News and Notes for June 13, 2013

NEWS AND NOTES
June 13, 2013


LONE STAR PARK THIS WEEKEND
Jockey Lindy Wade and apprentice jockey David Cabrera will be the guests during Lone Star’s free Jockeys and Java event Saturday morning.

On Sunday, the first 200 men (age 21 or older) will have the opportunity to compete in three 1-minute competitions, a basketball throw, football tire toss and hole-in-one, to win a grill.

Lone Star Park employees will take on the jockeys in a double-header softball game on Tuesday, June 18 to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

There was a nice review of Lone Star Park in the local travel section of examiner.com; the article can be accessed at http://www.examiner.com/review/lone-star-park-continues-it-s-tradition-of-great-horseracing-action-and-fun.

LSP has a great video of Donna Keen with her horse, Bridleless Wyatt, who you can follow on Twitter, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsYOLbAKR-s&feature=youtu.be.

Then check out the best behind the scenes footage at Lone Star Park through a GoPro Camera on Roman Chapa’s helmet to see what it is like to be on a horse for a live race:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk9T6JCMMPI&feature=youtu.be.

Finally, a Breeders’ Cup winner races at Lone Star Park and talks about his experience going up against the best jockeys in the world at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huxZ4cK4QWg&feature=youtu.be.

TEXAS RACING COMMISSION ACTION
The Texas Racing Commission met in Austin on Tuesday and Chairman Schmidt started the meeting by welcoming new Department of Public Safety Chairman Cynthia Leon.  He then presented former Public Information Officer Bill Childs with a plaque in recognition of his service over the past three years.

Vice Chairman Ederer gave a report on the April meeting of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) that he attended along with Executive Secretary Chuck Trout and Chief Veterinarian Ken Quirk.  Discussion topics included ways to improve the public image of racing, attract new racing fans and bettors, address medication issues and support continued care for retired racehorses.

The Commission voted to open an application period of June 14 – July 15 for race dates in the 2014 calendar year and the first 8 months of 2015, for consideration at the August meeting.

An Amendment to Rule 311.5, License Fees, and a new Rule, 311.12, Equine Dental Provider were adopted.  These rules rename the license held by a tooth floater to that of Equine Dental Provider, retaining the same license fee, and requiring Equine Dental Providers to be licensed and in good standing with the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

SHRP TO SIMULCAST ROYAL ASCOT FROM JUNE 18-22, 2013
Sam Houston Race Park has negotiated a contract with Royal Ascot to broadcast each of the five days of racing, including the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday, in which American champion Animal Kingdom is expected to run. Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom, who won the 2011 Kentucky Derby, became an international star with his victory in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on March 30.

“Simulcasting is our primary focus until live racing returns on January 17,” said SHRP president Andrea Young. “We have a loyal following and core group of simulcast fans who have expressed interest in international racing. It is our hope that we will attract European racing enthusiasts residing in Houston and many new fans as we showcase this exciting and historically prominent week of racing.”

In addition to the televised racing action, Sam Houston Race Park will offer a special “Royal Ascot Brunch Menu” in the Jockey Club on Saturday, June 22.  Gates will open daily at 8:00 a.m. with the first Royal Ascot race set for 8:30 a.m. (CT). Admission is FREE at Sam Houston Race Park during the non-live racing season.

For more information on Royal Ascot and the horses set to compete in the many Group 1 stakes, visit the Royal Ascot website. A complete list of simulcast tracks and stakes across the country is available on shrp.com.

THOROUGHBRED OWNERVIEW ADDS NEW FEATURES
OwnerView (www.ownerview.com) has added two new features devoted to veterinary care and racetracks. The “Veterinary” section helps owners understand the role of the veterinarian in managing their Thoroughbreds; the “Racetrack” section provides a variety of details about virtually every Thoroughbred track in North America.  Within the Veterinary section, visitors can research equine health topics, learn about racetrack injuries, become better educated about equine welfare and health considerations, review a list of equine hospitals, search for a veterinarian, and review Q & A in the “Ask a Vet” section. This new section was developed in partnership with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).

The Racetrack section of OwnerView was developed with input from Thoroughbred owners and several tracks, including Keeneland, NYRA, Woodbine, Del Mar and Arlington Park. This new section lists most Thoroughbred tracks in the U.S. and Canada, grouped by their daily average purse distribution, and provides information such as address, race dates, owner hospitality contact, and links to each track’s website, stakes schedule, directions and social media sites.

KENTUCKY PROTOCOL WOULD TARGET EMERGING DRUGS
According to a Blood-Horse article, the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council (KEDRC) will recommend measures to allow the state to more quickly take action when regulators become aware of emerging illegal substances.

On June 10 the KEDRC approved for recommendation to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission a “Rapid Response” protocol that will readily provide the state’s testing facility, HFL Sport Science, funds to research the use of reported new illegal substances and develop testing for such substances.

If the KHRC approves the recommendation, as part of the protocol HFL Sport Science will receive up to $250,000 annually to spend on such research. The EDRC is an advisory panel on medication issues for the KHRC.

When considering the new protocol, KHRC equine medical director Dr. Mary Scollay outlined the situation in which reputable sources were reporting that “frog juice,” or dermorphin, was an emerging concern last year in racing. Scollay said it would take months to go through the current protocol to put HFL Sport Science in a position to develop a test for an emerging illegal drug like dermorphin.

Under the new protocol, funding will be set aside for HFL to take more immediate action in such situations. KEDRC member Ned Bonnie, who also serves on the KHRC, said the current system is effective at testing for already known drugs but comes up short when new illegal substances arrive on the scene. He said the new protocol begins to address that shortfall.

“It’s not only innovative but it’s badly needed,” Bonnie said. “When new drugs come on the scene, they create bad publicity, give cheaters an unfair advantage, and create the perception that we’re (regulators) not doing our job.”

KEDRC member Damon Thayer said that because the program targets emerging drugs, rather than people, and its financing is up for review on a year-to-year basis, he is confident there are enough checks in place to reduce opportunity for abuse.

NOTES:  Fasig-Tipton Texas is still accepting consignments for the FT TX Summer Yearling Sale in August at Lone Star Park; contact Tim Boyce at 972.262.0000 for information… Please note that the TTA will be moving to new quarters in early August.  Our telephone and fax numbers will remain the same, but we will have a new mailing address: 4009 Banister Lane, Suite 230, Austin, Texas 78704…The TTA office will be closed on Friday, June 14 for staff to travel to Lone Star Park…The TTA Board of Directors will meet on Saturday, June 15th, at which time officers will be elected.