KHRC approves limit on toe grabs
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Horses racing on Kentucky tracks next year could be running more naturally under a rule approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Monday.
Under the new guidelines, horses would not be permitted to race on toe grabs more than 2 millimeters long. The equipment, used on tracks for decades to help horses gain traction on the dirt, has come under fire recently after experts found the accumulation of mud under toe grabs while running puts too much pressure on the bones in a horse's front legs.
"If they put their foot down at a bad angle, and that toe grab grabs, they're going to have a catastrophic injury," KHRC chief steward John Veitch said. "Where if they slide, they're not going to have that, so the plusses far outweigh the minuses."
The filly Eight Belles, who was euthanized on the track at Churchill Downs following a breakdown moments after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby in May, was wearing toe grabs at the time of the accident. The length of the toe grabs Eight Belles was wearing during the race was unclear, though KHRC executive director Lisa Underwood said it didn't appear to factor in her death.
The toe grab rule could go into effect as early as the fall, though the KHRC's lengthy regulatory process makes it more likely the measure won't be on the books until 2009.
Next year is also likely the earliest new rules regarding steroids could go into effect. Gov. Steve Beshear named Dr. Jerry Yon as chair of the Equine Drug Research Council last week. Yon said Monday he hopes to "bring clarity" to the KHRC's stance on steroids.
The KHRC made no move to address the issue on Monday, though Underwood said the commission is "moving rapidly" toward a new steroids policy.
The KHRC also reported that deaths of horses on Kentucky tracks are down slightly so far this year compared with last year. There were seven fatal breakdowns at Churchill Downs during its recently completed spring meet. That's down from 10 at the 2007 spring meet.
Overall, there have been 17 fatal injuries at state tracks in 2008 compared with 18 during the first half of 2007.
Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow will have a hearing with Underwood on July 29. Dutrow is appealing a 15-day suspension for having one of his horses test too high for the drug Clenbuterol.
Another top trainer, Steve Asmussen, was fined $250 by the KHRC for using abusive language while arguing with a starter at Churchill Downs on May 1, two days before the Derby.
(c) 2008 by The Associated Press
Albarado takes leading jockey honors under the Twin Spires
Jockey Robby Albarado, who ranks seventh among the all-time riding leaders at Churchill Downs and was a finalist for last year's Eclipse Award as America's leading jockey, earned his first leading rider title under the historic Twin Spires as the home of the Kentucky Derby wrapped up its 52-day Spring Meet on Sunday.
Trainer Tom Amoss won two races on the meet's closing day to nail down his second title of leading trainer, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey continued their assault on the Churchill Downs record book as the Nicholasville, Kentucky, couple won a record 13th leading owner crown.
Albarado, 34, ended the meet with 73 victories. The highlight was clearly his victory aboard reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) in the $1 million Stephen Foster H. (G1) on June 14, but Albarado said earning his first leading rider crown since his arrival at Churchill Downs in 1996 was special.
"It means a lot," Albarado said. "I know I'm at a point in my career where leading rider titles probably won't make a difference in my business that I've established, but it was one of my own personal goals, and I'm glad I got it accomplished here at Churchill."
Albarado won his meet-leading 73 races from 287 mounts, a significantly smaller total than those of runner-up Miguel Mena, who won 65 races from 364 mounts. He is generally considered to be more selective in regard to the quality of the mounts he selects, but Albarado said his first championship meet belies that assumption.
"I've been injured quite a few times, so I've got to be a little more selective," he said. "A lot of trainers think I don't give 100 percent on all of the horses, but I do. I've won $5,000 claiming races here this meet -- I've won them all in all different areas of it. So it kind of instills a little confidence in the trainers also that I can ride seven or eight a day and make it happen."
Albarado now has 753 career victories at Churchill Downs. Julien Leparoux, the riding leader in the 2007 Spring Meet, finished third with 56 victories and was followed by Calvin Borel (52), Jamie Theriot (48) and Shaun Bridgmohan (44). Six of Albarado's victories came in stakes competition, including a victory aboard EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck) in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day.
The New Orleans-born Amoss opened the meet on a hot streak and closed with a rush to collect his second leading trainer crown -- and his first outright title. He had previously tied with Dale Romans for the Spring Meet title in 2002. Amoss' stable collected 35 victories from 87 starts, a 40 percent win rate for a barn in which 72 percent of its starters finished in the top three in their races.
"We caught fire and we were able to keep it going all meet, which is truly a credit to everybody in the barn," Amoss said by telephone. "I've got probably five managerial people that have been with me for more than 15 years each, and this is a proud moment for all of us."
Amoss wrapped up the meet with victories by Alfred Kent (Sharp Victor) in the 5TH race and Our Dancer (Royal Academy) in the 10TH. The highlight of the Spring Meet for Amoss was a victory in the Aristides S. (G3) with Indian Chant (Suggest).
"This is a special feeling," Amoss added. "This is a prestigious meet. Not to take anything away from any of the other titles we've won, but this is big. It's really important to us and there's a great deal of satisfaction amongst everybody."
The strong closing day performance by Amoss allowed him to pull away from runner-up Steve Asmussen, the 2007 Spring Meet leader who finished with 30 victories. Ken McPeek was next with 26 wins.
The leading owner title for Ken and Sarah Ramsey was their record 13th overall and their seventh Spring Meet crown. They earned their first Churchill Downs Spring Meet title in 2000 and have taken seven of the nine spring titles since. The latest title allowed the Ramseys to tie legendary Calumet Farm's record for the most Spring Meet leading owner crowns.
"Did you notice how long we're delaying leaving the winner's circle?" a beaming Ken Ramsey asked in special winner's circle ceremony. "It never gets old."
Sarah Ramsey accompanied her husband to the winner's circle ceremony. She was in a wheelchair as she made her first appearance at Churchill Downs since suffering a stroke early last year.
"She told me that if we won another leading owner title that she'd come to the track with me," Ken Ramsey said.
The Ramseys horses finished with a record of 20-11-17 in 75 starts, which reflects a winning rate of 27 percent, and 64 percent of their horses recorded top-three finishes. Maggi Moss, the leading owner in the 2007 Spring Meet, finished second with 15 wins while Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein were third with 10 victories.
The 2008 Spring Meet got off of to a memorable, if bittersweet, start with a dominant 4 3/4-length victory by BIG BROWN (Boundary) in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1). The Derby victory was the third for jockey Kent Desormeaux and the first for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. But the day was marred by a fatal injury suffered by the filly EIGHT BELLES (Unbridled's Song) well past the finish line. A crowd of 157,770 witnessed the Derby, representing the second-largest attendance in the history of the race.
One day earlier, PROUD SPELL (Proud Citizen) scored an emphatic five-length victory in the 134th running of the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Kentucky native Larry Jones scored his first Oaks victory with the bay lass, who was ridden by Gabriel Saez. Despite heavy rain that fell throughout the afternoon, a crowd of 100,046 attended the Oaks, which marked the 10th time in 11 years that Kentucky Oaks attendance had topped the 100,000 mark.
Competing with those spectacular races for the honor of meet highlight was the 27th running of the Stephen Foster. Curlin cruised to an easy 4 1/4-length victory under Albarado in his first race since a dominating victory in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) in March.
Other notable stakes efforts included wins in the Crown Royal American Turf (G3) and Jefferson Cup (G2) by three-year-old turf star TIZDEJAVU (Tiznow), the meet's only two-time stakes winner; INTANGAROO (Orientate), who notched an upset in the Humana Distaff (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day; HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor) in the Fleur de Lis (G2); and GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) in the Louisville S. (G2).
Churchill Downs' 26-day Fall Meet is scheduled to begin October 26 and run through November 29.
(c) The Handicapper's Edge
Shoe, nail bring down Big Brown
Michael Iavarone believes an exposed nail and a dislodged shoe, shown by freelance photographer Bob Mayberger's image posted on bloodhorse Tuesday, explain why Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown ran so poorly June 7 in the Belmont Stakes.
The photo shows a nail sticking straight up on Big Brown's right hind hoof. Iavarone, co-president of IEAH Stables, said the shoe was hit by another horse's hoof "two or three" strides into the race.
Another shot by Mayberger, taken from behind, reveals Guadalcanal's left hind hoof stepping on Big Brown's right hind as the favorite comes out into him.
"He stepped back down on the nail and bent it, so it stayed lodged in the shoe," Iavarone said.
(c) 2008 Hearst Communications Inc.
Drugs at center of horse racing testimony
WASHINGTON, D.C. - American Thoroughbreds are so inbred that they are racing less and are more fragile, and the widespread use of drugs to help them compete is threatening the sport's integrity, Congress was told Thursday.
In addition, the horse industry lacks a central authority to control breeding and drug abuse, according to testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's commerce, trade and consumer-protection subcommittee.
The panel delved into commercial-breeding practices, the use of performance-enhancing drugs and the industry's policing of the sport in part because of the revelation that Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown was given steroids regularly and by the fatal breakdown in the Kentucky Derby of second-place finisher, Eight Belles. Shortly after crossing the finish line, the filly broke both front legs and was euthanized on the track. Two years ago, Barbaro broke down at the Preakness and eventually died.
"Today too many breeders end up producing heavily conformed upper-body muscled horses with relatively fragile legs," Jess Jackson, owner of 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, told the committee. " It's like having Arnold Schwarzenegger's body and Don Knotts' legs.
"We don't need all of the inbreeding we have. I go to Argentina to buy horses; I go to Germany to buy horses because they have stronger bones and better knees. We need a league and a commissioner. We need action, please. Congress, help."
An Associated Press survey last week found that an average of three Thoroughbreds died every day at racetracks last year and 5,000 had died since 2003. But deaths are underreported and record-keeping is lax or nonexistent, the AP found.
There was widespread agreement among the witnesses regarding many of the industry's ills: steroids, breakdowns on the track and weaker bloodlines that produce horses that can race far fewer times than their counterparts decades ago.
Consensus on addressing these problems was another matter. That was hardly surprising considering the sport essentially is run by 38 sets of rules - one for each state in which racing takes place.
"Imagine if the NFL were set up to permit each state to field as many pro teams as it wanted, play as many games as it wanted all year long, and set its own individual football rules ... Horse racing has been set up in this fashion, " ESPN analyst Randy Moss said.
"We are a rudderless ship," said Arthur Hancock III, president of Stone Farm in Paris, Ky. "Death is not in charge of our business yet, but he is on board."
Experts said pharmacological advances have hurt racing by masking infirmities and perpetuating breeding problems.
Critics say administering anabolic steroids to horses to boost stamina and power and mask fatigue is exploitive.
"It's like chemical warfare," Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg told the committee.
Use of steroids is legal in horse racing. Steroids often are used for medicinal purposes when a horse falls ill or is injured.
Rick Dutrow, Big Brown's trainer, has been criticized for giving his horse the steroid Winstrol before the colt's Kentucky Derby win. The colt's poor performance in the Belmont fueled speculation that he finished last because he hadn't had his monthly shot. Though called to testify, Dutrow didn't attend Thursday's hearing.
In a written statement, he defended administering steroids. "People have asked me why I do it," he wrote. "It helps the horses eat better. Their coats brighten. They're more alert. It helps them train."
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, a Jockey Club safety committee that formed after Eight Belles' death and other groups have proposed varying degrees of steroid bans.
The Jockey Club also wants to ban traction devices such as "toe grabs" on front horseshoes and to change the use of whips, which also came under increased scrutiny during this year's Triple Crown season.
Subcommittee members strongly indicated that Congress, which gave horse racing the legal right to broadcast races and take bets across state lines, may play more of a role in policing the industry.
(c) 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Big Brown Favored to Win Third Race in Triple Crown This Weekend
Big Brown enters the prestigious Belmont Stakes race in New York this weekend with a chance to win American horse racing's Triple Crown. Big Brown has already won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
But, for the second year in a row, a horse sustained a fatal leg injury in one of the Triple Crown races, setting off a debate about the ethics of racing horses. In the Kentucky Derby this year, second-place finisher Eight Belles sustained an injury as the race ended and she had to be put down. Last year, Derby winner Barbaro was injured and after medical interventions failed, he was also euthanized. As VOA's Tony Budny reports, the Belmont Stakes' importance now extends beyond racing.
(c) News VOA
Tragedy mars Big Brown's Kentucky Derby win
Last Updated: 1:16am BST 05/05/2008
Big Brown powered to victory in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, but the race was marred by a fatal injury to runner-up Eight Belles.
Overcoming his outside No 20 draw, Big Brown cruised into the lead on the home turn in the hands of Kent Desormeaux and forged clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths.
It was the jockey's third Kentucky Derby victory and a first for trainer Rick Dutrow Jnr.
However, within minutes of the race ending, runner-up Eight Belles was put down on the track after breaking both her front ankles in the final yards of the race.
Big Brown was the first horse from stall 20 to take the Derby since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.
(c) Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2008
Kentucky Derby Gamblers Scratching Heads Over Track Surface
By Carol Wolf and David Papadopoulos
May 2 (Bloomberg) -- Kentucky Derby handicappers watch everything from the swish of a horse's tail to the length of its stride and pore over statistics looking for any edge that could lead to a big-money win.
Handicapping this year's first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown includes a new element that's causing professional gamblers to scratch their heads: synthetic surfaces.
Since 2005, at least six major U.S. tracks have converted to artificial surfaces from dirt to reduce injuries to racehorses. Colonel John and Bob Black Jack are in the 20-horse field for tomorrow's Derby and have never raced on dirt, the surface at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, where the 1 1/4-mile test is run.
``This is a crucial issue,'' said Andy Beyer, a Harvard University graduate who created a system -- known as Beyer Speed Figures -- used by bettors that measures how fast a horse runs. ``This has just thrown a huge question mark into anybody's Derby calculations.''
Horses also respond differently when switching from synthetic surfaces to dirt. Adriano, with Derby odds of 30-1, finished ninth in a 12-horse field at Florida's Gulfstream Park in February, his only dirt-track attempt. Gayego, forecast at 15-1 this weekend, won the Arkansas Derby April 12, his first race on dirt.
``Whether it's the stride of the horse or the running style, the two surfaces are just different,'' Beyer said. ``Maybe someone, some day will be able to predict with confidence how these horses are going to perform on the different surfaces, but I'm not that person.''
Swollen Ankles
The cushiony synthetic surface, which includes brand names Polytrack and Cushion Track, is made from wax-coated bits of recycled rubber, sand and synthetic fibers. It's designed to reduce ankle swelling and leg injuries, a common cause of death in racehorses.
Artificial tracks have been installed at Hollywood Park, Del Mar and Santa Anita Park in California; Keeneland and Turfway Park in Kentucky; and Arlington Park in Illinois.
The synthetic surface forces horses to push off more with their hind ends, possibly giving them an advantage in muscle strength and health when running in the Derby, said Joe Takach, of joe-takach.com, who specializes in handicapping California racehorses, and is the author of ``Winning Over Any Polysurface.''
``There will be no swollen ankles on the horses coming in from California,'' Takach said. ``All things being equal, the Polytrack will be an advantage.''
Pyro's Defeat
The April 12 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland served as an example of the difference the track surface can make. Pyro, forecast at Derby odds of 6-1, ran for the first time on a synthetic track there. Coming off of back-to-back dominating wins on a dirt surface, bettors made Pyro the even-money favorite in the Blue Grass. He flopped, finishing 10th of 12.
Derby contenders Monba and Cowboy Cal, lightly raced horses on dirt, finished first and second.
``Two horses with relatively undistinguished histories on the dirt ran 1-2 in that race, while the horses that looked best on dirt were trounced,'' Beyer said.
Beyer said he was ``very impressed'' with Pyro before the Blue Grass.
``I don't know what to make of him now,'' he said in an interview. ``I do not think that anybody, including the trainer, the jockey or anyone close to the horse, can tell you with real confidence how Pyro is going to run in the Derby.''
Colonel John
Colonel John, the second favorite at 4-1, is the horse to watch from California, Takach said.
``Going into this Derby, I know everybody thinks these California horses don't have a chance, but Colonel John is catching on to how the game is played,'' he said.
Beyer said he wouldn't bet on him.
``We're just guessing about Colonel John,'' Beyer said. ``I would not bet him on a relatively short price when he's never run on dirt before.''
Big Brown, the Derby favorite at odds of 3-1, is undefeated in three races.
``He's obviously got great talent, but his lack of experience by the historical standards of the Derby makes me wonder if he has enough seasoning for this race,'' he said.
This year's Derby crop is ``subpar,'' Beyer said.
``You never know in the Derby. Sometimes horses will show themselves and suddenly you have a star,'' Beyer said. ``The Derby surprises us a lot of the time.''
(c)2008 BLOOMBERG L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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