottom weight of 144 pounds. Three weeks later he won the G1 Lonesome Glory, which the top three finishers from the Jonathan Sheppard chose to skip. Snap Decision did finish fourth behind Merry Maker in this Grade 1, although it should be noted that Merry Maker was carrying 142 pounds where Snap Decision was carrying 162. Merry Maker finished out his year with a very impressive second-place finish in the G1 American Grand National at Far Hills behind fellow nominee Noah and the Ark at level weights.

Belfast Banter

Belfast Banter is another Irish-bred who looked to have just found his form in the summer before being sidelined for the rest of the season. He started his year with a distanced third behind Snap Decision in a Grade 2 at Middleburg before finishing third in another Grade 2 at Great Meadow. He then went to the Grade 1 AP Smithwick and absolutely blew the field away carrying one of the bottom weights of 144 pounds. He soundly beat fellow nominee Noah and the Ark, who finished fourth in this outing although Noah was carrying 12 pounds more than Belfast Banter. It was a huge effort that suggested there would be bigger things to come from him but, unfortunately, we did not see him again after the big victory.

Scaramanga

Scaramanga is yet another Irish-bred gelding among the contenders and is the only one who is not American based. Champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins brought him over to the Iroquois in the spring and he soundly won the Grade 1 three-mile race under Irish champion jockey Paul Townend. This race was also level weights and he beat fellow nominees Noah and the Ark and Snap Decision. He went back to Ireland to run once more with little success and then never ran again this season.

Noah and the Ark

Noah and the Ark is the fourth Irish-bred gelding among the six contenders and, after struggling to put together a big performance all year, he came out with an undoubtedly career best performance to win the Grade 1 American Grand National at level weights in October. He ran fifth in the Iroquois behind fellow nominees Scaramanga and Snap Decision before a distant fourth and eilghth in both Grade 1 races in Saratoga. However, it should be noted that in the G1 AP Smithwick he carried the top weight of 158 pounds when the winner (Belfast Banter) was carrying 144 pounds. And in the G1 Jonathan Sheppard where he finished eighth, he also carried the top weight of 158 pounds whereas the winner (Awakened) carried 146 pounds and fellow nominee Merry Maker (who finished fourth) carried 144 pounds. At level weights in the American Grand National he came out and handily won what could be said to be our biggest Grade 1 in steeplechasing, defeating Merry Maker and Snap Decision.

Snap Decision

Snap Decision is only the second American-bred horse in this group of six and both were bred by Phipps Stable. He had a bit of a roller coaster year, but it is important to not overlook him. He started his season winning a Grade 2 at Middleburg carrying 158 pounds, where he beat fellow nominee Belfast Banter, who was carrying 140 pounds, along with the rest of the field. He then finished second to Scaramanga in the Iroquois at Nashville while beating Noah and the Ark at level weights. He took the Saratoga summer off because as the top-rated horse in the country he would have ended up carrying 15-20 pounds more than most of his competitors. He came back out In the G1 Lonesome Glory to use as a prep for his fall campaign, finishing fourth carrying 162 pounds. The winner (Merry Maker), along with the rest of the field, carried 142 or 140 pounds, so Snap Decision carried 20-22 pounds more than all of them. He then went to the American Grand National where he pulled up on yielding ground, which is ground he does not enjoy or run well over. However, he came back out a week later in the only other option for him before the end of 2023 to win a Grade 2 at Great Meadow carrying 162 pounds. Awakened (who finished third) carried 150 pounds and the rest of the field carried 146, 142, and 140 pounds. With that win, Snap Decision joined a very elite group in steeplechase history as a million-dollar earner.

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In this final episode of the Friday Show for 2023, bloodstock editor Joe Nevills and publisher Ray Paulick examine 10 bold predictions for the new year, covering such subjects as a potential Japanese victory in the Kentucky Derby, efforts to free Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis, a solution to the Churchill Downs turf course problem, an additional race for the Breeders' Cup world championships,  a final resolution to the Medina Spirit drug disqualification from the 2021 Derby, a Rich Strike update, an exciting and stimulating new sponsorship for Quarter Horse racing, and some news about Mike Repole's National Thoroughbred Alliance, not to mention a tidbit about possible entry into racing by an international superstar from the entertainment world.

Of course, these are only predictions coaxed out of a special hat with the help of a magic wand Nevills found in an old muckpile at Great Lakes Downs in Michigan on a recent trip there. We don't know that these predictions are going to come true, so Paulick has enlisted a Magic 8-Ball to determine how 2024 will unfold.

We appreciate the longstanding support of the Friday Show by Woodbine, whose Thoroughbred race meet ends on Sunday with mandatory payouts across the board.

Watch this week's episode of The Friday Show below:

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One idea, following the philosophy of Willie Sutton, was to go where the money is – in this case, Kentucky. The Bluegrass State's racing industry is rolling in clover, thanks to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund enriched by historical horse racing machines that are now scattered throughout the commonwealth at racetracks and satellite facilities. Millions of dollars in KTDF money has elevated purses for Kentucky-breds to unprecedented levels, and the best is yet to come. The philosophy for KTDF purse enhancements is to incentivize owners to buy Kentucky-breds to race in Kentucky.

Maiden and allowance purses for Kentucky-breds are north of $100,000 at some Kentucky tracks, and stakes purses have also soared. By comparison, maiden special weight races will be reduced from $67,000 to $65,000 at Santa Anita this winter and from $30,000 to $22,500 at Golden Gate, according to published reports.

Historically, Californians have been among the leading buyers at sales of Kentucky-breds, with many of the purchases going west to race. If purses decline further, that pool of buyers could dry up, affecting the pocketbooks of Kentucky breeders.

That is why some horsepeople both in California and Kentucky have asked if KTDF dollars can be used to incentivize owners to buy Kentucky-breds to race in other states, including California, with purse enhancements from that fund. The money is disbursed by the Kentucky Racing Commission.

For starters, that wouldn't be legal, according to Kentucky state Sen. Damon Thayer, a longtime Thoroughbred industry executive and racing and breeding advocate who serves as the Senate Majority Floor Leader in Frankfort.

Thayer said the statute for the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund is set up to reward buyers of Kentucky-breds to race at Kentucky tracks. Period.

“I seriously doubt legislators in Kentucky would have an appetite to change the law and allow that money to be used in other states,” Thayer said.

Even if evidence showed how much out-of-state buyers spend on Kentucky-breds?

“I think that's going to be a very difficult sell,” he said. “The racing and breeding industry has had an exceptional three years with four major bills becoming law, and there's a little bit of fatigue right now in tackling any other big racing and breeding issues.

“Everything is working really well, and we just need to focus on staying the course that we've established with HHR, the tax bill, sports betting at the racetracks, and the bill banning the gray games (unlicensed slots-like machines at bars, restaurants, truck stops, and gas stations),” said Thayer. “Those were huge victories for racing and breeding between 2021, '22 and '23. I just don't see an appetite, for example, for letting Kentucky money be offered for races in California.”

Can Kentucky racing be too successful at the expense of other states?

“I don't have that concern,” Thayer said. “I want Kentucky racing to be as successful as it can be. I still think there is more blue sky ahead for the Kentucky horse industry. We're still in the introductory phase of HHR, so I think there is plenty of upside there, with more facilities to open. Sports betting at the tracks just began and I hope the racetracks use it as an opportunity to do some cross-marketing to get sports bettors to sample all of our pari-mutuel products.

“The job for the Kentucky legislature is to make sure the environment is right for Kentucky racing and breeding to thrive,” he said. “I don't think that's our job for other states. That's the job of legislatures in other states. The racetracks, the horsemen, and the breed groups in other states should look at what's happened in Kentucky as a blueprint for what can happen for them.”

Easier said than done. Kentucky's horse industry doesn't have a casin0-enriched Native American lobby in the state capitol like California does, working to squash any competition for gambling dollars.

Thayer said he recognizes that it's important for other states to succeed in order for Kentucky to succeed, listing Arkansas, Indiana, New York, Virginia, Louisiana, and Ohio among the states doing well thanks to revenue from slots, casinos, or HHR.

“There are some states in distress; I recognize that,” he said. “But it would be very difficult to convince the Kentucky legislature that it's our job to help save racing in California.”

In other words, California racing will have to save itself – not an easy task.

That's my view from the eighth pole.

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The book, “Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies,” was part of the company's “dummies” brand of “taking on complex concepts and making them easy to understand.” They've published hundreds of titles for “dummies.”

“Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies” has been successful to the point that Eng was asked by the publisher one year ago to update the book in areas that have changed over the last two decades. The revision was a virtual rewrite of the entire book.

A longtime racing publicist, handicapper, newspaper columnist and radio host, Eng joins Ray Paulick and bloodstock editor Joe Nevills in this week's Friday Show to discuss the “Dummies” book, how to introduce new people to racing, and his thoughts on how the game is ever evolving.

Watch this week's episode of The Friday Show below:

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While the opening panel discussions on Tuesday were about as cheery as a Dostoevsky novel, Wednesday's sessions were decidedly more uplifting – for the most part. Meeting some of the students and listening to presentations from people who are trying to make a positive difference reminded me of how I felt about the Symposium when I first began attending some 30 years ago. At its best, the annual gathering is an idea factory, giving people something to take home with them when they return to their jobs.

Following are some notes and opinions from Wednesday.

—RTIP Senior Capstone Presentations. Ben Atkinson and Eric DeCoster kicked off the day with a pair of presentations that were as different as night and day.

Atkinson examined ways of making racing a more popular and approachable sport through the use of short videos, or reels, that are increasingly popular on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube. He cited research saying people's attention spans have decreased by 25 percent over a 15-year period (not coincidentally, when smartphones started growing out of our hands). The short videos are meant to introduce racing people – jockeys, grooms, and many others – to the public in easily digestible interviews.

DeCoster had more of an “inside baseball” presentation on how to modernize the condition book, adapting a handicap rating system like those used in other countries and revising how claiming races are written. A survey he conducted showed that even racing secretaries, trainers and owners find the way races are currently written to be confusing.

Racing can use more people like Atkinson and DeCoster to lead us into the light.

—“Racing's Success Stories – The Year in Review,” followed the student presentations and, unlike most of Tuesday's panels dominated by aging, white males (like me!), this group looked and sounded different.

There was moderator Annise Montplaisir, co-founder and president of Amplify Horse Racing, whose mantra is “Making Tracks for the Next Generation” through education, mentorship and career opportunities. Kirsten Green, executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project, reviewed the tremendous growth of the Thoroughbred Makeover that features former racehorses showing their skills in other disciplines. Hallie Hardy, executive director of Horse Country – which facilitates tours for the general public of working horse farms in Central Kentucky – relayed how those visits can change perceptions of how Thoroughbreds are cared for. Kyle McDoniel, chief operating officer for Equibase, suggested that expanded data collection can help racing catch up with how other sports use statistics to engage their fans. And Jodie Vella-Gregory, vice president of industry relations for 1/ST Racing and Gaming, provided a promising report on the growth of the recently formed Horse Racing Women's Summit.

With the possible exception of McDoniel and Equibase, none of these initiatives are designed to have an immediate impact on wagering – which remains an essential short- and long-term economic indicator for the sport. But all of them, in their own way, can make a difference in public opinion and on racing's social license to operate. Every one of them is a valuable asset for the industry.

—A third panel on Wednesday morning dealt with a difficult subject that until recently was taboo. “Out of the Shadows – Shining a Spotlight on Mental Health and Emotional Wellness” featured active jockeys Trevor McCarthy and Kyle Frey, and retired rider and current filmmaker Nathan Horrocks. Also speaking were three people dedicated to helping others get through difficult times: Epic Risk Management facilitator Ryan Tatusko, a former professional baseball player who attempted suicide while dealing with a severe gambling addiction; Judy Beck, a licensed clinical social worker with the Backstretch Employee Service Team at New York Racing Association tracks; and Dr. Ciara Losty, a sports psychologist who works with Irish jockeys on mental health issues. The panel was deftly moderated by retired jockey and NBC Sports reporter Donna Barton Brothers.

A screening of Horrocks' short film, “The Fail,” a gripping emotional tale of a steeplechase jockey dealing with the aftermath of a high-profile fall, followed the session.

McCarthy and Frey were extremely candid about the pressures they've faced, with Frey admitting that he “needed a mental health break” and was away from racing for two months this summer after experiencing “a full-blown panic attack.” He entered a 12-step program for what he called “untreated alcoholism,” citing Southern California's Winners Foundation and the racetrack chaplaincy for getting him the treatment he needed.

East Coast-based McCarthy talked about the endless grind that jockeys endure and the fear of losing business if they dare to take time off. “Jockeys don't get time off to reset, to give their bodies a break,” he said. “We have to be disciplined all the time, 365 days a year.”

He shared a story about finding joy from a riding accident that left him with a broken wrist because he realized he would finally get a break. “I was happier than a pig in poop,” he said.

McCarthy also said he's taken a lengthy break from social media after getting into a fight with people on Twitter last summer.

The discussion came in the wake jockeys Avery Whisman and Alex Canchari taking their own lives earlier this year.

—The remaining sessions focused on how racing can and is dealing with economic and societal pressures that jeopardize its very future.

Alan Foreman, moderating a panel entitled “From Data to Dollars – Understanding Horse Racing's Economic impact as Racing's Future Is Questioned,” opened with some grim but realistic comments: “It is no longer being quietly asked: Is it time to end horse racing?” Foreman called the reliance for survival on state and federal lawmakers “the elephant in the room that we dodge,” adding that those in denial about the threat should “just ask the Greyhound industry,” which has been eliminated in state after state.

The remainder of the panel helped answer Foreman's question of whether the economics of the horse industry can overcome the anti-racing sentiment that seems to be more vocal than ever. Julie Broadway, president of the American Horse Council, previewed results of a 2023 economic impact study that is used to demonstrate the significance of the horse industry in terms of jobs, support of small businesses, and significant contributions to the economy. In terms of racing, Householder said, in her conversations with federal legislators, “We also talk a lot about what we do with the horses when they come off the track.”

National Thoroughbred Racing Association president and CEO Tom Rooney – a former member of Congress who now works in Washington, D.C., to elevate racing's profile – said dealing with the current Congress is “extremely difficult. Whether or not anything is going to get accomplished in the next year for our industry or anybody is dubious to predict.” He added that many of today's politicians “are more interested in clicks or becoming famous than getting things done.”

Najja Thompson, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, and Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' & Owners' Association, both stressed the importance of economic data in support of the industry to gain support in their state capitols. “Economic impact studies have to be relatable to legislators,” Powell said. He cited three states he's worked in, saying in Washington he was able to show that the horse industry was bigger than ship-building; in Arizona, racing was the third largest tourist attraction; and in Florida, it is bigger than Major League Baseball's spring training season.

Powell also roundly criticized racetrack executives for not participating in the AHC economic survey, saying only four tracks responded. “How are we going to tell our story if no one is even trying?” he asked. “I don't get it.”

—Turf Publicists of America's Mark Kaufman Workshop focused on “Communications and Protocols for Equine and Jockey Injuries,” offering some insights on how to get the message out to media and the public that racing is improving its safety record for horses and riders. Amy Zimmerman, senior vice president at Santa Anita Park, suggested racing people should reclaim the term “animal activist,” because no one cares more about horses that the people who work with them on a daily basis. “I'm an animal activist,” she said, calling those who oppose the sport “racing abolitionists” and “extremists.”

Chip Tuttle, a partner with CTP in Boston that advises a number of racing organizations, said it is up to the sport to get out the message that injuries are decreasing overall despite some high-profile incidents in the past year. “Racehorse deaths generate clicks and eyeballs,” Tuttle said. “If we want the more positive narrative, we really have to shout it from the rooftops ourselves.” Tuttle said the NTRA has done a good job putting together information on its website showing the many safety protocols for horses but that the public is unaware of many of those efforts.

–Integrity issues dominated the final two panels, with the first session spotlighting regulatory investigation teams used for major events and the second featuring a variety of people from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit. The latter included information on how much of the data now being collected on horse health is being used by HISA, how HIWU's investigation unit goes about its work, and the progress being made in drug testing and harmonization of laboratories contracted with HIWU to conduct pre-post, post-race and out-of-competition testing.

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I've been to this rodeo a few times, though not to all 49 since the Symposium was first held in 1974. I'm sure someone wears that distinction with pride. I wonder what the sport's biggest challenges were when this annual gathering was created.

Following are some notes and opinions on Day One.

—-Lisa Lazarus, chief executive officer of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, said one of the things the organization will focus on in 2024 is to explore “potential funding mechanisms both governmental and private to reduce the financial burden to the industry.”

One thing I've heard over and over from people who have dealt with Lazarus is that she listens. This is one of those examples.

HISA is expensive. Regulating a gambling activity that involves animals is bound to be expensive if done right. It hasn't been done right in the past with the various state commissions.

Lazarus also said a focus in 2024 will involve greater collaboration with “all industry participants.” One example: Next month, HISA plans to launch a “Next Generation Advisory Group” that will provide younger individuals an opportunity to be heard.

She also said technology will play a greater role going forward. “Many answers to our most pressing problems lie in our data.”

—-Andy Beyer, who I consider an industry treasure as a beloved curmudgeon, was out-curmudgeoned by Steven Crist and Jay Privman during a panel discussion, “Legends of the Game – Racing's Iconic Turf Writers.”

Beyer was inclined to agree with calls to change the timing of the Triple Crown, saying horsemen are no longer willing to run horses back in the Preakness two weeks after the Kentucky Derby – the Derby winner often being the lone exception. Crist and Privman both pooh-poohed adding more spacing between the races, saying the Triple Crown is one thing the industry does right.

Crist said one of his all-time favorite days was the 1989 Belmont Stakes when Easy Goer turned the tables on Derby-Preakness winner Sunday Silence. In the current climate, Triple Crown rivalries do not exist because horses that don't win at Churchill Down won't show up at Pimlico for the Triple Crown's middle leg as Easy Goer did.

—-Speaking of embracing change, that was the title of the next Tuesday morning panel, which asked the burning question, “Are We Ready to Adopt Category 1 Rules in the U.S.?”

Honestly, I don't care whether or not the rules governing disqualifications are tweaked – and the consensus of the panel favored change that would result in fewer DQs. I just would like to see consistent rules across all racing jurisdictions and, more importantly, consistent application of the rules.

Horseplayers, me included, are fed up with inconsistent officiating. But I suppose we could say the same of NFL referees.

—An afternoon panel, “Land For Sale. How Will Race Track Closures Impact the Industry's Long-Term Sustainability?” might as well have been called The Undertakers. There were only glimmers of hope for racing's future from the speakers who cited declining foal crops, declining wagering, and a declining number of racetracks. But maybe that's what you get when you ask six aging, white, male industry professionals (not unlike me) to sit on a panel discussing the future.

—Finally, the manure from the enablers of computer-assisted wagering players was knee deep in a panel pondering “The Good, The Bad, and the Future” of a maddening development that is causing longtime horseplayers to quit the game.

The largest CAW players are affiliated with Elite Turf Club, which is owned by the Stronach Group and New York Racing Association. Stronach Group and NYRA won't reveal the sweetheart deals given to Elite players or provide wagering details on how much Elite Players are betting or winning. One panelist was blatantly dishonest in saying anyone could get the same deals.

Scott Daruty, a longtime Stronach Group executive, essentially said “trust us” when it comes to the kinds of deals they are giving to the Elite players.

As former President Ronald Reagan said during negotiations with the Russians on arms control: “Trust, but verify.”

I'll trust them when they are more transparent and we can verify the deals Elite Turf Club players are getting, how much they are betting, and how much they are taking out of the pools.

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This week, we look ahead, putting together an early Christmas list of things we would like to see for the Thoroughbred industry in 2024 and beyond.

Paulick Report news editor Chelsea Hackbarth joins Ray Paulick in trying to determine whether some of our wishes are realistic or pie in the sky fantasy.

For example, can members of the American Graded Stakes Committee pull their noses out of their statistical binders long enough to ponder the question of whether their decisions are helping or hurting the long-term interests of the Thoroughbred breed?

Can critics of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority be persuaded to focus their energy in a positive way to make the national oversight body as effective as it can be instead of working to tear it down?

And can the movement by the veterinary community and others to employ wearable digital technology to help reduce injuries become a reality in the near future? The technology is there, but can it be ramped up to record data on all horses in all races and timed workouts throughout North America as the American Association of Equine Practitioners is proposing?

Watch this week's episode of The Friday Show below:

The post The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: What We’d Like To See In 2024 And Beyond appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Between turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy – lots of gravy – I'd have had a hard time making weight if I was a jockey. Fortunately, I'm not.

Apparently, some Quarter Horse jockeys in Texas were also having trouble with weight recently — and this was before Thanksgiving dinners were served.

For reasons no one wanted to explain (including Jockeys' Guild CEO Terry Meyocks), riders at Lone Star Park abruptly walked off the job midway through the Nov. 11 Quarter Horse card.

Neither track officials, the Texas Racing Commission, nor the aforementioned Meyocks would provide any specifics on what happened.

A few days later, however, some of the issue came into focus when Amy Cook, the executive director of the Texas Racing Commission, issued an enforcement memorandum to all racing licensees stating that the  regulatory body intended to enforce its rules.

How about them apples?

“In the past few weeks,” Cook wrote, “specific concerns have been raised regarding compliance” with certain regulations. She then listed the following rules: 313.45 (duties of the clerk of scales), 313.161 (trainer responsibility for correct weight), 313.168 (scale of weights to be carried), 313.402 (weighing out before race, taken off if more than seven pounds over), 313.404 (items included in weight), 313.407 (duty to fulfill riding engagements).

Cook wrote that the agency “initiated an investigation in early September which is still under way. Accurately recording and publishing the weight of a jockey on a horse requires involvement and compliance from all levels of business and occupational licensees including, but not limited to racetrack association staff, horseman's organizations and owners and trainers of racehorses.”

My understanding of what happened is that a number of Quarter Horse jockeys were coming in significantly above their assigned weight – even more, in some cases, than the seven pounds over that would require them to be taken off their mounts. They were not happy when the clerk of scales informed them he intended to do his job and follow the rules of Texas racing.

Does weight matter, especially in a race at a quarter mile or less? That's not really the question. The question is whether or not the clerk of scales should look the other way if a jockey comes in heavy or waltzes across the scales so quickly that it's impossible to get an accurate reading.

The answer, obviously, is “no.” As long as there are rules, they should be enforced.

The clerk of scales is responsible for reporting accurate weights before and after a race. Did a jockey weigh out and in at roughly the same weight (keeping in mind they can pick up a pound or two in dirt and moisture during the running of a race)?

There should be no disagreements between the jockey colony and the clerk of scales. Both have jobs to do and the numbers are the numbers. But something I've seen occur routinely at Latin American racetracks would put to rest any conflict about proper weights carried.

Several tracks I've visited in Latin American countries have an ongoing in-house camera feed on the jockey scales, which have large digital numbers that are easily read.

When a race is over, and jockeys weigh in, they are required to stand on the scale long enough for the digital readout to appear. The camera feed displays the weight from the digital scale and it is shown in-house and on the track's simulcast network.

This takes the human element – and potential issues between jockeys and clerk of scales – out of the equation. Racing officials, owners and trainers, and horseplayers can see for themselves whether or not a horse carried the proper weight.

Some of racing's problems may be impossible to fix. This is not one of them. Let's adopt a transparent policy regarding jockey weight and move on to more important things. Like why my clothes are so tight after Thanksgiving.

That's my view from the eighth pole.

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