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Arrests in France on Doping, Crime Charges

Twenty-three people remained in custody Tuesday night after searches took place in racing stables throughout France, Italy and Spain, according to a report in Wednesday's Jour de Galop, which reported that those held come from “every racing discipline,” who are being investigated for equine doping, organized crime, and association with criminals, the paper reports.

While the JDG listed several of those arrested, none came from the Thoroughbred discipline, but were all National Hunt or trotting trainers.

They said that the investigation has been ongoing for a year, and was launched at the initiative of the Central Service of Racing and Gaming's specialized interregional entity located in Bordeaux. And while it bears a striking resemblance to the Rossi affair just three months ago, the paper says the two are not linked.

Stephane Piallat, the head of the Central Service of Racing and Gaming, told the JDG that the raids were launched in the early morning hours Tuesday. “The operation, which took place Tuesday beginning at 6 a.m., is unprecedented in its scale. It took place in France, Spain and Italy and is the result of a one-year investigation. Several simultaneous raids were launched, with 80 policemen mobilized. There were several searches,” which yielded results, he said.

“Twenty-one people in France are in custody, and two more in Italy and Spain. The investigation centers around racing—trotting and non. It is too early to say if it also involves (other) equestrian sports. Veterinarian, pharmacists, owners, trainer, jockeys and some of their relatives were arrested.”

The JDG reports that jumps trainers David Cottin, Pascal Journiac, Lub Gabeur, and Junior Gulepa, and trotting trainer Yannick Alain Briand are among those detained. Piallat told the JDG that these cases and the arrests made among the Rossi family in their training center in Marseille in December had “nothing to do with one another,” and were the result of two separate sources.

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TfRI Supports First French Racing Industry Recruitment and Retention Forum

Key French racing industry stakeholders under both codes, trotting and the Thoroughbred industry attended a forum at ParisLongchamp on Mar. 15. The goal of the forum, organised by the French racing school, the AFASEC, in association with the governing bodies, France Galop and LeTROT and supported by Together for Racing International, was to unite the key stakeholders to share a day rich in reflection, exchange, and solutions in response to the stud and stable staff crisis within the French racing industry. Nearly 70 participants took part including, industry professionals; trainers, owners, breeders, employees, associations and journalists. All committed to finding solutions to attract and retain the employees of tomorrow's racing teams.

“TfRI was delighted to support the second industry forum since its launch, following the Australian forum last April,” said Anna Powell, TfRI Development Director. “Uniting key stakeholders to identify common goals, creating ambassadors and to develop a clear plan is an important step in improving recruitment and retention. Workforce and careers was one of the common challenges identified at the global forum hosted under the auspices of Godolphin in November 2019, along with Education and Community Engagement, which led to the creation of Together for Racing International. TfRI is a central resource leveraging expertise and funding to support its member countries around the people agenda. This work is done using the global network to share progress, analyse and communicate the global impact of this work to support the sustainability of our sport.”

Guillaume Herrnberger, director of employment and training in charge of AFASEC declared, “It was an exciting and enriching day. We are all on the same page thanks to the IFCE, before being inspired by the experiences of Pierre, Antoine, Thibault and Alexis, and TfRI before finally acting. In one day the racing and breeding stakeholders found solutions together. It is now up to all of us to implement them, everyone at their level. We are now 70 ambassadors around employment, it is up to us to bring change around us to become 700, 7000…. From today we are all at the heart of change in support of our teams.”

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Study: Racetrack Fatalities In Sweden, Norway Often Result Of Sudden Collapse

A new study reveals that the main cause of racetrack fatalities in horses racing in Norway and Sweden is sudden collapse, not catastrophic injury, as was previously suspected.

Dr. Ingunn Risnes Hellings and a research team looked at fatalities recorded by the Norwegian and Swedish Trotting Associations from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2019; 48 horses died during this period—38 Standardbreds and 10 Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters. The scientists looked at breed, age, sex, frequency of starts, time of year, and racing distance in an attempt to identify risk factors. They also noted whether the horse competed in a trotting race under saddle or in harness.

Fatalities were included in the study if the horse was euthanized after becoming injured immediately before the race, during the race, or within an hour of racing.

The researchers found that 14.5 percent of fatalities were from traumatic or orthopedic injuries, while the rest were considered “sudden athletic death.” This is a distinct difference from the primary cause of racetrack fatalities in Thoroughbred racehorses, in which most suffer catastrophic orthopedic injuries. Sudden athletic death in Thoroughbreds occurs at a rate of between 9 and 19 percent.

The team also found:

A higher number of starts in the last 30 days increased risk of sudden death
30 horses died of acute circulatory collapse due to cardiac or pulmonary failure
10 horses died from hemorrhaging after blood vessel rupture
Seven of the 48 study horses were euthanized because of catastrophic injury
70 percent of the 40 horses in the sudden athletic death category had marked bleeding in the lungs
The rate of sudden athletic death was similar between both breeds

The scientists determined that the rate of catastrophic injury fatalities was comparatively low and that suspected or confirmed cardiopulmonary causes of death were similar to previous studies. They note that additional investigation into the pathologies causing the cardiopulmonary events is warranted.

Read the full study here.

U.S. Trotting Association Announces Study To Uncover Genetic Causes For Birth Defects

The U.S. Trotting Association announced a collaboration this week with the University of California-Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory to learn more about birth defects in Standardbreds.

The USTA is urging owners and managers to submit data and DNA samples to the lab from stillborn foals born in 2021 or those demonstrating obvious defects resulting in euthanasia or surgery. Those defects could include: wry nose, cleft palate, contracted limbs/shoulders, microphthalmia (a disorder where one or both eyes are unusually small), missing or additional limbs, cyclops, or other obvious issues that are not typical in a healthy foal.

The goal of the project, if genetic anomalies can be identified for particular conditions, will be to help guide future breedings to reduce the risk of these conditions, which cause economic and welfare hardships for all involved.

Owners are assured that their horses' identities will remain confidential in the course of the study. Statistical results may be published without identifying a particular animal, owner, or breeder and any published results will be released to the public via the USTA.

The USTA released the following guidance for sample submission:

To participate in the study, a submission form, consent form, blood or hair samples and photos of the foal should be submitted to the USTA. To obtain or get further information on the forms or a DNA test kit, contact Gabby Fleming from USTA Member Services at gabby.fleming@ustrotting.com or by calling toll free (877) 800-USTA (8782).

The forms are also available online at http://bit.ly/Geneticform and http://bit.ly/UCDavisConsent.

Blood samples are preferred; however, hair samples may also be submitted. For hair samples, 20-30 hairs with roots attached should be pulled from mane or tail (no cutting of hair) and placed in a Ziploc bag.

Samples and photos with identification should be sent to:

United States Trotting Association
6130 S. Sunbury Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081
Attention: Gabby Fleming

All samples will be sent to UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Lab for genetic testing.

Participation in the study is voluntary and any participant has the right to withdraw from the study at any time. There is no financial obligation on the part of the participant.

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