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Representative Bobby Rush (D-Illinois), chairman of the Congressional subcommittee that is examining safety and drug issues in Thoroughbred racing, sent a letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Monday requesting an explanation for the 15-day suspension that the regulatory body recently issued to trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. for a clenbuterol violation on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Rush addressed the letter to Robert Beck Jr. and referred to him as chairman of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, even though Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear reconstituted the agency this month and renamed it the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Beck is still the chairman.
 In the letter, Rush asks Beck why Dutrow was suspended for 15 days when Kentucky regulations call for at least a 30-day suspension for a second offense, and Dutrow had a previous clenbuterol violation in New York in 2004. “This matter raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the sport’s current regulatory system,” Rush writes.
John Veitch, Kentucky’s chief state steward, told Thoroughbred Times after the recent violation was announced that Dutrow is not considered a repeat offender in this case because clenbuterol is a Class 3 drug, middle of the road in terms of seriousness by industry standards. For such an offense, repeat-offender status only kicks in if multiple infractions occur in a 12-month period. Rush requested a response from Beck by Friday.
The commission granted Dutrow a continuance on Monday, which pushes back his appeal of the penalty. He had been scheduled to meet with a hearing officer on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. Another hearing date has not been scheduled. Dutrow said on June 27 that he was responsible for the violation and described it as a barn mistake. He said he was appealing the suspension to make sure he did not have to serve it during an important period for his stable. On Sunday, Dutrow will saddle dual classic winner Big Brown for the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) at Monmouth Park, which will be his first start since being pulled up in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7.  

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Danzig reached a notable milestone over the weekend when he recorded his 200th Stakes winner. Six-year-oldOlympic, a full-brother to the Gr.1 victor and sire Brahms, was the horse responsible thanks to his success in the

Mataji Stakes at Calder Race Course.

 

Danzig, a son of Northern Dancer, was retired in 2004, having spent the whole of his stallion career at Claiborne

Farm. He died in 2006.

 He ranks third on the all-time list, with just his son Danehill and Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) having

sired more Stakes winners.

Courtesy: EBN

Glorious Goodwood gets underway today with the first of five days of high-class racing on the Sussex Downs.

 The centrepiece of the meeting is Wednesday’s Gr.1

Sussex Stakes in which Aidan O’Brien’s Henrythenavigator

(Kingmambo), who is undefeated in three Gr.1’s this season, including two Classics, faces six rivals. Wednesday also showcases juveniles in the Gr.2 Vintage Stakes. Two-yearolds feature in one of today’s three Group contests, with fifteen lining up for the Gr.3 Molecomb Stakes at 4.05pm.

 The day’s Group action starts with the Gr.3 Gordon Stakes at 2.50pm, followed by the Gr.2 Lennox Stakes at 3.30pm.The meeting continues on Thursday with stayers in the spotlight in the Gr.2 Goodwood Cup, and the Gr.3 LillieLangtry Stakes and Gr.3 King George Stakes also on the card. There are three more Group contests on Friday, withmore two-year-old action in the Gr.2 Richmond Stakes, while older runners have the Gr.3 Glorious Stakes and Gr.3

Oak Tree Stakes.

The final day’s highlight is the Gr.1 Nassau Stakes with a top quality field of fillies and mares on show, although theante-post favourite Promising Lead (Danehill) will miss the race after injuring a knee during work on Saturday. Thesecond Gr.1 of the week is ably supported by the Listed Thoroughbred Stakes and the hotly contested sprint

handicap, the Stewards’ Cup.

The Galway Festival is also being held this week, with the Galway Plate taking place on Wednesday. 

Courtesy: EBN

A controversial positive swab case involving the party drug ketamine has forced changes to testing procedures in Victorian thoroughbred and harness racing.
The Kerry O’Reilly-trained pacer Resia Springfield returned a positive swab to ketamine, known in party circles as “Special K”, after winning at the Ballarat harness meeting on December 7, last year.
O’Reilly, who has had an impeccable record over almost 40 years of training, was originally fined $2000, but had the conviction and penalty overturned by Judge John Nixon at the Racing Appeals Tribunal yesterday.
Judge Nixon said it was a most unusual case and he could not rule out that Resia Springfield’s sample had been contaminated. Ketamine is an anaesthetic often used by vets when they geld horses. It was revealed during the appeal that Ballarat Harness Racing Club vet Dr Tamsin Dewe had used ketamine in two procedures on the day before Resia Springfield’s swab was taken.
Harness Racing Victoria’s general manager of racing and integrity services, Brant Dunshea, stressed Judge Nixon did not hold Dr Dewe responsible and had found her “a most honest witness”. After overturning O’Reilly’s conviction, Judge Nixon recommended those taking swabs at race meetings wear gloves during the procedures to reduce the possibility of contamination.
Dunshea and Racing Victoria chairman of stewards Des Gleeson said they would take the judgment on board. Professor Andrew Clarke, who assisted O’Reilly’s defence, applauded the outcome. “Gloves are already compulsory in WA and NSW and it’s time we followed them,” Clarke said. “The power of the testing procedures available now and the minute levels they can detect put the system more at risk of contamination.”
Prominent vet Bruce Sidebottom said the racing industry should be celebrating this case. “The exciting aspect for me is that a first-time detection of a drug sometimes used recreationally has been able to be made by the analyst,” he said. “This case is also a celebration of the appeal process and structure, meaning a small and highly thought-of trainer still has a voice.”

Courtesy: heraldsun.com.au 

The Dubai Racing Club and Meydan have announced that a Tapeta synthetic surface has been selected for the new training track at Meydan.
The landmark horseracing development, which will officially open for the 2010 Dubai World Cup, has plans to develop an 1800m training track.
CEO of the Dubai Racing Club, Mr Frank Gabriel Jr said: “Safety of the animal was paramount in our selection and experience points to synthetic training and racing tracks reducing the number of injuries and prolonging the careers of the racehorse.
“We looked at all of the all weather surfaces around the world and while we recognized that each is very beneficial to the horse we decided to go with Tapeta. We believe it is the best choice for our environment and racing programme.”  
Michael Dickinson, who conceived the Tapeta surface, said: “Obviously we are delighted. It is a huge honour for Tapeta and we are very proud that we will be a small part in the most innovative and creative project racing has ever seen. 
“We believe that the Tapeta surface will provide international horses and trainers a seamless transition from any other type of training or racing surface.”
Tapeta (Latin for carpet) is specially designed first and foremost to protect the horse’s well-being, providing a cushion that protects the legs and feet of horses in training from the injuries common on industry-standard dirt surfaces.
The patented wax-coated mixture of sand, rubber and fiber is impervious to weather, and has been tested over time to hold up under varied and severe weather conditions.

 Wednesday at Glorious Goodwood is Sir Peter O’Sullevan Day and the Sir Peter O’Sullevan “Voice of Racing” Heritage Handicap is named to celebrate the 90th birthday this year of the peerless former BBC race commentator.
A specially commissioned Johnny Jonas portrait of Sir Peter will be auctioned after race. Jonas, who painted the official portrait of Her Majesty The Queen Mother to mark her 100th year in 2000, is a renowned painter, who studied at the Fine Arts Academy in Florence. A chance invitation to the races inspired his series of works, “The British Sporting Year”, featuring studies of people at various sporting events including Royal Ascot and Henley.
The portrait is expected to fetch a good sum. The racecourse has already sold out “An Audience with the Voice of Racing”, which takes place on Wednesday morning.

Courtesy: EBN 

Lava Man, one of the leading handicap horses in the nation during the past four years, has been “unofficially retired,” trainer Doug O’Neill and co-owner Steve Kenly said Monday at Del Mar. Lava Man, a seven-year-old gelding, finished last in a field of six in the $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap (G1) on Sunday. The Eddie Read was his sixth straight defeat during the last 12 months. He won 17 of 46 races and earned $5,268,706 during an illustrious career.

“Doug [O’Neill], Jason [Wood], and I still have to huddle up during the next week,” said Kenly, who as part of STD Racing Stable claimed Lava Man for $50,000 out of a turf race at Del Mar in August 2004 and watched him rise to become one of the brightest stars in California racing history.

Lava Man won the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (G1) three times, the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) twice, and the Pacific Classic (G1) once. “It’s been beyond words, a fairy tale for sure,” Kenly said of the four-year run. “We claimed him out of a turf race down here, and now it looks like his last start will have been in a turf race here.” Lava Man faded after challenging for the lead at the top of the stretch in the Eddie Read. “He blew his right front shoe at the first turn,” Kenly said. “He ran a mile with no shoe. He’s looked better than he has all year.” O’Neill echoed Kenly’s sentiments. “He only lost by three lengths and was third in a three-horse photo in a Grade 1 in the start before,” O’Neill said. “We were obviously disappointed in the Eddie Read. It’s frustrating because he was training so well and looks so good.” Retirement plans are pending. “Ultimately, I’d like him to go to the Kentucky Horse Park,” Kenly said. “Doug [O’Neill] would like him to stay as a stable pony.”

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Thoroughbred racing expects to enter a new era of improved detail of racing injury statistics—on a national level—with the launch of the Jockey Club Equine Injury Database on Tuesday.

The injury database grew out of a proposal at the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit in October 2006 in Lexington and follows a pilot program that started on June 1, 2007, in which 3,000 injury reports were received.

With improved reporting and compilation of racing injury statistics, the injury database is designed to:

• identify the frequency, types, and outcome of racing injuries using a standardized format that will generate valid statistics

• identify markers for horses at increased risk of injury

• serve as a data source for research directed at improving safety and preventing injuries.

The Jockey Club, through its subsidiaries InCompass Solutions Inc. and the Jockey Club Technology Services Inc., will underwrite the costs of operating the system. The injury database software will be provided free of charge to racetracks and racing organizations.

“The Jockey Club has devoted significant financial resources and technological expertise to the project from concept to implementation in order to ensure that the Equine Injury Database became a reality,” Jockey Club President Alan Marzelli said.

Besides funding the project’s development, The Jockey Club will use its central database infrastructure, pedigree data access, and Equibase race result data with the software. The injury database will use the InCompass Race Track Operations software applications used by every racetrack in North America. Many racetrack and regulatory veterinarians already use the system when performing pre-race veterinary exams.

As chairman of The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Safety Committee that was formed after the catastrophic injury to filly Eight Belles after this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), Stuart Janney III said the database would provide critical information on racing injuries.

“The creation and launch of the Equine Injury Database system fills a glaring void in our industry,” Janney said. “We are encouraged by the interest and support received from racetracks during the pilot phase of the project, and we strongly recommend the same level of support and participation now that the system is fully operational.”

Marzelli credited the efforts of Kentucky Equine Medical Director Mary Scollay, D.V.M., and California Equine Medical Director Rick Arthur, D.V.M.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com 

The RWITC hosted the season opener press meet at the Turf Club House in Pune on Tuesday, chaired by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla and Mr Vivek Jain. The meet was hugely attended by all mainline media, crews from CNBC Network 18 and Star, each of the Pune sponsors, trainers, officials and members. At the brief Q&A, members of the press requested for better facilities for journalists as also a more formal mechanism for information on Stewards’ decisions on enquiries. Mr Vivek Jain gave the salient features of the season which hopes to set a new benchmark in the promotion of racing as a true lifestyle sport. The season has already set a new record in prize money and sponsorship. Statement by Mr Vivek Jain, Chairman, Marketing and Media Working Group on the commencement of the Pune Racing Season 2008: 1.The season, as last year, is of 29 days and offers record prize money.

1. The total advertised stakes of Rs 613.35 lacs is an increase of 15% on last year.

 2. The club has obtained, for the second year in a row, sponsorships on each weekend of racing. The gross contribution, at about 80 lacs, is an all-time record, and about 25% up on last year.

 3. The Club has renewed several of its old sponorships and attracted new ones. For the first time, as many as six races for juveniles will carry a purse of 10 lacs and over. After a gap of several years, races for two year olds have been introduced.

 4. The season’s top race remains The Nanoli Pune Derby. Nanoli has upped their contribution to 20 lacs. The race is expected to have total stakes of over 50 lacs.

 5. For the first time at Pune, a 10% performance incentive will be paid to owners. In addition, the general level of stakes in handicaps has been increased by 5% and some costs for owners have been subsidised. This will be welcomed by our owners.

 6. The stakes in graded races has been given a boost to attract the best horses from all over India. The richest race for older horses will be the newly christened RWITC Ltd.Gold Cup with guaranteed stakes of 1 million, sponsored by

Oxford.

 7. The Club has a media partner for the first time at Pune. The newly launched DNA in Pune will offer promotional advertising for each weekend throughout the season. The DNA Trophy will be run on 5th September.

 8.

India’s premium business network, CNBC TV 18, will profile four of the season’s topmost events in four special editions as a precusor to the live telecast from the Mumbai Season. 

9. In an innovative concept, the Oxford Group will host The O Racing Awards to honour the season’s champions at an exclusive ceremony at the O Hotel on the last Saturday of October. The hospitality group is also offering a special deal for members of the club and sponsors.

 10.In addition to the record prize and sponsorships, each weekend will showcase prizes, entertainment and food courts to showcase racing and the Club as the leader in promoting racing as a lifestyle sport. 

The Karnataka Government on Tuesday made a statement in the Assembly that the Bangalore Race Course would be shifted in due course to a new location.

Though successive governments in Karnataka have been planning to shift the race course to the outskirts since the 60’s, they have failed to execute their plans due to one reason or the other. The latest government in Karnataka, led by B S Yeddyurappa has officially announced that they intend to shift the race course from the existing location and build in its place, a multi-story underground parking facility. The race course is located in the heart of the city and the total extent of land is less than 80 acres. The periphery of the race course has shrunk in recent times due to road expansion which has resulted in more than 200 stables being demolished to make way for road expansion work.

The Karnataka government has decided to shift the Race Course to a new location, Public Works Minister C M Udasi said on Tuesday. However, the new location has not yet been finalized, he said during question hour in the Legislative assembly. Since the 60’s, the plan to shift the race course has been in the air but the Bangalore Turf Club has resisted the move successfully helped by circumstances because successive governments did not last enough to complete its plan. The minister was responding to a query from R Roshan Baig (Congress), during question hour in the Assembly. Udasi, standing in for Chief Minister who was away in Delhi, said the Government proposed to build underground parking lot in the area where the race course is now located.

However, Baig urged the Government not to build any structure at the race course and to retain the area, as an “open space” and stressed the need to ensure that it was not handed over to private builders to put up “concrete structures”.

It may be recalled that the government had issued a stern warning to Bangalore Turf Club to sign the lease agreement immediately or their activities would be brought to a standstill. The turf club which had resisted signing the lease agreement which specifies that they should vacate the premises by December, 2008, has however, succumbed to the pressure and has now decided to sign the lease agreement. The turf club however is bargaining for time and new land in order to build the infrastructure. In the past, government had identified more than 200 acres of land for this purpose, about 20 kilometers from Bangalore which has now become prime area as the new international airport has come up in the same route.

For its own good, the turf club needs to shift to a bigger area as the present premises is cramped and inadequate. The BTC members are adamant on any move to shift because of fear of losing their importance. There have been suggestions from various quarters that BTC should build a new race course with cooperation from the government by way of tax concession and roping in new members at a premium price. At present, the turf club consists of 350 members and new members are elected by the general body on the death of the existing members. If there are five vacancies, elections are conducted to elect the new members. In the event of there being fewer vacancies, no elections are held that year but the succeeding year, the vacancies are filled up by way of elections, irrespective of the number. At present, those aspiring to become members are required to spend enormous amounts of money by way of hosting parties and appeasing the members’ ego by all sorts of aggrandizement.

There have been unsuccessful attempts to get the turf club to increase the membership through a governmental order. BTC is a deemed company under the Companies Act. Becoming a member of the turf club is considered more difficult than winning any other form of election as the captive electorate does not allow any outsider to slip in unless of course he is supported by the power groups and spends enormous amounts of money in hosting lavish parties. The members pay a paltry amount of Rs 250 as subscription per year and according to the report submitted by the Karnataka Racing Commission, the members stood to enjoy benefits worth more than Rs 20,000 per year.