Posted: 08 Sep 2010 09:27 AM PDT

By Rick Miller - email
Posted by Mike Dever - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has heeded the call to crack down on illegal drugs in horse racing, unanimously approving stiffer penalties for offenders.

The proposed new testing aims to catch prohibited performance enhancing drugs that have been in a horse's system long enough to go undetected. Some of these banned drugs help create more red blood cells, which allow the horses to carry more oxygen.

Richard Samms with the Horse Racing Forensics Laboratory of Sports Science explains why the ability to carry more oxygen gives horses an unfair edge.

"Oxygen is consumed during competition, and the deficiency in oxygen toward the end of the race or competition is what causes us to get tired and lose our ability to perform," Samms said.

The one sticking point was the penalty ban included in the legislation. Some commissioners felt suspending violators for one to three years of was too weak, while a proposed 10-year suspension adopted by four other states was considered too harsh.

"All four of them have a straight penalty of a 10-year suspension, and I don't know why Kentucky should have a weaker penalty," said Alan Leavett with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. "It's just as damaging to the business in Kentucky as it is for those other four jurisdictions."

So they reached a compromise: offenders will face a ban of 5 to 10 years. Once the ban expires, the offender must reapply for a license to the racing committee. The board will then decide whether or not to reinstate the license.

"If you give them a 1-year suspension, you're putting them out of business, so the discussion between 5 and 10 years - I hate to say - is irrelevant," said Tom Ludt with the KHRC. "But if someone gets five years or seven years - I do not see the difference in that."

Moving forward, Kentucky will apply for an emergency regulation, which means the governor can sign and enact it immediately - hopefully in time for the upcoming Breeders' Cup.

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HORSE RACING / This week at Golden Gate Fields

Posted: 08 Sep 2010 05:32 AM PDT

Racing schedule: Today and Friday through Sunday

Post time: 12:45 p.m.

Feature race: $50,000-added Angel Island Stakes

Feature simulcast race: Grade 1, $250,000 Del Mar Futurity

Notes: Unlike the Rosie the Riveter Stakes for 2-year-old fillies that was canceled because of too few entries, Saturday's Angel Island Stakes for 2-year-olds will be run with seven horses that were entered Monday. ... Luckarack, King Cola and Kingsford Drive - the 1-2-3 finishers from the 6-furlong Cavonnier Juvenile on Aug. 14 at the Sonoma County Fair - head the field for the 1 1/16 -mile Angel Island Stakes. Luckarack won his debut in a $32,000 maiden-claimer and then captured the Everett Nevin Alameda County Juvenile prior to the Cavonnier.

Road Ready, the $300,000 purchase who won his debut in the Lost in the Fog Stakes on June 12 at Golden Gate Fields for trainer and co-owner Jeff Bonde, makes his second start in today's Del Mar Futurity. "The horse got a bit of a sore shin off of that race, so we backed off a bit," Bonde said. "But he's trained well for this race and we're hoping to do some good." Road Ready had an especially impressive workout in 1:27 for 7 furlongs - the same distance as the Del Mar Futurity. ... Bonde said his other top 2-year-old, Sway Away, is sidelined with a wrenched knee. ... The Del Mar Futurity field of 11 is headed by J P's Gusto, who has won three straight stakes including a half-length victory over Sway Away in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes. ... Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has two horses in the Del Mar Futurity: Western Mood, who finished third in the Best Pal Stakes and second to J P's Gusto in the Hollywood Juvenile, and Indian Winter, who won his debut 18 days ago. ... Today is closing day at Del Mar, with the Los Angeles County Fair beginning a 15-day meeting Thursday.

- Larry Stumes,

Special to The Chronicle

This article appeared on page B - 7 of the San Francisco Chronicle

A few big stakes still remain at Northfield, Thistledown: Horse Racing Notes

Posted: 09 Sep 2010 08:45 PM PDT

Published: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 10:52 PM Updated: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 11:44 PM

The local horse racing tracks are heading into their quiet time of year, with lots of racing still on tap but only a few big stakes left on the 2010 schedule.

Thistledown has increased its live racing schedule to five days each week through the close of the season on Nov. 6, adding Wednesdays to a mix that includes Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Yet to come are the Best of Ohio races on Oct. 2, with divisions for fillies and mares three years old and up at 1 1/8 miles; a 1 1/4-mile endurance race and a six furlong sprint for Ohio-breds that are three-years old and up; and a pair of 1 1/16-mile races for two-year-old fillies and freshman colts. All are $75,000 stakes, except for the $50,000 sprint.

Northfield will spotlight Ohio-bred stars from the Buckeye county fairs at its $120,000 Night of Champions on Oct. 23, showing off the state's top two- and three-year-old trotters and pacers. The fields are limited to the leading nine standardbreds in the point standings, with estimated $15,000 purses.

The track's richest race, the $150,000 Cleveland Classic, goes to post Dec. 4. Matching three-year-old colt pacers, the Jay Auto Group is this year's title sponsor. It's a roll of the dice to host a three-year-old stakes race so late in the year, but it turned out well in 2009.

Paying a $15,000 supplemental fee, Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, Fla., sent If I Can Dream to Northfield Park for the Cleveland Classic. A heat winner at the Little Brown Jug three months earlier, If I Can Dream wrapped the season with a sizzling 1:52.1 victory.

Northfield is racing Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday through October, adding Wednesday night live racing in November and December.

One More Laugh in Jug: Meadowlands Pace winner One More Laugh captured the $300,000 Cane Pace Final on Monday, and trainer Ray Schnittker said his colt is ready for the 65th $650,000 Little Brown Jug on Sept. 23. The Cane Pace is the first leg of pacing's Triple Crown, followed by the prestigious Jug at Ohio's Delaware County Fairgrounds and the Messenger on Nov. 6.

One More Laugh, driven by Tim Tetrick, put together a wire-to-wire victory in the Cane Pace and paced a track record mile of 1:50.3.

Also in The Jug is Rock N Roll Heaven, pacing a schooling mile recently on the half-mile oval at New York's Yonkers Raceway. Trainer Bruce Saunders wanted to test his colt on the tighter half-mile track like the one hosting the Little Brown Jug. The son of Rocknroll Hanover had never raced on a half-mile track in his career. Rock N Roll Heaven won the $500,000 Battle of Brandywine in 1:54.4 on the 5/8-mile track at Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack on Aug. 23, setting track and stakes records despite a sloppy racing surface.

Doc's Yankee in Jug, too: Trainer Ron Potter announced in the Northfield Park winner's circle on Saturday night that Doc's Yankee owner Bay Racing of Delaware, Ohio is entering the three-year-old in the Little Brown Jug. Driven by Dan Noble, Doc's Yankee easily won a $37,200 Ohio Sires Stakes pace for three-year-old colts and geldings in 1:53.4 on the half-mile oval. The Northfield victory was the fourth in the last six starts for the Yankee Cruiser gelding, and the seventh in 13 starts this year.

Watching the Jug: Northfield Park is simulcasting three days of Little Brown Jug week racing on Sept. 21-23. The first post at the Delaware Fairgrounds is noon on Sept. 21 and 11 a.m. on Sept. 22-23. The $350,000 Jugette for three-year-old fillies is Sept. 22, with the $650,000 Little Brown Jug on Sept. 23.

Drivers caught cheating: A trio of Ontario harness racing drivers were handed long suspensions and big fines last week for race fixing at Windsor Raceway in Ontario. Kevin Wallis, of Maidstone, was given a 12-year suspension and fined $100,000. Gene Piroski of Cottam was suspended for 10 years and fined $100,000. Brad Forward of Woodstock received a 5-year suspension and a $5,000 fine.

Michigan-based horsemen Don Currier Jr., Don Harmon, Wally McIlmurray Jr., John Moody and Rick Ray were already suspended by the Michigan Gaming Control Board for a year, and indefinitely by the Ontario Racing Commission. Art McIlmurray and horse owner Haitham Shamoun were suspended indefinitely by both Ontario and Michigan.

The suspensions came after a six-month investigation by Michigan and Ontario officials. The drivers were familiar faces at tracks in Ontario and Michigan. When suspended, Forward was the winningest driver in Canada this year with 374 victories. Wallis' 9,071 career driving wins are 12th on the all-time list. Piroski has 105 wins this year and a career total of 1,611.

Windsor Raceway opens its 2010-11 season Sept. 26.

Racing in crisis: The Levy - what it is and how it works

Posted: 09 Sep 2010 04:08 PM PDT

Racing is largely funded by the Levy, which is paid by bookmakers according to a formula based on their profits from betting on racing. It was devised between them and the Levy Board. The amount raised is falling fast, from a record £115.3 million in 2007/8 to a forecasted £60 million next year.

There are 1,450 fixtures in 2010. That total is set to be reduced when next year's fixtures are published this month. Fewer fixtures means fewer opportunities for jockeys, trainers and owners.

Betting on racing is not thought to have diminished, but some major bookmakers have moved off shore, and are therefore not liable to the Levy.

Betfair, the biggest of the betting exchanges, is not subject to the Levy.

Horse Racing

Thursday, September 9, 2010

“KY Horse Racing Commission enacts regulations to crackdown on illegal drugs” plus 3 more

“KY Horse Racing Commission enacts regulations to crackdown on illegal drugs” plus 3 more

Published: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 10:52 PM Updated: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 11:44 PM

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