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McGee Leaves DRF to Become Jockey Agent

Marty McGee, the longtime Kentucky correspondent for the Daily Racing Form, announced Tuesday that he is leaving the paper to become the agent for Joe Talamo. He had been with the Racing Form since 1992.

“After 38 years as a professional racing journalist, I will begin working full-time as an agent for my nephew-in-law, jockey Joe Talamo,” McGee posted on his Twitter account. “Joe and I are very excited about what the future holds. He's an immense talent who belongs among the game's elite.”

McGee wrote that the upcoming GI Kentucky Derby will be the 50th straight that he has attended and “my last as a writer and handicapper for Daily Racing Form.”

“In the coming days, I'll be reaching out to thank many of you who have helped make my dream come true,” he continued on Twitter. “I wanted to write about racing since I was 12, and after working for the Baltimore Sun (1985-92) and the Form (1992 to present), I can honestly say it has been a career of incredible fulfillment. I filed racing stories from 17 different states and was privileged to meet thousands of wonderful people (and horses) along the way. Sometime in the next year or two, I'll be having my memoirs published, so in the meantime, there's still plenty of work to do. THANK YOU to my family, friends, and everyone who have helped to make this such a great life in the game I love!”

McGee's many accomplishments include a 2013 Eclipse Award for writing in the Feature/Commentary category for a story entitled “For Desormeaux, Conflicting Views on his Struggles.”

McGee's announcement comes roughly six months after Daily Racing Form National Correspondent Jay Privman announced his retirement.

Talamo is a veteran who has been riding since 2006 and has 2,289 career wins. He is 7-for-98 so far this year. In 2007, he won an Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding apprentice.

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Grayson-Jockey Club Approves Funding for EHV-1 and EHM Vaccine Research

The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation recently issued a special call for research proposals to address vaccines for Equid Alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) and after a thorough review process by the foundation's veterinarian advisory committee, two research proposals were selected for funding.

The projects, led by Gisela Soboll Hussey of Michigan State University and Bettina Wagner of Cornell University, aim to develop novel nucleic acid vaccines to protect horses from EHV-1/EHM and EHV-4.

Soboll Hussey's project is titled, “Use of nucleic acid vaccines to protect from EHV-1/EHM,” and it will last three years. Her objective is to develop a novel mRNA-based EHV vaccine that protects horses from EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy, a method that will likely cross-protect horses against other types of equine herpesviruses. Wagner's project, titled, “A novel DNA vaccine platform to control EHV-1 and EHV-4,” will span two years and aims to develop an effective DNA vaccine for EHV-1 to protect horses against infection and disease, working to prevent catastrophic EHV outbreaks in the future.

The EHV-1 and EHM viruses affect horses of every breed and discipline, and they continue to cause significant economic losses through closures of racetracks and sales barns, delays in training schedules, and severe disease and death of horses. Total funding for the projects of $1,885,436 was provided by special donor Dr. John Ballantyne and Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation.

“The work of our research advisory committee is timely and essential,” Dell Hancock, chairman of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, said. “We look forward to working with these institutions to develop these vaccines and protect the equine industry from the devastating effects of EHV-1 and EHM.”

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TRF Anniversary Golf Scramble Set for April 18

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host a charity golf event at the Nevel Meade Golf Course in Prospect, KY, on Apr. 18 in celebration the organization's 40th anniversary. The event will begin with 12:30 p.m. registration and lunch, followed by a shotgun start at 2:00 p.m.

Included in the registration fee are greens fees, cart, lunch, range balls, a sleeve of TRF logo golf balls, an embroidered green golf shirt with TRF logo, a TRF baseball hat and more. Prizes will be given for the 1st-, 2nd- and last-place foursomes along with the longest drive and closest to the pin. Raffle tickets will be sold for the Justin Thomas line drive, mulligans, and a variety of fun and popular pet, golf and dining-themed raffle baskets. A silent auction of unique horse-racing themed items including a jockey-signed Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel and a morning on the backstretch with Dale Romans will help raise funds to support the TRF herd of 425 retired Thoroughbreds.

Racing celebrity golfers include jockeys Brian Hernandez Jr, David Cohen, Joel Rosario and Joe Rocco Jr. among others.

Limited golfer registrations remain available, so to register visit the TRF website.

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Maryland Racetrack Authority Bill Passes House, Heads to Governor’s Desk

Legislation which will create the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA) was passed by the state's House of Representatives by a vote of 132-2 on Apr. 10, the last day of the state's 2023 General Assembly session. Previously Senate Bill 720 , which is designed to participate in the development of racing and training facilities in the state and operate in the best interests of Thoroughbred racing, passed the state Senate by a 47-0 vote Apr. 6.

The bill also states that, “If necessary, the authority will manage and oversee day-to-day racing operations and live racing days and, in coordination with the Maryland Economic Development Corp., acquire property for operations; enter into any agreements, leases, partnerships or contracts needed for pari-mutuel wagering and compliance with rules and regulations.”

The bill also would, “prop up a new ownership group for racing and training,” should the The Stronach Group (1/ST Racing), the owner/operator of the Maryland Jockey Club's Laurel Race Course and Pimlico, exits racing in the state.

Five members of the MTROA will be appointed by the governor–one of two nominated by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA), one of two nominated by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA), and three other members who possess relevant industry, business or government experience, including one in real estate or finance. Other members are the Chair or Executive Director of the both the Maryland State Archives (MSA) and the Maryland Economic Division (MEDCO), one who is not an elected official appointed by the Senate President and one who is not an elected official appointed by the Speaker of the House. Additionally, three non-voting ex-officio members will be appointed by the governor–one who resides near Laurel, one who resides near Pimlico, and one who resides near the old Bowie Training Center, which is being given to the city of Bowie and University of Bowie. The other non-voting ex-officio member will come from the Maryland Racing Commission.

The MTROA will be in place for four years and one month but could be extended through statutory changes if necessary. The bill, which is set to take effect on Jun. 1, now heads to the desk of Governor Wes More, who is expected to sign it.

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