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Noffsinger Named Prairie Meadows Track Superintendent

Ryan Noffsinger has been named track superintendent at Prairie Meadows. A third-generation horseman, Noffsinger has worked at tracks from California, Arizona, New Mexico and, most recently, in Florida.

“In my 18 years working in various roles with track maintenance, I've been able to gain valuable knowledge at tracks like Del Mar, Turf Paradise, Zia Park, Sunland Park, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows which will serve me well as Track Superintendent for Prairie Meadows,” Noffsinger said.

Prairie Meadows Vice President for Racing Derron Heldt added, “Ryan brings so much to the table with his experience, dedication and love of the industry as a third-generation horseman and having worked in various roles in track maintenance, I feel confident in his abilities to provide a solid and consistent racing surface for the horses, jockeys and racing industry participants that come to race in Iowa.”

Prairie Meadows' live racing season begins with 20 days of Thoroughbred-only racing from May 12-June 17 and is followed by a mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse schedule of 60 race days from June 18-Sept. 30.

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First Racetrack Maintenance Innovation Award Winners Announced

Edited Press Release

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) presented the Racetrack Maintenance Innovation Awards to its first class of award winners Monday evening at the Racecourse Managers' Conference and Workshop in Las Vegas. The award was created to celebrate the work of racetrack professionals who have day-to-day responsibilities for the maintenance, protection, and safety of horses and riders at tracks across the US. The 2022 winners distinguished themselves as some of the most innovative racetrack professionals in Thoroughbred racing today.

“It's so important to highlight the work of racetrack managers and operators because their work is critical to the success of Thoroughbred racing,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “I congratulate this first class of winners and thank each of them for their dedication to the safety and well-being of horses and riders.”

The 2022 winners are:

Leif Dickenson – Turf and Landscape Superintendent at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club – Nominated for his introduction of fibers in turf profiles at Santa Anita Park to improve the sheer strength of sand without the use of alternative fine materials that would impede drainage.

Joe King – posthumously awarded, former New York Racing Association (NYRA) Track Superintendent – Nominated for being the first person in racing to systematically include testing of the racing surfaces on a regular basis and for being a critical asset in designing racetrack surfaces.

Dennis Moore – Superintendent at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Santa Anita Racetrack, and Los Alamitos Thoroughbred Racing – Nominated for his innovative work that led to maintenance and operational innovations for the synthetic racetrack surfaces at Remington Park and Hollywood Park, and for his work to consistently evaluate new technologies including fiber and new maintenance equipment for dirt and synthetic surfaces.

Nominations for the 2023 Racetrack Maintenance Innovation Awards will be open beginning Oct. 1, 2022. For more information, visit NTRA.com.

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Blackburn Named Track Superintendent at Prairie Meadows

Bob Blackburn has been named the new track superintendent at Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack and Hotel. His previous stints include 15 years at Remington Park, 10 years overseeing track maintenance at an Ocala, Florida Thoroughbred Farm and track superintendent at Bandera Downs and Manor Downs in Texas.

“I am blessed and excited for this new opportunity in Iowa working at Prairie Meadows,” Blackburn said. “Working at racetracks has always been a love of mine, which started in Texas growing up around my dad's Quarter Horses to my experiences either at racetracks or horse farms. I've seen it all and done it all.”

Blackburn replaces Prairie Meadows' Racing Hall of Famer Lamont Marks, who retired in 2021 after years of in various roles, including track superintendent.

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Registration Now Open For Track Superintendent Field Day At Gulfstream

Registration is now open for Track Superintendent Field Day on June 12-14 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The gathering brings together track superintendents and staff to discuss best practices related to track maintenance, safety and operational issues for racing and training facilities.

“We are thrilled to be heading to Florida in 2022,” said Roy Smith, founder of the event and track superintendent at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. “Gulfstream Park is a world-class facility with terrific racing surfaces.”

Track Superintendent Field Day started as a small meeting at Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) in 2002 and since then has grown to become one of the racing industry's largest and most important events focusing on track safety.

New regulations under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) are set to begin later this year, so the Field Day agenda will include a panel on ensuring that superintendents are ready for the hefty reporting requirements. This will also fulfill four hours of continuing education.

Track Superintendents Field Day is not-for-profit 501(c)(3) entity, and registration is free for superintendents and their staff, supported solely by the sponsors of this event, including title sponsor Equine Equipment.

The only expenses for track superintendents and staff are transportation and a discounted hotel rate at the Hampton Inn Hallandale Beach as the host hotel.

“My team and I look forward to welcoming everyone to Gulfstream Park,” said Tony Martinez Jr., track superintendent at the South Florida track.

“Track Superintendent Field Day always provides extensive educational information and networking, so we are proud to support this for the betterment of the industry,” said Steve Andersen of Equine Equipment. “The panels and speakers we bring together are instrumental in cultivating the superintendents of tomorrow and in building the skillsets of current supers. We urge tracks to send their key people to demonstrate a willingness to invest in their future and get the annual training from the oldest track superintendent group in North America.”

To register, call 877-905-0004 or email tracksupers@gmail.com.

More information regarding registration and the agenda will be forthcoming at www.tracksupers.com.

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