The Horsemen's Journal - Spring 2015

SPRING FALL 1015

OFFICIAL SPONSOR OFFICIAL SPONSOR of NationalHBPA HBPA of the the National

volume 62/ # 1

spring 20 15

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DEPARTMENTS

2 MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL HBPA

7 INDUSTRY NEWS

12 HBPA NEWS

14 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

16 RESEARCH & MEDICATION UPDATE

18 MEDICATION COMMITTEE CORNER

22 EXPANDING AND EDUCATING

2015 RACING SCHEDULE FOR NORTH AMERICA

The National HBPA Winter Convention in Arizona brought in a new member state while furthering discussion on medication and more

47 AFFILIATE NEWS

FEATURES

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TOUR DE HANDICAPPING

FIRE

WHAT IS COBALT?

The most recent Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship awarded a total of $2.36 million in prize money and an Eclipse Award

Learn how to react when barn fires erupt and how to prevent them

A look at the effects and regulation of the mineral

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hj IN EVERY ISSUE

MESSAGE FROM

THE CEO

NATIONAL HBPA 870 Corporate Drive Suite 300 Lexington, KY 40503 P(859) 259-0451 F(859) 259-0452 racing@hbpa.org www.nationalhbpa.com

DEAR HORSEWOMEN AND HORSEMEN OF THE NATIONAL HBPA: I WRITE MY FINAL COLUMN FOR THE HORSEMEN’S JOURNAL ON THE EVE OF MY DEPARTURE AS THE NHBPA’S CEO. IN THIS LAST COLUMN, I WANT TO LOOK BACK AND LOOK AHEAD. I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NHBPA FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF ME AND OF THE ORGANIZATION. ROBIN RICHARDS AND RON MAUS HAVE BUILT UPON THE STRONG FOUNDATION THAT JOE SANTANNA AND OTHERS ESTABLISHED FOR THE NHBPA. THE NHBPA’S RECENTLY UPDATED MISSION STATEMENT (SEE PAGE 13) SETS THE ORGANIZATION ON A COURSE TO IMPROVE THE INTEGRITY OF RACING, PROTECT THE WELFARE OF THE HORSE AND

PRESIDENT/ CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD Robin Richards FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Leroy Gessmann SECRETARY/ TREASURER Ron Maus VICE PRESIDENT CENTRAL REGION Leroy Gessmann VICE PRESIDENT EASTERN REGION Randy Funkhouser

JOCKEY, INCREASE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NHBPA AS AN INDUSTRY LEADER AND PROVIDE VALUE TO OUR MEMBERS.

I also want to thank the committee chairs and the committee members for the important role they play in the operation of the NHBPA. Having the NHBPA’s voice heard at the

our sport is lost when it takes months, if not years, to reach final decisions on medication violation allegations.

The breeders have a stake in the sport and in medication

meetings of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium,

issues. In my opinion, sound medication regulations should

Association of Racing Commissioners International and other

start before the weanling or yearling sales and should be

industry groups is critical for horsemen and horsewomen. Our

a central consideration in the 2-year-old in training sales.

“seat at the table” allows the NHBPA to provide the horsemen’s

Medication and the auction arena may be “a bridge too far” at

perspective on critical industry issues early in the rulemaking

this point in time, but medication of young sale horses is an

process. Committees such as the budget and dues committee,

integrity issue that the whole Thoroughbred industry needs to

audit committee and The Horsemen’s Journal committee

review, consider and address.

facilitate the internal decision-making process of the NHBPA and bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organization.

The debate over medication issues will, unfortunately I fear,

All parties involved in the industry must, I believe, find the will to work together and must, I also believe, adopt a long-term view of the industry and the sport instead of just focusing on

continue for years to come. The NHBPA’s medication policy (see

the next condition book or upcoming meet. Through effective

page 13) is sound and provides the best way to make medication

cooperation, our industry will not only survive, it will thrive. The

rules and regulations. All such decisions must be based on

Claiming Crown is a great example of what cooperation can

VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHERN REGION Rick Hiles

sound, publicly available, peer-reviewed science and openly

accomplish. The fact that Gulfstream Park, the Florida HBPA,

debated with the best interests of the horse and the integrity

the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the

of racing as central tenets of the decision-making process.

NHBPA could work together to put on the Claiming Crown

Medication is an issue that touches all the players in our sport,

and expand its popularity should be a beacon to the whole

VICE PRESIDENT WESTERN REGION Ron Maus

including owners, trainers, track veterinarians, regulators,

Thoroughbred industry that cooperation among industry groups

casual fans and serious horseplayers, as well as racetrack

is the key to success.

owners and operators. All of these groups need to participate in

I wish all the participants in this great sport of

the medication rule-making process. As an industry, none of the

Thoroughbred horse racing great success on and off the

above listed groups can tolerate cheaters. Repeat offenders of

track. May the Racing Gods smile on you, and may you

medication rules, after due process, should be severely punished, have many visits to the winner’s circle. including expulsion from the industry. I believe our industry must expeditiously adjudicate alleged medication violations while maintaining a high due process standard. Public confidence in

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SINCERELY,

Phil Hanrahan Chief Executive Officer

CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Kimberly Brewer Michael Cusortelli Dr. Clara Fenger Brian W. Fitzgerald Peter J. Sacopulos Denise Steffanus Kent H. Stirling Dr. Thomas Tobin

THE

NATIONAL HBPA

WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS CORPORATE

sponsors AFFILIATES Board of Directors - Affiliates Dr. David Harrington, Alabama J. Lloyd Yother, Arizona Linda Gaston, Arkansas David Milburn, Canada Randy Funkhouser, Charles Town Mark McGregor, Colorado Dave Brown, Finger Lakes Phil Combest, Florida Mark Buckley, Idaho John Wainwright, Illinois Joe Davis, Indiana Leroy Gessmann, Iowa Rick Hiles, Kentucky Benard Chatters, Louisiana George Kutlenios, Michigan Tom Metzen, Minnesota R.C. Forster, Montana Jami Poole, Mountaineer Park Todd Veerhusen, Nebraska Anthony Spadea, New England Mark Doering, Ohio David Faulkner, Oklahoma Sue Leslie, Ontario Ron Sutton, Oregon Tim Shea, Pennsylvania Robert Jeffries, Tampa Bay Downs Dr. Tommy Hays, Texas Horsemen’s Partnership, LLP David Ross, Virginia Ron Maus, Washington Glade VanTassel, Wyoming

The views expressed on these pages are those of the authors and/or advertisers, and they may or may not reflect the positions and/or beliefs of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, its officers, or Board of Directors.

The Horsemen’s Journal, Volume 62 #1.

Postal Information: The Horsemen’s Journal (ISSN 0018-5256) is published quarterly by the National Horsemen’s Administration Corporation, with publishing offices at P.O. Box 8645, Round Rock, TX 78683. Copyright 2015 all rights reserved.

The Horsemen’s Journal is the official publication for members of the Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, a representative association of Thoroughbred owners and trainers. HBPA is a non-profit 501(c)6 Kentucky corporation. Members receive The Horsemen’s Journal as a benefit of membership paid by the national office from affiliate dues. Annual non-member subscriptions are $14. Single-copy back issues, if available, are $7. Canadian subscribers add $6. All other subscriptions

PHOTOGRAPHERS Ackerley Images Denis Blake Horsephotos.com iStock.com/cgearhart iStock.com/ Mendel Perkins Photography Laura Plato Reed Palmer Photography Jana Tetrault

STAFF Denis Blake Editor 512-695-4541 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org Jennifer Vanier Allen Advertising Director 512-225-4483 509-272-1640 fax E-mail: advertising@hbpa.org Limb Design www.limbdesign.com Graphic Design THE HORSEMEN’S JOURNAL 870 Corporate Drive, Suite 300 Lexington, KY 40503-5419 Phone: 512-695-4541 Fax: 859-259-0452 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org HBPA Website: www.nationalhbpa.com Cover Photo: Horsephotos.com

outside the U.S. add $20 payable in U. S. funds. To order reprints or subscriptions, call (866) 245-1711.

The HBPA National Board of Directors has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required of the association. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and/or advertisers and do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of the publisher or HBPA board or staff. Query the editor prior to sending any manuscripts.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Round Rock, Texas and additional mailing offices.

CANADA POST: Publications mail agreement no. 41530527. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P. O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Horsemen’s Journal, P.O. Box 911188, Lexington, KY 40591-1188.

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OFFICIAL SPONSOR OFFICIAL SPONSOR of NationalHBPA HBPA of the the National

OFFICIAL SPONSOR OFFICIAL SPONSOR of NationalHBPA HBPA of the the National

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INDUSTRY NEWS

hj NEWS

TVG TO ACQUIRE HRTV, OPERATIONS WILL MERGE

Betfair subsidiary TVG and The Stronach Group in February announced a landmark transaction to improve the quality and quantity of televised horse racing in the United States, capitalizing on The Stronach Group’s investment in an enhanced racing experience and TVG’s investment in state-of-the-art highdefinition television capabilities. Under the deal, TVG will assume the operations of HRTV, which will be operated from the TVG studio complex in Los Angeles. The unified television operations will feature races from Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, Pimlico, Laurel Park and Golden Gate Fields over a seven-year period, as well as additional premium domestic and international racetracks.

The agreement paves the way for more than 5,000 additional races from U.S. tracks to be broadcast over the two networks. Via cable, satellite and telco distribution, TVG is currently available in 36.5 million U.S. homes and HRTV is available in 19.5 million U.S. homes.

“This is a very exciting step for TVG and HRTV as it enhances our ability to deliver premier horse racing content to our viewers, to show more races and to promote racing in the U.S.,” TVG CEO Kip Levin said. “With our recent investment in our new, state-of-the-art HD studios now complete, we’re pleased to expand our coverage of The Stronach Group tracks as part of a unified TV platform. This agreement is part of TVG’s commitment to deliver the very best in U.S. racing, to

generate incremental wagering on our advanced-deposit wagering platform and to drive additional advertising and distribution opportunities.”

“Combining the significant investments we have made in our facilities and racing content with TVG’s significant investments in television technology and distribution is the best way forward for ensuring a world-class experience for all of our important customers and our fellow stakeholders in racing,” said Alon Ossip, CEO of The Stronach Group.

The two networks will be able to show more live horse racing, officials indicated. TVG telecasts approximately 27,000 races per year, and HRTV shows approximately 16,000 with significant overlap and many races on tape-delay due to scheduling conflicts. TVG officials estimate that the two networks will be able to broadcast live approximately 40,000 races per year, an increase of more than 5,000.

Betfair will make an initial payment of $25 million and estimates that it will pay further consideration totaling $47.8 million over the seven-year period, although the total consideration is dependent upon TVG’s future handle. Based on projected cash flows, the present fair market value of these payments is estimated to be $56.3 million. In the last 12 months, under previous agreements, TVG paid HRTV $4.3 million in fees related to television content, including The Stronach Group racetracks, for which HRTV has held exclusive rights. This transaction eliminates the need for TVG to pay those television fees.

Following the transaction, Betfair will own 100 percent of the equity in the unified television operation. The transaction does not include XpressBet, the advanced-deposit wagering company owned by The Stronach Group.

THE JOCKEY CLUB PURCHASES MAJORITY OWNERSHIP STAKE IN BLOOD-HORSE The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) announced in late February that The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. has purchased a majority ownership interest in Blood-Horse magazine. The purchase also includes related digital and custom printing properties of Blood-Horse, the Stallion Register and Blood-Horse’s 50 percent interest in TrueNicks LLC. The announcement was made jointly by Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club, and Peter S. Willmott, chairman of TOBA. “The Jockey Club stewards believe that a publication with the history, influence and brand recognition of Blood-Horse is a considerable asset for the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry and that there are certain synergies that will make it an even stronger entity as a result of this transaction,” Phipps said.

“TOBA and its predecessor breeders organization have been the sole owner of Blood-Horse since 1935,” Willmott said. “With the considerable changes underway in the publishing industry, it is our strong feeling that a partnership with The Jockey Club in ownership of Blood-Horse will enhance Blood-Horse’s ability to serve its customers, especially on digital platforms.”

Simultaneously, Blood-Horse announced the appointment of John K. Keitt Jr. as chief executive officer and publisher. Keitt has served as a senior

executive, corporate attorney and consultant with broad experience in the media and technology areas. He was the senior vice president of Global Business for The Associated Press in New York City from 2003 to 2006, and he has also been a business and legal advisor to a wide range of Thoroughbred industry organizations since 1986.

Keitt will be based at the Blood-Horse offices in Lexington, Kentucky.

“Blood-Horse will continue to cover the issues, events and personalities in our industry in a journalistically sound manner going forward,” Phipps said.

“The Jockey Club and its affiliated companies have many longstanding business and editorial relationships with other media organizations in this industry, and we will strive to maintain and enhance those relationships. We are pleased to welcome aboard John Keitt as Blood-Horse’s new business leader.”

The purchase is effective immediately and financial details related to the transaction will not be disclosed. The transaction does not include ownership of The Horse, which will remain with TOBA and operate separately. Marla Bickel, the CEO and publisher of Blood-Horse Publications, will transition into a role as CEO and publisher of The Horse.

The Jockey Club and TOBA have collaborated on numerous Thoroughbred industry initiatives through the years. The most recent example is OwnerView, an owner development resource that was created in 2012 and is managed jointly

by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. and TOBA.

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NEWS

SECOND THOROUGHBRED OWNERS CONFERENCE SET FOR GULFSTREAM PARK IN JANUARY 2016 OwnerView, the website and information resource developed by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) to assist both current and prospective Thoroughbred owners, announced that it will hold its second national Thoroughbred Owners Conference in January 2016 at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

The conference will be held during the week leading up to the 45th annual Eclipse Awards Dinner, which is scheduled for Saturday, January 16.

“The Stronach Group was extremely proud to be one of the presenting sponsors of the inaugural national Thoroughbred Owners Conference back in October and we’re thrilled to showcase our Gulfstream Park facility and the South Florida area by hosting this new and important event in 2016,” said Mike Rogers, president of The Stronach Group’s racing and gaming division.

The first conference featured panel discussions with prominent industry participants and several informational and educational networking events with owners and industry representatives. It was held at the Keeneland sales pavilion and attracted approximately 300 attendees. A video replay of the conference is available at ownerview.com.

“We were extremely honored to play host to the first national Thoroughbred Owners Conference and our staff looks forward to collaborating with OwnerView and Gulfstream Park personnel to ensure a seamless transition and another

successful event,” said Bill Thomason, president and chief executive officer of Keeneland Association.

“The feedback from those who attended the first conference has been universally positive, and those people, as well as others who did not attend, have been asking about when and where the next owner conference would take place,” said Gary Falter, vice president of operations for OwnerView. “While the topics, speakers and sponsors will be finalized and announced in the months ahead, we thought it would be beneficial to at least announce the date and location so prospective attendees can put it on their calendars.”

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and TOBA to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.

Additional information about OwnerView is available at ownerview.com or by contacting Gary Falter at gfalter@jockeyclub.com or (859) 224-2803.

NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RACETRACK VETERINARIANS INCORPORATES IN KENTUCKY The members of the North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians (NAARV) are pleased to announce the organization’s recent incorporation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. NAARV members are counted from Maine to California and Canada to Florida, and have organized for a common goal of advancing the health and welfare of the racehorse through evidence-based veterinary medicine, expanding scientific knowledge and providing continuing education of the professionals and public involved with the sport.

The association also seeks to advance its mission of ensuring the health and well-being of the racehorse by protecting and improving the veterinary care, treatment and welfare of the equine athlete; advancing the treatment of disease and injury using evidence-based medicine; relieving animal suffering; and being proactive in advocating for and administering preventive veterinary care. Through education programs, the association will provide the opportunity to improve the knowledge and skills of its members and increase the public’s awareness of the medical needs of the racehorse and the scientific basis for the practice of equine veterinary medicine.

The racetrack practitioner represents the cutting edge of sports medicine for the benefit of the racing equine athlete. As the boundaries of scientific research and clinical knowledge have been pushed back and racetrack practice has evolved into the modern-day model, the NAARV realizes that the perception of the racetrack practitioner has failed to keep pace with the reality. The NAARV believes that by its members continuing to practice with the highest level of integrity and striving to educate their veterinary clients, the public and industry regulators, the perception of the profession can and will reflect their current high standards. Anyone interested in learning more about NAARV’s mission can visit naarv.org.

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ADV ERT ISE M E N T

D EAD LY

DOPING

MEETS ITS

MATCH: TRAINERS

PRAISE

N A TU R A L A LT E R N AT IV E BY: MARK HANSEN

The pressure to win is so enormous that many horsemen resort to whatever it takes to get a piece of the purse or a decent sale...even if it means putting their horses’ lives in mortal danger by doping them with illegal synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) drugs to boost endurance.

Veterinarian Gary Smith said, “It’s a problem all over the industry. There is no way horses should be put on (synthetic) EPO.” So how do racers win? How do you gain a competitive edge without harming your horses or risking your livelihood? The answer may be found in a safe all-natural horse supplement that supports natural EPO function.

Why is EPO boosting so critical? Just like in people, a horse’s muscles require oxygen for fuel.

Red blood cells are the body’s oxygen-carrying cells. A higher red blood cell count = more oxygen = more muscle energy. Elevated muscle energy helps the horse perform harder, faster and longer during endurance events. All horses naturally produce EPO in their kidneys to stimulate production of new red blood cells from bone marrow. In short, EPO is a natural “blood builder.”

With EPO doping, trainers try to boost the EPO effect to get a winning performance every time. They use a synthetic EPO (recombinant human EPO), even though the side effects can harm the horse. That’s one reason why it’s illegal.

Fortunately there’s another option. EPOEquine® is a safe, highly effective natural dietary supplement scientifically engineered for performance horses.

A Kentucky trainer who refused to give out his name, said, “I don’t want my competition to know about this.” He found EPO-Equine to be so effective that he’s dead set against disclosing who he is, who his horses are, or even where he trains and races. He first started ordering a single jar of EPO-Equine® once a month. Now he’s ordering

several CASES each month. And he won’t tell BRL exactly why. He said respectfully, “Sorry – no way.”

Bioengineers at U.S. based Biomedical Research Laboratories (BRL), first discovered a completely natural EPO-booster for human athletes (and it’s working miracles for top athletes and amateurs around the world). Seeing these results, horse trainers contacted BRL and asked about using this natural formula for their animals.

That’s when the BRL team dug deeper and discovered a proprietary, horse-friendly strain of a common herb that promotes optimal bloodbuilding results. EPO-Equine® is based on the blood-boosting abilities of a certain strain of Echinacea that’s astounding researchers and trainers alike. (It’s not a strain you can find at the local health store.)

Veterinarians at the Equine Research Centre in Ontario, Canada ran a double-blind trial investigating the blood building properties of the active ingredient in EPO-Equine in healthy horses.

For 42 days, one group of horses was supplemented with the active ingredient in EPO-Equine and another group of horses was given a placebo.

The supplement delivered significant blood building results, increasing red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels. Researchers also observed improved blood quality and increased oxygen transport in the supplemented horses. Improved

blood levels leads to elevated exercise physiology and performance.

The patent-pending formula in EPO-Equine® contains a dozen different herbs, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components combined to promote natural red blood cell production...for remarkable speed, strength and stamina right out of the gate.

Trainers find it easy to add just 1 scoop (3.2 grams) of EPO-Equine® to the horse’s daily feeding routine in the barn or on the road. Within a few weeks of daily use, you can expect to see increased red blood cell levels with no undesirable side effects. An increase in red blood cell levels can improve muscle performance, supercharge endurance, and enhance recovery after hard exercise. Nothing else is scientifically proven to deliver these benefits in a completely safe and natural formula.

Compared to the cost of veterinarians, drugs, icing, tapping the knees, and putting the horse on Bute; or even the consequences of being banned for synthetic doping, EPO-Equine® is very affordable at the low price of just $59.95 per jar. Or save $180 if you are ready to commit to a larger trial of 12-jar case for just $539.55 with FREE shipping. EPOEquine® can be ordered at www.EPOEquine.com or 1-800-557-9055, and comes with a 100% moneyback satisfaction guarantee.

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NEWS

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HBPA NEWS

NATIONAL HBPA WELCOMES OMEGA ALPHA PHARMACEUTICALS INC. AS NEW CORPORATE SPONSOR The National HBPA is pleased to announce that Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals Inc. is now a corporate sponsor of North America’s largest association of horsemen. Based in Ontario, Canada, Omega Alpha specializes in natural formulations for enhancing equine health and performance.

“I know that many horsemen are already using Omega Alpha products, and I hope this partnership will allow more horsemen to try out their product line,” said NHBPA President Robin Richards.

“We look forward to working with Omega Alpha for many years to come.”

Founded in 1992 and approved by Health and Welfare Canada, Omega Alpha makes all of its own products under the high-quality standards of Good Manufacturing Practice, which are the same standards used for modern pharmaceutical products. Omega Alpha also has its own rigid standards that

include using only whole, uncut herbs so that the company can verify that no substitutions or alterations have been made. Additionally, Omega Alpha has its own fully functional laboratory to test the quality of the final product.

Omega Alpha offers dozens of equine products to treat a wide variety of conditions and keep horses running at their peak. The company also places a high value on education, and its website includes several equine webinars about important horse health topics. Omega Alpha also presents a monthly “teleseminar” covering a different topic with a Q&A session afterward.

“At Omega Alpha, we are committed to providing the racing industry with natural alternatives to relieve many equine health problems,” said Omega Alpha’s CEO and formulator, Gordon Chang, PhD. “Joining with the NHBPA is a welcome opportunity for us to interact with members who share our philosophy of better health and performance naturally.”

For more information on Omega Alpha, go to omegaalphaequine.com or call toll-free (800) 651-3172.

FOUR CORPORATE SPONSORS RENEW AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL HBPA The National HBPA has announced that all four longtime corporate sponsors—equineline.com, Finish Line Horse Products Inc., Horseman Labor Solutions and Big Dee’s Tack & Vet Supplies—have agreed to another year of sponsorship. The number of corporate sponsors also increased to five with the recent addition of Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals Inc. “Our corporate sponsors help make it possible for the NHBPA to reach our goal of ‘horsemen helping horsemen,’ ” said NHBPA President Robin Richards.

“Because of our partnerships with these quality companies, we are better able to educate and engage horsemen, the media and the general public on a wide range of issues in the racing industry through The Horsemen’s Journal. I want to sincerely thank our corporate sponsors, and I encourage all horsemen to consider their products and services.”

Equineline.com, a service of The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. (TJCIS) of Lexington, Kentucky, offers a wide variety of services for horsemen.

Equineline.com reports offer pedigrees, race records and a wide assortment of breeding, racing and sales information for individual Thoroughbreds and American Quarter Horses, including free five-cross pedigrees for Thoroughbreds, free auction results search for Thoroughbreds and a free Racing Recap for both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse races. Many of the Thoroughbred reports include video replay capabilities.

Other equineline.com products include the Trainer Program, Farm Program and Portfolio Service. A free Owner Program helps owners manage and track their horse records, including procedures, revenue and expenses. TJCIS also offers the popular Equineline Sales Catalog app and Equineline Mare Produce Records online service and apps. Many HBPA offices make equineline.com reports available as a service to their members. To find out more, visit equineline.com.

Finish Line Horse Products Inc. has manufactured products for racing and other performance horses for nearly 40 years, but the family history with horses goes back well over a century. John Edward Howe, the great-grandfather of the company’s founder, rode horseback with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, and Howe’s grandson John Casper Howe had a long career as a jockey and then as a trainer. Finish Line strives to provide the right products at the right price 12

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and offers a free hotline for customers to ask trained staff about Finish Line products or just general equine-related questions.

While Finish Line has grown to service many additional equine disciplines over the years, Thoroughbred racing was the first and is still a core business for the company. The company appreciates the thousands of loyal clients who find that its products help them get to the “finish line.”

Finish Line products are made in the United States and are 100 percent guaranteed to horsemen every time with the goal to “produce products that will show you a noticeable improvement in your horse.” That makes Finish Line’s products a necessary part of many trainers’ barn programs and a factor in racing barns throughout the country. For more information about Finish Line Horse Products Inc., visit the company’s website at finishlinehorse.com.

Horseman Labor Solutions (HLS) has provided immigration services to the industry for nearly a decade and assisted trainers in maintaining their staff of skilled guest workers. Whether it is a 10-month temporary visa for a skilled groom or hot walker or a five-year visa for exercise riders and jockeys, HLS and its immigration services are considered second to none by many horsemen. HLS CEO William Velie is a frequent speaker at NHBPA conventions and is handson in meeting with both the trainers and guest workers to cover all details in the visa process. He often writes about immigration issues in The Horsemen’s Journal. Velie’s offices are based in Norman, Oklahoma, but his practice is nationwide. He practices immigration law in all 50 states and has a wide range of employment-based immigration experience. With years of experience, Velie has secured nearly 5,000 visas annually. For more information, visit HLS at horsemanlabor.com or call (800) 678-RACE (7223).

Serving the equine community for more than three decades, Big Dee’s Tack & Vet Supplies specializes in racing supplies and carries an extensive line of horse health care items. In addition, the company carries product lines for all equine disciplines—a testament to the company’s efforts to be a convenient, one-stop shopping destination for horsemen and women. The company also offers a variety of equine gifts and custom products, plus a complete line of dog-related products.

Big Dee’s prides itself on its top-notch customer service and its affordable prices. The company also takes great pride in its speedy service and tries to keep all of its merchandise in stock for immediate delivery. More than 90 percent of in-stock orders placed by 3 p.m. are shipped the same day.

Customers can shop by phone at (800) 321-2142 or online at bigdweb.com.

A complete product line catalog and a specific racing product catalog are available upon request.

HANRAHAN STEPS DOWN AS CEO OF NATIONAL HBPA Philip Hanrahan stepped down as chief executive officer of the National HBPA following the organization’s winter convention in February.

“Phil has been an invaluable asset to the National HBPA,” said Robin Richards, president of the NHBPA. “He has always demonstrated a willingness to cultivate what is in the best interest of horsemen and women and, just as important, strived for the health, safety and integrity of the horses with which we work. We are better for his efforts here, and I speak for all horsemen when I say that we wish him all of the best in his life and pursuits.”

During his three-year tenure with the NHBPA, Hanrahan worked tirelessly with many industry organizations. He contributed greatly in transitioning the Claiming Crown from Canterbury Park to Gulfstream Park, where it has been held for the last three years. During the initial Claiming Crown at Gulfstream, he helped in the development of the Claiming Crown trophy now given to the connections of the winning horses.

In conjunction with his working among various industry participants, Hanrahan also put together a variety of knowledgeable panels during the NHBPA’s twice-annual conventions that garnered enthusiasm and educated the public on interests vital to horses and horsemen. He demonstrated resolve in working out a myriad of fine details necessary to generating change and compromise among the many and disparate forces at work in the racing industry.

“While there are many racing-related issues that will continue to be worked on after my departure, I believe we are moving in the right direction for horsemen and women in North America,” Hanrahan said. “It has been my pleasure to work with the leadership of the NHBPA and the affiliates. They are horsemen and women dedicated to the welfare of the horse and the integrity of the sport of horse racing. I wish all the members of the NHBPA great success in their future racing endeavors.”

NATIONAL HBPA MISSION STATEMENT Founded in 1940, the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and its affiliates operate on behalf of Thoroughbred racehorse owners, trainers and backstretch personnel throughout the United States and Canada. Our mission is to improve and preserve Thoroughbred horse racing by: 1. Providing a representative voice for all Thoroughbred horsemen on matters integral to the advancement of Thoroughbred racing in the United States, Canada and at the state level.

2. Encouraging the highest standards of horsemanship to continuously improve the care, health and safety of the horse.

3. Facilitating guidelines to ensure the safety of the jockeys, trainers, grooms, exercise riders, hot walkers, farriers, veterinarians and all others who regularly come in contact with the racehorse.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Supporting the development, adoption, implementation and enforcement of nationwide uniform rules which promote safety and integrity in racing.

Disseminating information on critical issues facing our industry to HBPA affiliates and to the general public as appropriate.

Supporting and promoting programs and entities which provide general benevolence and other beneficial programs for affiliates and members.

Assisting in the development of programs at affiliated tracks providing for the aftercare of our horses when their racing careers are over.

Promoting the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.

NATIONAL HBPA’S POSITION REGARDING THE REGULATION OF RACING MEDICATION 1.

2.

3.

The National HBPA’s focus has always been, and remains, the health and safety of the horse, the safety of the jockey, and the safety of all individuals coming into contact with the horse including grooms, hot walkers, trainers and veterinarians.

The National HBPA believes a truly independent and transparent Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) composed of industry stakeholders (including the NHBPA, The Jockey Club, the United States Trotting Association and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, among others) not dominated by any individual organization, with input from appropriate medical and veterinary professional bodies such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners, must be the final evaluator of medical and veterinary science.

The National HBPA believes that RMTC approved medication rules should be reviewed by the Association of Racing Commissioners

4.

5.

6.

International on behalf of state racing commissions, and following an evaluation based on science and medical research with all industry stakeholders being heard, the rules should be adopted or rejected by a majority vote.

The National HBPA contends that uniform medication rules must be based solely on published scientifically determined regulatory thresholds, with published scientifically determined withdrawal time guidelines, all based on and supported by data published in the scientific literature.

The National HBPA believes that RMTC and ISO-17025 accredited laboratories should perform all medication testing.

The National HBPA does not tolerate cheating in this sport. The NHBPA supports rules wherein repeat offenders of medication rules, after due process, should be severely penalized, including permanent expulsion from the industry.

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

13

NEWS

Note: This report was prepared on February 18, so there are likely to be new developments on the issues discussed and new items of interest to horsemen that arise prior to publication.

14

By Brian W. Fitzgerald

HJSPRING

Ackerley Images

NATIONAL HBPA

LEGISLATIVE

UPDATE

FEDERAL MEDICATION LEGISLATION

15

Proponents of turning the regulation of medication in horse racing in the United States over to the federal government, as was proposed in companion bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in the 113th Congress, have been working behind the scenes on Capitol Hill over the past few months seeking to line up the reintroduction of federal medication legislation in the current 114th Congress. It remains to be determined at this time when such legislation may be introduced.

FEDERAL GAMING LEGISLATION As was expected, several gaming bills introduced in the 113th Congress have been reintroduced in the 114th Congress.

Two of the reintroduced bills would amend the federal ban on betting on professional and amateur sports that was enacted in 1992 by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) has introduced the New Jersey Betting and Equal Treatment Act of 2015, H.R. 457, that would exclude New Jersey from the federal ban on sports betting and allow the state to offer sports betting limited to New Jersey, if approved by the New Jersey legislature.

Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) has introduced the Sports Gaming Opportunity Act of 2015, H.R. 416, that would open up a window of four years—January 1, 2015, through January 1, 2019—during which time any state could legalize betting on professional and amateur sports. Both of these bills have been referred to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

Another reintroduced bill is the Restoration of America’s Wire Act, H.R. 707, sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), that would restore the U.S. Department of Justice’s interpretation of the Wire Act prior to its reinterpretation of the Act in December 2011 that opened the door

to the expansion of Internet gaming. The bill has been referred to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

As of the date of this report, no Senate companion bill has been introduced. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced the Senate companion bill to Rep. Chaffetz’s bill in the 113th Congress.

IMMIGRATION REFORM Since the beginning of the 114th Congress, U.S. House and Senate Republicans have been seeking to overturn President Obama’s executive orders on immigration issued in November following the mid-term elections. Republicans have been seeking to enact legislation that would override the President’s executive orders on immigration and withhold funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after February 27, unless and until the President’s orders are repealed. The U.S House of Representatives has approved such legislation, but the U.S. Senate Republicans have on several attempts been unable to secure the necessary 60 votes to overcome the procedural hurdles that would enable the Senate to vote on the passage of the bill.

In the meantime, the legality of the President’s executive actions on immigration is being examined in the federal courts. On February 16, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas, responding to a lawsuit filed by 26 Republican-controlled states, ruled there was sufficient merit to the states’ challenge to warrant a temporary injunction of the President’s orders while the states’ lawsuit moves forward.

Given that funding for the DHS was scheduled to end on February 27 without intervening action by Congress, pressure likely will increase on Congress, and particularly on congressional Republicans, to resolve the stalemate before the deadline. The temporary injunction issued by Judge Hanen could possibly lead to an interim solution to the standstill on extending funding for the DHS. With Congress and the White House preoccupied with the stalemate over the President’s executive actions on immigration, the outlook for moving immigration reform legislation in the 114th Congress remains uncertain at this time.

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TECHNOLOGY

hj

+ RESEARCH MEDICATION UPDATE

RESEARCH FOUNDATION REACHES GOAL FOR STARLIGHT STABLE CHALLENGE

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced that it has reached its fundraising target prompted by Starlight Stable’s challenge to raise $75,000 for laminitis research. Starlight Stable owner Jack Wolf issued the challenge in memory of Intense Holiday, a stakes-winning colt who seemed headed for additional success until he suffered a condylar fracture. During his recovery, the colt developed laminitis and could not be saved.

Starlight Stable pledged to donate $75,000 to the foundation if it could match that amount in other contributions dedicated to the challenge and designated for laminitis research. Wolf noted at the time that the effort honored not only Intense Holiday but also other recent victims of laminitis, including European standout St Nicholas Abbey.

“I was pleased to be informed that Grayson had succeeded in soliciting more than $75,000 to match our challenge,” Wolf said.

“I know that Grayson has supported many research projects on

laminitis. The recent developments on use of cryotherapy are very promising, and we are glad to have a part in further advances on that and other ways to address this tragic disease.”

Edward L. Bowen, president of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, noted, “We were confident that donors would come through, and they certainly did. We look forward to announcing a new slate of projects to be funded in 2015, and laminitis will certainly remain a target for efforts by the vigorous equine research community that supports the world of the horse.”

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation’s leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

RACING COMMISSIONERS, CHEMISTS ANNOUNCE MEDICATION ROUNDTABLE The Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) and the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC) will jointly hold a major racing industry roundtable and conference on equine welfare and medication policy on April 21-23, 2015, at the Grand Hyatt Resort in Tampa, Florida.

“The RCI is the only umbrella organization encompassing the totality of horse racing whose members create and enforce rules and adjudicate racing disputes,” RCI President Ed Martin said.

“The AORC is an international organization composed of chemists dedicated to the detection of prohibited substances in racing animals. The members of the AORC are on the front line of the most expansive anti-doping program in professional sports, and we rely on them extensively to detect illegal drug use.”

Roundtable topics will include the following: • Coordination of investigatory intelligence • Expanded capabilities of testing laboratories • Emerging integrity threats • Effective strategies to combat doping • Applicability of hair testing to horse racing • “Should we care about substances that do not affect performance or hurt the horse?”

During the conference, the RCI Drug Testing Standards and Practices Committee will consider any recommended policy changes to take effect in 2016.

The newly formed RCI Scientific Advisory Group will hold a face-to-face meeting during the conference to assess research and published science associated with any pending policy change recommendations.

Those interested in attending the conference can find more information, including hotel information and online registration, at bit.do/ARCI-2015.

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hj MEDICAL

National

H B PA

MEDICATION COMMITTEE CORNER

AN EMERGING CONCERN: PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AS INADVERTENT AND INSIGNIFICANT DETECTIONS IN RACING HORSES

By Kimberly Brewer, DVM; Thomas Tobin, MVB, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, DABT; and Kent H. Stirling Some recent positives in racehorses for human prescription medications suggest that prescription medications are joining the increasingly extensive list of endogenous, dietary and environmental substances (EDEs) that present in horse urine to racing chemists and industry regulators. The first dietary substance identified as a concern was theobromine, a caffeine-related substance that became a problem in English racing in the 1980s. The first regulatory threshold introduced was for theobromine at 2,000 ng/ml in urine, which is now the international threshold. Caffeine, an environmental substance closely associated with humans, began to show up in racing in the mid-1990s.

The published Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) threshold/cut-off for caffeine is now 100 ng/ml in plasma, equivalent to 300 ng/ml in urine.

Another human environmental substance that is being included in this group is BZE (benzoylecgonine), the major urinary metabolite of cocaine and a classic human environmental substance. Several hundred tons of cocaine are imported each year into the United States, and trace amounts of cocaine are widespread in human environments, including most particularly on dollar bills. Cocaine therefore meets the first two requirements for it to be a problem in racing窶年o. 1, it gets into the environment of the horse courtesy of the close interaction between humans and horses, and No. 2, it is chemically stable, which we know from its detection on dollar bills.

Cocaine also has the two further properties necessary for it to appear in post-race urine samples. As mankind has known for probably 10,000 years, cocaine is well absorbed orally, which is requirement No. 3, and No. 4, its BZE metabolite is excreted efficiently at very high concentrations in equine urine.

In fact, the reason that BZE is a problem in racing is that it is superefficiently excreted in urine, about 2,000-fold more efficiently than cocaine. If your horse happens to be exposed to sufficient cocaine to give a 5 picogram (part per trillion) concentration of cocaine in horse urine, which, by the way, is essentially undetectable, the BZE concentration will be 2,000-fold greater, about 10 ng/ml, enough to be readily detected by an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test. In fact, it was the introduction of ELISA tests in the late-1980s that led to the need for regulatory thresholds for BZE in racing.

The thresholds introduced were based on those developed for use in human workplace testing, about 150 ng/ml in urine, although racing commissions are reluctant to formally communicate such thresholds because of the illegal nature and high profile of the substance involved.

As a practical matter, however, the take-home message for chemists, equine medical directors and regulators is clear: If a substance comes to be present in the environment of a horse, is chemically stable in the environment, is orally absorbed by horses and is efficiently excreted in horse urine, any such substance entering the environment of a horse may be fully expected to show up at trace levels in horse urine.

18

HJSPRING

15

The classic poster child for this sequence of events is isoxsuprine. Isoxsuprine was and is routinely administered orally to horses in gram/day doses, which virtually ensures an environmental presence. In fact, in one study, isoxsuprine was actually recovered from the cobwebs in a treatment stall. Isoxsuprine is well absorbed orally, and it is then transported to the liver where it is immediately converted into a highly water-soluble metabolite that is rapidly excreted at very high concentrations in equine urine. This metabolic transformation is so rapid that pharmacologically effective blood levels of isoxsuprine are never attained after oral administration of isoxsuprine, and isoxsuprine is pharmacologically ineffective in horses following oral administration. Additionally, when we say high concentrations in urine, we mean high concentrations; after a 1 gram IV dose of isoxsuprine, peak urinary isoxsuprine metabolite concentrations of 700,000 ng/ ml have been reported, to our knowledge the highest urinary drug metabolite concentrations ever reported. A further complication is that the isoxsuprine ELISA test is highly sensitive, detecting isoxsuprine at about 0.5 ng/ml, which is a 1.5-million times lower concentration than the highest concentration of isoxsuprine reported in equine urine.

These facts were very helpful when a horse named Mistegic won the 2002 Schillaci Stakes in Caulfield, Australia, and then tested positive for isoxsuprine.

It turned out that when Mistegic arrived at Caulfield three days before the race, he was placed in a box where a horse had previously been treated with isoxsuprine. As would happen to any horse placed in an isoxsuprine-containing stall, Mistegic tested positive for a small amount of isoxsuprine in the poststakes race urine sample. Fortunately, however, for the connections of Mistegic, the Victoria Racing Appeals Board found the detection of an inadvertent and pharmacologically insignificant trace-level environmental residue persuasive, and Mistegic was reinstated as the winner of the race in question and from there went on to be named the New South Wales 2002 horse of the year.

And as a matter of interest, research performed since 2000, when the critical isoxsuprine research was published, has shown stall contamination occurs during treatment with many equine medications and that if a clean horse is introduced into such a contaminated stall, there is a high probability that the horse will promptly go positive for an insignificant (trace) level of the medication in question.

So, if this happens with equine medications, why not with human prescription medications? We now draw attention to two human prescription medications that have, over the years, been occasionally identified in post-race samples under conditions that are often strongly suggestive of inadvertent environmental exposure associated with their prescription use by humans in close association with these specific horses.

The first of these medications is tramadol (marketed as Ultram), an opioidtype pain medication widely prescribed to humans to treat moderate to severe pain. Tramadol is, however, much less effective in horses, for very much the

the detection of trace levels of tramadol metabolites in horse urine when tramadol is a less potent medication than morphine in humans and is, to boot, virtually inactive in the horse because of its very rapid metabolism and excretion in horses. Given these circumstances and the precedent of a long-standing 50 ng/ml urinary threshold for morphine itself, we propose a similar 50 ng/ml urinary threshold for tramadol as its O-desmethyltramadol glucuronide metabolite in equine urine. This is because we believe that there is no pharmacological and regulatory basis for zero-tolerance testing of horses for tramadol given its status as an important human prescription medication and its extremely poor pharmacological activity in the horse.

As this communication goes to press, another human prescription medication, venlafaxine (marketed as Effexor), is presenting as an environmental contaminant. Venlafaxine appears to meet all of the criteria for a human prescription medication becoming a tramadol-like environmental contaminant. Like tramadol, venlafaxine is a chemically stable substance; when we ran a literature search on venlafaxine in the environment, more references came up than we could even begin to read, and venlafaxine has also been detected in urban wastewater, just like tramadol.

In human medicine, venlafaxine is an antidepressant of the serotoninnorepinephrine reuptake inhibitor class. It is prescribed in humans for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and related conditions.

The human dose is 250 mg/day and may be higher in some patients, and as noted above, venlafaxine is chemically stable in the environment.

Worldwide, there have been a number of sporadic venlafaxine identifications in racing horses, principally in Australia and Canada, with the Australian venlafaxine identifications including one greyhound case, apparently the only positive for the trainer in question in 30 years of racing.

In one Canadian case, the possibility of environmental contamination with venlafaxine was apparently suggested by the trainer involved. The Canadian authorities therefore administered venlafaxine to a horse, and the resulting venlafaxine-positive horse urine was put on hay being fed to a horse. This test horse immediately went positive for venlafaxine, but the Canadian authorities were apparently not impressed by this finding, and the trainer was apparently penalized. We note, however, that this experimental finding confirms the oral bioavailability of venlafaxine and the resultant urinary metabolites following environmental exposure of a horse—a very helpful finding.

Of further interest is the fact that, when a venlafaxine positive is called, the substance reported is O-desmethylvenlafaxine, similar to the O-desmethyltramadol metabolite detected following exposure to tramadol.

These findings suggest that venlafaxine has, like tramadol, the potential to become a significant environmental contaminant and to give rise to low-concentration urinary identifications of O-desmethylvenlafaxine, just as exposure to tramadol as an environmental contaminant arising from a medication prescription can give rise to low-concentration urinary identifications of O-desmethyltramadol.

Ackerley Images

same reasons that oral isoxsuprine is ineffective in horses, namely that tramadol is very rapidly metabolized in the horse and these metabolites are rapidly excreted at high concentrations in equine urine.

We know that tramadol is chemically stable in the environment because it has been detected in 100 percent of the effluents of 90 European Union wastewater plants and was the third-highest concentration of medications detected in these effluents, at about 256 ng/L. We know that tramadol is orally absorbed because that is the way it is administered to humans. In the horse, tramadol is both well absorbed orally and rapidly metabolized, to the point that, like isoxsuprine, it is not a particularly effective medication in the horse.

Similarly, tramadol, as its metabolite, O-desmethyltramadol glucuronide, is rapidly excreted at relatively high concentrations in horse urine.

Given these circumstances, it should come as no surprise that over the last 15 years there have been a number of tramadol identifications in horses, usually single-instance identifications, and in a number of these cases, the source of the tramadol has not been identified. For example, in a recent case in Indiana, tramadol was identified in a post-race urine sample from a harness horse trained by an individual with a 30-year unblemished medication record. However, since tramadol is an opiate-type medication, it is classified as an RCI Class 2, penalty class A foreign substance, and as such carries with it a very significant RCI-recommended penalty, namely a one-year suspension and a $10,000 fine. Given the circumstances of this case, the long-time clean prior record of the trainer and the fact that no potential source of the tramadol could be identified, the Indiana authorities suggested to RCI that tramadol be reclassified so that the penalty structure for a tramadol identification would be less severe. And to further make their point, the Indiana authorities acted to substantially reduce the penalty that they applied in this case to a 15-day suspension and a $500 fine.

In another tramadol case in New Zealand, samples were sent from New Zealand to Hong Kong for special testing, apparently for ITPP. The samples had already been tested and passed by the New Zealand laboratory, so this Hong Kong testing was special testing. The Hong Kong laboratory detected no ITPP but reported tramadol in the sample in question at a very low 100 pg/ml concentration, so the trainer in question was subjected to a disciplinary hearing. The trainer admitted to taking 50 mg capsules of tramadol on the night in question, and the most likely route of exposure was considered to be through contamination of her hands after taking the medication and bridling the horse. The trainer told the hearing how “she suffered from chronic back pain, couldn’t get out of bed in the mornings without taking tramadol, and 99 times out of 100 took some on race night.”

We understand that the trainer was fined $3,300 but not suspended.

In a number of cases in the United States, tramadol has similarly been identified in post-race urine where the trainer or individuals associated with the horse have been prescribed tramadol for chronic pain. Reviewing these matters, we believe that it is difficult to justify the calling of positives for

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

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Ellis Park

Apr. 22 – July 11

Apr. 8 – Aug. 29

Nov. 21, 2014 – Mar. 29

Jan. 10 – Mar. 25, May 1 – Sep. 19

Evangeline Downs

Fair Grounds Race Course

Harrah’s Louisiana Downs

Jan. 1 – Mar. 29, Dec. 3 – Dec. 31

Delta Downs

Turfway Park

Apr. 25 – June 27, Sep. 11 – 27, Nov. 1 – 29

Churchill Downs

Kentucky

Apr. 18 – Aug. 8, Aug. 15 – Oct. 10

Prairie Meadows

Iowa

Apr. 21 – Oct. 31

Indiana Grand

Jan. 1 – Apr. 26, Oct. 2 – Dec. 31

Aug. 1 – 9

Oneida County Fair

Hawthorne Race Course

May 16 – Aug. 8

Les Bois Park

Mar. 24 – Sep. 7

June 7 – 21

Jerome County Fair

Fairmount Park

Apr. 25 – May 2

Gem County Fair

May 1 – Sep. 27

Sep. 6 – 12

Eastern Idaho County Fair

Arlington Park

Aug. 14 – 15

Cassia County Fair

Indiana

Illinois

Idaho

Dec. 6, 2014 – Apr. 5, Apr. 8 – June 30, July 1 – Oct. 3, Dec. 5 – 31

Gulfstream Park

Florida

May 16 – Oct. 17

Delaware Park

Delaware

May 22 – Aug. 16

Arapahoe Park

Colorado

Marquis Downs

May 29 – Sep. 12

May 17 – Oct. 1

Jan. 2 – Dec. 19

Penn National Presque Isle Downs

Jan. 1 – Dec. 31

Aug. 5 – 8

Tillamook County Fair Parx Racing

Sep. 11 – 13

June 13 – July 5

Harney County Fair

Grants Pass Downs

June 12 – 14

Eastern Oregon Livestock Show

Apr. 11 – Dec. 6

Woodbine July 8 – July 11

June 2 – Oct. 20

Fort Erie

Crooked River

May 17 – Oct. 13

Mar. 16 – May 26, Aug. 29 – Nov. 14

Ajax Downs

Will Rogers Downs

Mar. 6 – May 30, Aug. 14 – Dec. 13

Remington Park

Apr. 27 – Oct. 24

Thistledown June 4 – July 25

Jan. 5 – Apr. 25, Oct. 30 – Dec. 29

Mahoning Valley

Fair Meadows

May 1 – Oct. 10

July 18 – Aug. 2

June 13 – July 5

July 24 – Sep. 7

Belterra Park

North Dakota Horse Park

Chippewa Downs

Saratoga Race Course

Schedule is based on available information at the time each issue goes to press. All racing jurisdictions have differing schedules and policies regarding the granting of future race dates that impact availability.

Saskatchewan, Canada

Pennsylvania

Oregon

Ontario, Canada

Oklahoma

Ohio

North Dakota

Denis Blake

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

23

FEATURE

By Denis Blake

Expanding + Educating

THE NATIONAL HBPA WINTER CONVENTION IN ARIZONA BROUGHT IN A NEW MEMBER STATE WHILE FURTHERING DISCUSSION ON MEDICATION AND MORE

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The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) on February 8 brought down the curtain on its winter convention after conducting a wide variety of forums and expanding its membership to include the Wyoming HBPA. The four-day event, hosted by the Arizona HBPA, was held at the Carefree Resort near Phoenix. In addition to the educational meetings, horsemen from across North America enjoyed an outing at Turf Paradise and a trip to an authentic western saloon complete with bull riding.

“This was one of our most successful conventions yet, with a diverse group of speakers addressing several important topics facing the racing industry,” said Robin Richards, president and chairperson of the NHBPA. “We are also pleased to welcome the Wyoming HBPA and bring even more members into our organization.”

The convention kicked off with keynote speaker Mike Rogers, president of the racing division of The Stronach Group. In a wide-ranging address, Rogers spoke about takeout rates, simulcast fees, exchange wagering and marketing North American racing around the globe.

In the racehorse aftercare forum, Dennis Miller, founder of the Arizona division of CANTER, described the process of transitioning and placing former racehorses into new homes. He mentioned how CANTER volunteers will even come to the track to take photos and video to help owners and trainers in placing horses who do not have a future in racing.

“CANTER was designed to draw praise and not consternation,” Miller said in relation to how people from within the racing industry and the general public view the organization’s role in helping transition ex-racehorses into new homes and careers.

On the topic of growing the fan base, the NHBPA’s Robin Richards was joined by Tom LaMarra, news editor for Blood-Horse; Eric Halstrom, vice president of racing operations for Canterbury Park; and Sean Clancy, owner of ST Publishing Inc. “Customer service at tracks needs to improve and education is critical to generating fans,” Clancy said. “We say we are different in horse racing with horses and horsemen, but if we don’t educate and differentiate ourselves, we are no different than other sports and gambling.”

While much of the forum focused on attracting and retaining fans and bettors, Halstrom also discussed the need to bring new owners into the game. To that end, the Minnesota racetrack offers a racehorse ownership club each year for a one-time fee of $250 to join. Marketed more as an educational experience

Laura Plato

Arizona HBPA

Horsemen took a break from the meetings to enjoy the races at Turf Paradise.

than a profitable financial investment (although the 202 members in 2014 each got back $216.38 of their original $250 at year-end), the concept has proven to be a major success.

“Getting people into the game by ownership and doing our racing club are important,” Halstrom said. “This year’s club is already full, and we may do a junior club.”

One of the most heavily attended sessions covered out-ofcompetition drug testing and featured a panel moderated by NHBPA CEO Phil Hanrahan and composed of Phil Combest, president of the Florida HBPA; Clara Fenger, PhD, DACVIM, a Central Kentucky veterinarian; Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International; and Peter Sacopulos, an attorney and racehorse owner in Indiana.

Fenger, who serves as secretary for the North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians, cautioned that the goal of such testing should be to find those using illegal, performance-enhancing drugs without interfering with legitimate therapeutic and medical treatment needed by horses.

“The entire point of the testing Tom Metzen Sr. accepts a is to identify cheaters and have posthumous honor for his son a level playing field, not unfairly Tom Jr. in recognition of his efforts to assist horsemen with national penalize people not cheating,” she insurance issues. said. “We don’t want to go beyond the lines of what is unfairly affecting the performance of a horse during a race.”

Combest brought up the issue of financing a comprehensive out-ofcompetition testing program and whether the idea has been fully developed.

“First of all, who is going to pay for it?” he said. “It can be a very expensive process. It could be a huge amount of money for owners

“The entire point of the testing is to identify cheaters and have a level playing field, not unfairly penalize people not cheating.”

and trainers we’re trying to keep from driving out of the game. I’m just wondering if we’re jumping the gun on this and need a better a way to set it up.”

The final forum of the convention covered medication issues and included a distinguished panel of speakers: Marybeth Brown-Pirrone, a New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine member; Dr. Clara Fenger; Patrick Gallagher, a Chicago attorney involved in the pharmaceutical industry; Rachael Pontikes, who acts as litigation counsel for compounding pharmacies; and Dr. Thomas Tobin, a noted researcher and author at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center.

The RCI’s Ed Martin gave an update on the relationship between RCI and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium. He addressed the merger of the two proposed by RCI, which was declined by the RMTC. RCI then formed a scientific advisory committee to make recommendations for model rules.

“The RCI remains a member of the RMTC and will continue to rely on its lab accreditation (program),” Martin said. “We will continue to take policy recommendations from the RMTC as we would any other group. An important difference is sometimes lost: The RMTC makes recommendations, not rules.”

Fenger also spoke about the 26 drugs on the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule and potential problems with the threshold levels, especially considering that testing can now detect parts per quadrillion.

She raised the same concern she did in an earlier forum about outof-competition testing in that such testing makes it difficult for veterinarians to treat horses for medical and therapeutic issues.

“I don’t know what we’ll be able to use to treat horses,” she said.

“Our vet trucks will basically be bicycles.”

Also at the convention, the NHBPA issued a proclamation thanking CEO Phil Hanrahan for his service to the organization. Hanrahan announced in January that he would step down from his position following the convention. The NHBPA also posthumously honored Tom Metzen Jr. for his work on national insurance issues affecting horsemen.

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

25

Thank You, Corporate Sponsors!

Big Dee’s Tack & Vet Supplies equineline.com Finish Line Horse Products Horseman Labor Solutions

Thank You, Convention Sponsors!

Arizona HBPA Arkansas HBPA Daily Racing Form Elite Turf Club Finger Lakes HBPA Florida HBPA Indiana HBPA Lavin Insurance Michigan HBPA Minnesota HBPA Oklahoma HBPA Oregon HBPA Pennsylvania HBPA Racing & Gaming Services Tampa Bay HBPA Texans for Economic Development Washington HBPA

President’s Letter

FEATURE

PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS AT THE NATIONAL HBPA AS 2015 GETS UNDERWAY IS THE DEPARTURE OF OUR CEO PHIL HANRAHAN AS OF FEBRUARY 15. PHIL’S TENURE WAS A BUSY ONE. WHETHER IT WAS SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE CLAIMING CROWN, TESTIFYING AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING, REPRESENTING HORSEMEN ON A MYRIAD OF COMMITTEES OR ANCHORING OUR NATIONAL OFFICE IN LEXINGTON, PHIL WORKED TIRELESSLY. I THANK HIM HEARTILY FOR ALL OF HIS EFFORTS. I KNOW ONE THING—MY INBOX IS A LOT EMPTIER SINCE HIS DEPARTURE! WE WISH HIM WELL. Our seven-person search committee has begun the interview process for the next CEO. In the meantime, Laura Plato and Robert Scott will keep our office running smoothly, and I, along with the four regional vice presidents, am but a phone call or email away.

Our winter convention proved a welcome respite from the harsh weather in many parts of the country. Blue skies and 80 degrees, ahh! Many thanks to the Arizona HBPA for acting as our hosts in Carefree and to Turf Paradise for our afternoon at the track. While our biannual conventions are a time for committees to achieve consensus and set agendas, the panels are meant to be educational and thought-provoking. Mike Rogers, president of The Stronach Group’s racing division, was our keynote speaker. We thank him for representing the management side of the industry and vowing to work together with horsemen.

At this juncture, I believe the industry stakeholders must seize every opportunity to sit down face-to-face to solve some of the substantial problems looming before us. I believe our Arizona convention was a success in that we were able to look at two thorny issues—out-of-competition testing and the compounding of therapeutic medication—from the perspective of the regulator, attorney, horseman and veterinarian. In an effort to further educate the public, as well as those inside our industry, the panels were recorded. It is through this inclusive interaction that our industry will come closer together. Having Dr. Clara Fenger representing the newly formed North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians was beneficial as she is a practicing veterinarian and also has worked for several years on the regulation side.

Ed Martin, president and CEO of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, summed up the intent of all attendees: “Our agenda is simple— just do the right thing.”

We know that the welfare and safety of the horse is “the right thing.” By continuing to bring out all sides of the issues, we can help the industry make informed, commonsense decisions to provide true reform and unity.

Sincerely, Robin Richards National HBPA President

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Canterbury Park and the Minnesota HBPA management would like to invite you to the friendliest track in America!

Live Racing Returns May 15 – September 12, 2015 Featuring the Mystic Lake Derby August 23rd $200,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile Turf

All purses supplemented by Mystic Lake Purse enhancement fund

Canterbury Park Racetrack and Card Casino 1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee, MN 55379 www.canterburypark.com

FEATURE

Horsephotos.com

The most recent Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship offered a total of $2.36 million in prize money and an Eclipse Award.

TOUR DE

HANDICAPPING

By Michael Cusortelli

At nearly every racing industry conference held during the past two decades, some form of the question “How can we attract and retain new fans?” has been posed.

A 13-time qualifier to the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC), Paul Shurman offers up a no-doubt-about-it response when asked if the NHC and its year-round qualifying tournaments have increased his interest in Thoroughbred racing.

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“Absolutely it has,” said Shurman, an attorney from Dix Hills, New York. “I certainly enjoy horse racing more, and I’m betting on races at tracks, like Oaklawn Park and Fair Grounds, that I never would’ve even looked at before. I’m a New York guy, so I’d usually just focus on the New York tracks and maybe a California track if I was betting later in the day.

“Before I became interested in tournament play, which was purely by accident, I’d never even look at a race with a lot of first-time starters; I’d just pass it,” he added. “I had no knowledge of pedigree handicapping and no interest in learning it, but that’s all changed now.”

The first National Handicapping Championship was held in the relatively cozy confines of the 104-seat racebook at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas in 2000, when Steven Walker of Lincoln, Nebraska, took home the $100,000 winner’s share of a $200,000 purse. Fast-forward 15 years to this past January 25 when, in a large ballroom at Vegas’ Treasure Island Resort, NHC winner John O’Neil banked $800,000 from a record $2.36-million pot.

Handicappers make it to the NHC through success in qualifying tournaments, which take place online and at NTRA-sanctioned local events held at racetracks, off-track wagering facilities and racebooks. Winners of qualifying tournaments earn

Horsephotos.com

The NHC has outgrown the space provide by any Las Vegas racebook and now is contested in a ballroom-turned-racebook at Treasure Island.

“It’s been gratifying to me to witness the NHC’s growth,” Chamblin said.

“We have a dedicated team at the NTRA, and our board of directors deserves a lot of credit for allowing us to put a lot of time, money and resources into the event during its formative years. We value our customers and want the NHC experience to exceed expectations.

The NHC is a true celebration of the horseplayer.”

prize money and receive a travel stipend to the NHC, which has been held in Las Vegas every year since its inception.

“Handicapping tournaments, and the NHC specifically, are a growth area in horse racing and one of the few successful marketing programs or promotions introduced over the past two decades that is directly tied to wagering,” said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president of marketing and industry relations for the NTRA. “Wagering is the economic engine that, along with racino revenues, drives virtually every aspect of our industry.”

Chamblin joined the NTRA in 1999 after he’d served as vice president of marketing and public relations at Hollywood Park. In addition to implementing such marketing initiatives as NTRA’s $1 million Mystery Mutuel Voucher promotion and its national advertising campaigns, he was heavily involved in the development of the NHC. “It’s been gratifying to me to witness the NHC’s growth,” Chamblin said. “We have a dedicated team at the NTRA, and our board of directors deserves a lot of credit for allowing us to put a lot of time,

money and resources into the event during its formative years. We value our customers and want the NHC experience to exceed expectations. The NHC is a true celebration of the horseplayer.”

According to Chamblin, research shows that the average NHC participant is a 52-year-old male, which matches the general horseplayer stereotype. However, it’s worth noting that four women cracked the top 50 in this year’s NHC, and Judy Wagner of New Orleans won it in 2001. Wagner is also one of three women currently serving on the NHC Players’ Committee, which advises the NTRA on a variety of tournament issues.

Chamblin said that the annual income of the average NHC participant exceeds $100,000 and that the average NHC participant is likely to wager $400 every time he or she visits a racetrack or OTB or plays online.

“Nearly four in 10 have owned racehorses,” Chamblin added.

“It’s a terrific demographic for our business because these individuals have the time and financial resources to participate in the game. As awareness of the NHC and tournament play grows, particularly online, WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

29

Horsephotos.com

FEATURE

Keith Chamblin of the NTRA (far right), Mike Watchmaker of Daily Racing Form (second from right) and Jason McCormick of Red Rock Casino (left) present Paul Shurman with the thirdplace check from the 2009 NHC.

we think that the demographics of our customers will begin to skew younger. We see new, younger faces at the NHC every year.”

Developing a player who wagers $400 a day on racing has had a far greater impact on handle and purses than busloads of fans who come out for a T-shirt promotion at the track and bet $2 a race.

“We like to describe the NHC as a win-win-win [for the industry],” Chamblin said. “It’s a win for horseplayers, who are attracted to a new and unique way to participate in pari-mutuel wagering. It’s a win for the some 50 organizations that host qualifiers leading to the NHC. If a brick-and-mortar or online site hosts a contest under the right rules and conditions, they undoubtedly will realize an increase in pari-mutuel handle from contest play. That benefits everyone on racing’s economic chain, including horsemen.

“Of course, the NHC is also a win for the NTRA,” he added. “It’s among our most valuable properties and a great example of what our industry can accomplish when it works together.”

In addition to earning an exemption into next year’s NHC finals, O’Neil, a 74-year-old small business owner from Huntington Station, New York, will be recognized with an Eclipse Award as the 2015 Handicapper of the Year. To further honor tournament participants, the NTRA has established an NHC Hall of Fame; the inaugural class consists of the late Mike Mayo and Ron Rippey.

Mayo played an integral role in the establishment of the Daily Racing Form NHC Tour, which awards points and additional prize money based on a player’s success in qualifying tournaments. Rippey, a former public handicapper for the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger, was the 2006 NHC champion.

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The final purse of the NHC has increased nearly 12-fold from its first year, from $200,000 to more than $2.3 million. The first 12 championships were held at various racebooks in Las Vegas, but the growth in popularity has forced the NTRA to move it into a large ballroom at Treasure Island, located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

The NHC is currently in its 16th year, but Chamblin considers it to still be in its infancy. He sees even more growth ahead.

“A primary goal of the NTRA is to improve the economics for industry participants, and the NHC is one example of how we strive to achieve that goal,” Chamblin said. “We make tweaks to the NHC almost every year based on feedback from our customers and participating organizations. After the 2011 NHC at the Red Rock Resort, we realized that we had outgrown virtually every racebook in Las Vegas. Before we made the decision to move it into a ballroom, we were a bit apprehensive to leave a racebook environment. But the move has been entirely positive, thanks in large part to our hosts at the Treasure Island. They transformed one of their ballrooms into the world’s largest racebook with 18 big screens, nearly 20 mutuel tellers and self-service machines. Every place setting has power and an Internet connection for our players, and there’s not a bad seat in the house.

“The NHC Tour, which is intended to connect all of the tournaments held throughout the year through a points system and separate prize pool, is a work in progress that has the potential to draw more people into our game,” he continued. “With continued cooperation from all facets of the industry and an even greater emphasis on improving the customer experience, we believe the NHC purse has the potential to grow to $5 million or more in the near future.”

A PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE An attorney specializing in worker’s compensation cases since 1984, Paul Shurman, 60, lives about 15 miles east of Belmont Park. He was introduced to the racetrack by his younger brother, Bill Shurman, himself a longtime NHC competitor, but he came about tournament competition by accident.

“I was watching the OTB channel one day, and I saw an ad for a tournament at Belmont,” Shurman recalled. “I entered it, and it was at this tournament where I met Steve Wolfson Jr., whose grandfather, Louis Wolfson, owned Affirmed. Steve and I became friends, and I learned a lot about pedigrees from him and his father. I consider them to be pedigree experts; they can tell you a lot of things about breeding off the tops of their heads.”

Steve Wolfson won the NHC in 2003 after qualifying in an Autotote tournament.

“Sports Illustrated had a photographer there, and they were throwing money over Steve’s head and taking pictures of it—it was quite a scene,” Shurman remembered. “I had a great time at my first tournament. I especially liked the excitement of it and the camaraderie.

I called my brother up, and I said, ‘Bill, I found what we’re going to do when we retire. This is great.’ And we’ve been participating in tournaments ever since. Neither one of us is waiting for retirement.”

Shurman’s best NHC finish was third in 2009. He’s also finished sixth twice, most recently last year. In 2012, he earned $75,000 by winning the NHC Tour, and that made him eligible for a $2 million bonus if he’d won the NHC. He finished sixth out of 484 contestants.

Strategy is part of the handicapping puzzle for any raceplayer, but Shurman said that a successful tournament participant needs to look at tournament play differently than the average racegoer. For one thing, most tournament formats are based on mythical $2 win-place wagers.

Very few are based on the exotic wagers, such as exactas and trifectas, popular among many horseplayers.

Shurman uses several handicapping tools, including the HTR (Handicapping Technology and Research) website produced by Ken Massa, who Shurman calls a “phenomenal handicapper,” and the Thoro-Graph sheets produced by longtime handicapper Jerry Brown.

For pedigree information, he uses Bloodstock Research Information Services’ American Produce Record Online and the sibling summaries from Daily Racing Form.

“When most people go to the track for a day at the races, they maybe have glanced at all the races at that track before they go out, and they’re usually just playing that one track; if they’re at Belmont, they play Belmont, and if they’re at Keeneland, they play Keeneland,”

Shurman said. “One of the things that distinguishes tournament play from regular play is that tournaments usually include races from several tracks.

“When I’m playing in several tournaments on the same day, the first thing I do is make up a worksheet listing all of the races in order, including the post times, the track and the type of race and which tournament they’re part of so I don’t lose track,” he added. “As the day goes by, I cross off the races that have already been run so I can see where I’m at and what races are remaining. As the tournament progresses, my strategy is going to depend on where I am in the standings compared to the other players. If I find myself behind, I might play a horse that I like at higher odds to give myself a chance to catch up.”

Shurman handicaps all tournament races beforehand, and he does his preparation at his home, where it’s quiet. Once the races start, flexibility is the key word as his selections are subject to change depending on the odds and his position on the leaderboard.

“When I’m at the NHC and I’m handicapping 70 races a day, that takes a lot of time, and I wait as long as I possibly can before I go down to the tournament site itself because I know that once I get there, forget it,” he said. “There are too many distractions.”

Shurman often travels to tracks throughout the country to qualify and to earn NHC Tour points. In 2012, the year he won the Tour points title, his schedule included trips to the Surfside Race Place at Del Mar, Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Saratoga—all within a span of 30 days.

The travel is one of the things Shurman likes best about the NHC. He also values the friendships he’s made among handicappers who all share one common goal—to earn a spot in the NHC. “Many of my closest friends come from my participation in these tournaments and the NHC,” Shurman said. “We compare notes and handicapping strategies, even though we’re competitors in a sense.

And I think they’re attracting younger people to the game, which is so important. About 15 years ago, my brother and I were waiting in line to get into an OTB on Kentucky Derby Day, and he turned to me and he said, ‘Paul, I think we’re the youngest people here,’ and we were both in our 40s.

“One of the things about the NHC final is that once you experience the excitement and the camaraderie, you want to do whatever you can to get back the next year,” he added. “I’ve heard people who, the first time they qualify, say, ‘Oh good, I’m getting a trip to Las Vegas out of this.’

But once they’re there, they say, ‘Hey, I love this. I want to come back year after year.’ ”

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

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FORT ERIE RACE TRACK RACING IN 2015 The HBPA of Ontario invites horse people and fans to join us for the 2015 season at Fort Erie Race Track.

Michael Burns Photography

GETTING HERE

230 Catherine Street, Fort Erie Ontario, Canada L2A 5N9 Telephone: 1-800-295-3770

For further information please call the HBPA of Ontario: 416-747-5252 or 1-866-779-3067

Website: www.hbpa.on.ca Email: general@hbpa.on.ca Mailing address: 135 Queen’s Plate Drive, Suite 520, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9W 6V1

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Is the same true for horses? More and more veterinarians think so. Set your horses up for success choose Wellpride, the top anti-inflammatory oil that smells good, not fishy or rancid. Put the best in the bucket to get the best on track.

Visit Wellpride.com for information about omega-3’s effect on lungs and joints.

The 81st Running of the 2015 Ohio Derby!

NOW $500,000!

Saturday, June 20, 2015 Three Year-Olds - One Mile and One Sixteenth – Dirt No Nomination Fee by Wednesday, June 10, 2015.

Supplementary Nominations accepted to the Ohio Derby of $1,250 due by Monday, June 15, 2015.

Fill out this ad and mail to:

ThistleDown Racing Office c/o Patrick Ellsworth 21501 Emery Rd. North Randall, Ohio 44128 216-662-8600

NAME OF HORSE(S): ___________________________ OWNER(S):___________________________________ TRAINERS: __________________________________

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

33

FEATURE

LEARN HOW TO REACT WHEN BARN FIRES ERUPT AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM

By Denise Steffanus

The most devastating tragedy a horse owner can imagine is a barn fire.

The helplessness and horror of watching a barn burn with horses trapped inside is something that can haunt you for the rest of your life. Few people can comprehend how quickly a fire spreads through stalls filled with straw and hay unless they see it happen with their own eyes. In just minutes, smoldering debris is all that remains.

“You should have a plan,” said James Orsini, DVM, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center and co-author of a text on first aid titled, Manual of Equine Emergencies: Treatment and Procedures. Just like most schools and businesses practice fire drills, a farm or training center should have a rehearsed procedure for combatting a fire and getting the horses to safety.

NOT JUST HORSEMEN’S TALES ©iStock.com/Mendel Perkins Photography

For generations, horsemen have passed down the notion that you should blindfold a horse to get him out of a burning building. Once you have that horse to safety, you have to tie him up or put him in a secure paddock because he’ll run right back into the flames. Are these just old horsemen’s tales, or do they have some basis in fact? How exactly does a horse behave when a fire erupts?

“They’re totally unpredictable,” said Linda Aronson, DVM, an animal behaviorist who operates PetShrink in Berlin, Massachusetts. “We had a horse who would normally try to kill anyone who came into her stall lead out as nice as could be, and nice leadable horses give us trouble. I think you will find the more people you talk to, the more different stories you will hear.”

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Kathleen Bowker, DVM, of Suwannee Valley Veterinary Clinic in Chiefland, Florida, has seen similar reactions, unfortunately first-hand.

“Horses seem to be mesmerized by fire,” Bowker said. “They don’t blow like they are frightened, they just freeze up and stare at the flames. We had five horses in the barn and three left their stalls willingly, but the last two refused to leave.

“Horses spend their whole lives in the comfort of their stalls,” she continued. “They believe they are safe there and do not want to leave. Our horses didn’t have the opportunity to run back into the barn. But it is a possibility that horses would do that for the same reason.”

Nathaniel White II, DVM, MS, professor emeritus of equine surgery at Virginia Tech’s Marion du Pont Scott Equine Medical Center, thinks the primal herd instinct may take over during a panic.

“Horses have a flight response and will run from things that frighten them, but they also have a herd response, and when they are confused and frightened, they want to herd together, which could cause them to want to go back into the barn with their stablemates,” he said.

“My best guess is that if you have one horse, he probably will run. If you have more than one horse and they all got together and ‘talked’ to each other, some might run, but then if they hear some others back in the barn, they might go back in.”

Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, is the longtime director of the behavior clinic at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

“I know horses are generally creatures of flight,” Dodman said.

“Things that would not bother other species do bother them, like shadows, small spaces and the like. I’m wondering if since horses gravitate to staying in a familiar base and things are already bad there, they may think, ‘Why go somewhere scary?’ In other words, according to a horse’s logic, if it is bad in the safest place he knows, imagine how much worse it might be outside.”

White added, “Whenever they get sensory input of flames or smoke, they don’t necessarily put two and two together to get four.”

When confronted with the confusing, disorienting atmosphere of smoke and flames, even some humans won’t be able to act logically, much less horses. “[Horses] just can’t understand,” Orsini said. “Even trying to lead them out is difficult because of their anxiety of the situation, the smoke.”

That was Bowker’s experience with the two horses who were mesmerized by the flames and refused to leave the barn.

“We remembered the stories of horsemen blindfolding horses to get them out of a fire, so we tried it and it worked,” she said.

Renowned behaviorist Katherine Houpt, VMD, PhD, at Cornell University, said horses can react several different ways to blindfolds.

“One reaction is to just run, one is to freeze, and one is to be tractable,” she said.

Like Orsini, Houpt stresses preparation for disaster.

“I don’t know if everyone should try blindfolding a horse and leading him to a fire, but you do need to make sure you have a leadable horse,” she said. “If he doesn’t like to go from bright to dark or dark to light, work on his ground manners so he’ll walk. There are all sorts of videos on how to do this.”

Other horsemen try to herd all the horses out at once. That would allow the horses to obey both inclinations to flee and herd. But, oftentimes, the stall doors cannot be opened fast enough for a mass evacuation. That is just one of several reasons why veterinarians advise leading horses out of the fire and securing them in a safe, familiar place like a paddock or another barn. The other reasons have to do with easing anxiety and shock and getting the horses to where their seared respiratory systems can breathe fresh air.

OUT OF THE FIRE BUT NOT OUT OF DANGER Once you have evacuated all of your horses from the fire and have them secured so they cannot run back into the flames, it is of absolute importance to move them far away from the heat and smoke as quickly as possible. Smoke inhalation can damage a horse’s lungs, and if these horses are competitive athletes, damage to their lungs may be career ending even if flesh wounds are minor.

“They don’t have to be burned to die,” White said. “Inhalation of smoke is the bigger killer. Usually pneumonia or suffocation kills them before burn injuries do—very similar to humans. The main thing is to get them out of the fumes.”

As with humans who make it through a disaster, shock can easily set in; for horses, shock can be irreversible and fatal. It is important to know how to recognize the symptoms of shock so you can administer first aid quickly while you wait for a veterinarian to arrive.

You can identify shock by monitoring a horse’s temperature, pulse and capillary refill time. A horse’s normal temperature is around 100 degrees, a normal heart rate ranges between 32 and 44 beats per minute and a typical capillary refill time is less than two seconds. If increased heart rate, abnormal temperature and slow capillary refill occur at the same time, your horse probably is in shock. You should call your veterinarian immediately and make sure the horse is in a dry, welllighted area. Offer him water, blanket him if he is shaking, and then comfort him to reduce his anxiety until your veterinarian arrives.

PREVENTION FIRST The National Equine Safety Association is an organization that educates horse owners to recognize potential fire hazards.

“Cobwebs and birds’ nests too close to lights are things that no one ever thinks about as fire hazards,” said Eileen Wimbish of the WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

35

©iStock.com/cgearhart

non-smokers when hiring help and do not tolerate smoking in barns by anyone, even in tack rooms or under shedrows.

WHAT TO DO WHEN FIRE ERUPTS

Posting a “No Smoking” sign is important, but enforcing the rule is more important.

Safety Association. “You should make cleaning down cobwebs a part of your regular barn duties. They can cause a lot of problems, not only as fire hazards but also as contributors to airway disease.”

Birds often make nests close to lights, especially in the winter when they seek the heat given off by the bulbs. Birds may damage exposed wires by sitting on them, and the proximity of the damaged wires to the bird nests may set the whole place ablaze.

Gnawing animals such as rodents, opossums, raccoons—and even bored horses—also may damage wiring. Combine the damaged wiring with an extra power demand on the circuit, and a fire can easily ignite.

Space heaters in tack rooms during winter months are extreme fire hazards, especially those with exposed elements shielded only by a metal cage. Paper, straw or any highly flammable material that comes to rest against the cage easily can erupt into flames. Even heaters bearing the Underwriters Laboratories approval (UL-stickered) need close scrutiny because manufacturers’ warnings often include keeping the appliance away from flammable products. Even if you safeguard your space heater from directly catching things on fire, it will draw a lot of power through your circuits and may cause an electrical fire in damaged wiring.

To prevent or curtail electrical fires, the barn’s electrical system should be wired through a main breaker somewhere other than in the barn and that can be pulled quickly to cut the power. This is especially useful as a preventive measure in anticipation of storms or high winds that may damage power lines. Turn off the power until the storm has passed, and then inspect wiring for wind and water damage before turning the power back on. Have a licensed company install lightning rods to guide lightning strikes into the ground and away from the barn.

The worst fire hazard, of course, is smoking. Unfortunately, smoking is prevalent in the horse industry, no matter how many “No Smoking” signs are posted on the racetrack or on farms. A lit cigarette inside a barn is never acceptable, no matter how much the smoker may insist he or she is being careful. Whenever possible, insist on 36

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Obviously, the first thing to do when you see smoke or flames is to call the fire department. Most people believe this is all they need to do, but you might be surprised if you calculate response time, even for the best fire department. For a continually staffed fire department located one mile from the fire, a minimum of eight minutes can elapse between your 911 call and the first stream of water from their hoses. If, like in most rural areas, your local fire department is staffed by volunteers, add another 15 minutes for volunteers to respond from their workplaces and homes.

Ron Thames of Fire Service Plus in Fayetteville, Georgia, said it is of paramount importance to respond to a fire immediately on the farm instead of waiting for firefighters to arrive.

“A barn can be completely engulfed in fire within two or three minutes from the first visible flames,” he said. “The first thing to ignite will generally be some type of highly combustible material like paper or a bird’s nest or straw, which will rapidly spread to other highly combustible materials throughout the barn. Then light wood will catch fire, and the intense heat and flames will finally ignite the superstructure.”

Smoke detectors installed in the barn are the first line of defense against a fire. If feasible, smoke detectors that are hard-wired to enable them to sound an alarm in the farm’s living quarters are best. Be sure to test smoke detectors regularly to make sure they are working.

Thames stressed the importance of maintaining functioning fire extinguishers throughout the barn. He emphasized that the chemical contents of fire extinguishers will solidify over time from disuse and will fail when called upon. Fire extinguishers should be professionally inspected at recommended intervals and replaced if they are no longer potent.

When asked about relying solely on sprinkler systems to extinguish the first flames, Thames was skeptical.

“Sprinkler systems are a good idea if they function correctly, but some sprinkler systems go for years without being used,” he said.

“They can be clogged from dirt kicked up from clay stall floors and, depending on the metal used, might even be corroded or rusted. And even if they do work, if they are supplied by plastic water pipe, the pipe will melt with the heat of the flames. Most stable fires are too intense for sprinklers to put them out.”

Thames suggested maintaining an independent water source that does not rely on the barn’s electrical or water systems for use in containing the fire until pumper trucks arrive. In rural areas absent of fire hydrants, maintaining a pond near the barn that is deep enough to replenish pumper trucks is encouraged and actually mandated by some fire insurance underwriters.

FIRST AID FOR THE BURN VICTIM Burns are best treated by veterinarians, but there are some preliminary things you can do. and, even more important, some things you should not do:

1. Do not treat burns with oil, grease, butter, baking soda, flour, charcoal, Lysol, iodine or any other irritating substance.

2. Use gauze soaked in warm saline solution (one teaspoonful of

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3. Clean burns with mild soap and water.

4. Use gauze to rinse burns gently with warm saline solution.

5. Apply tannic acid jelly (available in your pharmacy or a warm, strong tea is a good substitute) or another approved burn salve or spray.

6. Cover burns with layers of sterile gauze, if possible.

more money, wire them to sound in the house or other spots on the farm.

3. Do not use space heaters with open elements unless someone is around, and only use the kind that are thermostatically controlled.

4. Have a licensed company install lightning rods to guide lightning strikes into the ground and away from the barn.

5. Store hay and straw away from the barn in a separate shed.

6. Clear bird nests and cobwebs away from lights.

7. Have an electrician inspect wiring annually for cracks and bare wires.

8. Maintain functioning chemical fire extinguishers.

9. Install and regularly inspect a sprinkler system.

10. Maintain an independent water source that does not rely on the barn’s electrical or water systems.

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FEATURE

27

What Is A LOOK AT THE EFFECTS AND COBALT? REGULATION OF THE MINERAL

Cobalt is a mineral that is present in animal systems predominantly as part of vitamin B12, which plays a key role in the production of DNA. It is a nutritionally required element with the lowest dietary requirement of all of the required trace minerals. The recommended daily allowance for humans is about 0.1 Âľg/day in the form of vitamin B121. The National Research Council, which determines daily requirements of nutrients for animals, has determined a dietary cobalt requirement of 0.5 to 1.1 mg/day in horses and 1.2 to 2.4 mg/ day for a cow, depending upon weight and metabolic state, with the recommended amount not to exceed 25 mg/kg of dry matter of feed or forage2.

Cobalt concentrations in drinking water typically range from 0.1 to 5 ng/ml, and daily cobalt intake ranges from 11 to 580 Âľg/day in humans1,3. Legumes, like alfalfa and clover, are the principal sources of cobalt in the natural diet of horses, and there can be widely varied concentrations of cobalt in these forages across different geographical locations in the United States and internationally4,5. Deficient soils can result in profound deficiencies in cattle and sheep, resulting in anemia, weight loss and general poor body condition. Deficiencies in these species are likely under-identified but readily corrected by supplementation6. In contrast, deficiency has not been identified in horses.

40

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By Clara K. Fenger, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, and Peter J. Sacopulos, JD

Oral absorption of cobalt salts in humans varies depending on the dose, compound, nutritional status of the individual and proximity in time to a meal7. For example, in rodent studies, anywhere from 5 percent to 30 percent cobalt can be absorbed orally depending on the cobalt compound. Increasing the dose of cobalt does not tend to cause significant accumulation, as increasing doses result in a smaller proportion of the dose being absorbed. In humans, approximately 80 percent of cobalt is excreted in the urine and about 15 percent in the feces8. No studies evaluating the oral absorption of cobalt have been done in horses.

Why is cobalt used in athletes?

Human recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) became available in the 1990s and rapidly became adopted into covert doping programs for human athletes. EPO stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells, increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

The ability to test for EPO was developed in the early 2000s, curbing its abuse, but it was pointed out in the medical literature9,10 that cobalt, originally used to increase human red blood cell counts in the treatment of anemia, also had the potential to be used and misused in athletics in much the same way as the administration of EPO. The potential illicit use of cobalt to improve athletic performance

is based on the cellular actions of cobalt, leading to its recent and reportedly widespread use in horse racing11,12.

Low blood concentrations have no impact on red blood cell counts or other doping effects until the blood level crosses a critical threshold13. Beyond this critical threshold, sustained high blood cobalt levels trigger a series of events that increase the natural production of EPO. Cobalt increases a protein in the cell called hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), which tricks the animal into believing that there is a lack of oxygen because HIF-1α is also increased during periods of oxygen deprivation14. High intracellular HIF-1α causes direct activation of the erythropoietin gene, resulting in increased plasma concentrations of erythropoietin, which would then drive the increase in red cell formation and an equivalent increase in red blood cell counts in some species15. In addition to its EPO effects, other effects include increased blood supply to the muscle and increased efficiency of energy utilization14. None of these effects have been demonstrated in horses.

The theory is interesting, but does this really work in horses? The hematological effects at high levels of cobalt can be impressive; in laboratory animals16, dogs17 and humans10, chronic daily administration of large quantities of cobalt chloride has resulted in significant increases in red blood cell counts and hemoglobin. Lower doses appear to have no hematological effect. In horses, single doses of 22 mg or 49 mg of cobalt18, or up to 449 mg of cobalt19, had no effect on red blood cell parameters. The consensus from the literature, including multiple studies in multiple species but not horses, is that chronic blood concentrations of 300 ppb and less are not associated with hematological or toxicological effects, whereas chronic concentrations in excess of 300 ppb are associated with both hematological and toxicological effects13.

In racehorses, cobalt is typically administered a day or two before racing. It seems unlikely that cobalt-directed changes in EPO gene transcription or capillarity of muscles could be in effect at the time of the race if cobalt is administered only a few days before competition. However, a small subset of horses, specifically among Standardbreds, seem to have impressive racing performances pursuant to cobalt administration two days pre-race. One possible mechanism of action of this mineral is its effect as a calcium channel blocker15.

Standardbreds are unique among the racing breeds in that they are susceptible to muscle cramping, or “tying-up,” during racing20. Other racing disciplines do not suffer this condition during racing but may tie-up before or after racing. The underlying mechanism of tying-up is unclear, except that one form is probably a heritable condition21 and likely mediated by calcium channels in the muscles22. Certainly some of the preventative therapies for tying-up involve calcium channel blockers, such as Dantrolene22, or another important required mineral, magnesium23. Since tying-up is prevalent among Standardbreds and other preventative treatments for this condition are banned

on race day, the purported performance-enhancing effect of cobalt administration two days before racing may simply be prevention of tying-up.

Why should cobalt be regulated?

Other than a possible mechanism to prevent tying-up or muscle cramping in some horses, cobalt appears to have no effect on horses in the doses most commonly used. On the other hand, there are many reports of cobalt toxicity in people. In a mining town in Peru, excessive exposure caused chronic excessive red blood cell production in miners to the point of sludging of blood24, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set safety levels for cobalt for the protection of workers at high risk, such as mining and some industrial jobs.

Typical adverse reactions to chronic cobalt administration in humans include nausea, vomiting, heart failure, low thyroid hormone levels and goiter, with neurological symptoms being reported less frequently25. Large circulating concentrations of cobalt interfere with the uptake of iodine into the thyroid gland, resulting in low thyroid hormone levels. In the late 1960s, cobalt was added to beer as an anti-foaming agent and resulted in a number of cases of heart failure.

Cobalt is taken up in high concentrations into the heart muscle, likely in its role as a calcium channel blocker, and has been linked to an epidemic of heart failure in a group of heavy beer drinkers from the cobalt-containing beer26. This specific syndrome was clearly multifactorial, as the specific disease syndrome did not match any others associated with excessive cobalt.

It is likely that these chronic high doses that are required to cause thyroid dysfunction or cardiac failure are not achievable in horses. At the extremely high doses that might cause these effects, horses exhibit impressive adverse effects, such as tremors, sweating and colic19. All of these effects are transient, and the horses appear to be completely normal within a few hours. Nonetheless, there has been suspicion that some incidents of sudden death on the racetrack have been associated with high serum cobalt levels, suggesting that there may be a relationship.

Other than a possible mechanism to prevent tying-up or muscle cramping in some horses, cobalt appears to have no effect on horses in the doses most commonly used.

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

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What are current regulations?

Hong Kong has had a cobalt threshold longer than any other jurisdiction, and the “in-house” urine cobalt threshold is 100 ng/ml.

A recent paper out of Hong Kong suggests 2 ppb as an appropriate threshold in plasma27. Among the criticisms of this threshold by the Hong Kong authors is that one of the study populations was a group of 109 horses in the United Arab Emirates. This population races under conditions of strict security, and yet six horses were considered to be outliers and had to be eliminated from the population before the balance of the group would fit the 2 ppb threshold. Thresholds for naturally occurring substances must be carefully considered, and elimination of data must be done only where considerable investigation is performed.

In Australia, harness racing officials have introduced a urinary threshold of 200 ng/ml after samples in certain harness horses there reportedly exceeded 3,500 ng/ml28. Similar to the Hong Kong analysis, University of New South Wales chemistry professor D. Brynn Hibbert29 examined a group of post-race samples from harness horses and identified a “natural break” in the data, ultimately requiring the researchers to eliminate 17 horses from a population of 80 to make the proposed threshold fit. Again, the elimination of 20 percent of the population without further investigation into alternative explanations, such as feed or hay sources, is inappropriate for establishing a threshold for which the penalty is on par with erythropoietin.

In North America, research is currently underway in a number of research facilities, including those at the University of California at Davis and Morrisville University in New York, to establish normal concentration values and a suitable regulatory threshold(s) for cobalt in horse racing. Indiana is the first U.S. jurisdiction to regulate and implement a cobalt rule. Indiana’s rule regulating cobalt establishes a threshold of 25 ppb. The regulation that was implemented, by way of emergency rule, became effective October 1, 2014, for horses in competition and January 1, 2015, for out-of-competition testing.

Indiana’s cobalt rule states: “Cobalt—not to exceed twenty-five (25) parts per billion of cobalt in serum or plasma. A sample from a horse tested and found by the Commission’s primary lab to have cobalt in excess of this threshold shall be placed and remain on the veterinarian’s list until the concentration of cobalt in serum or plasma has fallen below the designated threshold.”30 Indiana’s rule regulating cobalt makes a positive test a category “A” penalty, as established by the recommended penalties and model rule, regardless of its presence in a post-race or out-of-competition sample31. Interestingly, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission has issued a supplemental notice relative to the new emergency rule on cobalt that suggests leniency for those receiving a positive test for cobalt wherein the positive detected level is more than 25 ppb but 42

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less than 50 ppb. Indiana’s cobalt rule for in-competition testing became effective during Indiana Grand’s 2014 season and, significantly, with only weeks left in that season. Despite that being the case, there have been positive test results for cobalt, all of which, as of this writing, have been for in-competition testing.

Several other states have been closely observing Indiana’s lead to regulate cobalt, including California. In fact, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) recently discussed a proposal by its medications and track safety committee to add rules to regulate the use of cobalt.

In October of last year, California’s Equine Medical Director Dr. Rick Arthur addressed the issue before the CHRB. In doing so, Arthur noted a study that the board had performed at Maddy Laboratory that examined the results of cobalt chloride at low doses. Arthur reported, “What was found is that after the first elimination where probably 80 percent of it is eliminated in the first 48 hours…it takes weeks to get rid of the rest of it…that’s actually good news because it allows us to set a threshold that would eliminate its use.”32 Based on Arthur’s report and other considerations, CHRB Executive Director Rick Baedeker stated that the board would pursue a rule regulating cobalt at “the 25 nanogram level. And if a horse is above that level, [the horse] will be placed on the vet’s list until…it tests lower than the threshold.”32 Arthur, at the October 2014 meeting of the CHRB, also recommended that the proposed rule regulating cobalt include out-of-competition testing.

Another state contemplating a rule regulating cobalt is Minnesota.

During the 2014 meet at Running Aces harness track, several horses were placed on the judges’ list until cobalt levels returned to below 100 ppb. In the fall of that year, the Minnesota Racing Commission (MRC) discussed the status of cobalt regulation in racing. The MRC’s chief veterinarian, Dr. Lynn Hovda, provided a briefing to the commission.

Hovda discussed both Indiana’s and California’s efforts in this regard and the reason for needed regulation. The reasons given are those that are normally cited with regard to regulating cobalt—the potential for toxicity to equine athletes if cobalt chloride is administered at high levels and also that it is believed that excessive amounts of cobalt chloride may be performance-enhancing. The MRC has been and continues to move forward with adopting a rule for regulating cobalt.

It will likely closely follow the Indiana rule and establish a threshold level of 25 ppb. It is anticipated that Minnesota will approve an administrative rule regulating cobalt in May or June of this year33.

Thresholds for naturally occurring substances must be carefully considered, and elimination of data must be done only where considerable investigation is performed.

California performed preliminary survey studies, which, similar to the Hong Kong and Australian studies, also excluded outliers to achieve their threshold. The trend is clear: To set regulatory thresholds, horses with higher cobalt levels must be eliminated from the study data because they fall outside what looks “right.” This is not appropriate science, nor the appropriate method of regulating a multimillion-dollar industry.

On May 20, 2014, the Maryland Racing Commission decided that Maryland will begin testing horses for cobalt. The board chair indicated that there was “no definitive threshold” concentration for cobalt at that time. There are also no specific rules in place in Maryland relating to cobalt, and no comments were made on how a horse presenting with high concentrations of cobalt might be addressed34.

In the absence of a state regulation, Jeff Gural, owner of the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey, implemented a “house rule” regarding cobalt, using the current Hong Kong threshold of 10 ppb as an out-of-competition threshold35.

There is marked confusion over the regulation of cobalt because experts disagree on appropriate thresholds. Surveys of horses have resulted in the wholesale elimination of “outlier” horses based on the assumption that these horses must have been treated with exogenous cobalt. In a study where different laboratories across the globe tested the same samples, the variation between testing laboratories was as high as 82 percent for the testing in serum and 23 percent in urine.

Because of the greater agreement between lab testing methods using urine, the international community has settled on a urine threshold of 100 mcg/ml as a race-day threshold for uniformity36.

No dose-response studies have been performed to determine at what level cobalt has any effect on horses. However, a review of the literature regarding previous studies that have looked at humans, lab animals, dogs and pigs indicates that a sustained cobalt level above 300 ppb is required for cobalt to exert its hematopoietic and other effects13. Current regulatory focus on thresholds has sought levels that reflect likely exogenous administration of a naturally occurring substance that may or may not have been introduced with intent and not levels that actually reflect any performance-enhancing effect.

This lack of valid scientific basis for the cobalt thresholds that have been adopted has led to headlines and career-threatening accusations across the turf media.

In a study where different laboratories across the globe tested the same samples, the variation between testing laboratories was as high as 82 percent for the testing in serum and 23 percent in urine.

Cobalt conclusions The regulation of cobalt in North America has come about with great fanfare and headlines, but the science has yet to catch up. The thresholds adopted fail to hold up to scientific scrutiny and, like so many other regulations in this day and age, are more likely to trap innocent horsemen than those actually cheating.

Notes 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Unice, K.M., Monnot, A.D., Gaffney, S.H., Yvermoes, B.E., Thuett, K.A., Paustenbach, D.J., Finley, B.L. 2012. Inorganic cobalt supplementation: prediction of cobalt levels in whole blood and urine using a biokinetic model. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 50:2456–61.

Lawrence, L.M., Cymbaluk, N.F., Freeman, D.W., et al. 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Horses. Chapter 5. Minerals. The National Academies Press. 87–88.

Schroeder, H.A., Nason, A.P., Tipton, I.H. 1967. Essential trace minerals in man: cobalt. Journal of Chronic Disease. 20:869–90.

Kubota, J., Welch, R.M., Van Campen, D. 1987. Soil-related nutritional problem areas for grazing animals. Advances in Soil Science. Ed., B.A. Stewart. 193.

Herbert, V. 1996. Vitamin B-12. Present Knowledge in Nutrition, 7th ed.

Washington, D.C.:ILSI. 191–205. www.merckmanuals.com/vet/management_and_nutrition/nutrition_ cattle/nutritional_requirements_of_beef_cattle.html?qt=cobalt%20 &alt=sh (accessed Jan. 15, 2015).

Tvermoes, B.E., Finley, B.L., Unice, K.M., Otani, J.M., Paustenbach, D.J., Gailbraith, D.A. 2013. Cobalt whole blood concentrations in healthy adult male volunteers following two weeks of ingesting cobalt supplement. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 53:432–39.

Lison, D. 2007. Cobalt. In Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, 3rd ed. Nordberg, G.F., Fowler, B.A., Nordberg, M., Friberg, L.T., Eds., Amsterdam:Elsevier Science Publishers. 511–28.

Lippi, G., Franchini, M., Guidi, G.C. 2005. Cobalt chloride administration in athletes: a new perspective in blood doping. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 39(11):872.

Lippi, G., Franchini, M., Guidi, G.C. 2006. Blood doping by cobalt. Should we measure cobalt in athletes? Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology. 1:18–20.

Paulick, R. 2014. Is cobalt a killer in horses? The Paulick Report. http:// www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/is-cobalt-a-killer-in-horses/ (accessed June 1, 2014).

Merkeberg, J. 2013. Blood manipulation: current challenges from an antidoping perspective. Sports Medicine in Hematology. 627–31. doi:10.1182/ asheducation-2013.1.627.

Finley, B.L., Monnot, A.D., Gaffney, S.H., et al. 2012. Dose-response relationships for blood cobalt concentrations and health effects: A review of the literature and application of a biokinetic model. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B: Critical Reviews. 15(8):493–523.

Semenza, G.L. 2014. HIF-1 and human disease: one highly involved factor.

Genes and Development. 14:1983–1991.

Simonsen, L.O., Harbak, H., Bennekou, P. 2012. Cobalt metabolism and toxicology—a brief update. Science of the Total Environment. 432:210–15.

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16. Gluhcheva, Y., Madzharova, M., Zhorovab, R., Atanasov, V., Ivanovac, J., Mitewa, M. 2011. Cobalt(II)-induced changes in hemoglobin content and iron concentration in mice from different age groups. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment. 26:126–28.

17. Fisher, J.W. 1959. The effects of cobalt injections on total circulating red cell volume and bone marrow cytology in normal and adrenalectomized dogs. Endocrinology. 64(4):522.

18. Knych, H.K., Arthur, R.M., Mitchell, M.M., et al. 2014. Pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamics of cobalt following a single intravenous administration to horses. Drug Testing and Analysis. doi:10.1002/ dta.1737.

19. Scollay, M. 2014. Personal communication.

20. Isgren, C.M., Upjohn, M.M., Fernandez-Fuente, M., Massey, C., Pollott, G., Verheyen, K.L.P., Piercy, R.J. 2010. Epidemiology of exertional rhabdomyolysis susceptibility in standardbred horses reveals associated risk factors and underlying enhanced performance. PLOS ONE. 5(7), e11594. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011594.

21. Collinder, E., Lindholm, A., Rasmuson, M. 1997. Genetic markers in standardbred trotters susceptible to the rhabdomyolysis syndrome. Equine Veterinary Journal. 29:117–20.

22. López, J.R., Linares, N., Cordovez, G., Terzic, A. 1995. Elevated myoplasmic calcium in exercise-induced equine rhabdomyolysis. Pflügers Archiv: European Journal of Physiology. 430:293–5.

23. Fenger, C. Unpublished observation.

24. Jefferson, J.A. 2002. Excessive erythrocytosis, chronic mountain sickness and its relation to serum cobalt levels. Lancet. 359:407–8.

25. Jelkmann, W. 2012. The disparate roles of cobalt in erythropoiesis,

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26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

and doping relevance. Open Journal of Hematology. 3–6. doi:dx.doi. org/10.13055/ojhmt_3_1_6.121211.

Alexander, C.S. 1972. Cobalt-beer cardiomyopathy. A clinical and pathologic study of 28 cases. American Journal of Medicine. 53(4):395– 417.

Ho, E.N.M., Chan, G.H.M., Wan, T.S.M., et al. 2014. Controlling the misuse of cobalt in horses. Drug Testing and Analysis. doi:10.1 002/dta.1719.

Bartley, P. 2014. Cobalt chloride taking over from EPO? Thoroughbred Village. forum.thoroughbredvillage.com.au/cobalt-chloride-taking-overfrom-epo_topic48586.html (accessed June 1, 2014).

Hibbert, D.B. 2014. Cobalt in equine urine. Presented at the 20th International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians, Sep. 20-27, Mauritius.

71 IAC 8-1-9(a)(3).

71 IAC 8-1-7(b).

California Horse Racing Board Meeting Minutes for October 2014.

Minnesota Horse Racing Commission Meeting Minutes for September and October 2014.

Vespe, F. 2014. theracingbiz.com/2014/05/22/maryland-racingcommission-will-test-cobalt-levels/ (accessed Feb. 24, 2015).

Gural, J. 2015. paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/youre-out-meadowlandsbans-owner-after-high-cobalt-tests/ (accessed Feb. 24, 2015).

Popot, M.A., Ho, E.M.N., Wan, T.S.M., et al. 2014. An international collaboration on cobalt for setting up a threshold value. Presented at the 20th International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians, Sep. 20-27, Mauritius.

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send all address changes either by e-mail to: hj@hbpa.org Or by mail to: The Horsemen’s Journal, P.O. Box 911188, Lexington, KY 40591-1188

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Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of the publisher or National HBPA board or staff.

ALABAMA HBPA A study on the feasibility and costs to return live horse racing to Birmingham, Alabama, was recently concluded. The more than 80-page study conducted by the Innovation Group was a thorough and detailed analysis of what it would take to return live horse racing to Birmingham Race Course. In short, it would cost management less than $650,000 to return the track, 300 stalls and facilities associated with racing to their previous condition when live horse racing ceased in 1995. Costs for conducting a short “festival meet” in the spring of the year were included in the figure mentioned above. In addition, the cost over the next four years was estimated to be less than $250,000 per year to maintain the facilities and conduct a “festival meet” every spring. The study projected that the short meet would bring in an additional $394,000 in revenue per year for the next five years.

Track management immediately took the position that the cost to return live horse racing was greater than the study’s projections and that it would not be feasible to have horse racing return to Birmingham Race Course. In addition, the Birmingham Racing Commission has continued to give track management monies, the latest being $398,000 for past-due property taxes, from an escrow account set up to provide money for live horse racing purses or horsemen’s benefits. The regulations governing the escrow account state that money from that account can only be allocated during a live horse race meet. The Alabama HBPA has petitioned the commission to provide us with an explanation as to how this was legal under the current regulations. We were supposed to receive an answer from the commission on January 14. However, at the time of this writing, no answer has been forthcoming.

On a brighter note, the Alabama HBPA supplemented the two Alabamabred races that were held at the Fair Grounds last December. We added $10,000 to the Kudzu, a stakes race for Alabama-bred 2-year-olds, and $5,000 to the Magic City, a stakes race for Alabama-bred 3-year-olds and up. By doing so, the Alabama HBPA was able to maintain the purses at $25,000 and $50,000 respectively, making up for the cuts to our purses by the commission.

Congratulations to owner Jerry Hackett and trainer Randy Nunley for winning the Kudzu with Ira. Also, congratulations to owner Dennis Murphy and trainer Kenneth Hargrave for winning the Magic City with Buggin Out. Buggin Out is by Indy, a son of A.P. Indy who Murphy stands.

At our last board meeting, the directors voted to increase the supplement paid by the Alabama HBPA to owners of Alabama-breds. The amount was increased to $800, $600, $400 and $200 for Alabama-bred horses finishing first, second, third or fourth, respectively, in open races. The supplemental fund is capped at $20,000, so please contact Nancy Delony promptly if you have an Alabama-bred who finishes first through fourth in any open race at a sanctioned pari-mutuel track.

Thanks to the generosity of the Louisiana HBPA, the Kenneth Cotton Memorial will be held at Evangeline Downs on April 25. The race will be contested at six furlongs and will be restricted to Alabama-bred maidens, 3-year-olds and up. The $25,000 purse was made possible by the addition of $5,000 from the Louisiana HBPA. The additional money was welcomed by Alabama horsemen and horsewomen and is a true example of horsemen helping horsemen.

In other racing updates, the South Mississippi Thoroughbred Association has generously agreed to allow individuals who are members of good standing in the Alabama HBPA to participate in its South Mississippi Owners/Breeders Stakes. It’s a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds with a purse of $40,000-plus. To be eligible, you must nominate and make your first payment before the first Saturday in May. Also, you need to join the South Mississippi Thoroughbred

Association. For more information, visit the South Mississippi Thoroughbred Association’s website or contact James Alexander at (228) 832-3852. Alabama HBPA members, please take advantage of this opportunity, and be sure and thank Mr. Alexander for allowing us to participate in their race.

ARIZONA HBPA TURF PARADISE HOSTS EVENTS FOR NATIONAL HBPA CONVENTION The Arizona HBPA had the opportunity to host the National HBPA Winter Convention in February. The convention was well attended by all affiliates. The National HBPA, along with help from the Arizona HBPA, did an excellent job in putting this all together.

NHBPA Winter Convention attendees enjoyed a Steve Andersen of Equine day at Turf Paradise with a wonderful meal.

Savings donated a leaf blower and a lawn mower to be given away at the convention. On Friday night at the Buffalo Chip, we drew for the leaf blower, and the winners were Joe and Donna Davis of Kentucky. On Saturday at Turf Paradise, we drew for the lawn mower, and the winner was Debby Fergason of Oregon. Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to Steve for supporting our convention.

Attendees on Friday, February 6, had the opportunity to experience the Buffalo Chip in Cave Creek with an awesome barbecue and bull riding. Vince Francia, mayor of Cave Creek and GM of Turf Paradise, made arrangements with the owner of the Chip, Larry Wendt, for convention-goers to enjoy an excellent, fun-filled experience.

On Saturday, February 7, Turf Paradise hosted a buffet for the convention attendees. Owner Jerry Simms came up to welcome the National HBPA members.

Attendees enjoyed a wonderful buffet and day at the races. Thank you to Chef Gareth Jones and his staff for the excellent food and to Mr. Simms for hosting the day. Thank you to Turf Paradise for your great hospitality.

NEW RIVER FLOOD UPDATE Here is an update from the horrible flood in New River, Arizona, in September 2014 and from Frances Perkins, who is so grateful for the help she received from the National HBPA Foundation through the Arizona HBPA. Frances wanted to let those who helped know how the horses are doing. After a long rehab and lots of patience, one of the badly injured horses has come back to racing. Most recently, that horse, along with another horse in the flood, won back-to-back races at Turf Paradise. Frances wants to thank the National and Arizona HBPAs because, without their help, this would never have been possible.

RILLITO PARK OPENS FOR LIVE RACING Rillito Park in Tucson opened for racing under new management on Saturday, February 7, with a record crowd. Rillito has been making many changes to the facility to help improve racing, including resurfacing the racetrack. Local horsemen are excited about the changes. Purses were increased in hopes of drawing fuller fields. Rillito will race live February 7 through April 11 on Saturday and Sundays with post time at 1 p.m.

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KEEP YOUR INFORMATION CURRENT Horsemen, please make sure to keep the Arizona HBPA updated with your current email and mailing address.

ARKANSAS HBPA BOOMING BUSINESS LEADS TO BUMP IN OAKLAWN PURSES Oaklawn Park, having enjoyed strong across-the-board business in the month of January, announced an increase in overnight purses of between $1,000 and $3,000 per race, effective Thursday, February 12. This increase gives Oaklawn the highest daily purse structure in America at this time of year.

“To be able to increase purses this early in the season is a testament to the quality racing we’ve been offering,” Racing Secretary Pat Pope said. “We have some of the top horses in the country in our barn area, and I’m getting calls every day from horsemen seeking stalls.”

Lower-level claiming races and maiden allowance races received a $1,000 purse increase; open allowance races and claiming races for horses running for a claiming price of $25,000 and up will receive an additional $3,000 each; and higher-end maiden claiming races will increase by $2,000.

This will make the minimum Oaklawn purse $19,000. Maiden special weight races will offer purses of $61,000, and higher allowance races could offer purses as high as $68,000.

“We have a unique business model that features live racing, Instant Racing and electronic games of skill,” Director of Racing David Longinotti said.

“And what we are seeing is that the total is greater than the sum of the parts.

It’s working.”

The 2015 Oaklawn season continues through Saturday, April 11, when it culminates with the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1).

OAKLAWN FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED BY HOT SPRINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Oaklawn Foundation has been recognized for its philanthropy and advocacy of education and senior citizen issues in Garland County by being named the Outstanding Non-Profit Organization of the Year for 2014 by the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Oaklawn Foundation Chairman Darrell Meyer said, “We are thrilled and sincerely appreciative that the community has recognized our group for the work we’ve been doing since 2007.”

The Foundation’s Education Fund has distributed $1,142,000 to 362 students since 2007. The Foundation’s Scholarship Committee, which is made up of area school counselors, educators and business leaders, will award 106 scholarships in May of this year.

The Foundation’s Senior Health Fund distributed a similar amount to establish the Oaklawn Senior Health Care Center in 2009. The center is the eighth Center on Aging affiliated with the Arkansas Aging Initiative. The center was established in association with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. The Oaklawn Foundation has also collaborated with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Schmieding Foundation to establish a full-time teaching facility in Hot Springs that provides training and certification for caregivers of Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers.

The Oaklawn Foundation was established in 2005 as part of the community benefits program promised during a campaign to allow electronic games of skill at Oaklawn Jockey Club. The fund was seeded in 2006 with an 48

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initial gift of $1 million from the Charles Cella family. The ongoing funding from Oaklawn is based on a set formula but is totally voluntary. The Foundation is governed by a board of community leaders.

The Oaklawn Foundation disburses funds through an agreement with the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation. For further information on the Oaklawn Foundation, contact Kirby Williams at (501) 318-8384 or via email at kirby@kirbywilliams.com.

CHARLES TOWN HBPA HORSE RACING INDUSTRY SUMMIT On January 8, the Jefferson County Commission held a meeting with Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and local legislators who represent Jefferson County. The topic was the future of live Thoroughbred racing in our county and our state.

Guest speakers were Sen. Herb Snyder; Delegate Stephen Skinner; Delegate Paul Espinosa; Erich Zimny, vice president of racing operations at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races; Dr. Doug Allara, president of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association; and Phil Reale, lobbyist for the Charles Town HBPA. The topics discussed included the history of racing in Jefferson County, the impact racing has on the state’s economy and the agriculture and tourism in our community. During the roundtable, all agreed that the newly elected legislators are not familiar with the impact the racing industry has on our state’s economy and therefore need to be educated on our issues across the state.

In December 2014, as per legislative statute, the West Virginia Racing Commission approved a 2015 schedule for 220 live racing days. Subsequent to that approval, the horsemen and track management mutually agreed to request that the commission reduce the scheduled 220 live race days down to 193 due to a projected shortage of purse funds. At its February meeting, the commission decided to defer action on the request until the May meeting. This date allows for completion of the 2015 legislative session and any changes that may take place statutorily, potentially taking the decision out of the hands of the commission.

RACETRACK CHAPLAINCY The chaplaincy’s Christmas party hit a record attendance, with approximately 90 children of all ages participating in the games, stories and songs. Pizza, juice and cookies were served. Each of the beautifully wrapped presents was tagged with a child’s name, and the children went home with additional treats, winter mittens and hats. There were lots of happy faces.

The chaplaincy is grateful to the Zion Episcopal Church for providing the room for the event.

The Charles Town Baptist Church and the chaplaincy, in a joint effort, The Charles Town Baptist Church had a Children’s Ministry Day on and the chaplaincy teamed to host February 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Children’s Ministry Day. There were Bible stories, games, songs and crafts. The children were treated to lunch and snacks. The chaplaincy is thankful to the Charles Town Baptist Church for its continued participation with chaplaincy events. Easter plans are in the making.

NEWS

GULFSTREAM PURSE COMPARISON In 2013, Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet opened on Saturday, November 30, the day after the track’s first summer/fall meet concluded.

Wagering handle on the live Gulfstream product for December was down 27 percent from the prior year. The reason for the large drop in wagering was because the Tropical at Calder meet in the prior years ended Calder Race Course’s 150 or so race days and signaled that the Gulfstream winter meet, the nation’s best, was about to begin. In 2013, the Gulfstream meet was named the Championship Meet to differentiate it from the summer/fall racing that had just concluded the day before with mostly Calder-caliber horses. A lot of bettors apparently saw the new Championship Meet as nothing more than an extension of the summer/fall meet and its lesser-quality horses.

In December 2013, Gulfstream paid daily overnight purses of more than $265,000, not too far removed from the track’s normal level of winter overnights. Daily purses, including stakes, averaged more than $388,000, and starters per race for that December averaged a healthy 9.34.

This year, Gulfstream ran the Gulfstream Park West Fall Turf Festival at Calder during October and November, so it had the traditional Tropical-like meet before the opening of the Championship Meet. Wagering handle was better this December when Gulfstream opened with the Claiming Crown on December 6. But when adjusted for the number of days run in both years, live average handle during last December was up just 4 percent over the previous December.

Gulfstream is still having a rate dispute with the Mid-Atlantic Cooperative LLC, which represents a number of racetracks and dog tracks that hope to get a lower rate for Gulfstream’s product (or any other) by banding together to buy signals with the same rate for all members. Currently, they have not wagered on Gulfstream since December. If one adds their wagering total for this period last year, then Gulfstream’s live handle is up 6.3 percent this year. Overnight purses for this period were paid at the Gulfstream Park West level and were barely $203,000 daily, with total purses per day at just under $311,000 per day.

Starters per race this December averaged an eye-popping 10.42.

From January 1, 2014, to February 9, 2014, the weekend of the Donn Handicap, Gulfstream paid daily overnights of $286,000 and total daily purses of $445,000. Gulfstream paid these purses based on revenue from the card room, slots and live handle of almost $240 million, but starters per race slipped to 8.47.

This year, from January 1 to February 8, again Donn weekend, Gulfstream paid average overnights of just more than $272,000 and total daily purses of $412,000, with starters per race a very good 9.54. Total live handle was just under $230 million, down 4.2 percent from last year, but if this total had last year’s Mid-Atlantic handle included, the total handle of $245 million would have been up 2.3 percent over last year.

From November 30, 2013, until February 9, 2014, Gulfstream raced 45 days and paid average overnights of almost $279,000 and total daily purses of $425,000. Starters per race for that period averaged a very decent 8.77.

From December 6, 2014, until February 8 this year, Gulfstream raced 47 days and paid average overnights of $246,000 and total daily purses of $373,000, while averaging an excellent 9.87 starters per race.

The current Gulfstream meet is up 2 percent in gross live handle even with the terrible weather in the Northeast and the loss of the Mid-Atlantic buying group. But if you compare average handle per day, Gulfstream, because it has run two more days this year than last, is actually down 2 percent. This is the first time in memory that Gulfstream’s numbers weren’t up, but then again the meet is only half over.

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FLORIDA HBPA

THE CALDER SITUATION Things have not gone well for a lot of those horsemen stabled at Calder this winter. They have been moved from their stalls on the backside (for no apparent reason) and placed in temporary stalls in a parking lot at Calder.

These horsemen have been inconvenienced beyond belief but are patiently waiting for stalls to open at Gulfstream after the 2-year-old sale. We will explain in detail in the next issue of The Horsemen’s Journal how these horsemen have been treated.

BACKSIDE DOINGS Once again, Chaplain Tom LaPointe and his crew were busy serving 1,600 Christmas dinners to backsiders at Gulfstream, Calder and Palm Meadows training center. The dinners also included Carlo Vaccarezza’s famous meatballs from his highly rated restaurant, Frank and Dino’s. Pictured doling out the food at Gulfstream are Chaplain Tom and Carlo (in white). We were unable to identify the person in the black shirt…Besides dinner at the Christmas parties, each backsider received a Florida HBPA T-shirt and hat as well as a $25 gift card from the Florida HBPA for Publix Super Markets. There were also bounce houses, toys and lots of candy for the kids…The Florida HBPA sponsored three barbecues for Calder horsemen who were in transition from the Calder cottages that were being closed to rooms at Gulfstream or elsewhere…After the Calder kitchen was closed, Chaplain Tom provided food to feed the backside until a kitchen could be set up in the jock’s room…Chaplain Tom also recently had a trip to the Metro Zoo with lunch included that attracted 45 men, women and children from the backside…

Graduation for Groom Elite 101 (pictured) just concluded, which means that Groom Elite 201 is now ready to begin.

INDIANA HBPA HORSEMEN LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015 RACING SEASON AT INDIANA GRAND Calendar pages are changing faster than the Indiana weather, which means the opening day of the 2015 season at Indiana Grand will soon be here. As you read this news, the backside should be open, and workouts should be starting soon at the track (unless the aforementioned Indiana weather has other ideas).

Racing resumes Tuesday, April 21, for the 2015 season. A total of 120 days will once again be contested, including six dates dedicated to American Quarter Horse racing. The track will begin with a four-day schedule, racing Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 2:05 p.m., and on Saturdays, beginning at 5:05 p.m.

An additional day of racing will be added on Thursdays at 2:05 p.m. beginning September 17 until the end of the meet, which concludes on Saturday, October 31.

This year, Indiana Grand will introduce a new Turf Festival set for Tuesday, July 14, through Thursday, July 16. The three-day event will feature several turf stakes, including the listed $200,000-added Centaur Stakes for 3-year-olds.

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Other stakes featured during the festival will be the listed $200,000 Indiana Grand for 3-year-old fillies, the listed $100,000-added J. Kenneth Self Boys and Girls Club Stakes and the $100,000 Girls Inc. of Shelbyville Stakes.

Total purse money for the festival will near the $1 million mark. A special Thursday afternoon racing program will complete the three-day racing festival with post times each day at 2:05 p.m.

On Saturday, July 18, Indiana Grand’s signature event, the Grade 2, $500,000-added Indiana Derby, will be contested two and a half months earlier than it has ever been held. The 2014 race was won by East Hall and jockey Luis Saez. East Hall paid $35.80 to win, marking a record for the largest $2 payoff in the 20-year history of the race. Last year’s Derby was complemented by eight other stakes races, boosting purses for the night to more than $1.4 million, a new single-day record for Thoroughbred racing in the state of Indiana.

SUCCESSFUL 2014 SEASON HOLDS PROMISE FOR SEASON TO COME Final numbers from 2014 showed an increase in daily simulcast handle as well as in total on-track handle. Daily simulcast handle was up 20.2 percent in 2014, pulling in $4,497,951 compared to $3,741,981 in 2013. In addition, total on-track handle was up 7.4 percent to $8,517,278 compared to $7,927,630 in 2013. Total handle during the season was $101,246,904, and total off-track handle was $97,227,577.

A vast number of improvements were implemented prior to the 2014 racing season, such as the new track surface, new Jumbotron, new outdoor food venues and additional barns. Those improvements will be added to this year with additional dormitory rooms on the backside.

Thoroughbred trainer Tom Amoss came off a record-setting season in 2013 to grab his fourth straight leading trainer title in 2014. The Louisiana native earned the title by a comfortable margin, winning 58 races and accumulating purse earnings in excess of $1.2 million.

Jockey Fernando De La Cruz completed the season with 130 wins and purse earnings in excess of $2.8 million. Malcolm Franklin, the leading jockey in 2013, finished second behind De La Cruz with 102 wins.

Cindy Patrick also stepped into the record books for leading owner honors in 2014. Horses owned by Patrick garnered 33 wins, which established a new record for most wins in one meet by an owner. Patrick’s horses accumulated purse money in excess of $700,000.

For more information on the 2015 Indiana Grand Thoroughbred racing season, go to indianagrand.com/racing.

INDIANA HBPA BACKSIDE BENEVOLENCE SERVICES WILL BEGIN IN EARLY APRIL The Indiana HBPA will open backside benevolence for the 2015 season at the beginning of April. The providers schedule had not been established at the time of this publication. Eligible horsemen will have access to dentistry, an on-site physician, podiatric services and chiropractic care at the Indiana HBPA trailer. Off-site referrals are also available, as needed.

Last year’s benevolence activities were delayed until July 1 as a result of an extended evaluation of the Indiana program by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. This year, the commission approved 2015 funding for the Indiana HBPA so the benevolence program will be available on time.

All owners and trainers starting a race in Indiana are eligible to be Indiana HBPA members. Eligibility for benevolence and other membership benefits requires filling out a membership card, filling out all forms, providing required documentation for benevolence and paying HBPA dues of $5 each per start for owners and trainers, as established by the recent revision of the bylaws. For more information, go to inhbpa.org.

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IOWA HBPA 2015 IOWA HBPA SCHEDULE OF EVENTS April 6–9: Groom Elite 99—Introduction to Horse Husbandry April 17: Iowa HBPA General Membership Meeting April 18: Opening day of the Prairie Meadows race meet April 26: Annual Iowa HBPA Awards Dinner held in conjunction with the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Awards Dinner May–June: Groom Elite 101 held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays June 27: H.A.R.T. (Hope After Racing Thoroughbreds) Silent Auction June 26–27: Iowa Festival of Racing, showcasing three graded races July 6–31: Adventureland tickets will be sold and available for use by Iowa HBPA August 8: Iowa Classics Night featuring Iowa-bred stakes races, closing day of the meet IOWA HBPA AND PRAIRIE MEADOWS REACH AGREEMENT In January, the Iowa HBPA and Prairie Meadows reached a five-year agreement outlining many areas concerning racing. A major component of the agreement was the number of races to be run and the calendar being proposed by Prairie Meadows. After months of negotiating and meeting with Prairie Meadows, the Iowa HBPA successfully secured an agreement and racing schedule that will be beneficial to the Iowa racing program.

The 2015 meet is very close to the 2014 racing calendar, with a few exceptions. Opening weekend will begin more gradually with two days of racing starting on Saturday, April 18. The next racing week will be a three-day race week of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After the first two weeks of racing, the schedule will transition into the typical Thursday through Sunday racing program. The gradual increase into the calendar was done to allow horses shipping into Prairie Meadows to come in more easily and not put pressure on the beginning of the meet to fill races. The calendar ends with a five-day week, which will be a good opportunity for horsemen to try to run as much as possible during the last week of racing. We expect that the calendar for the foreseeable years will not change much from this schedule, unless agreeable to both the Iowa HBPA and Prairie Meadows.

Also, a major component locked into the contract is that Prairie Meadows cannot seek changes to any existing law relating to the minimums for the number of days to be run, amount of money to purses or its requirement to continue with live racing in order to maintain its casino license. These are all issues that are now secure by way of law and contract, and while they may not be ideal by some standards, they produce a reliable and consistent industry that horsemen can count on in Iowa.

IOWA HBPA OFFICE MOVE As always at this time of year, the Iowa HBPA office will be moving back to the backside. Our phone and fax numbers will remain the same. Until the opening of the meet, our normal office hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Once the meet begins in April, we will have the office available six or seven days a week, with normal hours beginning at 8 a.m. and going until 3 p.m. We can be reached at (515) 967-4804.

To keep up to date on news and issues occurring in Iowa, please follow us on our Facebook page and also sign up to receive our emails. To be added to the email list, please contact Barb at bcarroll@iowahbpa.org.

We look forward to seeing the return of our horsemen, including familiar and new faces!

NEWS

of historical racing prior to committing to installing machines at the two tracks.

Dr. Sal Lococo passed away in February of this year. He was a racetrack practitioner in Kentucky for many years. Doc was a strong advocate for therapeutic medication and a dear friend to horsemen and the backstretch community. Many of us remember fondly Doc holding court at various Kentucky racetracks on a wide range of topics. He will be sorely missed.

I read an article titled, “New Racing Economics Show Inadequacies of 1978 Interstate Horse Racing Act,” by Joel Turner. Joel does a thorough analysis of the history of wagering on Thoroughbred racing. While many of his comments are spot on, he is incorrect in his assumptions that horsemen’s organizations are top-heavy with trainers who have a subservient relationship with racing associations. Organizations such as the Kentucky HBPA consist of a president, five owner-directors and five owner/trainer-directors. Anyone who thinks, for one instance, that this group would kowtow to anyone has not followed our track record. In our efforts to protect live racing, we have repeatedly been sued for

Denis Blake

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The short session of the Kentucky General Assembly ended without a great deal of fanfare. It became patently clear that any legislation proposing casino gambling would not likely receive any consideration. The governor and key legislators echoed those sentiments prior to the session beginning. For several years, it was the focal point of the racing industry’s effort, and while on occasion it appeared that we were close, at the end of the day it was not to be.

As an alternative, historical racing continues to do well at Kentucky Downs. Ellis Park, with some aggressive marketing, has begun to show impressive gains, and Keeneland now has joined the Red Mile, a harness track, in an effort to offer historical racing in Lexington. Churchill Downs and Turfway Park remain on the sidelines waiting for a final ruling from Kentucky’s Supreme Court on the legality

AFFILIATE

KENTUCKY HBPA

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AFFILIATE

withholding the Kentucky simulcast signal from various entities. Yet we have never wavered, and the Kentucky HBPA has never lost in court for protecting live racing by withholding our simulcast signal in accordance with the Interstate Horse Racing Act. As for advance deposit wagering (ADW) companies, the Kentucky HBPA was one of the founding members of the organization that attempted to ensure that horsemen would receive an equitable share of the wagering revenue from ADWs. We were successful in ensuring that the horsemen in Kentucky would receive their fair share of the wagering. Yet, at the time, no one was sure of the overall impact of the ADWs, and our board has decided that the splits agreed to in the infancy of ADWs need to be reevaluated.

We invite any Thoroughbred owner to become involved with the Kentucky HBPA, and in that way they will have a seat at the negotiating table.

Below, you will see a letter from the Kentucky HBPA to all owners and owner/trainers regarding the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). After hearing a presentation from members of the TAA Board of Directors, the Kentucky HBPA board has voted to allow a $5 deduction per start from each owner’s account to fund this worthwhile program. If any owner is opposed to donating to the program, please contact us via email at kentuckyhbpa@ gmail.com, and we will make sure that no deduction is taken from your account.

Good luck in your racing endeavors, Rick Hiles, Kentucky HBPA President KHBPA PARTNERS WITH THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE The Kentucky HBPA has agreed to support the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) program. The TAA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose goal is to accredit and fund organizations that provide aftercare for Thoroughbreds.

Essentially, the TAA monitors and oversees retired racehorses. The TAA’s team of horsemen and veterinarians visit each facility on a regular basis and ensure that they are providing the nurturing and care that the retired equine athletes so richly deserve.

The TAA is funded in various ways, including a small percentage from horse auctions, racetracks and the horsemen’s purse accounts. The funds raised will provide support to accredited aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and place former racehorses. Since 2012, TAA has accredited 42 organizations and provided $3.4 million in funding.

Generally, a $5 fee is deducted from each owner’s purse account following the running of each of their horses at a specific racetrack. For instance, if an owner runs a horse at Churchill Downs this spring of 2015, $5 will be assessed to the individual owner’s purse account.

The TAA funding mechanism is termed an “opt-out” program, which means if an owner is opposed to donating $5 from their account, simply contact us by email or send us a letter and we will make sure your account is not assessed the $5 fee for each horse you race.

The KHBPA is cognizant of the importance of keeping each horse owner’s account protected. We hope that you will agree that the TAA is a program that is worthy of the deduction from your account. It is important to the KHBPA that we hear from you whether you agree or disagree with deducting from your purse account for the TAA. Please send us an email at kentuckyhbpa@gmail.com or mail us a note at KHBPA, 3729 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40214, expressing your view.

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REPORT OF TRACK VISITS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY Immigration lawyer William Velie and National Latino Liaison Julio Rubio visited our members at Louisiana’s racetracks of Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs and Fair Grounds in December 2014. Their second trip was at Sam Houston Race Park in Texas in January, and in February they visited Turf Paradise in Arizona. They set up meetings with workers, trainers and even some owners in conjunction with the HBPA affiliates and chaplains with the intended goal of screening attendees to see if they may qualify for some type of immigration relief on the Obama Executive Action Orders given last November.

We spoke to approximately 500 workers from the various tracks we visited and got a chance to answer questions from a great deal of our Kentucky trainers like Steve Asmussen, Tom Amoss and Bret Calhoun, just to name a few.

We want to thank the HBPA affiliates for inviting us and giving us the opportunity to help our workers, who are the backbone of our industry.

They greatly appreciate us coming out. We are planning to visit Tampa and Washington during the coming weeks per requests. If your HBPA affiliate wishes for William Velie and Julio Rubio to come out and visit your members and their workers, please contact us.

THE HBPA IS YOU The HBPA, established in 1940, is an organization of owners and trainers numbering approximately 30,000 nationally in 23 states and Canada and more than 6,000 in Kentucky. The association is governed by a board of directors consisting of owners and trainers volunteering their time and elected by the membership every three years. The HBPA is committed to working for the betterment of racing on all levels.

The HBPA represents owners and trainers on several fronts: • The HBPA is present in negotiating sessions with each racetrack regarding purse structure, equitable share of simulcast revenues, overall track safety, sanitation and security.

• The HBPA provides benevolence to horsemen in need, education and recreation programs to the backstretch, and various insurance packages that include—free of charge to members—fire and disaster insurance and claiming coverage. Visit one of the fully staffed HBPA offices at the currently running racetrack in Kentucky for details.

• The HBPA works in conjunction with the chaplaincy program and the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund to provide support and benefits for horsemen.

• The HBPA supports scientific research and marketing initiatives on a regional and national level to help promote interest in Thoroughbred racing.

• The HBPA is at the forefront in litigation and legislation on issues involving horsemen’s rights in regard to interstate simulcasting, proprietary rights, casino gambling, therapeutic medication, sports betting and many other areas of concern to horsemen.

How can I join? You are invited to drop by the HBPA office to meet the staff and learn more about current projects and how you can get involved in helping to improve the industry. There are no membership fees. Remember, this is your organization. Become an active participant and one of the horsemen helping horsemen. To join, all you need to do is fill out our membership card and fax, mail or email it back to us. For more information, please visit our website at kyhbpa.org and click on “How to Join.”

NEWS

2014-2015 Race Meets

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Fair Grounds Race Course 2014-2015 Race Meets

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NEWS

Canterbury Park is No. 1 in the horsemen’s opinion for quality racing, a beautiful backside, big crowds, special race days and horsemen relations. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

MICHIGAN HBPA

MINNESOTA HBPA CANTERBURY PARK NEWS Spring is fast approaching and so is our 2015 race meet! Excitement builds as the horses start showing up at the stable gate on April 20 in anticipation of our 70-day meet. Opening day is Friday, May 15, and we run through September 12. Our first condition book has been mailed and offers a projected average purse of approximately $180,000 per day.

We are excited to announce the new programming for the children of the backstretch this summer. In conjunction with the Shakopee Community Education program, the YMCA and other community programs, the children of any backside trainer, their employees or of any jockeys will be able to participate four days a week in sports, art, education, field trips, meals, soccer and swimming programs. Please tell your employees that this will be offered!

Registration is in early May. Contact the Minnesota HBPA office for information and to sign up your kids. Call (952) 496-6442.

Several of the Minnesota HBPA board members attended the National HBPA Winter Convention in Arizona on February 8-12. This was a great opportunity to hear what is happening in our industry across the country and to learn from key people in the industry as to what is happening in the realm of medication, out-of-competition testing, Thoroughbred aftercare programs, legislative issues and public relations. Several of these forums were recorded.

If you are interested in hearing them, contact the Minnesota HBPA office for information.

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MOUNTAINEER PARK HBPA

Jana Tetrault

The 2015 opening day for live Thoroughbred racing at Hazel Park Raceway is scheduled for Friday, May 1. Racing will be held every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the summer at this Detroit racing landmark for a total of 40 days.

Hazel Park and the Michigan HBPA Large crowds at Hazel Park Raceway welcomed clearly justified Thoroughbred racing back to Michigan last year. that the market for Thoroughbred racing, despite the regulatory and special interest obstacles, is alive and well in the Detroit metro area. Average 2014 crowds of more than 7,000 per night were punctuated last year with both old and new fans appreciating both Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse races.

Stall applications for the 2015 meet will be available in early March, and the barns are scheduled to be opened on April 1. Additional details can be found at the Hazel Park website (hazelparkraceway.com) or on the Hazel Park Facebook page.

We are pleased to announce two new Michigan HBPA board members. Tim Eggleston and E.J. Hubel were recently elected to the board and have begun their terms. As always, we sincerely appreciate all of our horsemen and women who ran for the offices and have given so much of their time to further racing in Michigan.

PRESIDENT’S LETTER During the 2014 West Virginia Legislative Session, the funding allocated to the purse account sustained a substantial decrease. In response to this and increased competition, the Mountaineer Park HBPA and the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort have worked together to support a bill that would reduce the minimum number of days that could be applied for from 210 to 185.

This was an extremely hard decision for the Mountaineer Park HBPA. Some horsemen and women would like larger purses and fewer days, and others would like to run the full 210 days Not even a little snow can slow down training at regardless Mountaineer Park. of the size of the purses. Last year, Mountaineer paid more than $22 million in purses, and this year we are projected to have approximately $16 million available to pay purses. It is clear that something has to change to maintain our racing program.

Also included in this bill is the removal of the $1 million cap on West Virginia-bred races at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort. This cap previously prevented West Virginia-bred races from being written once the cap was met. The money for these races comes directly from the purse account.

As a state that promotes its breeding program, it doesn’t make sense not to allow these races to be written throughout the entire racing season to provide opportunities to race our horses bred in West Virginia.

Faced with the decrease in revenue, it is imperative that we work together.

The board and the horsemen and women at Mountaineer are faced with significant challenges, but I am confident that we can work together to protect and sustain racing in West Virginia.

Sincerely, Jami Poole, Mountaineer Park HBPA President WEST VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION RETIREMENT PLAN FOR BACKSTRETCH WORKERS The West Virginia Racing Commission Retirement Plan for Backstretch Workers had open enrollment for 2010 and 2011 in November 2014. Open enrollment for years 2012–2014 will take place during March and April.

Please check with the Mountaineer Park HBPA office as the requirements have changed.

NEWS

MOUNTAINEER PARK CHAPLAINCY The Mountaineer Park Chaplaincy has offered free soup, chili and sloppy joes throughout the winter months in Donna’s Kitchen. They also organized a Welcome Back Breakfast for all of those on the backside on March 1, the first day of racing for the 2015 racing season.

NEBRASKA HBPA

Ackerley Images

LIVE RACING UNDERWAY IN NEBRASKA The live racing season began at Fonner Park in Grand Island on February 20 and will continue through May 2. From there, Horsemen’s Park in Omaha will run a three-day meet from May 8 to May 10, and after a summer break, live racing will resume on August 8 in Columbus and will continue through September 7. In addition, Lincoln Race Course will run one live day to be announced at a later date. A total of 51 live days have been scheduled for Thoroughbred racing in the state.

The Nebraska HBPA Board of Directors election process has already started.

Ballots will be mailed out by March 23 and must be postmarked no later than April 24. Please update your address so that a ballot can be sent to you. If the Nebraska HBPA does not have a current address for you on file, the organization is not responsible for any mail that is redirected or lost. Please send your current address to Nebraska HBPA, 6406 South 150th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137, or call Shelly at (402) 731-5300. You may also call this number if you have any questions regarding the election.

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IMPROVING COMMUNICATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA The Mountaineer Park HBPA is working on improving communication with members through a variety of initiatives. A renovated and updated website will be more interactive with regular updates. The board is working on improving its social media presence through Facebook and Twitter. Regular updates and important information will be posted on Facebook. There will also be a link for feedback and suggestions on a forum page. Please like the Mountaineer Park HBPA Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. Please contact the Mountaineer Park HBPA office at (304) 387-9772 to update your contact information.

NEW ENGLAND HBPA NEGOTIATIONS FOR LIVE RACING IN NEW ENGLAND CONTINUE

By Lynne Snierson Although no agreement to restore live racing at Suffolk Downs in 2015– 2016 has been reached, negotiations between the management of Suffolk Downs and the New England horsemen continue.

“We remain hopeful that we can come to terms so that our horsemen and the Massachusetts breeders will have a place to race our horses this year and next,” said New England HBPA President Anthony Spadea.

As previously reported, Suffolk officials announced in September that they would no longer host live racing due to the failed bid by gaming partner Mohegan Sun to secure the lone Boston area license to develop a world-class casino. The New England HBPA then began to pursue a lease agreement to operate a meet at the 80-year-old racetrack.

For months, the two sides have been in protracted and sensitive negotiations to strike an economically viable deal. At press time, and with time running short for horsemen to make their plans for the spring and summer months, there was still no deal.

Moreover, simulcasting was still at issue. Since Suffolk did not apply for 2015 live racing dates, the track’s simulcasting rights were to expire on December 31. But in the waning hours of the legislative session, a bill was passed to allow the simulcasting rights an extension only through March 31. At that time, the legislature urged track management and the horsemen to strike a deal to bring back live racing, preserve about 1,500 direct and non-direct Thoroughbred industry jobs and protect the 61 breeding farms and 6,650 acres of open green space in the state.

Should the two sides be able to come to terms, the live meet operated by the New England HBPA could be anywhere from one day to 50 days, dependent upon the horse population and the passage of enabling legislation. Presently, state law mandates a minimum of 65 live Thoroughbred racing days for the licensee to simulcast.

Nevertheless, the key issues remain the ability to use funds from the new Race Horse Development Fund to partially cover operating expenses for a meet of any length and approval of that by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Under terms of the state’s 2011 expanding gambling law, the Race Horse Development Fund was established to protect the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing and breeding industries. Monies in the fund are to be supplied by a percentage of licensing fees plus future revenue from the single slots parlor and as many as three destination resort casinos to be developed in separate geographical regions.

The Race Horse Development Fund is to be split 75 percent to 25 percent between the Thoroughbred and Standardbred interests, and the law mandates that of each breed’s share, 80 percent must go to purses, 16 percent to breeders and 4 percent to backstretch welfare.

Unless there is a change in the law and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission approves it, the horsemen will not have the funds to assume the considerable risk. Moreover, Suffolk’s owners, who have lost about $60 million on live racing in recent years, have stated that they have no intention of continuing to subsidize live racing.

Meanwhile, the Carney family, which owns the Brockton Fairgrounds and holds two separate agricultural licenses to host live racing, has applied for two Thoroughbred fair meets of 15 days each in 2015. There has not been live racing at the Fairgrounds, which has a five-eighths-mile track and no turf course, since 2001.

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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission had scheduled a hearing for February 19 to take up racing related matters.

In New Hampshire, Sen. Lou D’Allessandro (D) introduced an expanded gambling bill on February 17 calling for the authorization of one large resort casino to be located in the southern tier of the state and one smaller one to be located elsewhere. S.B. 113 is similar to the bill the senator brought forward last year. It had overwhelming bipartisan support in the Republican-controlled Senate but failed in the Democratic-controlled House by one vote. With the House now in Republican hands with a wide majority, there was no way to predict how the vote would go this time around.

Millennium Gaming of Las Vegas holds the option to purchase Rockingham Park, which has not hosted live Thoroughbred racing since 2002, but only if an expanded gambling bill passes. The company must then win the competitive bidding process to develop a casino at the track. Millennium officials have stated that the return of live racing would be part of the plans for a revitalized Rockingham. But a local developer has a purchase and sales agreement to purchase 50 acres of the property, which comprises about 75 percent of the current stable area.

approximately $145,000 to $150,000, including Ohio Thoroughbred Fund monies. This will be the highest average daily purse distribution in the more than 80-year history of the Cleveland-area track.

Average daily purse distribution at Thistledown hit an all-time low of $49,724 in 2011 before climbing slightly to $50,592 per day in 2012. In 2013, the first year of VLT operations at Thistledown, the average daily purse distribution climbed to $84,919. Last year, average daily purse distribution at the track was just more than $116,000.

Purses on all races will be up approximately 20 percent from the purse levels at Thistledown at the close of the 2014 racing season. There were two purse increases during the 2014 racing season at Thistledown.

There will be 100 days of live racing at Thistledown in 2015. Beginning on April 27, racing will be held every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday through the end of July. In August, Fridays will be dropped from the schedule, and live racing will be conducted three days per week. Fridays return to the schedule in September for the remainder of the meet, which concludes October 24.

Stakes highlights for the Thistledown meet include the Ohio Derby on June 20, which will have a record $500,000 purse in 2015, up from $300,000 last year, and the five-race Best of Ohio Stakes series, with total purses of $750,000, to be run on October 10.

OHIO HBPA OHIO THOROUGHBRED FUND EXPECTED TO PAY $5.5 MILLION TO OHIO-BREDS IN 2015 Thanks to a commitment by the Ohio HBPA as well as state-legislated funds, there has never been a better time to own an Ohio-bred Thoroughbred.

The Ohio HBPA, as part of its 10-year VLT Revenue Sharing Agreements with both Thistledown and Mahoning Valley Race Course, has committed 10 percent of the horsemen’s share of the VLT revenues from those contracts to the Ohio Thoroughbred Fund. As a result, the Ohio Thoroughbred Fund is expected to pay out approximately $5.5 million to Ohio-breds racing in the state in 2015, more than double the total paid out by the fund last year.

A total of 41 Ohio-bred stakes will be run at Belterra Park, Mahoning Valley Race Course and Thistledown in 2015, each with a minimum purse of $75,000, up from $50,000 last year. The five stakes comprising the Best of Ohio program to be run on October 10 at Thistledown will each carry a purse of $150,000.

The purse supplements paid from the Ohio Thoroughbred Fund to Ohiobreds competing in restricted Ohio-bred races other than stakes have tripled since the beginning of 2014. All Ohio-bred maiden special weight races will carry a $7,500 Ohio Thoroughbred Fund supplement in 2015, while a $5,000 Ohio-bred claiming race will carry a $3,000 Ohio Thoroughbred Fund supplement.

In addition, broodmare and stallion awards have been expanded to the breeders of record for the first three finishers in any eligible race. Previously, only the winner was eligible for broodmare and stallion awards.

Another change to the conditions of the Ohio Thoroughbred Fund that should enhance the value of Ohio-breds is that wins against Ohio-bred allowance company will no longer count against a horse for purposes of eligibility when entering any allowance race against open competition at Ohio’s three Thoroughbred tracks.

THISTLEDOWN ANNOUNCES RECORD PURSE STRUCTURE Thistledown and the Ohio HBPA have announced a record purse structure at the track for the first condition book of the Thistledown 2015 meet, which is set to begin on April 27.

Average overnight purse distribution at Thistledown in 2015 should be 56

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BELTERRA PARK MEET KICKS OFF MAY 1 Belterra Park will kick off a 93-day meet on May 1 with some visible and some not-so-visible improvements to the racing portion of the facility.

The first improvement horsemen will likely notice is that the paddock has been renovated to a more open design to address safety concerns brought forward by the Ohio HBPA last year.

The main track will have a new top surface in 2015 based on the recommendations of Santa Anita trackman Dennis Moore, who has been hired by Belterra Park as a consultant on the racing surface. According to Moore, the silt content of the dirt last year created some unevenness in the drying and draining of the surface, and there will be a different blend put on the track in 2015 in an attempt to rectify those issues.

The new seven-furlong turf course also will be ready for use in 2015. Belterra Park also has purchased an additional tractor for use during racing hours to address another concern of our membership from last year. There will now be three tractors reconditioning the surface between each race. Additionally, extensions have been installed on both sides of the water truck to ensure that the entire racing surface is watered between each race when needed.

Racing will be conducted on a Thursday through Sunday schedule each week at Belterra from May 1 through October 10.

THOROUGHBRED RACING ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA HBPA) HERITAGE PLACE ANNOUNCES NEW DATE, ADDS YEARLING SESSION Heritage Place will hold its annual Thoroughbred sale earlier than in years past as the 2015 edition will be Sunday, October 4. The sale will feature a yearling session followed by a mixed-age session.

The catalog fee for the 2015 Thoroughbred sale will be $500, and commission for the sale is 5 percent with a $150 minimum. The fees, when compared to industry averages, allow consignors to maximize profits. The deadline for consigning to the fourth annual Heritage Place Thoroughbred Sale is August 25, with supplemental entries accepted until September 30.

NEWS

HBPA OF ONTARIO “TALKIN’ HORSES” IS BACK September 2014 saw the HBPA of Ontario introduce the TV show “Talkin’ Horses.” Pleased with the success of last year’s show, the board of the Ontario HBPA is excited to announce that “Talkin’ Horses” will be back for another season, expanding from 10 to 21 episodes.

“Talkin’ Horses” was created by executive producer Joe Tilley, who shares hosting duties with Jason Portuondo. Viewers tuned in to watch the “Talkin’ Horses” team showcase the province’s Thoroughbred racing industry and its interesting personalities. A highlight of the series was Portuondo’s “Jockey Joust.” Viewers watched weekly to see which jockey had the knowledge to make it all the way to the finale in this competitive series.

“The board of the Ontario HBPA is enthusiastic about expanding the season of ‘Talkin’ Horses,’ ” said Ontario HBPA President Sue Leslie. “Our board believes that horse racing belongs on television if we are to remain relevant and encourage new owners and customers to our industry. We hope all our members will tune in and promote the show any way they can.”

Denis Blake

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2014 TRAO SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS The following students were awarded TRAO scholarships: Jessica Buehrer, Lindsay Caster, Sierra Cunningham, Jesse Oberlander, Peter Caparelli Jr., Samuel Charlton, Garret Engel and Marisa Quinonez.

To apply for a 2015 scholarship, contact the TRAO office at (405) 427-8753 or go to traoracing.com.

WILL ROGERS MEET OPENS MARCH 16 Spring racing begins at Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs on March 16, and with the races comes the arrival of high-earning competitors and nationally recognized trainers to compete neck and neck on the track.

The Thoroughbred spring meet runs through May 26. Monday and Tuesday races begin March 16 at 1:15 p.m., both days featuring 10 races.

Will Rogers Downs is beginning a new twilight series each Saturday, beginning April 4. With the exception of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes days, the Saturday races will kick off at 3:30 p.m., with eight races each day.

“We are excited about changing up Saturday tradition,” said Jesse Ullery, racing secretary for Will Rogers Downs. “We’re beginning a new twilight racing series. It will begin our Saturday races a little later and finish near dusk with live entertainment. Imagine a Saturday evening party to close out the races.”

The third running of the Wilma Mankiller Memorial and the ninth running of the Clem McSpadden Memorial Route 66 start the stakes races off with $50,000 purses on April 6 and 7.

“We’ve made some major changes to our calendar, so our major stakes races will run on Monday and Tuesday,” Ullery said. “That should lead to more exposure nationwide and help get more simulcast coverage.”

The seventh running of the Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs Classic Distaff Sprint and the third running of the TRAO Classic Sprint will be featured April 27 and 28. The fourth consecutive Oklahoma Stallion Stakes Colts and Geldings Division and the Oklahoma Stallion Stakes Fillies Division will be run on May 2 with $50,000 purses each. The spring meet closes on May 25 and 26 with the running of the third annual RPDC Classic Distaff and the fourth annual

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Cherokee Nation Classic Cup, guaranteeing $50,000 and $55,000, respectively.

During the spring of 2014, $20.5 million was wagered on live racing at the track.

Will Rogers Downs, which is in its ninth year of operation, had 11 days surpass $1 million in total handle and set a single-day record of wagering with $1.5 million during the 2014 Thoroughbred meet.

For the 2015 season, trainer Roger Engel is back to defend his leading trainer title, but Ullery said he’s going to face tough competition.

“We have a couple of tough guys coming in to challenge him,” Ullery said.

“Karl Broberg is one of the nationally ranked top trainers and wins a lot of races. It’ll be interesting to see him compete. Trainers Joe Offolter, Boyd Caster, Martin Lozano and Scott Young are still competing as well. It’s going to be fun to watch.”

Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs is located three miles east of Claremore on Highway 20. For more information, visit cherokeecasino.com or call (918) 283-8800.

“By moving up the date of the sale, we want to accommodate buyers and sellers by attracting more top-quality yearlings,” said Spence Kidney, Heritage Place’s general manager. “Our central location makes it very convenient for horsemen traveling from anywhere throughout the United States. I am very pleased with the interest shown from breeders and agents we have spoken to. I believe this will be a great regional event that consignors and buyers can look forward to each year.”

Built in 1978, Heritage Place is centrally located in southwest Oklahoma City, just five minutes from Will Rogers World Airport and close to Remington Park. The facility’s central location in the United States makes it easily accessible for buyers and consignors throughout the country, and its proximity to the airport is convenient for international buyers.

Heritage Place was built by horsemen for horsemen, with attention to details that focused on showcasing horses. The company is owned by Dr. Charles Graham of Elgin, Texas; the Robert W. Moore family of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and the Bruce Gentry and Robert Gentry families of Lubbock, Texas.

Situated on 40 acres, Heritage Place boasts a unique sale facility unmatched in the country, consisting of 4 ½ acres under one roof that includes 640 stalls, a 1,000-seat air-conditioned auditorium, a club, a restaurant and an arena.

For more information on Heritage Place’s upcoming sales, visit heritageplace.com.

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The show will continue to be based out of Toronto’s Woodbine Racetrack and make recurring trips to Ontario’s other Thoroughbred venue, the picturesque oval at Fort Erie. The hosts will be joined by returning reporters, including longtime Thoroughbred writer and handicapper Jennifer Morrison, well-known Fort Erie commentator Elissa Blowe and Maddie-Jo Tilley, a Humber College graduate with honors in journalism.

“Talkin’ Horses” will air every Saturday on CTV2 at 11:30 a.m. and on CTV at 1 p.m. Season two will begin Saturday, June 13, which is Plate Trial weekend, and will conclude Saturday, November 7, on Breeders’ Cup weekend.

Get the latest from “Talkin’ Horses” on Twitter (@TalkinHorsesTV), Instagram (@TalkinHorsesTV) and Facebook (facebook.com/talkinhorses).

FORT ERIE RACE TRACK ANNOUNCES 2015 RACE DATES AND CHANGES TO HIP PROGRAM On Monday, January 26, Fort Erie Race Track received approval from the Ontario Racing Commission to extend its racing season by two weeks, resulting in a 40-day meet for 2015. In addition, the track happily announced that after several meetings between the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS), Ontario HBPA and Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium (FELRC), there was a decision made to implement and to change the allocation of the Thoroughbred Horse Improvement Program (HIP), resulting in a decision to implement a 20 percent purse bonus for all eligible Ontario-sired horses in 2015. The change, subject to final Ontario Racing Commission approval, not only should help to continue to support the goals of the Horse Improvement Program, but also provide the local horsepeople with an effective 20 percent purse increase to an estimated 50 percent of our horses.

“The effort and cooperation between CTHS, Ontario HBPA and FELRC resulted in a terrific outcome for Fort Erie horsepeople,” said Ontario HBPA President Sue Leslie. “The board of the Ontario HBPA unanimously supported both the additional three days and the Ontario-sired bonus. Field size is so important; we hope it will encourage HBPA owners to purchase additional horses for the Fort Erie meet.”

Opening day will take place on Tuesday, June 2, with a 4:15 p.m. post time, kicking off the popular Twilight Tuesday race cards for June, July and August, which are followed by the free summer concert series at the Tiki Bar Patio.

Post time for Sundays will be 1:50 p.m., and beginning September 1, Tuesday post time will shift to 1:50 p.m. as well. Closing day is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20. The backstretch will open for training on May 1.

In 2015 the racetrack will mark its 118th season of live Thoroughbred racing, with the highlight being the 80th edition of the Prince of Wales Stakes to be run on Tuesday, July 28. The Prince of Wales is the second jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown as well as Canada’s richest race on dirt, with a purse offered of $500,000.

HBPA OF ONTARIO HEAD OFFICE HAS MOVED Effective February 2, the Ontario HBPA head office has moved to Suite 520.

Our offices will still be located at 135 Queen’s Plate Drive, across the street from Woodbine; however, we have moved into a smaller suite on the fifth floor.

SKILLS IMPROVEMENT COURSES BEING OFFERED AT WOODBINE IN 2015 We are offering two 13-week skills improvement courses at Woodbine in 2015. Dates and times for the courses, Thoroughbred Racing Business and Anatomy and Physiology of the Horse, will be announced at a later date. The cost to participate in each course is $100. The courses will commence once classes are filled. For those interested in participating in these comprehensive educational courses, please visit the Woodbine backstretch office for more information and to pick up an application form.

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ASSISTANT TRAINER AND TRAINER TESTING DATES FOR 2015 For all those interested in taking the assistant trainer or trainer testing this year, please note all important dates.

APPLICATIONS DUE March 4 April 1 May 20 July 2 September 2

TEST DATE March 25 April 22 June 10 July 22 September 23

Applications are available at both Ontario HBPA track offices or online at hbpa.on.ca. Remember that completed applications are due three weeks prior to the test date.

CHANGES TO THE TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM Effective July 2014, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has implemented several changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Employers applying to hire temporary foreign workers (TFWs) at the racetrack (grooms, exercise riders and jockeys) must now pay a processing fee of $1,000 for each position requested to cover the cost of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This fee cannot be recovered in any way by employers, or they will be blacklisted, suspended or fined. Employers must still advertise the position for a minimum of four weeks, and the job must remain posted until a positive LMO is received.

The ESDC has also introduced a median wage for Ontario in the amount of $21 per hour. Any job offered with a lower wage than the median is subject to a cap on the amount of foreign workers an employer is allowed to hire. From July 2014 to July 2015, only 30 percent of an employer’s workforce is allowed to be foreign workers, dropping 10 percent each year for the next two years. For job offers above the median wage, employers are required to submit a “transition plan” with their LMIA. This plan must include ways the employer is reducing its reliance on TFWs, introducing skills training or providing proof it is helping TFWs become permanent residents of Canada.

Effective immediately, the government is increasing its number of inspections to where one out of every four employers using the TFWP will be reviewed each year. This will include on-site visits, employer and/or employee interviews and extending from two- to six-year periods in which ESDC and CIC can verify wages, working conditions and occupations previously provided in LMIA or work permit applications. Subject to these changes, employers are required to keep all documentation related to their applications, including resumes, for six years. Furthermore, as of fall 2014, ESDC will be authorized to compel banks and payroll companies to provide documentation to help inspectors verify that employers are in compliance with TFWP rules.

For full details, please contact Corinne Phillips at the Ontario HBPA backstretch office at Woodbine by phone at (416) 675-3802 or by email at cep@hbpa.on.ca. Visit ESDC’s website for up-to-date information at esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/foreign_workers/reform/index.shtml.

NEWS

PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS MEET OPENING PUSHED BACK The opening date for Presque Isle Downs has been moved from May 9 to May 17. It is hoped that the later opening will serve to fill entries in the early weeks of racing. In past years, the dates conflicted with trainers’ need to fulfill their commitments to Tampa Bay Downs and Keeneland. Although both racing venues fit perfectly as a bridge for trainers to continue racing their charges at Presque Isle Downs, it is hoped that the extra week will permit horsemen to fulfill their obligations to the above-mentioned racing associations. The meet will run 100 days, and the extra week will be run at the end of the meet. Live racing will run Sunday to Thursday, and Friday and Saturday will remain dark through the season.

TAMPA BAY DOWNS HBPA The Tampa Bay Downs HBPA kicked off the 2014–2015 season with its annual Christmas party, which was held on Thursday, December 18. A big thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to help serve food to the enormous crowd of owners, trainers and backside employees.

Our HBPA is once again proud to be a sponsor of Chester, the 2012 Path Region 5 Horse of the Year. Chester is part of the Bakkas Equestrian Center Therapeutic Riding Program for handicapped children and adults, located in Hillsborough County. The dedication of the staff and volunteers involved in this program is to be commended.

Other notable charitable organizations that we are proud to be affiliated with include the Holiday Sharing Fund of Oldsmar, Florida, Catholic Charities Mobile Medical Services, Equestrian Inc., Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Step Ahead Thoroughbred Retirement and the Run for the Ribbons OTTB Horse Show Series. Sister Sarah Proctor of Catholic Charities and her army of volunteers work diligently to ensure that the health needs of our backside are met.

Denis Blake

HAPPY SPRING TO EVERYONE The Portland Meadows race meet wrapped up February 10. The top three Thoroughbred trainers were Rigoberto “Jesse” Velasquez, with 127 starts, 43 wins, 24 seconds and 18 thirds; Sam Dronen with 65 starts, 18 wins, 14 seconds and seven thirds; and Gary Morris Sr. with 75 starts, 14 wins, 16 seconds and 10 thirds. Outstanding job, everyone.

Leading jockey was Leonel Camacho-Flores with 266 starts, 70 wins, 60 seconds and 40 thirds. He was followed by Javier Matias with 205 starts, 40 wins, 36 seconds and 33 thirds; and Jennifer Whitaker with 145 starts, 36 wins, 21 seconds and 20 thirds. Great job to all of our riders. They all did a wonderful job.

Leading owners by wins were Rancho Viejo owners Jesse Velasquez and Lisa Baze, with 17 starts, nine wins, two seconds and three thirds; Howard Belvoir with 46 starts, eight wins, 10 seconds and four thirds; and Salsa and Passion owner Marco Lopez with 31 starts, eight wins, seven seconds and three thirds.

Leading owners by money earned were Jackie Smith with $49,109, Hurliman Enterprises LLC owners George and Rose Hurliman with $48,832 and Rancho Viejo owners Jesse Velasquez and Lisa Baze with $39,890.

Thank you to all the owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms and everyone in the race office and on the front side who worked so hard this race meet. It takes all of us to keep the industry alive and flourishing.

I want to give a big thank you to Laura Plato at the National HBPA for putting on a simply wonderful winter convention. There were 15 of us that attended the many interesting meetings, and we were very pleased to be there in the Arizona sunshine.

Thank you, Arizona HBPA, for having the convention there. I know there was a lot of hard work put in by everyone there.

As for myself and my husband, we had not been there since 2008, so we had a great time seeing friends that we have missed.

There were two drawings held, one at the Buffalo Chip for a leaf blower and another held at Turf Paradise during our super good lunch for a Toro Lawn Mower donated by Steve Andersen of Equine Savings, and I just want to give them a big thank you because my number was drawn. Yee haw!

We have tentative racing dates for our summer race meets. They will be posted on our website as soon as the Oregon Racing Commission approves them.

Trainers have gone on to their next racetrack or turned out their horses, so to those that will be racing, good luck, and to the ones taking a break, have a good time in whatever you choose to do.

Thanks again, Arizona HBPA and National HBPA! Debby Fergason

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• At the discretion of the claimant, a claim will be void if the horse is vanned off the track due to unsoundness.

• A claim will not be void if the horse suffers solely from heatstroke or bleeding from the nostrils.

For waiver claiming, at the time of entry, the trainer must declare a horse ineligible to be claimed provided: • The horse has been laid off and has not started for a minimum of 120 calendar days since its last race; and • The horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the price at which it last started.

OREGON HBPA

PENNSYLVANIA HBPA TWO PROVISIONS TO CLAIMING RULE REQUESTED The Pennsylvania HBPA, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, has submitted a request to the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission to add two provisions to the claiming rule. We have requested the following: • A claim will be void for any horse that dies during a race or is euthanized on the track following the race.

WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

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Charitable organizations such as these not only enrich the lives of our backside but of the surrounding community as well.

Events for the spring of 2015 include the annual Tampa Bay Downs HBPA owner/trainer appreciation dinner, held on February 24 at the Countryside Country Club, and the Horsemen’s Barbecue, which will be scheduled for the latter part of March. The 13th annual Florida Cup Day, sponsored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA, will be held on Saturday, April 4, with $450,000 in stakes purses. One of the most popular events of the meet, Florida Cup Day showcases Florida-breds while also providing a special day for breeders, owners and trainers. Another important event this spring is our board of directors election, to be held on March 27. A special thank you to those who have served on our board during the past three years.

Congratulations to the following Tampa Bay Downs HBPA Groom of the Week winners: Gerardo Diaz, trainer Arnaud Delacour; Renee Morales, trainer Kathleen O’Connell; Edwin Hernandez, trainer Tim Richardson; Julio Gutierrez, trainer Aldana Morales; and Miguel Fernandez and Jack Rivera, trainer David Hinsley. Each groom receives $50, a jacket and a photograph posted on our Wall of Fame.

We are all saddened by the recent loss of two Tampa Bay Downs fixtures: former owner/trainer and Tampa Bay HBPA board member Robert J. Sadler and trainer Elliot Fuentes. Both great horsemen, they will be greatly missed by their extended family at Tampa Bay Downs.

WASHINGTON HBPA

Denis Blake

OPTIMISM ABOUNDS AS EMERALD DOWNS OPENS FOR TRAINING Nearly 200 horses were on the grounds on February 1 as Thoroughbreds began training for the 2015 season at Emerald Downs. That number quickly climbed to about 600 by month’s end, considerably higher than last year’s horse count. Although horse populations are down nationally, the recent announcement of a 20 percent average daily purse increase, a $200 participation fee (up from $125) and additional purse money for horses competing in races at 1 1/16 miles or longer, plus a plethora of horsemen’s incentives aimed at lowering horsemen’s out-of-pocket expenses, may be what is causing the increase in both horses and optimism at Emerald Downs.

The 2015 season marks the 20th renewal of live racing at Emerald Downs and a new era of ownership for the track. Last November, it was announced that the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe had agreed in principle to acquire Emerald Downs and its assets. The final licensing and approval for operation of Emerald

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Downs and its off-track wagering facilities took place at the March Washington Horse Racing Commission meeting. The Muckleshoot Tribe is not new to horse racing. They have been the leaseholder for several years and since 2004 have generously provided Emerald Downs horsemen with $11,954,825 in purse supplements.

Along with the purse increase, the track has announced several incentives to aid horsemen. The new Trainer Participation Incentive Program includes an early-bird move-in bonus (February–May), reduced start-up costs (first eight bags of bedding per stall provided) and lower fees on both dorm rentals and mechanical hot-walkers. Also, trainers have the opportunity to recover up to 100 percent of per-stall per-day costs based on a stall efficiency factor and conservation of utilities.

“After many years of increased expenses for trainers and owners, we’re grateful to be involved in creating positive incentives that deliver good economic news to horsemen,” said Washington HBPA Executive Director MaryAnn O’Connell. “A program that translates cost savings and productive participation directly into bonus dollars for horsemen is empowering as it fosters and rewards a team effort for success of the new ownership.”

The 70-day Emerald Downs live meet runs April 18 through September 27, with racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

MESSAGE FROM THE WHBPA PRESIDENT Greetings to all, This is an exciting year for Emerald Downs, as it will be the 20th season for this magnificent facility and our first with new ownership under the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe leadership. Many exciting changes have occurred to encourage our horsemen to return to Washington, and we can hope that these upticks will be followed by others in the years to come.

This year also completes my sixth as president of the Washington HBPA, and I am more than happy to step down and let someone else take the reins of this organization for the next three years. I served an added three years prior as a board member, so it’s been a total of nine years learning the ropes of this very tangled industry.

One of the questions that I had when Jim Penney called me up nine years ago and asked me to serve was, “What exactly is the Washington HBPA, and what does it do?”

Well, it has taken me a long time to learn all that I do know, and I don’t pretend to know all that it does. The Washington HBPA (as is the case in a number of other affiliates) separates the benevolence from the administrative arm, which I head. The benevolence aspects of the Washington HBPA are done without the involvement of the administrative side but include so many of the activities and parties that are provided by Washington HBPA staff, MaryAnn O’Connell and Lanna Allen, to assist the backstretch workers, the dental facilities, the vision assistance and many other things that go on in support of people who work within the backstretch family. This is true nationally as well; while it has been a few years since it was tallied up, in 2010, we noted that the North American HBPA affiliates collectively contributed more than $11 million in health and welfare benefits to backside workers and their families. That is a lot of contributions to a lot of people.

The administrative side of the Washington HBPA is involved with the nuts and bolts of the contracting that takes place with the host track; the decisions over sending out the simulcast signals (or, in some instances, withholding it if other tracks do not treat horsemen appropriately); ensuring that the track complies with its agreements; following the laws nationally that affect horsemen; following the science with respect to medication and policies that relate to the health and well-being of the equine animal and all of the humans

NEWS

2015 WORKER’S COMP RATES ANNOUNCED BY STATE Worker’s compensation rates for the Washington horse racing industry were increased slightly higher than the state average for 2015. This was disappointing to staff at the Washington HBPA, which serves as employer representatives for the combined pool of trainers working in the Washington horse racing industry.

“Despite our success in ensuring nearly 100 percent compliance and reducing the number of claims and claim costs, premiums for 2015 were increased,” said Lanna Allen of the Washington HBPA. “We will continue to put safety first and foremost and try to help injured workers receive proper treatment so they may return to work.”

The Washington Horse Racing Commission, which collects premiums and monitors compliance (which is nearly 100 percent for trainers racing at Emerald Downs), suggests that good safety procedures in the stable area and ensuring that no fraudulent claims are filed are the best ways to stabilize or reduce premiums in the future.

Class 6625

Job Title Groom & Assistant Trainer

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Exercise Rider & Pony Rider — Track Exercise Rider & $18.37 Pony Rider — Farms

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2015 Rate $151.68 Per groom/per month or $5.06 per day for a groom working less than 14 days during the month $1.56 Per horse/per day Per employee/Per day

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A SILVER AND GOLD NIGHT OF AWARDS Reed Palmer Photography

who come into contact with it; reviewing the splits that take place from handle, signal sales and other revenue sources to make sure that the purse account receives the appropriate share of funding; assisting trainers and owners in understanding the immigration laws that affect them; serving as a conduit with the labor and industries department to lobby for the best rates that we can get under the risks that exist in our business; and ultimately serving as a focal point for information relating to the business side of racing horses.

During this time, I have become involved with the National HBPA, and I serve as its Western Region Vice President and recently completed three years as its Secretary/Treasurer. In that time, I have come to understand the relationship that horsemen have to each other across the country and the power of the collectivity that comes from binding together, both in terms of paying dues that can be shared for lobbying and association membership and medical/ veterinary conferences as well as in creating a voice that commands far more respect than that of individual affiliates.

This year, we will again hold elections for the one position of president as well as for five slots for each of our owner and trainer board members. I encourage you to get involved in your industry as it is both eye-opening as to all that goes on behind the scenes and an opportunity to serve the interests of your own investments as well as those who invest with you as participants in this industry.

Please contact MaryAnn O’Connell for more information. She will be happy to assist you in your efforts to be aware of the filing process, the candidate statement and our policies against electioneering.

We will keep you apprised of our election process and the other goings-on during the year.

Thank you for your consideration of serving Washington horsemen and women.

Ron Maus, President

“Make new friends and keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold.” A song from childhood was the theme of the night at the Washington Annual Awards Banquet and Washington Horse of the Year and Champion Older benefit auction Horse Stryker Phd held at Emerald Downs on February 28. A crowd of more than 200, primarily breeders, owners and trainers, filled the Emerald Room to near capacity celebrating the state’s 2014 champions and nominees. The banquet, which is put on by the Washington Thoroughbred Owner and Breeders Association (WTBOA) in conjunction with Emerald Downs, the Washington HBPA and the Washington Thoroughbred Foundation, is another example of the cooperative and cohesive environment that exists in the Washington Thoroughbred industry.

This year’s award winners were picked by a committee with membership from Emerald Downs, WTBOA Willing Heart Award winner Thelma Lynn and the Washington HBPA and represent an appreciation for all facets of Washington horse racing.

Washington Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse went to Jim and Mona Hour’s Stryker Phd (Bertrando—Striking Scholar, by Smart Strike). The 5-year-old gelding bred by Char Clark Thoroughbreds and Todd Havens posted three wins from five starts in 2014, including the Grade 3 Longacres Mile and the Mt. Rainier Handicap, both at Emerald Downs. He also finished second in the Big Bear Stakes at Santa Anita and third in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate. In 2014 Stryker Phd was trained by Larry Ross. With the Longacres Mile victory, Jim and Mona Hour also sealed honors for 2014 Owners of the Year by money won with $192,900.

Champion Older Filly or Mare honors went to Madame Pele, a 4-year-old half sister by Salt Lake to Stryker Phd. Owned by Kama’aina Thoroughbreds (Zack and Beth Correa) and bred by Char Clark Thoroughbreds, the filly won three of 10 starts, including the Mesa Handicap at Turf Paradise and the Pegasus Training Center Stakes at Emerald Downs. Madame Pele was trained by Jim Penney and Mike Anderson.

Absolutely Cool was named 2014 Washington Champion Sprinter. The 7-year-old gelding (Absolute Harmony—Coup de Foudre, by Basket Weave) is a homebred for Karl C. Krieg and was trained by Valorie Lund and Tom Wenzel. His 2014 sprint record was 7-1-2-2, including a stakes-winning performance in the WWW.NATIONALHBPA.COM

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Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap at Turf Paradise and stakes placings in the Governor’s Handicap at Emerald and the Swift, Caballos del Sol and Washington HBPA/WTBOA Special Recognition Award winners Bienvenidos Joe and Sally Steiner stakes at Turf Paradise. In 2015, Absolutely Cool once again sprinted to victory in the Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap with a brilliant closing finish on Valentine’s Day. Also owned and bred by Karl C. Krieg is 2014 Washington Champion Turf Horse Lady Rosberg, a 4-year-old filly by Rosberg—Enter Laughing, by Distorted Humor. Trained by Valorie Lund, the filly made two starts on the grass in 2014, winning the Queen of the Green Stakes at Turf Paradise and running second in an allowance prep race earlier the same month. Lady Rosberg’s winning ways on the turf continued in 2015 at Turf Paradise when she captured the Sun City Handicap on February 14 after a runner-up performance in the Glendale Handicap the month prior.

Other 2014 Washington Champions honored include the following: 3-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Noosito (colt, Harbor the Gold— Julia Rose, by Basket Weave) Owner: Last Rose Stable, Breeder: Bar C Racing Stables Inc., Trainer: Doris Harwood 3-Year-Old Filly: Find Your Spot (Nationhood—Sudden Departure, by Demons Begone) Owner: Where We At (Paul Heist and Jack Fabulich), Breeders: Mr. and Mrs. Frederick L. Pabst (Blue Ribbon Farm), Trainer: Jim Penney 2-Year-Old Champion and Champion Colt or Gelding: Trackattacker (gelding, Harbor the Gold–Eclatante, by In Excess [Ire]) Owner: R.E.V. Racing (Roy and Ellie Schaefer), Breeders: Castlegate Farm, Trainer: Frank Lucarelli 2-Year-Old Champion Filly: Ethan’s Baby (Offlee Wild—Hope and Vow, by Broken Vow), Owners/Breeders: Shawn and Todd Hansen, Trainer: Howard Belvoir Plater of the Year: Touch The Sun (2008 gelding, Bertrando— Sweethrtofsigmachi, by General Meeting), Owners: Charles Garvey and TG Racing LLC, Breeders: Dr. Duane and Susan Hopp, Trainer: Robertino Diodoro Most Improved Washington Plater: Dare Me Devil (2008 gelding, Devil On Ice—She Can Too, by Western Fame), Owner: Sunset Racing, Breeder: Andria I. Mengucci, Trainer: Jeffrey Metz Leading Sire: Parker’s Storm Cat (2000, Storm Cat—Macoumba, by Mr. Prospector), Property of Mr. and Mrs. Elwin F. Gibson. Stands at Gibson Thoroughbred Farm Broodmare of the Year: Striking Scholar (2004, Smart Strike—Degree, by Vanlandingham), Owner: Todd and Shawn Hansen Top Washington-Bred Off-Track Thoroughbred: Mathematician (2004 gelding, Petersburg—Fibonacci, by Mahogany Hall), Owner/Rider: Keaton Hoy. Recorded 231 points through The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) Performance Awards.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) Award of Merit: The Prodigious Fund. Presented in honor of the TCA’s 25th anniversary and in recognition of

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the individual, organization or group that works to uphold the TCA’s mission of providing a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting rescue, retirement and research and by helping the people who work with them.

S.J. Agnew Special Achievement Award: Mr. and Mrs. Frederick L. Pabst (Blue Ribbon Farm). For their countless contributions to breeding and racing for more than 40 years, including service to the Washington Thoroughbred community and WTBOA, commitment to youth and education and love of the Thoroughbred. The Pabsts were also recipients of leading breeder by money won for 2014.

Mark Kaufman Media Award: Marc Rosen, executive sports producer for Q13 FOX TV. For excellence in continuing coverage of Thoroughbred racing in the state of Washington.

Special Racetrack Achievement Awards: (1) Mary Pirone, who enjoyed her finest season at Emerald Downs, recording career highs in wins and earnings, and who also had her first career stakes win with 2-year-old Seattles Best Copy in the Northwest Farms Stakes; (2) Monique Snowden, who compiled a 7-5-4 record from 25 starts at Emerald Downs for 28 percent wins and 64 percent in the money, including two stakes placements led by the stakes return of Disruption in 2014.

Special Achievement Award: Ron Crockett, for his steadfast commitment to keep Thoroughbred racing alive and vibrant in Washington through his leadership as well as maintaining Emerald Downs as a significant member of the local sports and entertainment community for the last two decades.

Willing Heart Award: Thelma Lynn, in recognition of a lifetime of selfless dedication to the children and families of Washington Thoroughbred racing’s backstretch community.

Washington HBPA/WTBOA Special Recognition Award: Joe and Sally Steiner, in recognition of their many years of service to Washington horse racing through their ownership of the Quarter Chute Café (the track kitchen at Emerald Downs) and unyielding support of the Washington horse racing community.

2015 WASHINGTON HBPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION The Washington HBPA election for president and the board of directors is held every three years. This year’s election will be held on Tuesday, October 6, but the process will begin in early May when an election committee and nominating committee are appointed by the board of directors.

A nominating meeting for the Washington HBPA membership, in accordance with the association bylaws, is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, at the WTBOA Sales Pavilion at Emerald Downs. Ballots will be mailed to all members on or before September 6.

You are an automatic member of the Washington HBPA and are eligible to vote if you were licensed by the Washington Horse Racing Commission as an owner or trainer in 2014 or 2015. It is imperative that the Washington HBPA has your correct mailing address on file. Member addresses are obtained from the Washington Horse Racing Commission. If you have changed your address since being licensed, please contact the Washington HBPA to update your records. If you wish to not receive election materials, requests must be made in writing via postal mail or fax.

For more information regarding the election process and/or eligibility, please contact the Washington HBPA office or email contactus@whbpa.com.

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