Track Superintendent Field Day wrapped up on Tuesday at Gulfstream Park with a second day of speakers and panels and an increased focus on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). More than 100 track supers and staff from around the country were in attendance.
“We know that budgets are tight, travel can be difficult and everyone is busy, so it was gratifying to see so many track supers here,” said Roy Smith, track superintendent at Horseshoe Indianapolis and founder of the event first held in 2002. “The information and networking at this meeting are invaluable.”
HISA was a topic of discussion on Monday, and the federal regulations set to take effect on July 1 again took center stage on Tuesday as the subject of a panel with Glen Kozak, senior vice president, operations and capital projects for NYRA; Jamie Richardson, track superintendent at Churchill Downs; and Dr. Mick Peterson, director of the Racetrack Safety Program and professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at the University of Kentucky.
“No matter what we do today, there's always more we can do tomorrow,” said Kozak, who is a member of HISA's Racetrack Safety Standing Committee. “There are some great minds in this room.
“This is evolving; this is the first step,” added Kozak while addressing concerns from track supers about increased record-keeping requirements under HISA. “If there are things that don't pan out right, there will be adjustments.”
Also on Tuesday, Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer for 1/ST Racing, gave a presentation about working with racetrack and regulatory veterinarians to improve horse safety.
Retired jockey Aaron Gryder, now vice president, industry relations for 1/ST Racing, and current jockeys Chantal Sutherland and Romero Maragh comprised a jockeys' panel that discussed the HISA rules affecting riders, especially regarding the use of the riding crop and the limit of six strikes in a race.
“This game is gradually changing and it's important that we give the public a positive image of racing, and a lot of people don't like the idea of the crop,” said Sutherland. “It's a major issue for a lot of people.”
“It's going to take some time for jockeys to get used to it, but we can't make excuses,” added Gryder. “These are the rules that are going to be in place.”
Tony Martinez, track superintendent at Gulfstream and host of the event, lead a panel that included discussion of the Florida's tracks turf course renovation and Tapeta surface. Dr. Carlos Aponte, senior veterinarian at Gulfstream Park, covered on-track emergency response, focusing on the horse ambulance, equipment and procedures. Tim Fredericks of Fredericks McGuire Ltd. discussed turf irrigation design, and a roundtable discussion for track supers only was also held.
“With HISA on the horizon, Track Superintendent Field Day is more important than ever,” said Steve Andersen of Equine Equipment, which is the title sponsor and organizer of the event. “Track supers work long hours to ensure our sport is as safe as possible, often with little recognition, so this gathering is vital for them to share information and ideas so we can all work together for the greater good of the industry. This was a tremendous event, and we are very thankful that Gulfstream Park was such a gracious host.”
More information about Track Superintendent Field Day is available at www.tracksupers.com.
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