The Horsemen's Journal - Winter 2017

WINTER FALL 1017

2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8 T H O R O U G H B R E D S TA K E S S C H E D U L E

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET DECEMBER

JANUARY

DATE

STAKES

CONDITIONS

DIST/TURF

PURSE

12.2.17

Jewel (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up

1 1/8 M

$200K

Tiara (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up (F&M)

1 1/16 M (T)

$125K

Emerald (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up

1 1/16 M (T)

$125K

Iron Horse (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up

1 1/16 M

$110K

Express (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up

6F

$110K

Glass Slipper (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up (F&M)

1M

$110K

Rapid Transit (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up

7F

$110K

Canterbury (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up

5 F (T)

$110K

Distaff Dash (Claiming Crown)

3yo & up (F&M)

5 F (T)

$110K

Buffalo Man

2yo

6F

$75K

House Party

2yo F

6F

$75K

Smooth Air

2yo

1M

$75K

Hut Hut

2yo F

1M

$75K

Pulpit

2yo

1 M (T)

$75K

Wait a While

2yo F

1 M (T)

$75K

Caribbean Classic

3yo

1 1/8 M

$300K

Confraternity Caribbean Cup

3yo & up

1 1/4 M

$100K

Invitational Cup For Imported

3yo & up

1 1/4 M

$60K

Lady Caribbean Cup

3yo F

1 1/16 M

$25K

Caribbean Cup Speed

3yo & up

6F

$25K

Rampart (G3)

3yo & up (F&M)

1M

$100K

Harlan’s Holiday (G3)

3yo & up

1 1/16 M

$100K

Sugar Swirl (G3)

3yo & up (F&M)

6F

$100K

Tropical Turf (G3)

3yo & up

1 M (T)

$100K

My Charmer (G3)

3yo & up (F&M)

1 M (T)

$100K

12.23.17

Mr Prospector (G3)

3yo & up

7F

$100K

12.30.17

H Allen Jerkens

3yo & up

2 M (T)

$100K

Via Borghese

3yo & up (F&M)

1 3/16 M (T)

$75K

MARCH

Tropical Park Derby

3yo

1 1/16 M (T)

$75K

DATE

Tropical Park Oaks

3yo F

1 1/16 M (T)

$75K

3.3.18

12.9.17

12.16.17

DATE

PURSE

$125K

STAKES

CONDITIONS

DIST/TURF

PURSE

2.3.18

Holy Bull (G2)

3yo

1 1/16 M

$350K

Forward Gal (G2)

3yo F

7F

$200K

Swale (G2)

3yo

7F

$200K

Sweetest Chant (G3)

3yo F

1 M (T)

$100K

Dania Beach (G3)

3yo

1 M (T)

$100K

2.17.18

STAKES

CONDITIONS

DIST/TURF

PURSE

1.6.18

Mucho Macho Man

3yo

1M

$100K

Kitten’s Joy

3yo

7 1/2 F (T)

$100K

1.27.18

DIST/TURF

7 1/2 F (T)

DATE

2.10.18

DATE

1.20.18

CONDITIONS

4yo & up (F&M)

FEBRUARY

Ginger Brew

3yo F

7 1/2 F (T)

$100K

Limehouse

3yo*

6F

$75K

Glitter Women

3yo* F

6F

$75K

Fort Lauderdale (G2)

4yo & up

1 1/16 M (T)

$200K

Marshua's River (G3)

4yo & up (F&M)

1 1/16 M (T)

$150K

Skip Away (G3)

4yo & up

1 1/8M

$100K

Sunshine Millions Classic

4yo & up

1 1/8 M

$200K

Sunshine Millions Turf

4yo & up

1 1/16 M (T)

$150K

Gulfstream Park Turf (G1)

4yo & up

1 1/8 M (T)

$300K

Suwannee River (G3)

4yo & up (F&M)

1 1/8 M (T)

$150K

Old Hickory

4yo & up

1 1/16 M

$60K

Rail Splitter

4yo & up

6 1/2 F

$60K

Old Man Eloquent

4yo & up

1 1/16 M (T)

$60K

Mary Todd

4yo & up (F&M)

1 1/16 M (T)

$60K

American Fabius

3yo

7F

$60K

Queen Mother

3yo F

7F

$60K

Sage of Monticello

3yo

7 1/2 F (T)

$60K

Mrs Presidentress

3yo F

7 1/2 F (T)

$60K

Lady Bird

4yo & up (F&M)

7F

$50K

Rough and Ready

4yo & up

1M

$50K

Trust Buster

4yo & up

6F

$50K

Little Magician

4yo & up

1 M (T)

$50K

2.19.18

Royal Delta (G2)

4yo & up (F&M)

1M

$200K

2.24.18

Hal’s Hope (G3)

4yo & up

1M

$100K

Texas Glitter

3yo

5 F (T)

$75K

Melody of Colors

3yo F

5 F (T)

$75K

STAKES

CONDITIONS

DIST/TURF

PURSE

Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth (G2)

3yo

1 1/16 M

$400K

Davona Dale (G2)

3yo F

1M

$200K

Mac Diarmida (G2)

4yo & up

1 3/8 M (T)

$200K

Very One (G3)

4yo & up (F&M)

1 3/16 M (T)

$150K

Canadian Turf (G3)

4yo & up

1 M (T)

$150K

Palm Beach (G3)

3yo

1 1/16 M (T)

$100K

JANUARY

1.13.18

STAKES

South Beach

Herecomesthebride (G3)

3yo F

1 1/16 M (T)

$100K

Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3)

4yo & up F

6 1/2 F

$100K

Sand Springs

4yo & up (F&M)

1 M (T)

$100K

Captiva Island

4yo & up (F&M)

5 F (T)

$75K

Silks Run

4yo & up

5 F (T)

$75K

3.17.18

Inside Information (G2)

4yo & up (F&M)

7F

$200K

3.24.18

Hutchenson (G3)

3yo

6F

$100K

Any Limit

3yo F

6F

$75K

Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1)

3yo

1 1/8 M

$1M

Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park Mile (G2)

4yo & up

1M

$300K

3.10.18

Sunshine Millions F&M Turf

4yo & up (F&M)

1 1/16 M (T)

$150K

Sunshine Millions Sprint

4yo & up

6F

$100K

Pegasus World Cup (G1)

4yo & up

1 1/8 M

$16M

Fred Hooper (G3)

4yo & up

1M

$125K

Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2)

3yo F

1 1/16 M

$250K

W.L. McKnight (G3)

4yo & up

1 1/2 M (T)

$200K

Honey Fox (G2)

4yo & up (F&M)

1 M (T)

$250K

La Prevoyante (G3)

4yo & up (F&M)

1 1/2 M (T)

$200K

Pan American (G2)

4yo & up

1 1/2 M (T)

$250K

Hurricane Bertie (G3)

4yo & up (F&M)

7F

$125K

Cutler Bay

3yo

1 M (T)

$125K

Ladies’ Turf Sprint

4yo & up (F&M)

5 F (T)

$125K

Sanibel Island

3yo F

1 M (T)

$125K

Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint

4yo & up

5 F (T)

$125K

3.31.18

All other overnight Race Purse will be $100,000 *Non-Winners of Sweepstakes

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volume 64/ # 4

Winter 20 17

DEPARTMENTS

2 MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL HBPA

7 INDUSTRY NEWS

14 HBPA NEWS

18

RESEARCH & MEDICATION UPDATE

STILL RISING

25

20 MEDICATION COMMITTEE CORNER 49 AFFILIATE NEWS

The Claiming Crown’s profile and handle continue to trend up at Gulfstream Park

FEATURES

37

41

LENDING A HELPING HAND

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT STALL CONTAMINATION

The National HBPA Foundation provides financial assistance to horsemen in times of emergency

A total of 28 substances were identified in Charles Town ship-in stalls as a mix of human medications and recreational substances with some actual equine medications

WWW.HBPA.ORG

1

hj IN EVERY ISSUE

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

PRESIDENT/ CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD Leroy Gessmann SECRETARY/ TREASURER Lynne Schuller CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Eric J. Hamelback VICE PRESIDENT EASTERN REGION Robin Richards VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHERN REGION Rick Hiles VICE PRESIDENT CENTRAL REGION Joe Davis VICE PRESIDENT WESTERN REGION J. Lloyd Yother

2

HJWINTER 17

MESSAGE FROM

THE CEO

RECENTLY, I RECEIVED A LETTER AT OUR OFFICE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS LESS THAN COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT THE SITUATION MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH IN PENNSYLVANIA REGARDING THE MURRAY ROJAS TRIAL. AS OF THIS WRITING, I HAVE NOT HAD THE TIME TO REPLY TO THE LETTER PERSONALLY, BUT I WILL. THE LETTER IS NOT THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO QUESTION THE NATIONAL HBPA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE PENNSYLVANIA CASE, AND I AM SURE IT WON’T BE THE LAST. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE COMMENTS HAVE COME TO ME VERBALLY OR THROUGH WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE, ALL HAVE ENDED THE SAME WAY. When given the chance to explain, outside the influence of sensationalized reporting, I have heard the comments, “That makes perfect sense.” Truly, Rich Halvey’s piece in the last issue of The Horsemen’s Journal summed it up perfectly, and I strongly encourage anyone who did not read it to go back to that issue on our website and take the time to read it.

I thank the author for the letter I received in October as it does provide me with the opportunity to continue to address the issues some have raised with President Gessmann and me. I would like to start with a question from the letter inquiring as to what the NHBPA and its member affiliates are doing to “clean up racing.”

The NHBPA has continuously advocated positions supportive of clean and honest racing conducted under regulatory regimes that will ensure it. However, the NHBPA is not a regulator. While we are able to offer positions on proposed rules, we do not decide what the rules are in any jurisdiction, nor does the NHBPA have enforcement responsibilities or capabilities. Hence, we are unable to “clean up racing” in the way some seem to think we should.

What we can do, and have always done, is advance ideas and positions that the NHBPA believes will elevate the Thoroughbred industry both ethically and professionally. We are also of the opinion that the overwhelming majority of industry participants are both ethical and honest and conduct themselves accordingly. The facts and statistical analysis, rather than anecdotal rhetoric, support that view. While we agree there are some who violate the rules of racing, we have publically supported their being exposed, given due process and punished if found guilty.

As for the Rojas matter in Pennsylvania, the NHBPA’s actual involvement should not be confused with the willful misinterpretations found in certain industry blogs and publications regarding any involvement by the NHBPA with the National Owners’ and Trainers’ Legal Defense Fund. That is a completely separate entity with a separate board of directors that has never received any monetary contributions from the NHBPA. Our interest in the Rojas case in Pennsylvania was no more than we have stated: a concern that the overwhelming power of the federal government was being brought to bear on what was clearly a regulatory matter for the Pennsylvania State Racing Commission as it involved alleged infractions that fell squarely within the commission’s jurisdiction.

The implications for racing that would flow from using federal wire fraud statutes to enforce medication rules are many and unpredictable. The concern, as the NHBPA sees it in the Rojas case, was based on nothing other than advocating for preventing the federal sledgehammer from being introduced into Thoroughbred racing as a regulatory tool. This was not a new issue for the NHBPA or its affiliates as witnessed by our long-standing opposition to the federal legislation known as H.R. 2651. Our position in the Rojas matter was entirely consistent with our historical stance against any federal intervention in the Thoroughbred industry. While we understand that the federal government is involved in simulcast wagering through the Interstate Horseracing Act, make no mistake, we believe it should not have a role in the management of any breed of equine racing.

If the commission has failed in some way to meet its obligations, that is best dealt with by the state of Pennsylvania ensuring its regulatory agency does so. It should not rely upon “backdoor” enforcement by the federal government utilizing statutes designed to deal with serious interstate criminal activity as opposed to medication violations at a racetrack.

Additionally, some have raised the naproxen issues at Charles Town and implied that there was some variety of coverup in The Horsemen’s Journal article, also found in the previous issue. The article was about potential inadvertent environmental transfer involving naproxen, not about actions or non-actions from the West Virginia Racing Commission’s rulings recognizing the potential for such contamination. It is altogether possible the commission vacated the violations on the balance of probabilities that it was convicting innocent parties, rather than punishing cheaters. In any event, dissatisfaction with the commission’s rulings is better taken up with that body and not the NHBPA. We trust that this addresses some of the uncertainty a few have expressed regarding the NHBPA’s commitment to maintaining the highest level of integrity in Thoroughbred racing. We are deeply concerned with advancing and improving the sport in many dimensions. Further, we are willing to see their recent communication as evidence of similar concerns on their part, and we appreciate those concerns.

SINCERELY,

Eric J. Hamelback

CONTRIBUTORS Maria Catignani Dr. Clara Fenger Jake Machin Judy L. Marchman Dr. Thomas Tobin

THE

NATIONAL HBPA

WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS CORPORATE

sponsors AFFILIATES Board of Directors - Affiliates Dr. David Harrington, Alabama Robert Hutton, Arizona Linda Gaston, Arkansas David Milburn, Canada Randy Funkhouser, Charles Town Kent Bamford, Colorado Dave Brown, Finger Lakes Stephen Screnci, Florida Marta Loveland, Idaho Eddie Essenpreis, Illinois Joe Davis, Indiana David McShane, Iowa Rick Hiles, Kentucky Benard Chatters, Louisiana George Kutlenios, Michigan Jack Walsh, Minnesota Jami Poole, Mountaineer Park Barry Lake, Nebraska Anthony Spadea, New England Joe Poole, Ohio David Faulkner, Oklahoma Sue Leslie, Ontario Ron Sutton, Oregon Sandee Martin, Pennsylvania Robert Jeffries, Tampa Bay Downs David Ross, Virginia Pat LePley, Washington

The opinions, representations and viewpoints expressed by the authors in the articles contained in The Horsemen’s Journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions, representations and viewpoints or the official policies or positions of The Horsemen’s Journal, National Horsemen’s Administration Corporation or National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association Inc. and its affiliates (collectively “HJ”).

HJ is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to or reliance on any information contained within this issue. Information in this issue may become outdated due to the rapidly changing nature of the horse industry. The publication of any advertisements or articles should not be construed as an endorsement of any product, service or position unless specifically stated.

The Horsemen’s Journal, Volume 64 #4.

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 2017 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

PHOTOGRAPHERS Denis Blake Coady Photography Coglianese Photos/

Lauren King,

Leslie Martin,

Kenny Martin Judy L. Marchman MaryAnn O’Connell Jennie Rees Bobby Shiflet Jana Tetrault STAFF Denis Blake Editor 512-695-4541 E-mail: hj@hbpa.org Jennifer Vanier Allen Advertising Director 716-650-4011 509-272-1640 fax E-mail: jallen@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.hbpa.org Cover Photo: Flowers for Lisa wins the Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park.

Colianese Photos/Lauren King

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 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.

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

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HJWINTER 17

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INDUSTRY NEWS

hj NEWS

FIRST DEL MAR BREEDERS’ CUP POSTS BIG NUMBERS

Bobby Shiflet

Gun Runner’s thrilling victory in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) capped a pictureperfect day at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the firstGun Runner wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at time host of the Del Mar. Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 3-4. Racing fans responded to the full fields of the world’s fastest horses with their support at the betting windows, as the two-day wagering totals for the event were the strongest in several years.

The two-day on-track wagering total of $25,181,317 is the highest for the event, which expanded from one day to two in 2007, and a 21.4 percent increase over the two-day total of $20,742,847 in 2016. Saturday’s full-card on-track handle of $15,981,250 was the highest since 2006, the last year the Breeders’ Cup Championships were conducted over one day. Saturday’s on-track handle was $15,900,813 for the nine Breeders’ Cup races, an increase of 18 percent over the $13,563,884 wagered on track at Santa Anita last year.

Common-pool handle on Saturday’s 12-race Breeders’ Cup card was

$113,803,603, a 6 percent increase over the $107,210,210 wagered in 2016.

Common-pool wagering for the two days was $166,077,486, an increase of 5.9 percent over the 2016 total of $156,861,811. The total handle was the highest since the 2010 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs when there were two additional Breeders’ Cup races.

“We were treated to world championship performances over two days of the very best in international racing, combined with spectacular weather, smooth operations and excellent customer service from our hosts at Del Mar,” Breeders’ Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel said. “Del Mar proved to be an extraordinary venue for our championships, and we want to thank its staff, our volunteers and the greater San Diego community for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to our guests from around the world. We also want to thank racing fans for their enthusiastic support of our event.”

“Del Mar, its staff and the community of San Diego absolutely shone for this Breeders’ Cup,” said Joe Harper, president and general manager of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “I could not be more proud of the effort that was put forth by everyone at our racetrack and all the folks in San Diego who jumped on board for this marvelous event and made it into something spectacular. This was racing at its best; it was Del Mar at its best; and it was San Diego being all it could be.

It was a complete winner.”

Saturday’s attendance was 37,692. The two-day attendance was 70,420.

Due to Del Mar’s smaller capacity and to ensure the comfort of the track’s guests, Breeders’ Cup limited ticket sales to 37,500 for each day.

Courtesy OwnerView

FOURTH THOROUGHBRED OWNER CONFERENCE CONCLUDES WITH EMPHASIS ON A PASSION FOR THE SPORT The fourth Thoroughbred Owner Conference, cohosted by OwnerView and BloodHorse, concluded November 1 with presentations on the experiences of turf writers, the claiming game and veterinary issues. Approximately 235 people attended the threeday event, including both Jeff Fager delivers the keynote address at the longtime horse owners and Thoroughbred Owner Conference. new or prospective owners.

The conference took place at the Hilton San Diego/Del Mar in Del Mar, California, to coincide with the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

As did owner conferences of prior years, this edition featured panel discussions with prominent owners, trainers, jockeys and other personalities.

Topics covered during the first two days included breeding and sales, syndicates, legal matters and women in racing.

The keynote address was delivered by Jeff Fager, the executive producer of “60 Minutes” and a Thoroughbred owner.

In his address, Fager shared his experiences in the Thoroughbred industry,

which started with his working for trainer John Nerud when he was in high school and continues today with his Fager Stable.

“Fager Stable is small but hopeful,” Fager said. “It is one of the most fun adventures of my life.”

He also spoke about his career at “60 Minutes” and how important credibility and integrity are to the show.

In addition to the panel sessions, conference goers were able to attend the Breeders’ Cup post-position draw, an afternoon of racing at Del Mar and a wine and dine that featured a Q&A session with guest speaker Laura Hillenbrand, the author of the bestsellers Seabiscuit: An American Legend and Unbroken.

“Since the first Owner Conference was held in 2015, this event has continued to educate new, prospective and existing owners alike about the benefits, excitement and intricacies associated with racehorse ownership,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “We are thankful to our host, Del Mar, for their support, and planning is already underway for a fifth Thoroughbred Owner Conference.”

A video replay of all panels at the conference is available at ownerview.com.

A fifth edition of the conference is planned for the week leading up to the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

WWW.HBPA.ORG

7

INDUSTRY NEWS

NEWS

THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY EMPLOYEE AWARD WINNERS HONORED AT KEENELAND

Leadership Award — Breeding Larry McGinnis, Stallion Manager, WinStar Farm (Runners-up: Aidan O’Meara, Stallion Division Manager, Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm, and Clay Murdock, Farm Manager, Rancho San Miguel)

Coady Photography

Leadership Award — Racing Christophe Lorieul, Assistant Trainer, Christophe Clement Stable (Runners-up: Hilary Pridham, Assistant Trainer, Michael Stidham Stable, and Richard Budge, Farm Trainer, WinStar Farm)

From left, emcee Jill Byrne and presenter Ramon Dominguez with award winners Jak Knelman, Arturo Ramirez, Larry McGinnis, Leslie Janecka, Gus Gray, Christophe Lorieul and Godolphin's Jimmy Bell.

The Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, now in its second year, concluded October 13 with Keeneland graciously hosting the event once again in its sales pavilion in Lexington, Kentucky. With the addition of a new category, the Newcomer Award, winners were honored in six categories along with runners-up. Jill Byrne, senior director of industry relations at the Breeders’ Cup, was again the master of ceremonies, with Hall of Fame jockey Ramon Dominguez on hand as presenter of the awards.

Jimmy Bell, president of Godolphin in America, commented, “I want to express my sincere congratulations not only to all the winners and runners-up but to all those who were nominated as well. Once again the judges had the difficult task of separating the finalists from a very competitive and impressive group of individuals that are truly the heart and soul of our great industry.”

Dan Metzger, president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, said, “Today we sing the praises of the unsung heroes of the Thoroughbred business. It’s very special to be able to honor those that have gone that extra furlong because they are passionate about what they do. And a very special thanks to Godolphin for bringing this program to the United States and for allowing TOBA, The Jockey Club and the HBPA to be its industry partners in such a meaningful event.”

The full list of winners and runners-up is as follows: Dedication to Breeding Award Lugusta “Gus” Gray, Yearling Manager, Double Diamond Farm (Runners-up: Francisco “Pancho” Sanchez, Farm Manager, Craig Wheeler Thoroughbreds, and Ronda Clifton, Equine Operations Coordinator, WinStar Farm) Dedication to Racing Award Arturo Ramirez, Assistant Trainer, David Donk Stable (Runners-up: Raymond Davenport, “My Man at the Barn,” Tim Keefe Stable, and Lena Lorieul, Exercise Rider, Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey Stable)

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Newcomer Award Jak Knelman, Director of Stallion Sales, Calumet Farm (Runners-up: Kristina Taylor, Exercise Rider, WinStar Farm, and Emily Castrenze, Assistant Trainer/Exercise Rider, Delacour Racing Stable) Thoroughbred Industry Community Award Leslie Janecka, Coordinator, Kentucky Equine Management Internship The Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, with total prize money of $128,000, was managed and administered by the National HBPA, The Jockey Club and TOBA. Media partners are Thoroughbred Daily News, BloodHorse, Daily Racing Form, Paulick Report and TVG.

THE JOCKEY CLUB RELEASES 2017 REPORT OF MARES BRED STATISTICS The Jockey Club has released the Report of Mares Bred (RMB) statistics for the 2017 breeding season. Based on RMBs received through October 17, The Jockey Club reports that 1,342 stallions covered 31,863 mares in North America during 2017.

Based upon historical reporting trends, The Jockey Club estimates an additional 2,000 to 3,000 mares will be reported as bred for 2017.

The number of stallions declined 5.7 percent from the 1,423 reported at this time in 2016, and the number of mares bred decreased 5.6 percent from the 33,746 reported last year. The number of stallions covering 125 or more mares decreased from 64 in 2016 to 60 in 2017.

Further book size analysis shows a 3.3 percent decrease in the number of mares bred to stallions with a book size of 125 or more in 2017 when compared with 2016 figures reported at this time last year; a 13.0 percent decrease in mares bred to stallions with a book size between 100 and 124; a 27.4 percent decrease in mares bred to stallions with a book size between 75 and 99; a 11.5 percent decrease in mares bred to stallions with a book size between 50 and 74; a 14.9 percent increase in mares bred to stallions with a book size between 25 and 49; and a 4.7 percent decrease in mares bred to stallions with a book size fewer than 25.

When comparing statistics based on reports received through the same day (October 17) from previous breeding seasons, the percentage of broodmares covered by large book size (125 or more) stallions increased from 19.3 percent in 2013 to approximately 29 percent in 2015, where it has remained over the past three seasons.

The proportion of stallions with book sizes of 125 or more mares grew from 2.6 percent in 2013 to 4.5 percent in 2015. It has remained constant at that rate over the past three breeding seasons.

RMB statistics for all reported stallions in 2017 are available through the Fact Book section of The Jockey Club’s website at jockeyclub.com.

The stallion Into Mischief led all stallions with 235 mares bred in 2017.

Rounding out the top five by number of RMBs were Dialed In, 231; American Pharoah, 214; Uncle Mo, 204; and Bodemeister, 192.

Kentucky traditionally leads North America in Thoroughbred breeding activity. During 2017, Kentucky’s 229 reported stallions covered 17,275 mares, or 54.2 percent of all of the mares reported bred in North America. The number of mares bred to Kentucky stallions decreased 2.7 percent compared with the 17,750 reported at this time last year.

Of the top 10 states and provinces by number of mares reported bred in 2017, Ontario, Pennsylvania and Indiana stallions covered more mares in 2017 than in 2016, as reported at this time last year.

UHC PUBLISHES ESTATE PLANNING GUIDE The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) recently released a new publication, Estate Planning: A Guide for Equine Owners.

“Unfortunately, the UHC receives quite a few calls about horses whose owners have passed away, and the next of kin or friend is unsure what exactly to do with the horse or even lacks the knowledge to care for the horse,” UHC Director Ashley Furst said. “The UHC is often looked toward as a resource for information, so we felt publishing a guide to estate planning would help expand our message of what owning responsibly entails. While estate planning can certainly be a tough subject to talk about, we feel horse owners will find the brochure to be a very helpful guide when it comes to planning for the future.”

The guide examines the differences between setting up a trust versus simply naming the horse in your will, the different types of trusts available, as well as other considerations to keep in mind such as registration papers and medical records for the horse, equipment, land and your equine business.

“The UHC intends this to be a general guide for estate planning as it applies to your horses, and we certainly recommend contacting a knowledgeable equine attorney to guide you through the details of estate planning involving your equine,” Furst said.

The brochure is available at unwantedhorsecoalition.org/uhc-materials, and hard copies are available upon request. If you or your organization is interested in receiving copies, please email Ashley Furst at afurst@horsecouncil.org.

PENNY CHENERY ANNOUNCED AS WINNER OF BIG SPORT OF TURFDOM AWARD The Turf Publicists of America (TPA) announced that the 2017 Big Sport of Turfdom award will be presented posthumously to Penny Chenery. The award recognizes a person or group of people who enhance coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists.

Chenery, the owner of 1973 Triple Crown hero Secretariat, philanthropist and one of the industry’s preeminent figures for five decades, won in a vote determined by the nearly 150 active members of the TPA, a trade organization of Thoroughbred racing publicists and marketing executives. She also received the Big Sport of Turfdom award in 1973.

“Mrs. Chenery was such an ambassador for our sport and was so incredibly generous in sharing of herself and the legacy of Secretariat all these many years

to the media and fans alike,” TPA President Rhonda Norby said. “It is most fitting that she has been awarded the Big Sport of Turfdom a second time to bookend her incredible contributions to racing.”

The Big Sport of Turfdom was presented to Chenery’s daughter, Kate Tweedy, at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program’s annual awards luncheon on December 5, emceed by Santa Anita Park track announcer Michael Wrona. The luncheon was part of the 2017 Symposium on Racing & Gaming at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona.

Chenery, who realized her ailing father’s dream to win the Kentucky Derby with homebred Riva Ridge in 1972, passed away September 16 at the age of 95.

“This honor is such an appropriate way to remember Mom’s devotion to WWW.HBPA.ORG

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Coglianese Photo

NEWS

Penny Chenery with Secretariat

racing and to its fans,” Tweedy said. “Like the TPA, she believed in sharing the excitement of racing.

She would be thrilled to be recognized once again in this way.”

In 1973, Secretariat became a pop culture icon, and for the ensuing years, Chenery was a careful steward of the legacy of “Big Red.” Always charming, engaging and quick-witted, she represented her equine champions with poise, elegance, eloquence and excellence, and she also had

a keen business sense.

She was the first female president of the Thoroughbred Owners and

Breeders Association and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. She became one of the first women admitted to The Jockey Club and helped found the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Chenery created the Secretariat Vox Populi award, annually honoring racing’s most popular horse, as well as the Secretariat Foundation, which assists and supports various charities within the racing community. She received the 2006 Eclipse Award of Merit for lifetime contributions to the Thoroughbred industry, and in recent years, she advocated for laminitis research and care advancement.

The Big Sport of Turfdom has been presented annually since 1966, and Chenery was the fourth two-time winner, joining jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. and trainers Carl Nafzger and Bob Baffert, who won in 2015 as part of “Team American Pharoah.”

Last year’s winner was Art Sherman, the trainer of 2014 and 2016 Horse of the Year California Chrome. Other previous winners include jockeys Mike Smith, Pat Day, Chris McCarron, Bill Shoemaker, Angel Cordero Jr., Eddie Arcaro and Gary Stevens; trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Jack Van Berg; as well as other individuals who have made significant contributions to the sport, such as announcer Tom Durkin, author Laura Hillenbrand, broadcaster Jim McKay, turf writer Joe Hirsch and actors Tim Conway and Jack Klugman.

Jennie Rees

NEW TAX REGULATIONS ON WINNING BETS HELP ENTIRE INDUSTRY New federal tax regulations on bets triggering big payoffs help all facets of horse racing, showing the positive change that National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback (right) speaks with can come Daily Racing Form’s Matt Hegarty after a press conference from pulling conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association to together, discuss the long-awaited changes to federal tax regulations on winning wagers. said Eric Hamelback, the National HBPA’s CEO, about the industry-wide effort to bring the change.

“It’s once again proof of success for our entire industry, through working together for a cause that we all agree benefits everyone,” Hamelback said of the long-sought changes, which were put into effect almost immediately by some betting outlets and had to be in place by November 14.

The new regulations, announced in September by the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service, take into account how much a bettor actually wagered to hit a big payoff. That generally happens in the multi-horse and multi-race exotic bets that did not exist when the current regulations were created and that assumed the horseplayer invested only $2 instead of possibly hundreds of dollars while betting numerous combinations.

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By factoring in a bettor’s total investment—as opposed to only the base dollar amount on which the bet paid off—it will in many instances require much-higher payoffs before the player has to fill out an IRS form in order to cash the ticket. The change also will substantially reduce instances in which players have an automatic 25 percent withheld for federal taxes.

The battle to create equitable taxation regulations that address today’s betting realities has gone on for more than a decade, with organizations such as the National HBPA and its state affiliates joining the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s legislative efforts. The NTRA cites independent estimates that by allowing horseplayers to keep more of their winnings, wagering in the United States on racing could increase by as much as 10 percent—or upward of $1 billion a year.

“Without a doubt, this is a victory for pari-mutuel wagering customers, but we also see this as a potential major benefit for all owners and trainers,” Hamelback said. “We hope these regulations from the U.S. Treasury positively affect all aspects of our racing industry, from those wagering, which may in turn lead to an increase in handle, thus boosting purse accounts for horsemen and for racetracks. We appreciate all industry stakeholders who put forth efforts and the NTRA Legislative Affairs team for directing these regulations forward.”

Industry stakeholders of course include the bettors, a group that Hamelback observes includes many owners and trainers. A prime example is prominent owner-breeder Ken Ramsey, who used to be known as the “Pick Six King” as a shout-out to his gambling successes. Ramsey was among the thousands of horseplayers and horsemen who wrote and called the Treasury and legislators to push for the change.

“It’s one of the greatest things that’s happened in a long time,” Ramsey said of the updated regulations. “If I have to put up $1,000 to win the Pick Six in order to take multiple horses in different races, instead of giving me credit

for betting $1,000, right now they give me credit for betting $2 on the winning (combination) I actually had. I’m not getting any of my investment back. This will put more money back in the horseplayer’s pocket, which he can in turn put back and play another race. It puts more money into the racetracks. And it gives the little guy a chance to stay in the game longer. It’s a very good thing that the horse people have put together.”

Jeff Platt, president of the Horseplayers Association of North America, agreed: “This is great news and couldn’t have come about without thousands of horseplayers letting the U.S. Treasury know that change was long overdue.”

Steve May, director of pari-mutuel wagering for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, said totalizator companies that process bets have been planning for months in anticipation of the changes to provide a seamless transition for horseplayers.

“The tireless work of all organizations involved in promoting this fair application of tax law is greatly appreciated,” May said.

May provides this example of how the updated regulations will work.

“Let us say a player invests $48 into 24 combinations of a single $2 Pick-4 ticket and has one winning selection that pays $4,235,” he said. “Currently the player would have to fill out a tax form because the winnings were in excess of 300-1 odds on the base $2 wager. This is an undue burden on the horseplayer and the racetrack, and it creates a large amount of unnecessary tax forms.

Under the new rules, the same ticket would have to return $14,449 to require IRS paperwork.”

THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS FOR 2017–19 The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) has announced that 31 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations have been awarded accreditation in 2017. The accredited groups include 25 that were re-accredited and six that have received accreditation for the first time. The TAA, the only accrediting organization in Thoroughbred aftercare, continues to have a network of 64 accredited organizations, operating at more than 180 facilities across the United States and Canada.

Accreditation is awarded for a two-year period, after which organizations must re-apply for accreditation. All organizations currently accredited by the TAA are eligible to receive financial grants to support the care of their Thoroughbreds. Applications are currently being reviewed for grants to be awarded by the end of the calendar year.

The list of all 64 TAA-accredited organizations can be found at thoroughbredaftercare.org.

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CLAY WHITHAM TO BE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT NHBPA CONVENTION IN NEW ORLEANS

When Eric Hamelback, the National HBPA’s chief executive officer, sought a keynote speaker for the organization’s 2018 convention in New Orleans, he wanted someone to follow in the steps of other recent headliners who offered inspiration mixed with constructive insight on how to improve the sport.

So he asked Clay Whitham.

Whitham co-manages his family’s racing and breeding operation, Whitham Thoroughbreds, in which his mother, Janis, is the principal. The Whithams keep about 10 broodmares and a similar number of horses in training. Clay Whitham also is president of Frontier Bank in Lamar, Colorado.

Sponsored by the Louisiana HBPA, the National HBPA Convention will be March 13-17 at New Orleans’ Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel. Details on registration and the agenda will be available soon at hbpa.org.

“We want the National HBPA convention to provide food for thought, different perspectives and well-thought-out suggestions and strategies on how to better our industry,” National HBPA President Leroy Gessmann said. “We do not turn a blind eye to our problems, and we welcome constructive criticism.

But it is in all our best interests to celebrate everything that makes horse racing and its amazing equine athletes and human participants so special.

“With that, I am honored Mr. Clay Whitham has agreed to be our 2018 convention keynote speaker,” Gessmann continued. “Clay brings not only insight from managing a small but highly successful breeding and racing operation but as a skilled businessman as well. Following Kentucky Downs’ Corey Johnsen, Oaklawn Park’s Eric Jackson and Tampa Bay Downs’ Stella Thayer, we feel Clay fits the pattern of our previous speakers. He will be able to express positive inspiration and correlate that with a rock-solid business perspective. I can’t wait to hear his observations as to what racing is doing right and how we can improve.”

“We really enjoy being part of the Thoroughbred industry,” Whitham said.

“Speaking at the National HBPA convention seems like an opportunity to give something back, to share. We certainly support what Eric and the National HBPA are doing.”

Janis Whitham and her late husband, Frank, started in the Thoroughbred

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industry more than 40 years ago after growing up on farms and being involved with American Quarter Horses. Their breakthrough came when Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally acquired the Argentine mare Bayakoa on the Whithams’ behalf. She became the first two-time winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (1989–90), then worth $1 million and which at the time twice required the Whithams to put up a $200,000 fee to make her eligible to race for the $450,000 first-place purse. The Breeders’ Cup rules for supplemental entries and making Southern Hemisphere horses eligible for the program subsequently changed.

“My father was a conservative fiscal person,” Whitham said. “He just had that much confidence in the horse. He thought she was much the best and wanted to make sure that the horse and trainer Ron McAnally got the chance to prove what they could do.”

If Bayakoa’s foals were not all that memorable on the racetrack, her daughters produced the likes of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Fort Larned, now a stallion at Adena Springs; Grade 1 winner and millionaire Affluent; graded stakes winner Walkabout; and stakes-placed winners Izarra and Moonport. Affluent produced the Whithams’ McCormick, runner-up in the Grade 3 Iowa Derby this year.

The Whitham broodmare band mostly traces to three mares bought by Frank and Janis: Bayakoa, Listen Well (from whom graded stakes winners Listening, Beautiful Noise and Linda descend) and Tuesday Evening (whose descendants include graded stakes winners Greek Sun, Madame Pandit, Mea Domina, Fiscally Speaking and, most recently, the well-regarded McCraken).

The Whithams breed to race, but they also sell some yearlings each year.

Among the horses tracing to Listen Well is her great-granddaughter La Coronel, winner of Keeneland’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for owner John Oxley.

“Part of the challenge for everybody in this industry is to figure out how your operation is going to work and what is a sustainable operation,” said Whitham, whose siblings also are involved in the stable to varying degrees.

“I am a banker. I work every day with customers who are trying to make their businesses work. From a business standpoint, you’ve got to break even before you can make money. In the horse business, people approach it from different perspectives as far as their expectations. We do want our program to be sustainable, to come as close as it can to paying its way.

“But as a horse owner, it isn’t all financial,” he added. “You better enjoy what you’re doing, because that’s part of what you’re getting out of it. As a smaller owner, we say, ‘Bring on Juddmonte Farms.’ We enjoy the competitive side of it.”

Said Hamelback: “Clay and the Whitham family embody the best of our sport. They have stuck with their established bloodlines and successfully produced good and sound horses. They have a proven program and one that ensures each horse will be given every opportunity to become great. The payoff for that perseverance and steadfast belief, along with their love of the sport, can easily be seen in Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, a horse I know very well and one I have tremendous hopes for as a stallion for the future. From their perseverance, you also see multiple Grade 1 winner Affluent, descendants of their great champion Bayakoa, as well as, most recently, the stakes horses McCraken and McCormick.”

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.

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

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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 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.

4.

5.

6.

7.

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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.

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WWW.HBPA.ORG

17

TECHNOLOGY

hj

+ RESEARCH MEDICATION UPDATE

BREEDERS’ CUP COMPLETES UNPRECEDENTED PRE- AND POST-RACE TESTING PROGRAM

Breeders’ Cup completed an unprecedented out-of-competition pre- and post-race testing program at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar on November 3-4, which included the testing of 195 horses.

The organization has long been at the forefront of out-of-competition testing, and this year, it enacted its most comprehensive testing program to date.

Out-of-competition testing began in August with all Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners and other targeted potential starters in both North America and overseas and continued right up until the championships at Del Mar. Breeders’ Cup engaged an out-of-competition testing coordinator, Dr. William Farmer, who worked with regulatory associations and with testing laboratories around the world, including the British Horseracing Authority’s Lab LGC, France Galop’s official Lab LCH and the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. All three labs are certified by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The IFHA executive council endorsed the Breeders’ Cup’s updated protocols, which were put in place in advance of the 2017 World Championships.

Through pre-race testing, 95 individual trainers had a representative horse sampled. Seventy-five trainers, representing 90 percent of the horses entered in the championships, had runners tested by the Breeders’ Cup. Breeders’ Cup, in conducting its own

out-of-competition testing, had access to all results prior to race day.

All post-race samples collected from 2017 Breeders’ Cup horses were cleared by the Maddy Laboratory as was reported the Monday following the event by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB).

All horses competing in Breeders’ Cup races also underwent pre-race testing for total carbon dioxide (TCO2) levels in blood.

The Maddy Laboratory then conducted post-race testing of both blood and urine samples for prohibited drugs, including cobalt, collected from the first four finishers in all Breeders’ Cup races and any additional random horses selected by the stewards consistent with CHRB protocol. The program tested for anabolic steroids, blood doping agents and growth hormones, among others.

“The primary goal of the out-of-competition testing program is to ensure that there is a level playing field among all participants in the World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Breeders’ Cup senior vice president of racing and nominations. “Our expansion in the out-of-competition program, including more stringent rules on the use of anabolic steroids, is part of our continuing efforts to strengthen the overall safety and integrity of the event. We extend our highest praise for the level of cooperation we received from various racing jurisdictions in North America and overseas.”

NEW NATIONAL EQUINE HEALTH PLAN NOW AVAILABLE The American Horse Council (AHC), in conjunction with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and state animal health officials, announced November 1 the creation of a National Equine Health Plan to facilitate communication and coordinate the actions of organizations responding to disease and environmental disasters.

The plan can be reviewed at equinediseasecc.org/national-equinehealth-plan.

“The horse industry is unique because horses are transported with more frequency than other livestock,” AHC President Julie Broadway said. “We have seen firsthand how disease outbreaks cost the industry millions of dollars for the care of sick horses, implementation of biosecurity and lost revenue in the form of canceled or restricted commercial equine activities such as horse shows. Back in 2013, the industry felt it was time to step up and address the issue of the handling of disease outbreaks and the dissemination of information surrounding the outbreaks. This gave way to the creation of the National Equine Health Plan that will outline the issues surrounding the prevention, diagnosis and control of diseases and the responsibilities and roles of the federal and state authorities and the industry.”

The plan’s goals are to protect the health and welfare of the U.S. equine population, facilitate the continued interstate and international movement of horses and their products, ensure the availability of regulatory services and protect the economic continuity of business in the equine industry.

The plan also functions as a roadmap for coordinating

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HJWINTER 17

horse owners and industry organizations with veterinarians and state and federal animal health officials to prevent, recognize, control and respond to diseases and environmental disasters.

The plan facilitates horse industry preparedness, effective rapid communication and owner education, which make up the foundation for preventing diseases and disease spread. Links to information and resources are included in the plan, including a list of roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders in the industry.

“The Equine Disease Communication Center is a key element of the National Equine Health Plan and provides critical communication of information during disease outbreaks,” the center’s director, Dr. Nat White, said. “Additionally, equinediseasecc.org provides information about diseases, vaccination, biosecurity, state health regulations, state animal health official contact information and links to USDA-APHIS veterinary services. By integrating the roles of regulatory agencies with industry stakeholders, equine health and welfare are improved.”

The plan provides immediate access to resources and communications needed to optimize disease mitigation and prevention and serves as a guide for regulations and responses regarding infectious disease mitigation and prevention. The AHC and the AAEP encourage sharing this document as it will help educate horse owners about how veterinarians and state and federal officials work together to decrease the risk of disease spread.

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hj MEDICAL

National

H B PA

MEDICATION COMMITTEE CORNER UNDERSTANDING EHV-1 AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

By Clara Fenger, DVM, PhD, DACVIM

The North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians (NAARV) welcomed an esteemed program of speakers to Southern California on the eve of the Breeders’ Cup for its inaugural symposium. Held November 1-2 in Carlsbad near the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the symposium, presented by Merck, provided our members with cutting-edge continuing education directed at the racetrack practitioner.

Sponsors, attendance and interaction from our members were exceptional.

Topics ranged from an update on equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) to exerciseinduced pulmonary hemorrhage in Florida-based 2-year-olds racing with and without furosemide to the identification and management of diseases of the fetlock joint. Many of our members went on to join our educational partner, VetPD, for additional education on orthopedic rehabilitation at the Trifecta Equine Athletic Center in Bonsall.

Of particular interest to horsemen reading this magazine is the update on EHV-1 provided by Dr. Bryant Craig of Merck Animal Health. Recent outbreaks of EHV-1 in Arizona, Louisiana and Kentucky remind us how tenuous the health of our equine athletes can be. The outbreak at Fair Grounds that hit in late December 2016 left Gun Runner, who was being pointed to the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on January 28, healthy and uninfected but under quarantine in his stall in Louisiana.

Perhaps many have forgotten about that situation by now, especially given how Arrogate defeated a stellar field that included California Chrome. But imagine how that race could have been even better with the inclusion of Gun Runner and how frustrating that situation must have been for that horse’s connections. It’s only a short reach to imagine the rising stars of our sport trapped in their barns as the spring stakes schedule begins, with the most promising 3-year-olds unable to set their sights on the first Saturday in May. In his timely discussion, Craig reviewed our current state of knowledge, including key research released in the past year.

DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH EHV-1 Infection by EHV-1 causes three different syndromes, of which any one, a combination or all may affect the same horse. The first syndrome is likely the reason that the disease is so ubiquitous in the equine population. It most commonly causes a mild respiratory infection that is transient but allows the virus to replicate and be shed in the nasal passages, thereby spreading rapidly to other horses. It is typically associated with a biphasic fever (an initial elevation in body temperature followed by a later one).

The second syndrome is reproductive, whereby the virus infects the fetus and placenta, causing abortions and the production of maladjusted foals. The final syndrome, herpes myelitis, affects the central nervous system. The virus reproduces in the cells that line the blood vessels. When this infection reaches the central nervous system, the result is a lack of blood supply to the spinal cord and/or portions of the brain and brainstem, and paralysis results.

WHERE DOES EHV-1 INFECTION COME FROM? As many as 80 percent of horses worldwide are latently infected with 20

HJWINTER 17

EHV-1. The only location completely free of EHV-1 is the tiny island nation of Iceland. Much like herpesviruses in humans, young animals are initially infected as early as a week of age, often as a nondescript or sub-clinical transient respiratory infection from which they seem to quickly recover. The virus infects nerve endings and travels to the trigeminal ganglion, the site where nerve cell bodies for the nerves that provide sensation to the face reside.

There, it lies dormant, kept in check only by the body’s immune system. Under periods of stress, the virus can recrudesce, much like a cold sore in a person, and begin the respiratory signs anew. As if to complicate matters as much as possible, horses showing clinical signs of EHV-1 may have reactivated their own resident EHV-1 or contracted it from a horse that is actively shedding the virus particles.

The pathogenesis of the neurological form of EHV-1—how the virus goes from latent or dormant to replicating in the horse’s blood vessels to the central nervous system to cause the paralysis that is the disease’s hallmark—is largely a mystery. We know only that the neurological form tends to be associated with higher levels of virus particles in the blood and higher shedding of the viruses from the nasal passages.

NEUROPATHOGENIC VS. NON-NEUROPATHOGENIC (WILD TYPE) Using neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic to describe different strains of EHV-1 has led to a great deal of confusion in the equine community.

The assumption from the terms would be that the neuropathogenic form of the virus is the only one capable of causing the dreaded neurological form of the disease, when, in fact, neurological outbreaks have been caused by either form.

The virus strains differ by a single nucleotide in their DNA that causes several different effects, and identifying the strain can provide valuable information to researchers when tracing the origin of an outbreak. For the horsemen and veterinarians on the ground, however, the details of the virus strain are considerably less important than controlling the spread of infection, since either strain is capable of causing an outbreak of disease.

VACCINATION Most racing associations require horses to be vaccinated for EHV-1 before entering their property, a laudable intent to safeguard both the horses and the economic venture that goes on within their borders. As in humans, the higher the proportion of the population that is appropriately vaccinated for a disease, the lower and slower its spread among the population, even if the individual vaccines employed do not have 100 percent effectiveness. Vaccination recommendations vary from 90 to 180 days, with most associations moving to 180 days in the wake of new studies on the disease.

Two studies of EHV-1 outbreaks, one in Ogden, Utah, and the other in Findlay, Ohio, showed that, in those outbreaks, vaccinating too frequently, particularly recent vaccinations, was associated with herpes myelitis. Since EHV-1 infects most horses in the world, studying how the uninfected animal reacts to vaccination is difficult—unless a group of horses is imported into an EHV-1 region from the only area free of the disease, Iceland. A group at Cornell

University did just that. They found that too-frequent vaccination in a group of EHV-1 naïve horses can have a negative effect on the immune system.

This finding has led most racing associations to require EHV-1 vaccination within 180 days to optimize protection of the total population as well as to prevent the immunosuppression that may result from too-frequent vaccination.

WHICH VACCINE TO USE? No vaccine is labeled to prevent herpes myelitis. However, high levels of viremia (virus in the blood) and nasal shedding are both associated with the neurological form of the disease, and some vaccines are better at minimizing these features than others. The so-called high-antigen-load vaccines and the modified live vaccines are highly effective at minimizing these features and should be considered in high-risk populations, such as racehorses.

Further, trainers on grounds under regulatory authority must rely on their veterinarians to vaccinate their horses, but trainers, owners and farm managers at non-regulated facilities can administer their own vaccines. They should resist the temptation to do so, even though the vaccination is available over the counter. In order to provide a vaccination certificate, a veterinarian must administer the vaccine. Therefore, horsemen risk placing their horse in harm’s way by vaccinating on their own, necessitating that the veterinarian repeat the vaccination at an interval that is too soon to ship the horse to a racetrack.

PREVENTION OF HERPES MYELITIS A good history of twice-a-year vaccination with an appropriate vaccine to minimize viremia and nasal shedding will minimize the overall exposure in a group of horses, such as those congregating in a racing enclosure. Avoid commingling horses and using tack on multiple horses, especially when they are exhibiting respiratory signs. These are good biosecurity measures at all times. Thoroughly disinfecting stalls, buckets and other common equipment with a phenolic disinfectant is the best choice.

Herpesvirus can remain infective in the environment for days and in water even up to weeks. Monitoring horses’ temperatures daily on a routine basis— and twice daily in the face of an outbreak—with good recordkeeping is also important. Not all horses back out of the feed tub with a fever, and only careful temperature surveillance can identify those horses with disease early, thus protecting the balance of the barn.

In the face of an outbreak, a number of resources provide recommendations for disease containment, including the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Moving actively infected horses off site or into quarantine is the first priority.

Those horses that were in direct contact with the infected horse should be quarantined and nasal swabs and whole blood samples tested by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for evidence of infection. Those horses not showing signs but remaining under quarantine should be allowed to train on the track with separate hours from the regular horse population and with restrictions on going with ponies or to the starting gate.

Horses at risk but not exposed should be vaccinated if they have not been recently. Other therapies show promise, although the evidence in horses is minimal. In a recent outbreak in show horses in Colorado, zinc supplementation was associated with a lower risk of herpes myelitis than in those not receiving supplements. In cats, L-lysine supplementation has been shown to limit herpetic disease, because L-lysine interferes with virus replication. A number of supplements that are combining these two feed ingredients can be readily obtained. It is not recommended to feed these supplements on a routine basis, because high levels of zinc interfere with copper absorption and L-lysine interferes with L-arginine use by the horse. During periods of high stress, however, and certainly during an outbreak, this supplementation is a reasonable approach.

TREATMENT OF HERPES MYELITIS Once the damage to the spinal cord is done, intervention is difficult.

While a full recovery is possible, many of these horses progress to death. The antiviral product acyclovir is minimally bioavailable (the extent to which a medication can be used by the body), and valcyclovir, while more likely to be absorbed into the horse, shows limited value unless started in the early stages of the disease. Gancyclovir, a newer antiviral drug, has greater efficacy against EHV-1 but is prohibitively expensive for most uses in horses.

A reasonably inexpensive treatment that has shown promise is the use of injectable heparin. Administration of heparin twice daily may prevent the virus from entering the cells lining the blood vessels and can also prevent the blood vessel damage that ultimately results in the clinical signs.

CONCLUSION Careful vigilance by checking temperatures and monitoring for respiratory signs is the best protection against EHV-1 outbreaks, because early diagnosis, treatment and isolation provide the most benefit for the group. Appropriate vaccination by your veterinarian twice a year with a vaccine likely to minimize viremia and shedding, preferably well in advance of shipping to a racing or training venue, provides overall protection to the entire group of horses by minimizing exposure. Supplementing with L-lysine and zinc during periods of stress and during an outbreak may be of benefit. Gancyclovir early in the disease course is the best treatment, but heparin, a relatively inexpensive treatment, also has shown promise.

Questions about EHV-1 infection? Consult your NAARV racetrack practitioner, who is now armed with the latest information.

OTHER TOPICS Other topics covered at the NAARV Symposium included conditions of the fetlock joint, methods of preventing catastrophic injury, thermography and endoscopy, among others. These and other topics will be covered in future editions of The Horsemen’s Journal.

MOST RACING ASSOCIATIONS REQUIRE HORSES TO BE VACCINATED FOR EHV-1 BEFORE ENTERING THEIR PROPERTY, A LAUDABLE INTENT TO SAFEGUARD BOTH THE HORSES AND THE ECONOMIC VENTURE THAT GOES ON WITHIN THEIR BORDERS. WWW.HBPA.ORG

21

OFFICIAL SPONSOR of the National HBPA OFFICIAL SPONSOR of the National HBPA

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n the early years, the sport of horse racing seemed simple. There was no simulcasting, discussion appropriate strategies, super testing or betting direct computer n the early of years, the sportmarketing of horse racing seemed simple.

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We are Leading into the Future and we are…… Horsemen Helping Horsemen We are Leading into the Future and we are…… Horsemen Helping Horsemen The National HBPA Inc. EricNational Hamelback, CEO The HBPA Inc. Phone: 859-259-0451 • Toll Free: 866-245-1711 • Email: ehamelback@hbpa.org Eric Hamelback, CEO 870 Free: Corporate Drive, Suite 300 ehamelback@hbpa.org Phone: 859-259-0451 • Toll 866-245-1711 • Email: Lexington, 40503-5419 870 CorporateKY Drive, Suite 300 Website: www.hbpa.org Lexington, KY 40503-5419 Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalHBPA Website: www.hbpa.org• Twitter: @nationalhbpa Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalHBPA • Twitter: @nationalhbpaWWW.HBPA.ORG

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NATIONAL HBPA Xpressbet and the XB Family of Brands are committed to the growth of North American racing by increasing handle from domestic and international sources.

We support the mission of the HBPA on behalf of owners, trainers and backstretch personnel.

FEATURE

STILL RISING

By Denis Blake Photos by Coglianese Photos/Lauren King, Leslie Martin, Kenny Martin

From ClaimTo Fame

A

Horse must have started ONCE at the claiming level or less since January 1, 2013 to be eligible.

LTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME UPS AND DOWNS DURING THE NEARLY TWO-DECADE HISTORY OF THE CLAIMING CROWN, THE EVENT SHOWCASING THE SPORT’S BLUE-COLLAR HORSES HAS BECOME A FIXTURE ON THE NATIONAL RACING SCENE. LIKE A HARD-WORKING CLAIMING HORSE WHO TURNED INTO A STAKES WINNER, THE CLAIMING CROWN POSTED SOLID RETURNS IN ITS EARLY RENEWALS, MOSTLY AT CANTERBURY PARK IN MINNESOTA STARTING IN 1999, AND NOW AFTER SIX CONSECUTIVE RUNNINGS AT GULFSTREAM PARK, IT CONTINUES TO HIT NEW HIGHS.

The nine-race Claiming Crown on December 2 again offered $1.1 million in purses for horses who had started for Gulfstream Park • Saturday, December 6, 2014 a specified claiming price since January 1, 2016, save for the two races with a lifetime claiming condition. In its days $1,000,000 in Purses at Canterbury, the Claiming Crown often attracted a robust handle in excess of $3 million—a hefty number for the Midwest track—and this year it topped out at a record $11.925 million for the entire card, up 7 percent from last year For qualification criteria and nomination deadlines, call the Thoroughbred Owners and when $11.141 was wagered. Handle in 2015 was $10.362 million.

Breeders Association (TOBA) at (888) 606-TOBA. Visit claimingcrown.com or email claimingcrown@toba.org for more information. The Claiming Crown is a partnership between “We’re extremely pleased with the opening day of our Championship Meet and the Claiming Crown program,” the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Gulfstream General Manager Bill Badgett said. “The crowd was fantastic, the support from horsemen throughout North America was once again terrific, and we witnessed some incredible performances from our equine and human stars.”

Handle on the Claiming Crown, which is put on by a partnership of the National HBPA, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and Gulfstream Park with the Florida HBPA, has gone up every year since Gulfstream began hosting the event in 2012.

“It’s gratifying to see the tremendous response from bettors and horsemen to the Claiming Crown,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA. “We had horses from the West Coast, Midwest and East Coast, including many from smaller stables, and the quality of competition seems like it gets better every year. We are already looking forward to the 20th running of the Claiming Crown in 2018.”

THE CLAIMING CROWN’S PROFILE AND HANDLE CONTINUE TO TREND UP AT GULFSTREAM PARK

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FEATURE

GLASS SLIPPER MENDED

T

he Claiming Crown card kicked off with the $110,000 Glass Slipper for fillies and mares who have started for $12,500 or less, and it featured what turned out to be the most decisive victory of the day with Troy and Maritza Onorato’s Mended rolling to an easy 6 ¾-length win.

With Ricardo Gonzalez up for trainer John Martin, the 4-year-old daughter of Broken Vow grabbed the early lead in the one-mile contest and was never headed before stopping the timer at 1:36.42 for her 10th consecutive win.

Perhaps even more impressive than her win streak is the fact that not a single photo finish has been required to declare her the winner and that this marked her first start outside of California, where she was claimed for $12,500 on January 6 at Golden Gate Fields. She finished fourth that day, and she hasn’t been beaten since.

“The ship was tough,” Martin said about the even-money favorite.

“She had to ship eight or nine hours from Golden Gate to Santa Anita, lay over there and ship maybe six or seven hours on the airplane to here. We did

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all that three days out, but she made the trip fine. Nothing went wrong since I’ve been here.

“When I first got her she had a sore foot, and I thought it was a bad claim to tell you the truth,” Martin added.

“We worked on her for a few weeks and the sore foot went away and I started training her, and ever since then she started getting better and better and better.”

Her 10 wins through early December put her in a tie with Cantchaco for the most in North America in 2017, and Mended has earned $186,620 this year compared to Cantchaco’s $31,959. All told, Mended, who was bred in Kentucky by Sheltowee Farm, Mariah Thoroughbreds LLC and Pin Oak Stud LLC, has won 13 of 26 outs with earnings of $231,690.

Sugar Cube, a 6-year-old mare owned and trained by Rick Hiles, finished second to be part of the exacta for the ninth time in 10 starts this year. She had wins at Oaklawn Park, Churchill Downs and Indiana Grand during her 2017 campaign with two wins on dirt and two on the turf.

Loooch Racing Stables Inc.’s Moonshine Promise, a veteran of 75 races with 21 wins who shipped in from JACK Thistledown in Ohio, took third for trainer Peter Walder.

Delusional K K, Battle Tale, Amaluna, Ventina, Untrue, Tormenta de Oro, Northern Screamer, Star Eighty, Falina’s Song, Babie Monster and Arella Princess completed the order of finish.

EXPRESS FIRST GROWTH

F

irst Growth, a consistent performer on the Ohio circuit this year, apparently enjoyed his first trip to Florida as he captured the $110,000 Claiming Crown Express by 3 ½ lengths with Gerardo Corrales riding for trainer Odin Londono Jr. It was a homecoming of sorts for Londono and also a lucrative win for the Candy Ride (Arg) gelding haltered for $5,000 early in the year at Mahoning Valley Race Course.

“My father rode here, so I’m from here,” he said. “I was born and raised here. I haven’t been here for a long time. I took a shot, and we were able to take it.

“It was a perfect ride. I told [Corrales], ‘If we’re three lengths, four lengths off of it, we’ve got it,’ because I know what he’s capable of. He’s a horse that has improved every race, so I took a shot.”

Owned by Michelle Winters, First Growth earned $60,500 for the win after banking $58,384 with five other wins during the year. The 5-year-old clocked six furlongs in 1:09.61 and had the respect of the bettors at odds of 9-2 in the race for horses who have started for $8,000 or less lifetime.

Although it took First Growth nine tries to break his maiden, his record now stands at 21-8-2-3 with earnings of $150,604. He was bred in Kentucky by Alexander Groves Matz LLC. Averill Racing LLC and CCF Racing Stable’s Blings Express, making the 75th start of his career, finished a clear second for trainer Ralph Ziadie. The 8-year-old Too Much Bling gelding is closing in on $500,000 in earnings. This marked the fourth consecutive year for Blings Express in the Claiming Crown Express, and it represented his best finish yet.

Kentucky invader and seven-time winner this year Ship Disturber, running for John Impellizeri and trainer Charles Dickey, rallied from far back to take third. The Sky Mesa gelding recorded wins this year at Oaklawn Park, Kentucky Downs, Churchill Downs and Ellis Park.

Doodle Hopper finished fourth, followed by Mr Manning, Starship Apollo, Harryhee, Helloitsme, Express Jet, Electrifying, Donegal Hall, The Son Wind, Great Lou and Pachanga Party.

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FEATURE

DISTAFF DASH BLUE BAHIA

T

he first of jockey Paco Lopez’s three Claiming Crown wins came on Blue Bahia in the $110,000 Distaff Dash for fillies and mares who have started for a price of $25,000 or less.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite with seven wins in 10 previous turf sprints, the 4-year-old Wildcat Heir filly sat just off the pace and then pounced at the top of the stretch to prevail by 2 ¾ lengths in :56.89 for five furlongs on the turf.

“We really didn’t want to go right to the lead,” said Carlos David, assistant to trainer Jason Servis.

“She’s got speed, but we wanted to keep her in the pocket and it just went perfect. I was a little worried they were going a little fast, but [Lopez] was patient and she got the job done, so we’re happy.”

Owner Dennis Drazin bred Blue Bahia in Florida and campaigned her until March of this year, when she was claimed for $25,000 at Gulfstream.

But less than a month later, Drazin and Servis claimed her back for $30,000, and that proved to be a shrewd move as she won the $64,200 Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth

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Park in her next start and then took an allowance/optional claimer at Parx Racing. She now has eight wins in 15 career starts with earnings of $240,594. Her only off-the-board finishes in turf sprints have come in a $125,000 stakes and an allowance/optional claimer at Saratoga Race Course.

Stars Racing LLC’s My Sweet Dove, who had won three of her last four starts, put in a game effort to grab second for trainer Ralph Ziadie. The runner-up money put her over the $300,000 mark in career earnings.

My Sister Caro, who finished second in last year’s Distaff Dash, got third for owners Steven Bertrando and Paul Trapani and conditioner Clyde Martin. She came in from Laurel Park in Maryland.

Island Reward, Imnaha, World Gone Wright, Eila, Kasuga, In Mid Heir, Ring Knocker, Shakakan, Heart Astray and Mojo’s Queen completed the field.

IRON HORSE TWOCUBANBROTHERSU

T

he $110,000 Iron Horse, at 1 1/16 miles for horses who have started for $8,000 or less lifetime, had perhaps the most fitting name of all the Claiming Crown races.

The 13 runners had combined to win 143 races, with seven of the entrants having double digits in the win column. But none had more than Twocubanbrothersu, who came in from Laurel Park with a record of 19 wins from 48 starts, and after a trip timed in 1:42.22 under Daniel Centeno, the 7-year-old Harlington gelding posted win number 20.

Trained by John Rigattieri, who also co-owns the gelding with Stephen Derany, Twocubanbrothersu set a solid pace as the 4-1 second choice and refused to let favored Rich Daddy go by in the stretch.

“I know this horse very well; he’s been training very well,” said Centeno, who this year has ridden the gelding to wins at Laurel, Delaware Park and Tampa Bay Downs. “Today was a big field, and he likes to be clear on the lead. The plan was to try to get him up close. He broke sharp, and I sent him a little bit and he responded great. I saw the favorite and I thought he was

going to fight for second, but my horse likes to fight and he ran big today.”

Derany and Rigattieri claimed Twocubanbrothersu for $6,250 at Tampa, and since then he’s won 13 races. For his career, Twocubanbrothersu, who was bred in Kentucky by Greenwich Cattle Company, has earned $358,545.

Rich Daddy, owned by HRH Racing and trainer Eddie Kenneally, again proved his affinity for Gulfstream with a runner-up finish. The 6-year-old gelding by The Daddy now has eight wins, two seconds and five thirds in 20 Gulfstream races.

Solve, who just two starts earlier was claimed for $5,000 at Canterbury Park, ran third for owner Rodney Paden and trainer Charles Dickey.

Lieutenant Seany O, Social Stranger, Fourth of July, Goodtimehadbyall, Chiseled, Jaiden’s Best, Cheech Thunder, Enders Cat, Bama Bound and Mal Guapo completed the order of finish.

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FEATURE

CANTERBURY

PAY ANY PRICE

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hile plenty of Claiming Crown horses over the years have proven themselves against stakes and even graded stakes company, few have targeted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships as the connections of Pay Any Price did. Trainer Ralph Ziadie and owners Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing had hoped to run the 7-year-old Wildcat Heir gelding in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), but a foot issue necessitated a new plan.

“We wanted to go to California and run in the Breeders’ Cup, but we did right by the horse and gave him time,” co-owner Richard Averill said.

“We tried to make it and we pushed and it just didn’t happen.”

As the course record-holder at Gulfstream at the five-furlong turf distance with a time of :53.61 set in the Silks Run Stakes in March, Pay Any Price was sent to post in the $110,000 Canterbury as the 1-2 favorite, and he overcame the five-month layoff to win by a half-length in :56.49 with Edgard Zayas in the irons.

“Health-wise he was 100 percent, but fitness-wise he was about

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75 percent,” Averill said. “There wasn’t a doubt in my mind he’d be on the lead coming down [the stretch]. He held off. He’s got heart. He’s an awesome horse.”

Pay Any Price, who was bred in Florida by Brent and Crystal Fernung, has now won 10 of 17 lifetime starts with earnings of more than $300,000. The gelding was in for an $8,000 tag last year at Tampa Bay Downs before working his way up the claiming ladder and developing into a multiple stakes winner in turf sprints.

Oak Bluffs, a 37-1 longshot for trainer Mary Eppler and her Mary Eppler Racing Stable Inc., made Pay Any Price work for the victory but could not quite get by but finished a strong second.

Sir Navigator, running for Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Mike Maker, the respective leading owners and trainer in the history of the Claiming Crown with 15 wins apiece heading into this renewal, closed to finish third.

Super Spender, Diddley, Padilla, Our Independence, Billy the Bull, Shadow Rock, Black Tavish, Uncle Leo and Our Boss rounded out the order of finish.

RAPID TRANSIT CAUTIOUS GIANT

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n the $110,000 Rapid Transit at seven furlongs for horses who have started for $16,000 or less, Cautious Giant stood out with a race record that included eight starts against graded stakes foes, including facing Gun Runner in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. And while he proved to be ambitiously entered and no match for the probable Horse of the Year in that race, the 6-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding did show his class with a one-length victory in the Rapid Transit in 1:22.78 under Emisael Jaramillo as the 9-2 second choice in the betting.

“We had breezed this horse twice since claiming him and thought today was a good option to race him,” said trainer Victor Barboza Jr., who claimed Cautious Giant for owner Mark Moshe for $16,000 in September at Gulfstream. “It was my plan every day to run in the Claiming Crown. We will look to run him in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope [on February 24 at Gulfstream] next.”

Bred by Grousemont Farm, Cautious Giant has won seven of 33 lifetime starts, and his bankroll now

stands at $457,870. A return to graded stakes company would be no surprise for the gelding, as he placed in a pair of Grade 2 events—the Palos Verdes and Kona Gold Stakes—at Santa Anita Park in 2016.

Manhattan Mischief, who was claimed by trainer Matt Kordenbrock and owners Gwyneyth Gower and Robert O’Hara Jr. for $40,000 a month earlier at Churchill Downs, earned back more than half that price with a second-place run.

Crocodile Charlie, who captured a stakes at Gulfstream in June after breaking his maiden for a $25,000 tag and running for $12,500 in his debut, won a photo for third for trainer Rohan Crichton, who co-owns the colt with Span Investments Inc. Aztec Sense crossed the wire fourth and was followed by Rhythm Park, Dark Arden, Chatiment, Sandro, Double Whammy, Shaft of Light, Coxswain, Whyruawesome, Thanks God and Crazy Frank C.

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FEATURE

TIARA MARTINI GLASS

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f the Claiming Crown races were eligible to be graded, the $125,000 Tiara for fillies and mares who have started for $25,000 or less would merit serious consideration. The best evidence to argue that point is that Martini Glass, who came in with a pair of second-place finishes in Grade 1 races, was not even favored. Instead, that distinction went to Starship Jubilee, a two-time graded stakes winner in Canada. As the 2-1 second choice, Martini Glass and jockey Paco Lopez took the 1 1/16-mile turf event in 1:46.65 in a head bob over Peru (GB) with Starship Jubilee a length back in third.

“I thought we lost,” said trainer Keith Nations. “Me and my wife, Cheryl, were just standing there. We didn’t know whether to go to where they unsaddle or go to the winner’s circle. We got caught in between and all of a sudden I looked up and saw the No. 4 up there and I was shocked.

It looked like we ran second, but she got her nose down in time.”

Owned by Vince Campanella and Nations Racing Stable LLC, Martini Glass came to Gulfstream off a second-place effort in the Grade 1, $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes

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at Keeneland, beaten two lengths by Romantic Vision. Over the summer, the 4-year-old Kitalpha filly was just a length back of champion Songbird while second in the Grade 1, $750,000 Delaware Handicap and second by a neck in the $100,000 Obeah Stales, also at Delaware. Those races were all on the dirt, and she won the Tiara despite turf not being her preferred surface.

“We always thought she would be better on turf; she’s probably not,” Nations said. “She’s probably better on the dirt. We have some options. We don’t even know what her best distance is. It’s crazy. She ran within a length of Songbird going a mile and a quarter, and she ran a really powerful race going seven-eighths [at Tampa Bay Downs].”

Bred in Kentucky by Aschinger Bloodstock LLC, Martini Glass was claimed from her breeder in her maidenbreaking debut against $16,000 claimers at Tampa Bay Downs and has since won seven more races with a total bankroll of $475,445.

Runner-up Peru, racing for owners Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Mike Maker, earned $25,000 for her effort, the same amount she was claimed for in July at Belmont Park.

Starship Jubilee, a $16,000 claimer earlier in the year who went on to win the Grade 2 Dance Smartly and Nassau stakes at Woodbine, could not hold the lead she had at the top of the stretch and finished third for trainer Kevin Attard, who co-owns her with Soli Mehta.

Arthemisa, Vendita, Valedictorian, Quebec, Temple Fur, Dynatail, Judy’s Chance and Flattermefabulous completed the field.

EMERALD SPECIAL OPS

T

rainer Mike Maker came into the Claiming Crown with a record 15 wins, including six in the $125,000 Emerald at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for horses who have started for $25,000 or less. After missing by a nose one race earlier in the Tiara, Maker added to his win total as Special Ops and Julien Leparoux cleared the field late to score by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:50.41 at 7-1 odds.

“It’s taken all day for it to come together, but better late than never,” Maker said. “I was expecting that from him last time. He got a little sick after that race so it was a throwout race. He showed up again today.”

The race Maker referenced was a fifth-place finish against allowance foes at Keeneland, but prior to that the 6-year-old Big Brown gelding won a starter allowance at Kentucky Downs and the $75,000 West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup Stakes at Mountaineer Park. Maker claimed Special Ops for Skychai Racing LLC for $50,000 in June at Churchill Downs, and in his five starts since then, the gelding has banked more than $170,000. Bred in Kentucky by Candy Meadows LLC, Special Ops has eight

lifetime wins from 28 starts with earnings of $375,202.

Maker completed the exacta with Bingo Kitten in the familiar colors of Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey. A 7-year-old son of the Ramseys’ stallion Kitten’s Joy, Bingo Kitten raced as low as the $16,000 level earlier in the year before rising back up in class.

Durocher, a 61-1 longshot owned by Sterling Racing LLC, John Herzberg and Michelle Allan and trained by Harry Benson, got up for third.

Spring Up, D’craziness, Kaitain, Royal Blessing, Neoclassic, Sinatra, Laythatpistoldown, Cammack, Zambian, Eminent Force and Black Tide rounded out the finish.

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FEATURE

JEWEL FLOWERS FOR LISA

T

he $200,000 Jewel at 1 1/8 miles featured an evenly matched field of horses who have started for $35,000 or less, so it was no surprise that a trio of longshots completed a trifecta that paid more than $7,000 for a $1 bet. At the wire, it was Flying P Stable’s Flowers for Lisa at 16-1 with Paco Lopez aboard winning his third Claiming Crown race of the day.

A 4-year-old gelding by Flower Alley who shipped to South Florida after running second against $32,000 claimers at Belmont Park, Flowers for Lisa set a reasonable pace with fractions of :23.60, :47.06 and 1:11.28 and then held off his challengers to win by 1 ½ lengths in 1:48.76.

Trainer Jorge Navarro, who earlier in the day won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct with Sharp Azteca, claimed Flowers for Lisa for $20,000 in July at Monmouth Park for Jason Provenzano’s Flying P Stable.

“Jorge told me the day he claimed him that this was our Claiming Crown horse,” Provenzano said. “This is a dream for me. The phone hasn’t stopped. I got in this game a long time ago. My father was a jockey years ago; he rode down at Bowie, 34

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Timonium, Pimlico, Marlboro, tracks that don’t even exist anymore, some of them. I fell in love with horses at a young age, but I never thought I’d have the money to own them. I got in a good position in my life, and we started claiming horses.”

Flowers for Lisa, who was bred in Kentucky by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, spent the early part of his career at Gulfstream and earned $110,000 for his first race in Florida since May 2016. His record now stands at 33-7-8-5 with earnings of $276,616.

Flashy Jewel, with the perfect name to win the race, chased Flowers for Lisa throughout and got his head down in front of Diamond Bachelor to earn second. Owned by Michael Hui and trained by Mike Maker, Flashy Jewel finished second in last year’s Rapid Transit and came into this year’s Jewel with more than $100,000 in earnings for the year and a placing in the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream.

Third-place finisher Diamond Bachelor is also a Claiming Crown veteran having finished second in last year’s Jewel. Trained by Patrick Biancone and owned by Diamond 100 Racing Club LLC, Robert Trussell and Patrick L. Biancone LLC, the 6-year-old War Front gelding won a pair of turf stakes last year and ran in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

The remaining order of finish in the Jewel was Turco Bravo (Chi), Capital Letters, Dream Saturday, Jay’s Way, Indian Guide, Fearless Dragon, Chunnel, Gigantic Breeze and Clubman.

WWW.HBPA.ORG

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ARE YOU COVERED?

OWNERS’ AND TRAINERS’ LIABILITY PROGRAM THROUGH THE STARNET INSURANCE COMPANY Endorsed by

THE NATIONAL HORSEMEN’S BENEVOLENT & PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION, INC. WHAT IS IT? A program to protect your assets in case of an injury or damage to property arising from your equine activities (breeding, racing, sales, training). This is not a substitute for workers ’ compensation coverage.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? $90 per horse and $180 minimum premium—Beginning November 1st WHAT DOES IT COVER? • Liability claims arising from injuries to participants (non-employee jockeys and exercise riders) • Contractual liability (i.e. hold harmless in Race Track Stall Agreements) • Premises and Operations liability coverage for all equine operations including breeding, boarding, training and racing HOW MUCH DOES IT COVER? Each member additional insured has their own $1,000,000 coverage for each occurrence or offense and $2,000,000 general aggregate. Damage to premises rented to you or occupied by you with the permission of the owner is provided with a limit of $50,000.

Medical Payments coverage applies as well in the amount of $5,000 per person.

WWW.LAVININSURANCE.COM PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR: STONE LANE, LLC (KEVIN S. LAVIN) OFFICIAL SPONSOR of the National HBPA OFFICIAL SPONSOR of the National HBPA

P.O. BOX 1001 PEWEE VALLEY, KENTUCKY 40056 — 502.228.1600 (TELEPHONE) — 502.638.5060 (FAX)

FEATURE Courtesy Lexington Herald-Leader

Helping Hand

LENDING A

By Judy L. Marchman

A FIRE AT MERCURY EQUINE CENTER IN LEXINGTON,

KENTUCKY, KILLED 23 HORSES AND DESTROYED A BARN AND SUPPLIES, SO THE NATIONAL HBPA FOUNDATION, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY, STEPPED

“WE HAD OUR YOUNG HORSES HERE; THEY WERE OUR FUTURE ... WE LOST EVERYTHING.”

In a nightmarish scenario early the morning of December 18, 2016, a fire caused by a lightning strike at Mercury Equine Center in Lexington, Kentucky, destroyed one of the barns and left 23 Thoroughbreds dead. Quick-acting employees were able to save 13 horses, but the devastation was overwhelming.

“We had our young horses here; they were our future,” said trainer Eric Reed, who with his wife, Kay, owns Mercury Equine Center.

The majority of the horses in the barn were yearlings, but the fire victims also included a 3-year-old filly who had recently won a $100,000 stakes and was scheduled to sell at the Keeneland January sale.

On top of the tragic loss of the horses, Reed lost a significant amount of the center’s extra supplies and tack in the fire. He said the loss of supplies and equipment ran about $200,000, not including the cost to replace the barn, which was estimated at around $1 million.

“We lost everything,” he said, explaining that some supplies were in Texas with his string of horses at Sam Houston Race Park and it would take time to transport needed supplies back to Kentucky.

UP TO HELP TRAINER ERIC REED. WWW.HBPA.ORG

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Courtesy Eric Reed

FEATURE

THE PROCESS IS UNDERWAY TO REBUILD THE DESTROYED BARN AT MERCURY EQUINE CENTER.

The National HBPA Foundation quickly set up a fund for Reed and Mercury Equine by matching HBPA-affiliated organizations’ contributions up to $10,000 with the hope that more than $20,000 would be donated overall. The Foundation set up an account for the Reeds at Horse Cents tack shop in Versailles, Kentucky, for the HBPA contributions. That way, Reed could more easily replace necessary equipment and other supplies.

After announcing the fund, National HBPA President Leroy Gessmann said, “We are first and foremost here to help horsemen. In this instance, Eric Reed and his stable have undergone a severe tragedy, a nightmare for any trainer. We are here to help him, as we know he would do for us.”

Having quick access to local funds allowed Reed to keep Mercury Equine operating as they dealt with the aftermath of the fire.

“I’ve been so overwhelmed by this,” Reed said. “I didn’t know the HBPA did things like this.

“It was very humbling, but it lifted our spirits,” he added, admitting that it had been a bad day emotionally for him when he got the call about the funds from the Foundation. “I didn’t have a lot of time to grieve right after it happened; I had to keep everything going.”

Reed probably wasn’t aware of the Foundation’s work mainly because that work, for the most part, stays out of the limelight.

The Foundation, the 501(c)(3)

charitable arm of the National HBPA, has been quietly helping horsemen since the 1950s by providing financial assistance in times of natural disaster, for major medical needs or for gaps in insurance coverage or stable downtimes that are out of a trainer’s or owner’s control.

“The Foundation is an important example of our commitment to horsemen helping horsemen,” National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback said. “Our horsemen are a resilient group, but when a disaster strikes, they may find themselves unexpectedly in need of assistance. The Foundation helps provide a safety net for those tough times.”

The Foundation’s funding is primarily donation-driven and can be focused on a particular event or cause.

For example, one of the Foundation’s largest efforts came after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when it helped spearhead a fundraising effort to help horsemen in Louisiana and other areas affected by the storm. The industry-wide effort collected more than $400,000 in donations and more than 160,000 tons of supplies. The Foundation was again at the forefront of another industry effort to support horsemen from Texas to Florida to Puerto Rico affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, and most recently those impacted by the wildfire that hit San Luis Rey Training Center in Southern California.

“The response of our horsemen

THE NATIONAL HBPA FOUNDATION PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HORSEMEN IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATIONAL HBPA FOUNDATION OR TO MAKE A DONATION, VISIT NATIONALHBPA.COM/DONATE.

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time and time again has just been incredible,” Hamelback said. “Contributions from our equine community help us make a difference in the lives and livelihoods of our fellow horsemen and horsewomen across the country.”

He emphasized that while donating to the Foundation at the time of a disaster is important, so too is supporting the Foundation on a regular basis to ensure funds are available when disaster strikes. Donations are tax-deductible and could mean the difference between a horseman being able to stay in business or not.

The National HBPA’s National Assistance Committee, chaired by Gessmann, oversees the Foundation and reviews requests for assistance. Typically, horsemen submit requests to a local HBPA affiliate, which then passes the request to the national organization. The Foundation generally provides matching funds in conjunction with the requesting local affiliate.

The committee also has the discretion to provide assistance to those in immediate need, like in the case of Eric Reed, and it often comes as a very welcome surprise.

It certainly was to Michael Blowen, founder and president of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm near Georgetown, Kentucky. Like Reed, he too was unaware of the Foundation’s work until he was on the receiving end of a check.

On January 23, 2016, Old Friends had its quarantine barn destroyed by fire. Only two horses were in the barn at the time—Alphabet Soup and Archie’s Echo—and thankfully both were gotten out safely, but the barn was a total loss.

For a nonprofit organization, it was a huge financial hit.

“Eric Hamelback showed up to hand me a check,” Blowen said. “It was just fabulous. I can’t thank the HBPA enough; I really appreciate all that they do.”

The new 12-stall barn, which Blowen said cost around $130,000, was completed that spring, and Old Friends held a grand opening ceremony on July 9. On hand for the ribbon cutting was Old Friends’ resident spokeshorse, Little

Silver Charm, although his larger namesake is the one who has his own stall in the new barn, where the 1997 Kentucky Derby winner comes in every evening.

“The new barn has good ventilation,” Blowen said. “Each stall has individual lights and individual circuits—and all wires are in conduits.” He was referring to the wiring as the possible cause for the fire—with some help from a squirrel or raccoon.

The barn also still serves as a quarantine facility for new arrivals as well as a place for horses that need to be confined for health or mobility reasons.

Alphabet Soup is currently in the barn for treatment for melanomas, and he eagerly greets passers-by from his stall window.

“It’s because of the HBPA combined with our insurance and other supporters like Fasig-Tipton’s Blue Horse Charities, we were able to build this kind of barn,” Blowen said.

At Mercury Equine Center, the barn rebuild was just getting underway with groundbreaking being scheduled for late November.

“It took awhile to get over the shock, and we had to get the money together,” Reed said. “We were hoping to start in the springtime when it got green, but seeing that big barn gone, it just created a bigger void. … Now, we’re excited for it.”

In addition to the new barn, Reed is also putting in a memorial for the horses they lost.

“There is no price you can put on those horses,” he said, “but I can do a memorial and always let them be remembered.”

The new barn will be relatively the same size as the one that was lost, Reed said, with an emphasis on easier access to get horses in and out. He estimated that the barn would be completed by early 2018, depending on weather.

“You see what good is out there and how the horse community takes care of itself,” Reed said. “I will never forget all the support we’ve received, and I will be there to do the same thing for others.”

Judy L. Marchman

MICHAEL BLOWEN, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF OLD FRIENDS, VISITS 1996 BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC WINNER ALPHABET SOUP IN THE NEW BARN FUNDED IN PART BY THE NATIONAL HBPA FOUNDATION. WWW.HBPA.ORG

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FEATURE

an

IN-DEPTH LOOK at STALL CONTAMINATION A TOTAL OF 28 SUBSTANCES WERE IDENTIFIED IN CHARLES TOWN SHIP-IN STALLS AS A MIX OF HUMAN MEDICATIONS AND RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCES WITH SOME ACTUAL EQUINE MEDICATIONS

Denis Blake

By Clara Fenger, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, Maria Catignani, Jake Machin and Thomas Tobin, MRCVS, PhD, DABT

This story is important because it involves, to our knowledge, the first-ever broad-based high-sensitivity testing of ship-in stalls at a North American racetrack. The story begins in August 2015, when Charles Town Races changed its drug-testing contract to the highly capable Denver-based Industrial Laboratories and also adopted the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) controlled therapeutic medication schedule.

One unanticipated outcome of these changes was the appearance of a sporadic sequence of low-concentration naproxen positives, mostly among trainers shipping in from Mid-Atlantic states to race at Charles Town. As of January 1, 2017, these identifications were all in plasma and ran from a miniscule 6.3 ng/ml to 161 ng/ml. Although these plasma concentrations of naproxen are readily detectable by modern, high-sensitivity testing methods, these concentrations are not pharmacologically significant, especially given that the neighboring Mid-Atlantic states were regulating naproxen at a 1,000 ng/ml plasma threshold.

Naproxen is the poster child for stall contamination.

The naproxen dose is large—5 grams/horse twice a day, given orally. The stall becomes contaminated beginning with WWW.HBPA.ORG

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FEATURE

the naproxen that inadvertently drips there with the first oral dose and soon thereafter with the naproxen-laden urine that the horse spills into the stall.

The naproxen molecule is chemically stable, so it persists and will accumulate in the stall. One way to tell if a stall is contaminated is to put a “clean” horse into the stall and test the horse in a couple of days; if the stall is significantly contaminated, the horse will test positive for naproxen.

Where were the naproxen positives in the Charles Town ship-ins coming from? One possibility suggested by horsemen was that the ship-in stalls themselves were naproxen-contaminated, providing a ready source of the naproxen positives. Responding to this suggestion, West Virginia Racing Commission personnel swabbed the ship-in stalls and sent the samples

As shown in Figure 1, cocaine and its metabolites benzoylecgonine (BZE) and ecgonine methyl ester were, not surprisingly, the most frequently identified substances, identified in 10 of the ship-in stalls tested.

This finding is fully consistent with the widespread human recreational use of cocaine and its well-established presence as a tracelevel environmental substance in human environments. Traces of cocaine can be found on 92 percent of circulating U.S. dollars. As a result of the ubiquitous presence of cocaine in the human environment, the Federal Aviation Administration, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Transportation have adopted a screening level of 150 ng/ml of its BZE metabolite in human urine as not unusual and indicative of nothing more than inadvertent exposure of the human to trace-level amounts of environmental cocaine. Similarly, some horse racing jurisdictions have adopted a BZE screening limit, ranging from 50 ng/ml to 150 ng/ml in a post-race urine sample.

Methamphetamine is also a widely used human recreational substance, and there were two amphetamine and one methamphetamine identifications, fully consistent with the increasingly common detection of trace levels of methamphetamine in racing. One other identification most likely related to human recreational substance use was an identification of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) or “bath salts” and an unexpected identification of n-ethylnicotinamide, a metabolite of the stimulant nikethamide. All in all, it is clear confirmation of the widespread presence in the racing environment, in this case in ship-in stalls, of traces of human recreational substances.

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to Industrial Laboratories for analysis, leading to some, shall we say, very interesting findings.

Presented below are data from the reports from Industrial Laboratories to the West Virginia Racing Commission obtained under a public records request by the Charles Town HBPA. We do not know precisely how the stalls were swabbed/sampled; nevertheless, the results are very interesting indeed. And, by way of background, the total number of ship-in stalls tested was 21, and of that number, only four were negative for detected medications/substances, starting with human recreational substances, as presented in Figure 1. One additional stall had straw tested, and the straw was negative.

FIGURE 1: HUMAN RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCES FOUND IN THE SHIP-IN STALLS AT CHARLES TOWN RACES

ALL IN ALL, IT IS CLEAR CONFIRMATION OF THE WIDESPREAD PRESENCE IN THE RACING ENVIRONMENT, IN THIS CASE IN SHIP-IN STALLS, OF TRACES OF HUMAN RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCES.

A total of 14 human prescription or over-the-counter medication identifications were found in these 21 stalls, shown in Figure 2. There were three identifications of metoprolol, a human blood pressure medication; two each of tramadol, a human opioid-type pain medication; and methadone, an opioid used to treat pain and also as a maintenance therapy for humans with opioid dependence.

One stall tested positive for oxycodone, an opioid widely misused by humans in the current opioid epidemic in the United States, for a total of five opiate identifications.

There were two identifications of metformin, a widely used human type 2 diabetes medication, and two identifications of meprobamate, a long-used human antianxiety medication, as well as a metabolite of carisoprodol (Soma), a commonly prescribed human muscle relaxant that is also occasionally used in horses.

Not entirely unexpectedly, there was one identification listed as levorphanol/dextrorphan, presumably a passedthrough metabolite of dextromethorphan, the active substance in a number of over-the-counter medications such as NyQuil, as evidenced in a number of recent dextrorphan identifications in Kentucky associated with the use of NyQuil by the groom of at least one of the involved horses. Finally, there was an identification of ritalinic acid, presumably associated with urination in the ship-in stall of an individual medicated with methylphenidate/Ritalin. These ship-in stall findings of tramadol, oxycodone and dextrorphan come as no surprise to the racing community, with these substances being identified as human prescription and over-the-counter medications long suspected of transferring from humans to racehorses and giving rise to trace-level urinary identifications of these substances.

Finally, the equine substances (Figure 3) present in the ship-in stalls totaled 21 individual identifications. The status of naproxen was reported as “high-concentration� in four stalls but was apparently detected at a low level in almost all of the tested stalls, consistent with its posterchild status as an environmental substance. Three stalls each tested positive for acepromazine and glycopyrrolate, which is somewhat surprising for these relatively low-dose medications. Two stalls each tested positive for ketoprofen and flunixin. The flunixin findings were consistent with its long-established role as a stall contaminant, even when administered as an IV medication. There was also one stall identification each of firocoxib, a highdose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory; guaifenesin; isoxsuprine, another poster child for stall contamination; a somewhat unexpected lidocaine; a fully to be expected methocarbamol; and two not unexpected equine/human anti-ulcer medications, omeprazole and ranitidine.

FIGURE 2: HUMAN THERAPEUTIC SUBSTANCES FOUND IN THE SHIP-IN STALLS AT CHARLES TOWN RACES

FIGURE 3: EQUINE THERAPEUTIC SUBSTANCES FOUND IN THE SHIP-IN STALLS AT CHARLES TOWN RACES

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FEATURE

THE CASE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE GROWS This space in The Horsemen’s Journal has been repeatedly filled with examples of positive tests resulting from inadvertent environmental exposure that have been implicated from sources as widely varied as contamination from a groom’s hands of common cold remedies to the horse’s own urine. We have discussed possible transfer from human urine, traces of medication on hay nets, commingling of human prescriptions with tongue ties in pockets or even transferred from the hands of an assistant starter onto the horse’s mucous membranes. While some of these sources could be readily limited by strict control by the trainer, others are completely outside the control of horsemen. Nonetheless, the absolute insurer rule counts these meaningless positive tests as equal to intentional administration of performance-enhancing drugs. Some regulators, such as the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, in the case of dextrorphan, have come to the logical conclusion that some such tracepositive findings are irrelevant, whereas others continue to adhere to their outdated zero-tolerance regulations.

THE EVIDENCE Drugs in the environment are an emerging problem, not just for horse racing, and it has entered the radar screen of our national regulatory bodies.

The Environmental Protection Agency commissioned a study evaluating the effluents of 50 large wastewater treatment plants and found measurable levels of 56 different pharmaceuticals, with a diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide, being found in every sample analyzed. Among the drugs found were hypertensive medications, metoprolol, atenolol, enalapril and narcotics, including hydrocodone and oxycodone. Some of these drugs result from the flushing of prescription drugs down the toilet, but most are actually from the urine of humans taking the drugs. The levels of these environmental contaminants in wastewater are mostly very low, unlikely to cause positive tests in racing horses, but it underscores the significance of contamination in the environment. Environmental contamination happens, with many of these drugs stable enough in the environment to remain in the water even after wastewater treatment.

More common sources of inadvertent environmental exposure for horses are the horses themselves, the grooms in constant contact with the horses under their care and others like racing officials. There has been credible evidence of contamination of horses by casual contact with grooms, paddock judges and assistant starters, and even contamination of blood or urine samples during or after collection in the test barn. All of these positive tests have been at very low, trace levels of identification, usually in urine, and at levels well below those that may affect the physiology of the animal.

The problem of inadvertent environmental exposure was first outlined in a group of scientific papers published in 2000 at the International Conference for Racing Analysts and Veterinarians. In those proceedings, naproxen, ibuprofen, isoxsuprine and flunixin were all shown to have positive tests consistent with violations after exposure to very low concentrations of these drugs. In 2006 chlorpheniramine, dipyrone and meclofenamic acid were added to the list of drugs for which such positives could be demonstrated. Recommended limits of detection were suggested for therapeutic medications to avoid these irrelevant positives from inadvertent environmental exposure.

The phenomenon of inadvertent environmental exposure to horses by their own urine was clearly demonstrated in 2011 in a study by Dr. Marie-Agnès Popot and others in France. They administered flunixin orally and intravenously and bedded the horses on straw. The horses were grouped as follows: 1) those in deep stall bedding that was completely stripped and swept out daily, 44

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2) those in thin stall bedding that was completely stripped and swept out daily, and 3) those in deep stall bedding cleaned in the usual fashion with most of the straw saved and the dirty removed.

At 24 hours after the drug was given, a horse was moved to a clean stall in which no horse had been given flunixin. The findings were simple: All groups, except the horse that was moved to a clean stall, experienced positive tests associated with recycling of flunixin from the stall. The highest risk of a positive test from this stall contamination was in the group with thin bedding completely stripped daily.

DRUGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT In 2008 Dr. Steven Barker performed a survey of the test barn and receiving barn stalls at a racetrack in Louisiana. He sampled the dirt floors, consciously avoiding regions of high suspicion, such as obvious areas of urine and fecal contamination, collecting about 1 ½ ounces of dirt to screen for drugs. He looked for common equine therapeutic medications, caffeine and cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine. Phenylbutazone, flunixin, naproxen, caffeine and furosemide were all readily identified in those stall samples, and all of the samples collected contained cotinine. While none of those drugs were present in sufficient concentrations to actually trigger a positive test, this study shows that, even in what are expected to be the cleanest areas on the backside—the test and receiving barns, where horses are generally not actually treated with drugs routinely—the environment is contaminated with medications.

In the last edition of The Horsemen’s Journal, we outlined an investigation of a cluster of naproxen positives at Charles Town. As stated earlier, the stalls in the receiving barn were swabbed and tested for drugs in the environment as part of the investigation by the West Virginia Racing Commission into this incident.

Several points can be surmised from the results. First, many of the substances found in the stalls at Charles Town are found in trace concentrations in post-race samples, often with the trainer and owner left wondering where they came from. Second, these were the substances found in the ship-in barn, and some substances, such as equine therapeutics, would be expected to be much higher in the horses’ home stalls. Third, it is critical that these studies be repeated at racetracks across the country; the absolute insurer rule cannot hold a trainer responsible for substances inadvertently picked up by a horse in a receiving barn, test barn or other area not under their direct control. Finally, these issues can readily be addressed using recommended screening limits, like the limits of detection originally recommended by Duluard and others in 2006, for substances of inadvertent environmental exposure.

RCI MODEL RULES ARCI-025-020§H2 recognizes that “substances of human use and addiction and which could be found in the horse due to its close association with humans” should be identified, but as yet, there are no screening limits established for such substances in the model rules.

The National HBPA and North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians have joined together to propose screening limits for three of the substances of concern, two of which are prominently featured in the Charles Town investigation: methamphetamine and cocaine and its metabolites. We urge jurisdictions to consider our proposal in light of the evidence outlined in this article and join us in moving horse racing past the penalizing of our horsemen and owners because of highly sensitive testing equipment.

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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 MAGIC CITY CLASSIC AND ALABAMA-BRED SUPPLEMENTS The Magic City Classic, sponsored by the Birmingham Racing Commission, will already have been run in December at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans by the time you are reading this. As of November 15, the nominations closed with 14 horses. Thank you to all who participated, and congratulations to the winner! Look for a recap in the next issue.

We have paid out more than $16,000 in supplemental purses for Alabamabreds so far this year with more funds available. If you know of anybody who owns an Alabama-bred or see an Alabama-bred running in an open company race, please contact Nancy Delony at nancy.m.delony@ms.com or (205) 9697048. A little extra purse money is always a good thing.

The Louisiana HBPA has been a tremendous help to the Alabama HBPA and horsemen by continuing to allow Alabama-bred races at their tracks and by monitoring the added purse monies for Alabama-bred horses running in Louisiana. Added-money funds are still available, which are in addition to the supplemental purse funds mentioned above.

Without live racing in Alabama, these added monies and supplemental purses are ways in which the Alabama HBPA can help support the horsemen.

Spring will be here before we know it, so be on the lookout for information about the Kenneth Cotton Memorial race for Alabama-breds in the next issue.

As 2017 comes to a close and the new year is upon us, we wish everyone safe, healthy and prosperous racing!

Nancy Delony, Executive Director

ARIZONA HBPA TURF PARADISE UPDATE Turf Paradise opened its gates October 14 for its 56th year of racing, and the meet will include 133 race days through May 6, 2018. The first weekend included several promotions

by Turf Paradise.

On that Saturday, The annual Thanksgiving dinner had a great turnout. everyone received a free Turf Paradise T-shirt, and Sunday was Fiesta Sunday featuring a live band, beer specials and several American Quarter Horse trial races.

This year we have several new racing officials at Turf Paradise.

The Arizona HBPA would like to welcome new steward Julie Kagno, track veterinarian Wes Vogt, state veterinarian Susan Gale and clerk of the course Kathy Passey. We hope they all enjoy their meet at Turf Paradise.

The new Arizona HBPA board of directors has been working diligently with Turf Paradise management on promotions, horsemen’s issues and more.

The new board is excited and moving forward for the betterment of racing in Arizona. President Robert Hutton has assigned new chairpersons to our various committees. The committees are actively helping horsemen and horsewomen

and working to make Turf Paradise a better experience for all. Vice President J. Lloyd Yother chairs the legislative and contract committees, Kevin Eickleberry chairs the backstretch committee, Valorie Lund chairs the medication committee, Kristin Boice chairs the by-laws and benevolence committees, Filippo Santoro chairs the budget committee, and Larry O’Brien chairs the promotions committee.

The Arizona HBPA and Turf Paradise again co-hosted the annual Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday, November 22. There were 40 turkeys cooked and the feast included more than 800 pounds of turkey meat and 150 pounds of ham, 150 pounds of potatoes and more than 80 pies. It was well received by all. Chef Gareth said this was his 15th year serving the dinner and it is his favorite event of the year. More than 1,000 horsemen, horsewomen and their families attended the dinner. Thanks to all who made such a great day possible. And a special thanks to track owner Jerry Simms.

YAVAPAI DOWNS UPDATE Arizona horsemen and horsewomen are excited about the chances of JACOR Partners LLC starting up racing again at Yavapai Downs. The Auther brothers, who head JACOR Partners, have brought in Corey Johnsen, president of Kentucky Downs, as their consultant in getting their racing operation up and running. Johnsen has a commitment from Ann McGovern to be the general manager of Yavapai Downs. McGovern has been the general manager at Remington Park, Sam Houston Race Park and Ruidoso Downs.

Dennis Moore, track superintendent at Del Mar, Santa Anita and Los Alamitos, will be working with the group in supervising the rebuilding of the track surface. The group was closing on the property in December and hoped to be ready to apply for a gaming license in January 2018. Once they have a gaming license, they can start opening their OTB operation, which will help generate monies for the purse account. If all goes well, there will be racing at Yavapai in the summer of 2019.

BACKSTRETCH CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST Chaplin John Shumaker and his congregation will once again be serving the backstretch workers breakfast on Christmas morning from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in front of the chapel. Happy Holidays!

ARKANSAS HBPA OAKLAWN’S FIRST CONDITION BOOK INCLUDES CLAIMING PURSE INCREASES The track with the highest purses in the Midwest has released its first condition book for the 2018 live season that begins January 12. Condition books can be found at oaklawn.com.

As part of its rich purse structure, Oaklawn Park will place a greater emphasis on the upper claiming races and has proportioned the purses accordingly. Races with claiming prices of $16,000 and higher in 2018 will see purse increases of between 16 percent and 30 percent over the 2017 purses.

The overall $30 million in purses also includes maiden special weights worth $75,000 and open allowance races worth as much as $80,000.

“This sends a very good signal,” Hall of Famer and eight-time Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen said. “It tells horsemen they are going to get rewarded for doing a good job rather than just for being aggressive. I really think this will work. It’s going to make for more competitive, better betting races.”

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“This is a positive move,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.

“It’s going to entice more $25,000 and $30,000 horses. It’s going to make a difference because there will be more action in the middle.”

“This is a great idea,” said longtime Oaklawn trainer Steve Hobby, a member of the Arkansas HBPA executive board. “The money stays within the claiming ranks, which is good, and it’s what’s best for the horse.”

Oaklawn has also made changes to the eligibility rules. Starting in 2018, horses must have started for more than $5,000 or have finished first through fourth in a $5,000 claiming race to be eligible for a stall or to enter.

Oaklawn has also raised the minimum claiming price from $5,000 to $6,250. Maidens must have started for more than $7,500 or finished second through fourth in a $7,500 maiden claiming race to receive consideration for a stall. In addition, 6-year-old maidens and horses 10 years or older will not be allowed to start unless approved in advance by the racing secretary and stewards.

Oaklawn previously announced a 31-race stakes schedule worth $8.525 million. The 2018 live meet runs through April 14.

CHARLES TOWN HBPA LEGISLATIVE MEET AND GREET DRAWS CROWD AT TAYLOR MOUNTAIN FARM A meet and greet with members of the legislature and representatives from the Thoroughbred racing industry drew more than 100 attendees on November 7. Legislators Jill Upson, Patricia Rucker, Riley Moore and Eric Householder were on hand to meet with representatives from the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the West Virginia Racing Commission and Penn National Gaming, as well as members of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

The event, which was held at Taylor Mountain Farm in Charles Town, presented an opportunity for area horsemen to discuss their concerns with their legislators.

“Many of the families here today have been in the industry for generations,” said Maria Catignani, executive director of the Charles Town HBPA. “Our owners and breeders are investors, who bring money to our community and to West Virginia. We pay for feed, board, dentists, farriers, veterinarians and trainers.

We rent hotel rooms, eat meals and fill trucks and trailers with gas. So today is a reminder for us that there isn’t one person in Charles Town who isn’t touched directly or indirectly by the Thoroughbred industry.”

James Casey, owner of Taylor Mountain Farm, whose family has been in the Thoroughbred industry since 1922, offered the following comments: “We are dedicated to horse racing and breeding, but we are at a crossroad. Now, more than ever, we need to unite and work together with legislators to find ways to generate more income for racing and breeding. We need to rise up or we are going to fail. If not, the future of our community is in jeopardy.”

The Thoroughbred racing industry in West Virginia generates an estimated $252 million in business volume, creates 5,348 jobs, $80.6 million in employee compensation and $3.7 million in assorted sales taxes. It also accounts for 14 percent of the jobs in Jefferson County.

WEST VIRGINIA BREEDERS’ CLASSICS XXXI On October 14, the best Thoroughbreds in West Virginia were showcased in a nine-race card at the 31st annual West Virginia Breeders’ Classics. Congratulations to the connections of Charitable Annuity, winner of the featured $350,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic.

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Donald Duval bred the gelding, who runs for owner Mark Russell and trainer James Casey.

Charitable Annuity (#3) prevailed in a three-horse photo finish to win the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic.

BEST TURNED OUT HORSE To encourage and award pride among grooms, as well as in the spirit of friendly competition, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has instituted a Best Turned Out Horse Award. Each night, the horse deemed by the paddock judge to be the best groomed in the seventh race receives the award. Charles Town Races posts the winning horse’s and groom’s names on the in-house television screens, and the groom receives a ticket to the casino’s Epic Buffet.

NAME THAT FOAL CONTEST The winning name in the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics’ “Name the Foal Contest” is Hezacorker, submitted by James Goff of Chesapeake, Virginia.

“Naming a racehorse is such an enjoyable process, and we thank Mr. Casey for helping us in our ongoing effort to engage with racing fans,” said Carol Holden, president of the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics. “This is the first year of this contest; we’re hopeful that it marks the start of a new tradition that will allow us, year after year, to showcase many of the wonderful stallions across West Virginia and other farms that make us so proud of our breeding industry.”

FLORIDA HBPA NEW FHBPA PRESIDENT Thoroughbred owner Stephen Screnci is the new president of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association Inc., succeeding Bill White.

Originally from Massachusetts, Screnci was licensed as an attorney in 1993 before moving to and being licensed in Florida in 1995. He owns his firm, Stephen W. Screnci, P.A., located in Boca Raton, and he has extensive experience in contract law.

Screnci owned his first Thoroughbred racehorses in the early 1990s and ran at Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park. He got back into racing in South Florida around 2004 and has had hundreds of starts since then, including a graded stakes-placed finisher.

He served as first vice president of the FHBPA this past year and has chaired the FHBPA contract committee for the past two years. Among his accomplishments was leading the 2017 contract negotiations with Gulfstream Park, which resulted in the elimination of a lingering overpayment in the purse account and the increase in purses this year, particularly at Gulfstream Park West this fall.

NEWS

OTHER FHBPA BOARD DOINGS Former FHBPA President Phil Combest left the FHBPA board in October and has been replaced in his full board position by trainer Larry Bates, who served this year as the trainer alternate board member. Bates will serve out the rest of Combest’s term, which runs until the 2019 election.

Owner Joan Rose Needell, who served this year as the owner alternate board member, took over the remainder of Bill White’s director term, which also runs until the 2019 election.

The annual FHBPA nominating meeting was held December 10 at the Adena Grill at Gulfstream to take nominations for the five expiring director terms of the 15-member board. FHBPA membership will be electing two trainer directors, two owner directors, one open director (trainer or owner) and two alternate directors (one owner and one trainer).

The directors whose terms expire in 2018 and are up for election are owner director and president Stephen Screnci, owner director and treasurer Daryl Clark, owner director and secretary Adam Lazarus, trainer director Joe Orseno and trainer director Barry Rose.

As this was written before the nominating meeting, please check our website at fhbpa.org for more information regarding the election and candidates.

KENT STIRLING REMEMBERED The FHBPA board of directors made a $10,000 donation in the memory of former FHBPA Executive Director Kent Stirling to His Place Ministries, the chaplaincy at Gulfstream, for the purchase of a van. Chaplain Tom LaPointe, who was very close to Kent, was in need of a van to replace the one they were using for delivering food to backstretch workers and people to appointments and events. Kent strongly supported the chaplaincy at Gulfstream and all they do for the workers at our three locations. The board felt that Kent would have been happy to know that this memorial donation in his name was used for this purpose.

Below is a picture of the chaplains with their new van: (from left) Chaplain Fernando at Palm Meadows, Chaplain Alberto at Gulfstream, Chaplain Tom at Gulfstream and Chaplain Guillermo at Gulfstream Park West.

INDIANA HBPA CAESARS BUYS INDIANA GRAND AND HOOSIER PARK FROM CENTAUR On November 16, Bloomberg News reported that Centaur Gaming and Caesars were finishing up details for Caesars’ $1.7 billion purchase of the Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand casinos and racetracks, plus three off-track betting facilities. Details were scant at the editorial deadline for this article, but the purchase could take up to six months before resolution.

The agreement will need to be approved by the Indiana Gaming

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Screnci and his wife, Cindy, have two children—Lia, who attends the University of Georgia, and Bradley, who attends Florida Atlantic University.

Commission, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and, most likely, the U.S. Department of Justice anti-trust division. Caesars owns casinos in Hammond, in northwest Indiana, and in Bridgeport, across the Ohio River from Louisville. The sale would give the company the first, second, third and fifth highest-grossing casinos in the state.

Centaur Gaming has been vital to the growth of gaming, racing and breeding in Indiana, continually promoting, building and investing in the industry. Thoroughbred horsemen and women owe them a deep debt of appreciation for their efforts as our track partners.

Stay tuned. It’s getting interesting in Indiana.

2017 RACE MEET HITS THE WIRE, CONTINUES UPWARD TREND AT INDIANA GRAND The 2017 Thoroughbred race meet at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino ended October 27 on a cold, rainy afternoon. But the season continued a hot streak for the Indiana Thoroughbred industry.

After steadily growing handle for the past four years, the 2017 meet showed a 2 percent increase in overall handle compared with 2016. The increase came despite the meet losing three days to weather and track conditions over the summer.

Next year’s schedule has not yet received regulatory approval by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (scheduled to meet December 6, after the deadline for this article). A draft of the proposed schedule calls for a mid-April start and racing four days a week for most of the season. Unlike this year’s schedule, which ended October 26, the 2018 meet would extend into November, through the week after Breeders’ Cup. GENARO GARCIA WINS FIRST CAREER TRAINING TITLE AT INDIANA GRAND Trainer Genaro Garcia has always had success in Indiana. He ran his first horse as a trainer at Hoosier Park in 2006. He won his first stakes race there with Lil Mai Tai in 2007 in the $45,000 City of Anderson Stakes. Then he returned the following year for his first six-figure stakes win with Queen of Tee in the $100,000 City of Anderson Stakes. Now, Garcia can add another Indiana milestone after he took home the leading Thoroughbred trainer award at Indiana Grand.

A native of Guerrero, Mexico, Garcia cracked the top 10 in the trainer standings for the first time in 2015 at Indiana Grand. He returned last season to finish third with 36 winners. This year, he earned the title with 54 wins. The next closest contender was Kim Hammond with 39 wins. Horses from the Garcia Stable maintained an in-the-money average of 56 percent during the 120-day meet and pulled in more than $1.2 million in purse earnings.

“This is the first title in my career, and I’m really excited and so happy,” said Garcia, who now calls Greenwood, Indiana, home. “I want to thank God, my owners, my team at the barn and Indiana Grand. I never thought this could happen, and I’m really excited.”

Garcia plans to race at Churchill Downs this fall and then head back to a warmer climate as he will spend his third straight year at Oaklawn Park in January.

GARY PATRICK WINS 2017 LEADING OWNER TITLE AT INDIANA GRAND Owner-trainer Gary Patrick picked up another leading owner title at Indiana Grand this season, scoring 24 wins over the 23 for runner-up John Haran’s Haran Thoroughbreds.

Patrick, a native of Circleville, Ohio, had another banner fall in racing. He scored a big win with his 2-year-old standout, Mo Money, in the $100,000 Crown Ambassador Stakes in early October at Indiana Grand. Then one week later, he earned his 2,000th career training win after scoring twice on the day, including WWW.HBPA.ORG

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the $75,000 Emerald Necklace Stakes with Pure Justice at JACK Thistledown.

The race for leading owner came down to one of the last races of the meet.

Patrick finished up the 120-day meet with 24 wins in 186 starts and purse earnings just under the $500,000 mark. Horses from his barn maintained a 35 percent top-three-finish percentage for the season.

Patrick increased his lead as the track’s all-time leading owner. He now has 225 wins at Indiana Grand with earnings of just under $2.9 million. Patrick is also the track’s all-time leading trainer, recording 342 wins at Indiana Grand over the past 15 years.

annual awards and an Adventureland outing.

The awards this year will not be the typical sit-down affair that everyone is accustomed to. Instead it will be a quicker-paced scenario with a host presenting the awards to the respective recipients. Also, there will be heavy hors d’oeuvres instead of a dinner, and at this time, it is envisioned that there will be no cost to attend; however, RSVPs will be appreciated to obtain an accurate count of attendees. Awards will continue to be a joint venture of the Iowa HBPA and ITBOA. Please watch your mailbox for invites to the newly revamped awards show for 2018!

MARCELINO PEDROZA WINS 2017 LEADING JOCKEY TITLE It came down to the final day of racing to determine a winner, but Marcelino Pedroza had a strong showing, turning in a riding double and capturing his first leading jockey title at Indiana Grand. The 24-year-old second-generation jockey from Panama topped the standings with 109 wins for the year, just one ahead of DeShawn Parker.

Pedroza came into the final day of racing with a one-win lead over Parker.

The two jockeys had been exchanging the top spot for the past week. Both riders scored riding triples on October 26 and followed it up with riding doubles on the final day.

Pedroza completed the year with a 20 percent win rate and a 51 percent in-the-money statistics line. Horses ridden by Pedroza during the 2017 meet earned more than $2.5 million.

BACKSIDE UPKEEP As is typically the case during the off-season here at Prairie Meadows, there are improvements being made to the backside for the betterment of the horses and horsemen. Currently Prairie Meadows is doing the following work: • After testing the track, additional clay and silt were added to the surface mixture.

• The barn area roads had some surface cracks that are now being sealed.

• Dirt is being added to stalls, and broken boards are being repaired or replaced.

As always, please visit the Iowa HBPA Facebook page to stay current on Iowa HBPA matters.

JOCKEY KATIE CLAWSON SETS APPRENTICE RECORD, RETIRES AFTER ONE YEAR Apprentice jockey Katie Clawson came out of the gate strong at the beginning of the 2017 season and was atop the standings for most of it. The 20-year-old from Brazil, Indiana, announced her retirement from riding in late September and ended the meet with 71 wins, which not only earned her the leading apprentice title but also marked a new record for most wins in one season by an apprentice jockey.

Clawson concluded her riding career, after a little more than a year, with 82 wins and earnings of more than $1.8 million. Her final statistics line at Indiana Grand was 71 wins in 375 starts with earnings of more than $1.5 million. She still finished in sixth in the leading jockey standings even after missing the final two months of racing.

She is the third recipient of the Juan Saez Leading Apprentice Jockey Award at Indiana Grand. The award was named in honor of the apprentice jockey who was tragically killed in a racing spill in 2014. Previous recipients include Cheyanna Patrick (2015) and Eduardo Gallardo (2016).

IOWA HBPA IOWA HBPA OFFICE NOT MOVING It’s that time of year again, and this time we are not moving our office.

Usually we move to the front side until the end of February, and then we return to our backside office to begin the racing season. However, this year both the Iowa HBPA and Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association are staying in our offices located in the administration building on Prairie Meadows’ backside. We thank Prairie Meadows for working with us on this and hope that it will continue in the future.

We remain busy planning for the opening of the 2018 race meet at Prairie Meadows. We are still undecided on whether to plan for a 99 Basic Grooming class and a 101 Groom Elite class, but we are moving forward in working on our 52

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KENTUCKY HBPA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A few years ago, Dr. Steven Barker, professor emeritus at Louisiana State University, presented the results of research he had conducted at Louisiana racetracks. It was part of a talk he gave at a National HBPA convention. He explained that he had taken samples from several receiving stalls at racetracks while they conducted race meetings. The results were startling to say the least.

His research indicated that most of the stalls were contaminated with residue of prohibited substances, like caffeine and traces of several medications.

Horsemen cried foul, faced with the distinct possibility that one of their horses, shipping into a receiving stall to race, could unintentionally end up with a positive and be subject to disciplinary measures through absolutely no fault of the trainer. Various regulators and equine medical directors scoffed at the idea, indicating that a horse would have to ingest an enormous amount of dirt or contaminated straw left behind from the previous occupant of the stall to result in a positive finding. Testing has become more and more sensitive, however, and the measurable limits of detection have changed from nanograms (millionths of a gram) to picograms (trillionths of a gram). In this type of situation, a horseman has no way to guard against the inadvertent ingestion of a prohibited substance.

Now a new wrinkle has emerged. At Canterbury Park, a trainer was informed that one of his horses was found to be positive for methamphetamine.

Being proactive, he had every one of his employees tested; none of them showed that they had used the drug. His attorney requested that the starting crew submit to drug screening. While some refused, one that volunteered to be screened tested positive for the drug.

It appears that the only answer to this ongoing dilemma is to set realistic “no effect” thresholds. That way, if the horse has been subject to contamination of either a prohibited substance or even a therapeutic medication that has had absolutely no effect on its performance, then a positive should not be called.

NEWS

Equitable Rates for Simulcasting On one final note, I have previously discussed our disappointment with how Kentucky is treated in the simulcast market. A few jurisdictions have increased the price for Kentucky to receive their Thoroughbred simulcast signal. Yet they will not agree to reciprocate and pay a higher fee for Kentucky’s simulcast signal. For instance, California has raised the price to receive their simulcast signal in the range of 6 percent, yet will pay only 3 percent for Kentucky’s premier tracks. In the past, they have justified this inequity by indicating that California law only allows

JULIO RUBIO UPDATE The year is nearing its end and opportunities for Congress to provide H-2B cap relief in time for the 2018 season are becoming scarce. Our representatives in Washington, D.C., need to understand the important role the H-2B visa program serves by allowing horsemen to legally address workforce needs when attempts to hire locally are unsuccessful despite significant recruiting efforts.

They need to hear a steady message of how crucial H-2B is to the horse industry and horsemen’s ability to retain full-time American employees.

To help the H-2B Workforce Coalition advocate the importance of H-2B cap relief for our racing industry, it is our hope that by horsemen getting involved in our advocacy, we will further demonstrate the tremendous impact that H-2B has on the local and national economy. We encourage you to participate and share with your colleagues, employees and owners so that they too can urge Congress to provide 2018 H-2B cap relief.

On July 18-19, Julio Rubio and Will Velie of Horseman Labor Solutions joined National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback to represent Thoroughbred racing’s interests as part of the H-2B Workforce Coalition. The coalition of H-2B industries organized a fly-in during which industry members who rely on the H-2B visa program went to Washington to tell their story to legislators. The in-person meetings were a powerful way to get the message across that H-2B is a vital program that supports the U.S. economy. Hamelback, Rubio and Velie met with Senator Rand Paul and Senator Mitch McConnell’s counsel and chief of staff, as well as other congressional representatives, and came away from the meetings with assurances that the senators and representatives understand the labor needs of Thoroughbred trainers and support the H-2B program. All in all, it appears their effort was a great success.

Any trainers interested in applying for H-2B visas should apply now for the spring season.

Rubio and Velie will be visiting Florida and Louisiana racetracks this winter, where they will conduct pro bono clinics for workers to determine whether they qualify for any of the existing immigration programs such as DACA, 601 Waivers and 245i.

DALE ROMANS SETS ALL-TIME RECORD AT CHURCHILL DOWNS Coady Photography

Voided Claiming Rule Marc Guilfoil, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, and Dr. Mary Scollay, equine medical director for the commission, met with me and the Kentucky HBPA board of directors regarding the voided claiming rule.

This rule allows the person who claims a horse to return it to the seller under certain circumstances.

The board was unanimous in its opposition to the proposed rule change.

There were several reasons, including that the commission veterinarians do an exceptional job when performing pre-race exams and horsemen are confident in their ability to identify horses unfit for competition. Offering a warranty, so to speak, will foster predatory claiming by out-of-state-based horsemen. There is an absence of objective data that the voided claim rule is beneficial to the welfare of the horse. Finally, adding subjectivity to a regulation creates the potential of inconsistent enforcement practices.

The board did agree with revisions to shockwave therapy, out-ofcompetition testing and horse eligibility regulations.

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them to pay the smaller amount. Our research refutes that fact.

Purses are the lifeblood of our racing industry. We, as horsemen, must strive to ensure that we are using every opportunity to maximize the amount of wagering revenue that flows to the purse structure.

We feel Kentucky is not being treated fairly and this issue must be addressed.

Good luck in your racing endeavors.

Rick Hiles, KHBPA President

Claiming Rule Revision Previously in this section, a proposed change in the claiming rule was discussed. Kentucky has a unique situation. Claiming horses that race in Kentucky are coveted by horsemen in other jurisdictions. Therefore, quite often multiple horses are claimed and immediately moved to other states. The rule in Kentucky requires that a horse can only run while the specific race meeting is in session. However, since the race meetings are not lengthy, the horses claimed are often shipped to the new owner’s preferred location where they intend to run once the Kentucky race meeting has ended. Consequently, Kentucky races are filling with smaller fields, which are less attractive to the betting public, and some races no longer fill at all.

To stop the exodus, racetracks have suggested claimed horses be required to run only in Kentucky for 60 days after the end of the race meeting. This is especially problematic at the end of the Churchill Downs November race meeting when many of our horsemen move south for the winter. In addition, the opportunities to run a middle or higher-priced claiming horse at Turfway Park are limited, and if a person claims a lower-priced claiming horse at Ellis Park that performs best on turf, there are no opportunities to run a cheaper claiming horse on the turf at Churchill Downs, Keeneland or Kentucky Downs. A recent ruling in Indiana on a similar restrictive claiming rule has been found in violation of the Commerce Clause and unconstitutional.

The Kentucky HBPA has suggested other alternatives that I mentioned previously, which are more palatable to horsemen and we are confident will help to resolve the issue. They include requiring a horse owner to run at least once at the specific racetrack prior to claiming and not allowing the horse to change ownership for at least 60 days, unless it is claimed again. Also, the horse is not eligible to race outside of Kentucky for 30 days after the end of the race meeting in which it was claimed. Finally, owners would only be eligible to claim one horse in each race. Since the 60-day rule appears to be unenforceable, our suggestions may be the best way to address the problem.

Dale Romans surpassed Bill Mott as Churchill Downs’ alltime leading trainer.

For Dale Romans, the best part of becoming Churchill Downs’ all-time winningest trainer might have been the congratulatory wishes from the man whose record he broke.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who for WWW.HBPA.ORG

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more than 30 years was the unchallenged win leader under the twin spires, held the Churchill record for so long that he can’t recall getting it from Henry Forrest back in 1986. But he did remember that when he was going after a fall meet mark held by Tommy Kelley that Kelley wished the young Mott luck and said to go on and pad his new record.

“And that’s the same thing Bill told me,” Romans said. “ ‘Now go on and open up.’ ” Making the mark more special for Romans is that Churchill is his hometown track, having grown up in Louisville’s South End and being a fixture in Barn 4, where his late father, Jerry Romans, was stabled.

Romans’ first victory at Churchill was Final Destroyer, who won a $5,000 claiming race exactly 30 years from the date that the trainer gained the outright win record this past November 12 when the 2-year-old Storm Runner prevailed by 4 ½ lengths under Alex Canchari for Romans’ 703rd local victory.

Mott and Romans are the only trainers to surpass 700 wins at Churchill Downs. But Romans was unable to tie Mott’s 701 record during the September meet, going 1-for-24 while Mott went 0-for-6, causing Mott to joke, “We’re like two cheap horses going the last quarter-mile in 27.”

Romans, a 14-time leading trainer at the track and vice president of the Kentucky HBPA, finally tied Mott on opening day of Churchill’s fall meet, October 29, when both were at Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup. Mott regained the lead, 702-701, but Romans took sole possession of the record for at least the first time on November 12. Churchill Downs feted Romans with a video tribute and a trophy crafted from wood that came from the historic track’s old paddock.

“It is truly an honor to stand here as the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs,” Romans, the 2012 Eclipse Award-winning trainer, told Churchill’s publicity department after his landmark victory. “With everything I’ve done in my career at Churchill Downs and around the country, nothing beats this moment right now.

“It’s a big team effort. Between [life partner] Tammy [Fox] and [assistant trainer] Baldemar [Bahena], they’ve been with me for so many years. We couldn’t be here without their help and everyone at the barn. I’m so proud of everyone involved.

“I’ve grown up on the backside of Churchill Downs. It was my playground when I was a kid, and I used to always watch Bill Mott win multiple races per day. Over the years, we became friends. He’s called me multiple times and wished me luck. That just shows how classy of a guy he is. I’ve always told him I want to stand in the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs, even if it was for just one day, and say, ‘No one has visited this spot more than me.’ Today, I can officially say that.”

Mott, 64, set the record with his 272nd Churchill Downs win on June 8, 1986.

Though his main base has been in New York since the mid-1980s, he has kept a string at Churchill under the care of then-assistant trainer Ralph Nicks and now Kenny McCarthy. Mott kept close tabs as Romans neared his record. Beyond being friends, Mott really didn’t have a choice, joking that Romans kept him updated.

“That’s long enough for anybody to hold a record,” Mott, who won his first Churchill Downs race with Miss Mill Creek on May 17, 1977, told Churchill’s publicity department. “I’m glad for Dale. It’s something he’s really wanted—I think he’s wanted this as much as anything he’s wanted in horse racing, really.”

Romans, a graduate of Butler High School in the south Louisville suburb of Shively, took out his trainer’s license in 1986 at age 18, saddling his first winner with the $1,500 purchase Miss Mindy at Turfway Park on February 15, 1987.

His 1,938 career victories (through November 12) include the Preakness Stakes with Shackleford, the Travers Stakes with Keen Ice (over Triple Crown winner American Pharoah), the Dubai World Cup with Roses in May and Breeders’ Cup

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races with Little Mike, Tapitsfly and Court Vision, while also conditioning such Grade 1 winners as Kitten’s Joy, Silver Max, Dullahan, Paddy O’Prado, Brody’s Cause, Free Drop Billy, Sassy Image, C.S. Silk, Thorn Song, Molly Morgan, Birdatthewire and Swift Temper.

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.”

LOUISIANA HBPA DELTA DOWNS The 2017–18 Thoroughbred meet at Delta Downs ends on March 10.

Louisiana Premier Night is February 10, featuring approximately $1 million in purses for Louisiana-breds. For additional information, contact the racing office at (888) 589-7223.

EVANGELINE DOWNS The Evangeline Downs 2018 Thoroughbred meet is scheduled to begin April 4. Stall applications are due by late February. For additional information, contact the racing office at (337) 594-3022.

NEWS 1751 Gentilly Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70119 504-944-5515 * www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

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MOUNTAINEER PARK HBPA

FAIR GROUNDS With 2017 nearing an end, Fair Grounds will host a final chance for Louisiana-bred juveniles to earn black type in the fillies and colts/geldings divisions of the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity on December 31. Following the turn of the calendar into 2018, graded stakes action returns to New Orleans on January 13 when Kentucky Derby hopefuls square off in the Grade 3 LeComte Stakes on a card with five supporting undercard stakes. The Road to the Roses then continues at Fair Grounds on February 17 with the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes presented

by Lamarque Motor Company and concludes on March 24 with the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. Early-bird nominations for the Louisiana Derby, which include nomination fees for the LeComte and Risen Star, are due December 23. For more information, contact the racing office at (504) 948-1288.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION RESULTS The Mountaineer Park HBPA held an election this fall and the new board of directors is composed of: President: Jami Poole Vice President: Jennifer Johnson Vice President: J. Michael Baird Secretary: Annette McCoy Treasurer: John W. Baird Owners: Dennis Behrmann, Brady Howell, Jeannette McIntosh, Louise Poole Trainers: Danny Bird, Eddie Clouston Thank you to all who voted, and congratulations to our new board of directors.

LOUISIANA DOWNS The 2018 American Quarter Horse meet is scheduled to begin on January 6.

For more information, contact the racing office at (318) 741-2511.

MOUNTAINEER PARK CHAPLAINCY The Mountaineer Park Chaplaincy distributed more than 90 turkeys to those in the backstretch community. The turkeys were generously donated

by Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort as part of their annual turkey distribution.

Throughout the winter months, Chaplain Wilson Langley has organized the food and clothing pantry for those in need. A wide variety of nonperishable food items, coats, boots and clothing are available by either contacting the chaplain or the Mountaineer Park HBPA office.

The annual children’s Christmas party was held in the Clubhouse Glassroom on December 10 for the children of backstretch workers. This annual party provides food, treats, presents, crafts and a special message about the true meaning of Christmas for all of the families.

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2018 The members of the Minnesota HBPA negotiating committee have been holding talks with Canterbury Park management regarding the 2018 race meet. Though the formal request for 2018 dates won’t be submitted until the Minnesota Racing Commission meeting in December after press time, they look to be similar to those in 2017, with an early May opening and a mid-September closing. Likewise, with a healthy purse account, it is expected that there will be an additional two or three days of racing.

Meanwhile, work has begun on renovating the stable area administration building. The Minnesota HBPA is most appreciative of the openness Canterbury Park management has shown in exploring ways to update that area where almost all trainers and their workers, track racing staff and racing officials frequent, not to mention owners (new, veteran and prospective) and the general public on tours. The dental clinic, which is also located in the administration building, was renovated earlier this year and has since added new equipment, thanks to Dr. Scott Rake. Scott is an oral surgeon who is also an owner/breeder and newly elected Minnesota HBPA board member. The clinic treated scores from the backstretch this past summer and is expected to welcome even more this coming year.

Though it’s winter, plans are already being made by Canterbury management to recruit stables, both current and new, for the 2018 meet. Canterbury is a fan-friendly, trainer-friendly track where horse racing is still king. A huge bonus for Canterbury trainers is the overall Twin Cities area, which is beautiful in the summer and boasts of great golfing, baseball, fishing and boating along with the distinctive big city vibes of Minneapolis and St. Paul. “Minnesota Nice” is not just a slogan; it’s real—especially at Canterbury Park!

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Jana Tetrault

MINNESOTA HBPA

END OF THE RACE MEET DINNER The Mountaineer Park HBPA hosted the end of the race meet dinner on November 17 in the Grande Ballroom at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. Although sickness and the sales kept many away, awards were presented to Eddie Clouston for leading trainer, Michelle Helms for leading owner and Luis M. Quinones for leading jockey, along with second-leading trainer to Jay Bernardini and third-leading trainer to J. Michael Baird.

During this race meet, race caller Peter Berry took it upon himself to recognize the unsung heroes of the backside.

When a horse won, he recognized the groom. The Mountaineer Park The Mountaineer meet ended in mid-November, and now we HBPA asked him are looking forward to 2018. to help choose a Groom of the Year, and the winner was Julie Stansbury, who works for Clouston.

Congratulations to all!

Jana Tetrault

NEWS

NEBRASKA HBPA LIVE RACING DATES ANNOUNCED FOR 2018 The Nebraska State Racing Commission has announced that it has approved race dates for the Nebraska Thoroughbred circuit for 2018. A total of 57 live days have been scheduled for Thoroughbred racing in the state. Live race days will begin at Fonner Park in Grand Island on February 23. Fonner Park will run for 31 days, ending its meet on May 5. From there, Horsemen’s Park in Omaha will run a nine-day meet starting May 12. That meet will continue on May 18-19, May 26-27 and June 1-2, concluding June 8-9. After a July break, live racing will resume August 3 in Columbus and will continue through September 3 for a total of 14 live days there. South Sioux City Racing will also run one live day on September 8. In addition, Lincoln Race Course will run two live days to be announced at a later date.

OHIO HBPA Editor’s Note: The Ohio HBPA affiliate news was mistakenly left out of the fall issue of The Horsemen’s Journal. It is available in the online version of that issue, which is accessible at hbpa.org. We apologize for the error.

BEST OF OHIO RECAP Belterra Park hosted the Best of Ohio series on a warm partly cloudy day in Cincinnati on October 7. The series consists of five stakes each worth $150,000 for Ohio-breds and rotates each year among Ohio’s three Thoroughbred tracks.

This renewal marked the second time that Belterra Park has hosted the annual event.

Missap kicked off the stakes action scoring an easy five-length gate-towire victory in the John W. Galbreath Memorial for Ohio-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Jockey Dean Sarvis expertly rated Missap through a slow opening half

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END OF THE RACE MEET SHOW AND SALE The Mountaineer Park HBPA hosted its second end of the race meet show and sale on November 18. Under stormy skies, the show went on and several horses found new homes. While the weather kept many prospective bidders away, horses have continued to sell after the sale through our Facebook page and the CANTER listings. Ten percent of the proceeds of each sale was donated to CANTER Ohio to assist in the placement Even with bad weather, the end of meet show and sale of retired helped place many horses in new homes. racehorses.

before drawing away through the stretch in the 1 1/16-mile event over the main track while covering the distance in 1:46.06. Ucantkeepup rallied late to gain the place a length in front of 8-5 favorite Tango Run, who held third after chasing the winner to midstretch.

Kellyn Gorder trains Missap, who scored her second career victory in three starts for her owner/breeder, Beckett Team LLC. Even-money favorite Awaken survived a stretch-long duel to score a game half-length victory over Tiz a Rush in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Stakes for 2-yearolds. Charlee’s Magic, who chased the winner to the stretch, held on for third.

Awaken, with James Graham aboard, was headed by Tiz a Rush in upper stretch but fought back to score his third career victory in five starts for trainer Tim Hamm. A chestnut colt by Super Saver, Awaken is owned and was bred by WinStar Farm LLC and Blazing Meadows Farm LLC. His record now stands at 3-1-1 from five starts with two stakes victories good for $175,500 in earnings.

Hijo de Sheltowee rallied along the rail and got up in the last jump to score a 10-1 upset victory by a nose over three-time defending champion Rivers Run Deep in the six-furlong Best of Ohio Sprint in 1:10.18.

Pablo Morales rode Hijo de Sheltowee to the victory, which was the 5-yearold gelded son of Devil His Due’s fifth in 10 starts in 2017. Trainer Nabu Morales claimed Hijo de Sheltowee for owner Michael Friedman for $7,500 in July 2016, and with the Sprint victory, he has now earned more than $220,000 for his connections since that claim.

Rivers Run Deep lost nothing in defeat as the millionaire Ohio-bred fought gamely to the wire after overcoming a bit of a slow break to take the lead entering the stretch only to lose the nod in the final stride. It was another 4 ½ lengths back to Nuttin’ Faster in third.

Owner Loooch Racing Stables Inc. and trainer Jeff Radosevich pulled off a stakes double to capture the final two stakes of the day with the Best of Ohio Distaff and Best of Ohio Endurance.

In the 1 1/8-mile Distaff, it was Mayas Queen Neetee who overcame a stumbling start to score a widening 5 ½-length victory under jockey Luis Colon.

School Board President, who trailed for the first half-mile, rallied to finish second, 1 ¾ lengths clear of 93-1 longshot and pacesetter Flashy G in third.

The victory was the sixth in nine starts in 2017 for Mayas Queen Neetee, a 5-year-old daughter of Speightstown who now boasts career earnings of $230,292.

The 2016 Ohio Horse of the Year and defending champion Mo Dont No scored a popular one-length victory at odds of 3-5 in the 1 ¼-mile Endurance.

Ricardo Feliciano rode the winner. Cake Pop rallied to gain second at the wire a nose in front of Let’scalliteven.

Mo Dont No covered the classic distance in 2:03.32 for his fifth straight victory. The winner is a 4-year-old gelded son of Uncle Mo and now sports an ultra-impressive career record of 14-4-0 from 20 starts good for $651,255 in earnings.

OHIO HBPA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Thanks to the generosity of a former Ohio HBPA board member, the Ohio HBPA is proud to partner with Ohio University in offering a terrific scholarship opportunity for sons and daughters of Ohio trainers.

The scholarship, which will be awarded for the first time in 2018, will include full tuition and room and board at Ohio University and is renewable for four years. The student must apply and be accepted to the Ohio University Athens Campus. Eligibility requirements include being the son or daughter of a trainer who has been licensed for at least five years and is currently racing horses in Ohio. The student must also be a resident of the state of Ohio and graduate from an Ohio high school.

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Any student who is graduating from high school in 2018 and meets the above requirements must apply to the Ohio University Athens Campus during the fall of 2017 and contact Ohio HBPA Executive Director Dave Basler at (614) 875-1269 by December 31, 2017, to be eligible for this great scholarship opportunity.

Ohio HBPA members are encouraged to visit our website at ohio-hbpa.com for details on our other benefit programs, including the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Health Fund, the Claiming Insurance Program and the Retirement Assistance Program.

MAHONING VALLEY UPDATE The fall meeting at Mahoning Valley Race Course is off to a strong start.

A 10 percent purse increase from the 2017 winter-spring meet has purses at an all-time high at Mahoning Valley at approximately $115,000 per day, which does not include approximately $10,000 in additional Ohio Thoroughbred Fund money being paid out each day. The 35-day fall meeting concludes December 30.

The fall meeting will be followed by the 2018 winter-spring meeting, which begins January 2. The 63-day meeting will conclude April 21. Racing will be conducted four days per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout both the fall and the winter-spring meets.

THOROUGHBRED RACING ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA (OKLAHOMA HBPA) SHOTGUN KOWBOY HIGHLIGHTS OKLAHOMA CLASSICS The $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup, powered by TVG, was the main event on Oklahoma Classics Night on October 20 at Remington Park. The field of 10 included the last two winners of the race with the victor from two years ago romping like he did in 2015.

Shotgun Kowboy, the only Oklahoma-bred to win the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and an Oklahoma Classics Cup, looked like he did in his 3-year-old season. Under Richard Eramia, he handled pressure on the lead, fended off rivals and then pulled clear as he pleased in his best overall effort since February. The 5-year-old gelding crossed the finish line 5 ¼ lengths ahead of Tuff Kid, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.2 over a fast track.

Owned, trained and bred by C.R. Trout, the son of Kodiak Kowboy earned $105,000 to bump his lifetime bankroll to $985,927. The Classics Cup win is the fourth for Trout, who also won with Imahit in 2013 and 2014. Trout has now won 11 Oklahoma Classics stakes races in his career, good for a tie for second all time among trainers. Donnie Von Hemel leads with 26 total Classics wins.

The $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf, sponsored by RPDC, is now the official property of Gianna’s Dream. She dominated the race for a second straight year, winning easily under her own power by 2 ¼ lengths.

Owned by Jordan Wycoff and trained by Mike Maker, Gianna’s Dream was ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. The win is the ninth from 17 career starts for Gianna’s Dream, a filly by Twirling Candy. Bred in Oklahoma by Center Hills Farm and Randy Blair, Gianna’s Dream picked up $78,000 for her second Classics Distaff Turf. She has now made $401,791 overall.

Taking over the lead shortly after the start, Diamondandstripes never looked back in winning the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile, sponsored by Chickasaw Nation.

Owned and trained by James Helzer, Diamondandstripes was ridden with confidence by Lindey Wade. He put the 2-year-old gelding on the lead with more 58

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than a half-mile left in the six-furlong race, and they fought off all challengers to pull clear by five lengths before crossing the finish ahead by 2 ¾ lengths in 1:11.87. Bred by Daniel and Craig Whitlow, Diamondandstripes won his second race from four attempts. The Classics Juvenile was the first win at Remington Park for the son of Service Stripe. He picked up $60,000 for the victory to move his overall earnings to $72,545.

Bustin a Move did just that, launching from the starting gate to lead every step of the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie sponsored by Coors Light.

Owned and bred by Clark Brewster and trained by Steve Asmussen, Bustin a Move and jockey Ramon Vazquez grabbed the lead from their rail post position and had an easy three-length lead at the top of the stretch before Vazquez asked her for more. Bustin a Move responded to open a wide margin in midstretch, helping her have enough left to hold on to win by 1 ½ lengths while covering six furlongs in 1:10.43.

Bustin a Move, by Bustin Stones, won her second straight race of the season, both of her career wins, picking up $60,000 to move her lifetime money to $98,643.

Heavy favorite Steel Cut was attempting to win her second consecutive $145,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff, sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, but she couldn’t keep up with Inagoodway, who went to the lead and was never seriously threatened.

Owned by the partnership of Steve Dupy, Kent Blair and Mike Castor, Inagoodway was trained by Roger Engel. Ridden by Bryan McNeil, Inagoodway was sent to the lead in the one-mile-and-70-yard Distaff, gaining the rail before the field made the clubhouse turn. Once up front, Inagoodway set acceptable fractions of :23.70 for the opening quarter-mile, :47.59 for the half-mile and 1:11.81 for three-quarters of a mile. The 4-year-old filly by Save Big Money had plenty left for the stretch run when Steel Cut angled out to make her bid.

The Classics Distaff score was the sixth from 14 career starts for Inagoodway. Bred by co-owner Castor, the 4-year-old filly earned $87,000 to move her career earnings to $207,420.

Eurobond and Welder hooked up strides after the start of the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint, sponsored by Kaw Nation. The pair duked it out until mid-stretch when Eurobond was able to get clear and go on to win by 1 ¼ lengths for his fourth consecutive victory this season.

Owned by Danny Caldwell and trained by Federico Villafranco, Eurobond was claimed by his current connections for $17,500 on September 1 in a race he won. He has not lost in three starts since the claim and is now a stakes winner. Ramon Vazquez had the mount on the speedster, who was ready to roll.

Eurobond handled the six furlongs in 1:09.10 as the 3-5 favorite.

Bred by James Helzer, Eurobond is a 4-year-old gelding by Euroears of Helzer’s J&M Equine Reproduction. The Classics Sprint was the fifth career win from 11 starts for Eurobond, who made $78,000 to run his lifetime money to $176,838.

The pace was right for a rally in the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Sprint, sponsored by Global Gaming Solutions. Hailstorm Slew came from just off the pace to get the lead in the stretch, winning by 1 ½ lengths. Owned, trained and bred by C.R. Trout, Hailstorm Slew was ridden by David Cabrera. The 4-year-old sat just off the lead until leaving the lone turn when she made her move for the front. She covered six furlongs in 1:09.60.

A filly by Munnings, Hailstorm Slew won her sixth career race from 16 starts. The $78,000 share for the Distaff Sprint increases her lifetime earnings to $279,798.

Pacific Typhoon continued his wave of success by recording his fourth consecutive win in the $130,000 OKC Turf Classic Stakes, sponsored by Choctaw Nation.

A 4-year-old gelded son of Don’t Get Mad, Pacific Typhoon broke alertly for jockey David Cabrera from post position one, and the rider nursed the 8-5

NEWS

2018 RACE DATES The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission has awarded a total of 97 Thoroughbred racing dates for 2018 with an additional 34 days of mixed meet racing. The 2018 schedule includes 67 Thoroughbred dates at Remington Park from August 24 to December 16 and 30 Thoroughbred dates at Will Rogers Downs from March 12 to May 19. Fair Meadows will offer mixed meet racing from June 7 to July 29.

OKLAHOMA STALLION STAKES REMINDER Now is the time to nominate your stallion to the 2022 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes for foals of 2019 from the 2018 breeding season. A nomination of $1,000 is due by February 1, 2018, or that goes up to $1,500 after February 1.

No payments will be accepted after April 15, 2018. Visit the TRAO website at traoracing.com for more information or a nomination form.

OREGON HBPA PORTLAND MEADOWS UPDATE Well, the rain is coming down in Oregon, and that means it is time for horse racing at Portland Meadows. And since the racing surface is sand, the more rain that falls, the better the track is for racing. The horses love it!

Opening day at Portland Meadows was October 2 and kicked off a 37-day race meet. Most race weeks are Mondays and Tuesdays with a few special Sundays sprinkled in to promote the live race meet in the community. October 22 was our first Sunday of racing, and a huge crowd enjoyed $1 beer, $1 hot dogs and some very competitive racing. The weather cooperated, and racing fans had a great experience.

As with many tracks, the horse population on our backside is down, and it has been difficult to fill all of our race cards. Things picked up in November, and the direct impact of larger field sizes and a full race card resulted in a one-day handle of well over $900,000. That is a good day for us at Portland Meadows.

Hopefully we can continue this trend and have a successful meet, which concludes January 30.

The Oregon HBPA board of directors continues to explore ways to use our resources strategically to grow our racing industry and most importantly to support our owners and trainers. This year at Portland Meadows, the Oregon HBPA is providing $40 of free bedding for every horse, free chips for all walkers, a $100 participation bonus for horses running and a purse supplement of $500 for all Thoroughbred races.

In addition, with the holidays upon us, the Oregon HBPA provided a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner for everyone on the backside in Cindi’s Café. And on December 16, we hosted our annual membership meeting accompanied by Christmas dinner, cocktails, gift card prizes, music and a few members taking advantage to dance the night away. At the end of the day, it really is all about our racing family and Oregon horsemen helping Oregon horsemen.

Good luck at the races!

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favorite along on the lead every step of the way, going on to win by 1 ½ lengths for owner Carol Nelson in a time of 1:41.95 for 1 1/16 miles over the turf.

Pacific Typhoon was bred by Clark Brewster. He earned $78,000 to push his lifetime earnings to $234,606.

PENNSYLVANIA HBPA PASSING OF DR. HARRY WEISLEDER The racing industry lost a beloved owner and fan in Dr. Harry Weisleder, who passed away November 6. Doc was extremely passionate about the racing game. He participated in racing as an owner under the stable name of DASL Racing and was an avid pinhooking investor. Doc was a regular at all the major Thoroughbred sales throughout the year. He was elected to the Pennsylvania HBPA board of directors in 2015 and served on many committees.

Doc was well liked by all who met him and will be greatly missed. The sport of racing lost one of the good guys with his passing. We’ll miss you, Doc! PA STATE BUDGET PASSED, FINALLY The Pennsylvania state budget was passed and signed by the governor in early November. The budget included many critical elements affecting the horse industry within the Commonwealth: • The monies transferred to the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund have been converted to a trust and are no longer considered the property of the Commonwealth. This change will solidify the dollars to be used by the equine industry for purses, breeding and benefits. The legislature will no longer be able to hold the industry hostage in every budget cycle. Should the trust be violated, the Commonwealth would be required to repay the approximately $330 million that was transferred from the Race Horse Development Fund to the General Fund since 2009.

This change will allow breeders and owners the stability required to once again invest in Pennsylvania racing.

• Ten Category 4 casino licenses were created. It remains to be seen if investors will spend the required $7.5 million for the slots license and $2.5 million for the table game license in addition to the capital investment required to build a facility.

• Internet gaming was legalized.

• Sports gambling was legalized should the federal government change the current prohibition.

• Up to five VGT machines may be located at truck stops that meet the requirements.

The impact of the passed budget and gambling legislation on the equine industry will not be known for many months if not years. The positives appear to outweigh the negatives at this early juncture.

TAMPA BAY DOWNS HBPA PLENTY GOING ON AT TAMPA BAY DOWNS We would like to extend a warm welcome to our returning and new horsemen as we begin this season of racing.

The Catholic Charities Mobile Medical facility is now open. Among the new and exciting additions to the racing program this year is the Florida Sire Stakes, co-sponsored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

WWW.HBPA.ORG

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The cooperative efforts of the FTBOA, Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA have resulted in additional bonuses on stakes and overnight prep races.

FTBOA CEO Lonnie Powell stated, “Peter [Berube of Tampa Bay Downs] and his team love and understand the sport and are always interested in ways to continue to build their racing program and business. A major plus that cannot be overstated is that [Tampa Bay Downs HBPA president] Bob Jeffries and his leadership are always open to working with the FTBOA and Tampa Bay Downs management to improve the economics and opportunities for the trainers, owners and breeders at the track.”

We are proud to announce the grand opening of the new Catholic Charities Mobile Medical facility. In a joint effort, Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA purchased a new building for their use. Sister Sarah Proctor and her team of volunteers provide an invaluable service to our backside family in attending to their health needs.

On June 30, the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA and Tampa Bay Downs presented a check to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in the amount of $71,290. Through their efforts and the generosity of our horsemen, retiring Thoroughbreds are given a chance at second careers and a safe retirement.

Some of the events we have planned this meet include the following: • Tampa Bay Downs HBPA Annual Christmas Party on December 19, starting at 11 a.m. Good eats, entertainment and Santa Claus will be on hand.

• Tampa Bay Downs HBPA election nominating meeting on January 19 in the HBPA office. Nominations will be accepted for persons wishing to serve on the board of directors for a three-year term. Ballots will be mailed to the membership at the end of February.

• Plans are in the works for our annual owner/trainer dinner sometime in February. Trainer Dennis Ward has made a special request that we add a dance contest to our agenda that evening with two specific songs in mind. It would appear that Dennis will be practicing his dance routine well in advance of the dinner to “Johnny B Good” and “Uptown Funk.”

Just a heads up.

• Our board election will be held on March 30 with the new board being seated on April 6.

As always, the coffee is on every morning, and donuts will be served on Saturdays, so stop in and say hello.

Warmest wishes and best regards for a wonderful and joyous holiday season.

WASHINGTON HBPA EMERALD DOWNS ANNOUNCES 70 LIVE DAYS AND NEW RACE CALLER FOR 2018 The recently renamed Emerald Downs Racetrack and Casino announced a 70-day live racing season for 2018, with opening day on Sunday, April 22, and continuing through Sunday, September 30. The dates were approved by the Washington Horse Racing Commission at its November 9 meeting. The stable area is slated to open for training in early February.

In response to input from the Washington HBPA, the later start date will allow trainers the opportunity to have more horses ready on opening day.

Extending the meet to the end of September is also a welcome change for horsemen. Not only will it give late-developing 2-year-olds a chance to debut but it also allows for a smoother transition for trainers who move their barns to Turf Paradise and Portland Meadows for the winter. Also new in 2018 is a Sunday opening day and a 5 p.m. post time for the last 16 Saturdays of the 60

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meeting (June 16 through September 29). In addition to its dining area, the recently opened Emerald Downs Casino offers music, an enhanced simulcast area, sports bar and card room so the later Saturday start makes sense, allowing patrons a complete entertainment venue that enhances the racetrack experience.

“It’s all systems go for 2018 at Emerald Downs,” Emerald Downs President Phil Ziegler said. “We are planning many exciting promotions, but it all begins and ends with our live racing product.”

On November 17, Tom Harris was named the new voice of Emerald Downs after Matt Dinerman, who replaced Robert Geller three years ago, announced he was returning to his home state of California to take the position at Golden Gate Fields. Harris is only the third caller in Emerald Downs’ 21-year history but is not new to the position or to Emerald Downs.

A Texas native, Harris has extensive experience calling races at Portland Meadows, Sam Houston Race Park, Retama Park, Playfair, Yakima Meadows, Zia Park, San Juan Downs, Albuquerque, Yellowstone Downs, Garden State Park and La Mesa Park. Last season he was part of the Emerald Downs broadcast and promotions departments and called several races during the meet.

“Tom Harris is a familiar voice to Washington race fans from his days at Yakima Meadows and also familiar to race fans around the country,” Ziegler said. “Tom has extensive experience in the announcer’s booth, and we’re fortunate that he’s already part of our team. This will make for a seamless transition.”

Director of Racing Bret Anderson has begun mailing stall applications and purse and stakes schedules and is preparing a condition book for early release that covers the first four weeks of racing. For more information on applying for stalls, email breta@emeralddowns.com or phone him at (253) 288-7751.

INDUSTRY-PROPOSED WORKERS’ COMP RATES SHOW DECREASE FOR 2018 Earlier this fall, Washington Horse Racing Commission Executive Secretary Doug Moore distributed the Washington Department of Labor and Industries’ 2018 proposed workers’ compensation rates for the Washington horse racing industry. In all classifications, except for the capped owners participation subsidy, premiums are lower than last year.

The 2018 exercise and pony rider premiums reflect a 9 percent drop in cost from last year. The per-horse, per-day rate decreases the monthly premium per horse, per month from $46.20 to $42 for a 30-day month. Monthly groom/ assistant trainer premiums show a decrease of 2 percent from $157.58 to $154.35 for each full-time groom, as does the flat-rate farm employee rate with a drop of 3 percent from $19.40 to $18.75.

The Washington horse racing industry workers’ compensation premiums are unique to the state-run system and are a result of effective collaboration between the Department of Labor and Industries, the Washington Horse Racing Commission and the Washington HBPA. Washington HBPA Executive Director MaryAnn O’Connell commended both agencies for their willingness to work with the HBPA to evolve a program that effectively protects assistant trainers, grooms, exercise riders and pony persons and best serves the industry. Further, she commended all trainers for stressing safety in the workplace and WHBPA Executive Assistant Lanna Allen for her due diligence with claims management.

“It would not be a stretch to say this decrease in premiums is a direct result of Lanna’s efforts to quickly process claims by getting workers needed treatment so they may return to work sooner,” O’Connell said. “Further, her ability to assist the department with wage calculations and fraud investigations is now paying off for horsemen.”

years, many would vie for the “coffee cup” portraits he sketched during long meetings. His first bronze sculpture, The Journeyman, won Best of Show at Longacres’ first equine art show. He went on to produce several bronzes to be shown at sporting art galleries across the country. Hallowell is survived by his sister, Mary Auvil; daughter, Lynn Hallowell; son-in-law, Rolf Torgerson; granddaughter, Lysne Torgerson; and grandson-in-law, Jeff Stein. He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia, in 2014, and daughter, Laurie Rae Weiss, in 2013. As of this writing, memorial services have not been announced.

2017 EMERALD DOWNS MEETING HONORS On what has become a “last day” Emerald Downs tradition, management publicly recognized the track’s top achievers for the meeting in the winner’s circle throughout the card.

On September 24, R.E.V. Racing’s Mach One Rules earned triple honors when voted Horse of the Meeting, Top Older Horse and Top Washington-bred for the 2017 meet.

A 4-year-old gelding by Harbor the Gold, Mach One Rules won three stakes and posted meet-fastest times at both 6 ½ Washington-bred Mach One Rules earned multiple honors furlongs and 1 1/16 at Emerald Downs, including Horse of the Meeting. miles. Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Mach One Rules also finished second in the 82nd running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) won by Gold Rush Dancer in 1:33.85.

Trainer Blaine Wright turned in one of the greatest seasons in track history—finishing first in wins (53), stakes wins (10) and earnings ($819,232), the latter being the second-highest in track history—while capturing his second straight title. Wright also established a single-season record for win percentage (35.8 percent).

Trainer Joe Toye, who finished second in the trainer’s standings after a phenomenal meet, received the Martin Durkan Award. Toye was honored for exhibiting leadership, cooperation, sportsmanship and excellence on and off the track throughout the 72-day meeting. Chosen by Director of Racing Bret Anderson and staff, the award is named in honor of the late state senator and longtime proponent for Thoroughbred racing in Washington.

Jockey Rocco Bowen won his second straight riding title, piling up a career-high 126 wins—16 more than last year—while finishing 61 wins clear of runner-up Julien Couton in the standings. Bowen dominated the 72-day meet with 38 multiple-win days, including a meet-best five wins on September 16, and easily finished first in earnings with $1,224,068.

Jockey Javier Matias was the recipient of the Lindy Award, named in honor of the legendary Clerk of Scales Lindy Aliment. Voted by the jockeys, the Lindy Award recognized Matias’ accomplishments and sportsmanship throughout the meet.

John Parker led the owners’ standings in both wins (22) and earnings ($329,297) and also bagged the Northwest’s top racing prize with homebred Gold Rush Dancer in the Longacres Mile.

Emerald Downs

MaryAnn O’Connell

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WASHINGTON MOURNS LOSS OF TWO PROMINENT VETERINARY LEADERS IN RACING INDUSTRY Recently, the equine community lost two well-known veterinarians who showed a lifelong commitment to the Washington Thoroughbred racing industry. Dr. John Traber died on August 30, and Dr. A.L. “Bud” Hallowell died on November 2. Both were 85.

Their veterinary and leadership skills led to positions on the Washington Horse Racing Commission. Traber served as commission veterinarian at Emerald Downs from 2000 to 2003, and Hallowell served as a racing commissioner from 2004 until 2012. Hallowell and Traber both served as board and committee members for the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association and Washington Thoroughbred Foundation.

Even with their distinct personalities, the two veterinarians had much in common. They One of the famous coffee cup drawings by Dr. Bud Hallowell. both demonstrated a commitment to young people. Throughout his career, Traber was known for his support of youth and education programs, and Hallowell hosted internships for veterinary students from England, which initiated his many international alliances.

They also served as field educators and promoted and facilitated programs that have had a long-term positive impact on the equine and racing industry.

Because of their contributions, it is not surprising that both received the S.J. Agnew Award, Washington’s highest honor in horse racing, for their lifetime service to the Thoroughbred industry. Hallowell was honored in 2009 and Traber the following year.

Traber was born in Kremmling, Colorado. He graduated from Colorado A&M Veterinary School of Medicine in 1956 and served as veterinarian to the U.S. Army Pentathlon Team. He established a mixed veterinary practice in Phoenix, then moved his family to Lacey, Washington, in 1967, where he continued his 54-year career as an equine veterinarian and sales consultant. Traber established the Traber-Bergsma-Simkins veterinary practice at Longacres racetrack in 1974. He served as president of the Longacres Veterinary Association and on the boards of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the Washington Thoroughbred Foundation. He also served on the committee of the Thoroughbred Horse Racing’s United Scholarship Trust while practicing as a racetrack veterinarian at Longacres. Later, he worked for the racing commission and as a Thoroughbred sales consultant until 2010.

Traber is survived by his wife, Mary; daughters Marsha (Steve), Christine, Margo and Rebecca; grandchildren Juliana and Paul (Truly); and two greatgrandchildren. A celebration honoring Traber’s contributions to family, friends, beloved animals and the world of Thoroughbred horse racing will be held April 7, 2018, at Emerald Downs.

Hallowell was born in Yakima, Washington. His first introduction to the racetrack was at age 12, when he began hot-walking horses at Longacres.

Hallowell attended Washington State College and received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1957. Early in his career, he worked in private practice and as a farm veterinarian in Washington and also spent time in Lexington, Kentucky, working with famed equine practitioner Dr. William McGee. As a veterinarian, Hallowell will be most remembered for his deep knowledge and specialized work with breeding and foaling horses. He also will be remembered for his artistic talents. From the time he was a little boy, Hallowell drew pictures of horses, cowboys and Indians. Through the

EMERALD DOWNS 2017 SEASON HONORS Horse of the Meeting: Mach One Rules Top Sprinter: Emmett Park Top Washington-bred: Mach One Rules Top Older Filly or Mare: Citizen Kitty Top 3-Year-Old Male: Riser Top Older Horse: Mach One Rules WWW.HBPA.ORG

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Top 3-Year-Old Filly: Little Dancer Top Juvenile Male: Elliott Bay Top Juvenile Filly: Bella Mia Top Claimer: Wine at Nine Race of the Meeting: Longacres Mile Leading Jockey: Rocco Bowen (126) Leading Jockey Stakes Wins: Julien Couton (6) Leading Trainer: Blaine Wright (53)

Leading Trainer Stakes Wins: Blaine Wright (10) Leading Owner: John E. Parker (22) Top Riding Achievement: Rocco Bowen Top Training Achievement: Blaine Wright Durkan Award: Joe Toye Lindy Award: Javier Matias

MUCKLESHOOT TRIBE SEEKS TRUST ACQUISITION FOR EMERALD DOWNS PROPERTY In early November, the Washington HBPA was notified that the Bureau of Indian Affairs was seeking public comment regarding the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Fee to Trust efforts. The project is in the environmental assessment phase for the 184 acres of property, which includes the Emerald Downs facility. The published “Notice of Availability” stated: Based on the analysis and impacts discussed in the EA (Environmental Assessment) and comments received during the public review period, the BIA will decide whether to reach a Finding of No Significant Impact, direct further work on the EA, or initiate the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. The proposed federal action is the fee-to-trust transfer of 15 parcels totaling approximately 184 acres, issuance of a two-part determination by the Secretary of the Interior, and continued operation of Emerald Downs as a horse racing facility and subsequent installation and operation of up to 300 gaming stations for Class III gaming activities. The purpose of the proposed federal action is to further objectives of tribal self-determination and economic diversification, as well as to increase socioeconomic security and general welfare for members of the Tribe. Although the Tribe has an existing reservation consisting of 3,910 acres, only approximately 2,157 of those acres are practical for development, and much of that portion has already been

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developed. Additionally, revenues generated by the Proposed Action would enable the Tribe to continue to operate Emerald Downs as a significant horse racing facility in the Pacific Northwest. Without a new source of revenue, the year-round operation of Emerald Downs is not financially viable. The Proposed Action at Emerald Downs would stimulate the racing economy, produce revenue to support and enhance purses, provide more tourism dollars to the region, support agricultural business which is necessary to support the equine industry, and enable the Tribe to continue the operations of Emerald Downs.

Washington HBPA President Pat LePley and staff drafted a letter to the bureau after discussion with the board of directors. The letter, signed by LePley and Executive Director MaryAnn O’Connell, was approved by the board on November 21. The Washington HBPA board conveyed full support for the Muckleshoot Fee to Trust project and acknowledged the positive impact the Tribe has made since partnering with and then purchasing Emerald Downs.

This view was reflected in the letter: Through 2016, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe has donated more than 15 million dollars to directly support horseracing at Emerald Downs, thus making a significant investment in not only the local but state economy, which directly allowed this equine industry to survive. Muckleshoot Indian Tribe dollars made up more than 20% of purse and incentive dollars paid out by the racetrack during the 2017 racing meet. Since acquiring ownership of the racetrack in 2015, the Tribe has generously invested millions of dollars to maintain and modernize the facility and has relentlessly promoted a variety of special events and programs during horseracing season. This investment has brought new people to the racetrack, making Emerald Downs an important contributor of tourism dollars to the region’s local economy. To say that the contribution of the Muckleshoot Tribe is vital to the health and continuation of the Washington Horse Racing Industry is an understatement.

A copy of the complete letter to the bureau was sent to membership via email. Please contact the Washington HBPA if you are not on the email list.

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