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Arrogate, the champion 3-year-old male of 2016 who retired as horse racing's highest earner of all-time, was euthanized Tuesday morning at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. The cause of death remains to be determined, pending a post-mortem examination.

TORONTO, April 3, 2020 – As part of its mandate, the Ontario Racing task force, dedicated to addressing the financial impacts of COVID-19 as it relates to the industry, will provide regular updates to the Ontario horse racing community. 

During times of uncertainty, our traditions provide a great sense of comfort. We realize, that for many of you, the Kentucky Derby is a treasured annual tradition, and for others, a bucket-list experience. The time-honored traditions of the Kentucky Derby are as much about the fans as the race itself.

NBC Sports & TVG, Youtube & Facebook, Mobile Ap, and BreedersCup.com. Visit https://www.breederscup.com/races/watch for all the details. Breeders Cup Championship Saturday begins at 3:00 PM EDT on Saturday, November 2nd 2019.

After Kentucky Derby favourite, Omaha Beach, coughed a few times galloping, his trainer decided they should take a look, mainly because he had a little bit of a sore throat eight or ten days before that had been treated and resolved. In a Q&A yesterday, with Kevin Kerstein, Trainer Richard Mandella stated, "Didn't think we had anything to worry about until that. And when we scoped him yesterday, he had an entrapped epiglottis." KEVIN KERSTEIN: Can you explain a little bit for us what is an entrapped epiglottis? So he's obviously comfortable. We saw him in his stall this morning.

They are coming from around the world for $16 Million reasons. Get to know the contenders on their Path to Pegasus (Episode 2)

Xpressbet Customers Get Free Daily Picks & Pay 0% Takeout on the New Royal Ascot Pick 4. Leading online wagering provider, Xpressbet, has once again received recognition as ‘A Preferred US Betting Site’ of Royal Ascot.  Royal Ascot, one of the world’s most prestigious meets and racing’s most recognized brands, begins Tuesday, June 19 and continues through Saturday, June 23.

James McIngvale's Eragon cleared quarantine in Miami and arrived Jan. 5 at Gulfstream Park for his upcoming engagement in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28. South American import Eragon, a three-time group 1 winner in Argentina, stepped off McIngvale's van at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Though he missed the opening weekend of Gulfstream Park’s 2016-2017 Championship Meet with commitments out of town, jockey Javier Castellano is gearing up for a return to South Florida with his sights set on a sixth consecutive riding title.

As noted on Ontarioracing.com, "Ontario Racing is engaging in industry-wide consultations on a proposed framework for long term funding for horseracing in Ontario. You can review that presentation that outlines the proposed framework here. We encourage all interested parties to share feedback by completing the survey below and sharing their thoughts and perspectives."

The Jockey Matters: Mental Health & Wellbeing film begins the discussion of depression and mental health in the  sport and features contributions from Sir AP McCoy, Leighton Aspell, Daryl Jacob and Mark Enright, the first jockey to speak publicly about suffering from depression. The film gives advice for those affected by mental health issues and signposts jockeys to the 24 hour confidential Wellbeing Helpline set up by the Professional Jockeys Association.

Racing NSW will establish a Horse Welfare Fund which will be predominately funded by a deduction of 1% of all prizemoney paid in NSW. It is estimated that $204 million of prizemoney will be paid in the coming year, accordingly $2 million will be taken from prizemoney. This will be in addition to Racing NSW's existing horse welfare schemes.

Locals, longshots, brothers-in-law… Call them what you’d like, but successful trainers Eddie Plesa Jr. and Jason Servis will be representing the home team in Sunday’s GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Plesa is set to saddle Live Oak Plantation homebred Awesome Slew (Awesome Again), recently third in the GIII Pegasus S. June 19, while Servis brings GIII Withers S.

Dan Feiss eats, sleeps and breathes horse racing.

The Pink Sheet handicapper has been around the ponies all of his life. Now 51 years old, Feiss first started handicapping when he turned 18, and hasn’t stopped since. He even started owning horses in 2002, when he got into his mid-30s.

Upsets. They happen all the time in sporting competitions of all sorts. Horse racing in particular—with so many factors influencing the outcome of each race—is filled with stories of heavy favorites that were beaten by unexpected longshots.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. will host more than 40 local non-profit organizations, schools and PTAs at Saratoga Race Course during the upcoming season, which begins on Friday, July 22 and runs through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.

Grade 1 Delaware H. Goes to I'm a Chatterbox

Seventh Heaven Soars to Irish Oaks (G1) Victory

Cupid Back on Top in Indiana Derby (G2)

About 2 p.m. on Friday, Trevor Denman will step into the announcer’s booth at Del Mar, adjust his head-worn microphone, stare into his mounted set of binoculars and do something he hasn’t done in a while: Call a race.

“And away they go.”

Horses have been carrying human burdens for centuries, and the task is transitioning from a physical burden to a mental one through equine assisted therapy. It’s been a practice since the Ancient Greeks, and was further developed in Europe in the 1960s. Relatively new in the U.S., equine assisted therapy can help depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

Deauville Invades for Belmont Derby Inv. (G1) Score 

No Catching 'Glimpse' in Belmont Oaks (G1)

Nolan Ramsey (pictured wearing #5), grandson of well-known owner/breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey, was one of many connections of Sir Dudley Digges who crowded together on the Woodbine turf course for a photo after the Queen's Plate.

Three-year-old Jack Foster sat on his mother’s lap as she wrapped a towel carefully around his neck.

“Jack has cerebral palsy and low muscle tone,” said his mother, Emily Foster, of Northbrook, Ill. “The biggest challenge is holding his head up.”

Ken Ramsey put his money where his mouth was Sunday.

The Kentucky native was so confident in his horse Sir Dudley Digges’s chances to win the $1-million Queen’s Plate that he bet roughly $3,600 on the horse. The three-year-old son of Gio Ponti proved to be money in the bank, surging past Scholar Athlete and 5-to-2 favourite Amis Gizmo in deep stretch to secure the stirring upset win.

Roger Attfield won his first Queen’s Plate. On Sunday, he will once again attempt to stand alone as the winningest trainer in the race’s history.

Shakhimat completed a successful workout at Woodbine on Tuesday and will be one of the favourites for the 157th Plate.

“What do you like on your pizza?” asked Beth Macauley.

“Pep-pe-ro-ni!” said Davide Sirilli, sounding out each syllable.

“Good. Now say that in a full sentence,” said Macauley.

“I like pep-pe-ro-ni on my pizza,” Davide answered.

Horse racing is surely one of the oldest sports known to man, and now one of the most valuable leisure industries of the age. Even in these digital times nothing can beat the excitement of seeing in the flesh the true beauty and grace of a fully stretched thoroughbred passing the winning post.



When two brush fires erupted in the mountains above the San Gabriel Valley earlier this week prompting mandatory evacuations in some cities, residents moved quickly, taking clothes, their pets and a few important documents with them to safer ground.

He still gets included on the list of all-time Thoroughbred greats if you extend the list long enough, but what hazy recollections come to mind when you hear the name Exterminator?

What Songbird (Medaglia d’Oro) did in Saturday’s GII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita was spectacular. She remained unbeaten in eight career starts and so thoroughly dominated her competition that she was eased up by jockey Mike Smith at the three-sixteenth-pole. She looked like the horse of the century, yet she may not even be the Horse of the Year.

Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) today announced that it has selected SWA Group, a leading landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm, to create the master plan to guide the long-term vision for Woodbine’s overall development and expanded entertainment offering across its 680 acres of largely undeveloped land.

For centuries it has been known as the sport of kings, yet for the past six decades at least, flat racing in Britain has been inextricably linked with the horse-devoted Queen.

Tanya Punt is transforming a near-death experience into a life-giving opportunity for veterans who, like her, have suffered a traumatic brain injury or another ravage of war.

Punt, 45, of Billings, was thrown from a horse April 12, 2014, during a barrel racing competition, landing on her helmet-less head. Doctors feared she wouldn’t survive her brain injury, or that she’d at least be paralyzed on her left side. Instead she made a complete recovery — except for losing her senses of smell and taste.

Creator Noses Out Destin in Dramatic Belmont Stakes (G1)

Frosted Sensational Winner of Met Mile (G1)

Flintshire Outclasses U. S. Rivals Again in Manhanttan S. (G1)

The great Kentucky-born trainer and two-time Kentucky Derby winner Woody Stephens enjoyed a career in racing that was, by any measure of success, a lifelong highlight reel.The Stanton native won a pair of Kentucky Derbys and five runnings of the Kentucky Oaks, but the accomplishment for which the Hall of Fame trainer is best known happened a long way f

America’s Best Racing (ABR) has announced that the second annual Belmont Fan Bash, sponsored by Ninety North Racing Stable, will benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF).

The 2016 Belmont Stakes may have some of its luster a year after the 1-1/2 mile race in New York played host to the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. Undefeated no more, Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist will skip the event due to health concerns. However, Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator will be there, as will be several other of horse racing's top 3-year-olds.

The Aga Khan homebred Harzand moved to the lead in mid-stretch of the Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) and fought off a challenge from Us Army Ranger to win the 1 1/2-mile classic June 4 at Epsom Downs.

It's Derby weekend at Epsom and in Chantilly. It's Yasuda Kinen Sunday in Tokyo. And it's "the weekend of the mile" in United States thoroughbred racing.

The next two Classics of the year take place at Epsom Downs this week, with the premier three-year-old colts' race, the Investec Derby, on Saturday and the Investec Oaks on Friday.

The stallion kicked out, nostrils flaring. In the ring, it faced off against a 32-year-old former infantryman.

Months ago, Mitchell Reno was sitting in a hotel room with a half-gallon of vodka and dark plans. But this April afternoon found him serenely still as a stallion kicked up sawdust in an arena in Poplar Grove. Slashes across the horse's heaving belly and back revealed fights in the Wyoming wild.

The horse zeroed in on Reno, who wrestles with PTSD and knows a thing or two about scars, the kind you can see and the kind you can't.

There really is nobility in failure.The Japanese have a thing for losers. As chronicled by the famed scholar Ivan Morris, Japan’s greatest historical heroes are notable for their utter lack of success, immortalized only after their goals have been thwarted, their dreams crushed.

Shelly Fyant from Arlee painted circles around the eyes of a horse named Big Medicine on Wednesday night.

"The circle gives us a clear vision so we can see our enemy," she said.

Exaggerator Turns Tables on Nyquist in Preakness Stakes (G1)

83-Year-Old Trainer Prendergast Wins Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) with Awtaad

Every once in a while, Hollywood likes to crank out a good old-fashioned horse racing picture. Rags-to-riches or the rise-from-obscurity stories are favorites, likeNational Velvet and Seabiscuit.

Adam Staple's Page McKenney, a 6-year-old gelding in the Pimlico Race Coursebarn of trainer Mary Eppler, might not make for a classic—but he has got plenty of the elements for a good yarn.

There are countless methods of therapy used to help Soldiers and family members through difficult times, but helping agency personnel on Fort Rucker aren’t horsing around when it comes to providing the best treatment for those under their care.

Wake Forest Tops Chad Brown Exacta in Man O'War S. (G1)

Cavorting Back on Top With Ruffian S. (G1) Romp

3YO Unified Still Unbeaten After Peter Pan S. (G2) Score

Does the world really need another inspirational horse-racing movie? From “National Velvet” to “Secretariat,” the against-the-odds tale of equestrian pluck is a staple of cinema.

But who said that love was about need?

Emily Davidoff overdosed on heroin 26 times before ending up in rehab in July of 2015. 

"I was trying to kill myself," the 24-year-old, now 10 months sober, tells PEOPLE. "I didn't care about my life and I didn't care about anybody else." 

It was during her third stint in rehab that Emily found the desire to keep living from an unlikely source: a horse. 

"This horse had a story just like mine – she was abandoned and alone," Emily recalls. "I never knew I could bond with an animal like that but I cried on that horse before I cried in front of anybody else." 

Nyquist Reigns as Unbeaten Kentucky Derby Champion

Cathryn Sophia Romps in Kentucky Oaks (G1)

Divisidero Best in Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1)

Expect some "Who Dat" chants from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) crowd May 7 at Churchill Downs as supporters of Gayle and Tom Benson's Mo Tom and Tom's Ready try to bring some Mardi Gras to Louisville's biggest party.

KERN COUNTY, Calif. - Down a windy road, past free-range cows and several farm houses is a place called Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue in Twin Oaks, California. It's a safe haven for rescued horses and broken veterans.

Galileo Gold Upset Winner of 2,000 Guineas (G1)

Minding Tops Ballydoyle Tri in 1,000 Guineas (G1) 

Dariyan Best in Prix Ganay (G1) at Saint-Cloud

Racing Future at Derby 142 Pinterest Board

When it comes to breeding and raising thoroughbreds, Arthur B Hancock III holds fast to his faith in a few simple truths.

"If you take care of the land it will take care of you, and if you take care of your horses they will take care of you," Hancock says, as he stands under the blue sky stretching over the quiet paradise of his 2,200-acre Stone Farm near Paris, Kentucky.

An encounter in Harry Swimmer's local grocery store parking lot changed his life more than 20 years ago.

He met a girl in a wheelchair named Stacy. She was deaf and nonverbal. Swimmer learned she had cerebral palsy.

It gave him an idea.

New Zealand's Werther Runs Off with QEII Cup (G1) at Sha Tin

Stanford Wires Rich Charles Town Classic (G2)

Rachel Alexandra & Zenyatta to be Enshrined in Hall of Fame

Use him for a windbreak, a coat rack, a barn doorstop. It doesn’t matter to California Chrome as long as you set him free in his paddock for most of the day and have a bag of Mrs. Pastures horse cookies handy on demand.

Dawn Solomon became addicted to horses at a riding stable in Aurora.

Now she hopes that love, along with her counseling degree, can help people with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance addiction.

She, along with investors, is betting a ranch that horse therapy can help.

Creator on to Kentucky Derby After Arkansas Derby (G1) Score

Tepin Strike Again in Record-Setting Jenny Wiley S. (G1) Win

Forever Unbridled Powers to Apple Blossom H. (G1) Victory

TwinSpires.com, the official wagering partner of the Kentucky Derby, and PaulickReport.com, a leading Thoroughbred information website, have teamed to auction a pair of tickets to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks to benefit the Retired Racehorse Project.

Unbeaten 3YO Nyquist New Kentucky Derby Fave With Florida Derby (G1) Romp

Australia's Winx Earns 9th Straight Victory in Doncaster Mile (G1)

Three finalists for the tenth annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award have been announced by the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons, founding sponsor of this lucrative competition for racing-oriented literary works since 2006. Jockeys ruled the day in 2015, with two of the three top entries focusing on those brave men and women, who, pound for pound may be the best athletes in all of sport.

In classical mythology Cupid is the god of desire and the son of the war god Mars and the love goddess Venus. In the modern thoroughbred world Cupid is the Rebel Stakes (G2) winner and the son of all-world sire Tapit and the exceptional broodmare Pretty 'n Smart. The contemporary legend also stars Bob Baffert, who is virtually unconquerable when he flies into Oaklawn Park.

Stand on the Meydan surface and soak up the morning sun, and watchCalifornia Chrome   stride out onto the racetrack. There's his signature ear prick, a turn of the head toward snapping cameras—the look of eagles.

Ever since arriving in Viña (as the city is fondly called) I’ve been dying to check out the racetrack. My bus drives past the Valparaiso Sporting Club on its way to deliver me to classes, and my university, situated on a hill overlooking the city, provides a convenient view of the track.

A recent three-day trip to Tampa, Florida, which was the scene of such a brilliant Derby Festival day on Saturday, reminded me once again why it is one of my favorite race-day experiences in America. 

It wasn't especially pretty. It wasn't especially fast. But Shagaf got the job done in the Gotham Stakes, giving owner Shadwell Farm a second unbeaten Kentucky Derby prospect.

America's Best Racing's David Hill interviews author/Kentucky Derby historian Bill Doolitle:

After a promising juvenile season Gun Runner made the shortlist for many Kentucky Derby winter book handicappers. With his victory in the February 20 Risen Star Stakes (G2) the Steve Asmussen-trainee currently sits second behind Mohaymen on the Kentucky Derby qualifying points list.

Mother Nature was kind to Woodbine Entertainment Group at the start of the laying-in process for the new Tapeta course on the one-mile main track earlier this winter. But a recent onslaught of freezing rain, ice pellets, and snow has provided a taste of what Lake Ontario’s volatile weather patterns are capable of dishing out on an annual basis.

3YO Mohaymen Remains Unbeaten in Foutain of Youth S. (G2)

3YO Filly Cathryn Sophia Romps Again in Davona Dale S. (G2)

Thirty-four years ago, the very first Equicizer he built enabled the 1980 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey Frank Lovato Jr. to recover from a broken leg and return to the saddle. These days, Lovato’s distinctive mechanical wooden horse is at the center of his world and continues to deliver the support he needs.

Up to $100,000 is up for grabs for researchers investigating the impact of horses on humans, thanks to the Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF).

Past grant funding opportunities have been limited to $50,000, but the successful completion of HHRF’s 10-Year Anniversary Research Funding Campaign enabled the foundation to double the size of grant funding available for this grant cycle.

Never underestimate the value of a good eye. Without a keen batting eye, it’s nearly impossible to be a successful hitter in the major leagues. It takes a different type of eye to be successful in the breeding industry, but a good eye is just as crucial when buying mares or yearlings at auction.

Despite an unblemished record at two and an Eclipse Award trophy on his mantle, Nyquist has has to earn the respect of many racing fans the hard way. His performance in the February 15 San Vicente Stakes (G2), in which he defeated the graded winner Exaggerator in near track record time, was just the kind of signature victory he needed to validate his stellar 2015 campaign.

Tepin (Bernstein) has been invited to compete in the G1 Queen Anne S. at the Royal Ascot meet, an invitation owner Bob Masterson is eager to accept. The invitation came after the 5-year-old mare kicked off her 2016 campaign with an easy win Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in the GIII Endeavour S.

We all have the utmost respect and appreciation for our veterans, the brave men and women who fight for our protection and freedom.

There is a wonderful program called Equines For Freedom. Organized in February 2015, EFF is located on the campus of Marley’s Mission in Newton Township.

This therapeutic program brings horses, humans and the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Process together.

Dancing House Tops McLauglin-Trained Exacta in Barbara Fritchie S. (G2)

Tara's Tango Breaks Through in Santa Maria S. (G2)

Penwith Scores in Royal Delta S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park

As the breeding season began earlier this week in chilly Kentucky for Kitten’s Joy, the Ramsey Farm’s foundation sire, Ken Ramsey was in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, where he could be heard via mobile phone flipping through the thick dossier of paperwork that keeps track of his worldwide bloodstock and racing prospects.

When I meet someone for the first time and tell them that I go to graduate school for horse racing, the first few minutes of the conversation are filled with bewilderment as I explain that it is possible to get a degree in racetrack management.

Once this understanding is reached, the stranger usually becomes extremely interested in the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program (RTIP).

Hollywood could hit Royal Ascot this summer as Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert intends to have his first runner at Flat racing's most prestigious fixture.

California-based Baffert enjoyed a fantastic 2015 thanks to the exploits of the brilliant American Pharoah, who became the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to land the Triple Crown.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and Stars & Stripes Day during the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park and the Whitney and Travers Stakes days at Saratoga Race Course highlight the stakes calendar unveiled by the New York Racing Association.

Moyhamen new Kentucky Derby Favorite after Holy Bull Stakes (G2) Romp

3YO Awesome Banner Impresses Again Swale Stakes (G2)

3YO Sunny Ridge Best in Withers Stakes (G3)

The last time the Carolina Panthers played in the NFL championship round, Jake Delhomme was their star quarterback, leading the team to its only previous Super Bowl appearance 13 years ago. As the Panthers prepare to take on the Denver Broncos in next Sunday’s Super Bowl, the former Pro Bowl quarterback is more concerned with post times than post patterns.

As a kid growing up in rural Minnesota, I spent many of my waking hours searching for a reason to be near the five horses that roamed the 40 acres behind our house. Their methodical munching and tail-swishing put me at ease and learning how to ride a 1,200-pound animal that could easily wipe me off on a fence post taught me much of what I know about courage and persistence.

2016 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Since the inaugural class of people and horses were inducted in 1976, there are now over 500 honoured members in the CHRHF.

For Gretchen Davis, horseback riding is more than a recreational activity: It’s a treatment option that helps people with disabilities become stronger, healthier and more independent.

Davis is program manager of the therapeutic riding program at Helen Woodward Animal Center, where she teaches kids and adults with autism, muscular disorders and other conditions to ride specially trained horses.

Overlooking the sunny beaches of the Riviera, the racecourse at Cagnes-sur-Mer lies at the very heart of France's ultra-chic Cote d‘Azur. A few miles east is Nice, the playground of the international jet set since long before jet airliners were invented. And a few miles further up the road is the Principality of Monaco, where Grace Kelly lost her commonness.

Horses that Heal is an 8 minute documentary that examines the impact of horses in healing wounded warriors returning from service, as well as local children with disabilities. The interviews of the wounded vets are particularly emotional, as they describe what they experienced at war before coming to Cornerstone. 

California Chrome on to Dubai After Impressive San Pasqual S. (G2) Triumph

Legal Eagle Flies Home in South Africa's Queen's Plate (G1)

After receiving applications from all over the country, Oaklawn Park recently named Pete Aiello as its next announcer. Aiello, who has held positions at Hialeah Park, Gulfstream Park and River Downs, becomes the track’s fifth announcer since it opened in 1904.

It feels like spring in Central Kentucky, as rain soaks the track at the Thoroughbred Center and the fields stubbornly remain green. The aisles of the North American Racing Academy's Barn 30 are still bustling in the morning, but each week sees fewer and fewer students legging up on horses as the riding students finish up their finals and scatter across the country.

The Qatar Derby at Al Rayyan, Doha, was settled in dramatic fashion in the judge's box when the original announced decision in favour of victory to Germany's Rogue Runner by a nose was amended to a dead-heat with South Africa's Tannaaf.

You won’t find John Velazquez at Gulfstream Park Saturday, Jan. 9, but at the Gold Coast Turf Club in Queensland, Australia, where he’ll be riding on the Magic Millions Raceday card.

American Pharoah  's Triple Crown sweep, culminating in his breathtaking victory in the 147th edition of the Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings (gr. I) that ended a 37-year drought, was honored Dec. 24 as the "Sports Story of the Year" by the Associated Press.

When I set out to write RIDING HOME ~ The Power of Horses to Heal I wanted to share about the profound emotional healing one can experience from today's equine therapy. I also wanted people to discover the joy, empowerment and self-awareness they could receive by simply having a relationship with horse.

Mor Spirit is Latest Futurity (G1) winner for Baffert

Leontes Captures Ashai Hai Futurity (G1) in Japan

From the 1960s through the 1980s, few racing silks were as recognizable and iconic as the silks of Darby Dan Farm. The silks were fairly plain—a fawn-colored shirt with brown sleeves—but it was their simplicity and their regular appearances in the winner’s circle that made them famous.

Local war veterans are learning to overcome PTSD and traumatic brain injuries by working with horses through the Veteran Barn Door Project, a nonprofit organization.

“When I returned from Afghanistan in 2010, I had some serious PTSD,” said Steven DePalma, founder of the Veteran Barn Door Project. “I didn’t know it at the time. I was suffering from what’s known as survivor’s guilt.”

Japan's A Shin Hikari Springs Upset in Hong Kong Vase (G1)

The eyes of the world will be on Hong Kong this weekend as horses from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia all descend on Sha Tin Racecourse for the Hong Kong International Races.

The meeting is the most prestigious in Asia and consists of four races. Here is a look at the day’s action to see who to watch out for in each of the four divisions.

South Africa's reigning champion rider, Gavin Lerena, booted home the last two winners to take top honors in the Dec. 9 Longines International Jockeys' Championship at a rain-soaked Happy Valley Racecourse.

The 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic is one of 24 international races under consideration for simulcast into Japan, thanks to a new law passed earlier this year by Japanese legislators lifting the ban on wagering on races from outside of Japan.

In an effort to get as much use out of its turf course as possible and to create new wrinkles it hopes its customers will find exciting, Woodbine will run approximately 25 grass races next year that will go in a clockwise direction.

Coral on Thursday announced a landmark deal to sponsor their first races in Ireland at Leopardstown on January 17.

The firm will back the entire seven-race card, which now includes the €100,000 Coral.ie Hurdle and the €100,000 Coral.ie Handicap Chase.

Trip To Paris, fourth in a bruising renewal of the Melbourne Cup (G1) earlier this month, bids to become the first British trained horse in almost a decade to win the Japan Cup (G1), one of the most exciting end-of-year races.

Trained by globe-trotting handler Ed Dunlop at Newmarket in England, the four-year-old faces 17 rivals in his quest to make history and gain compensation for his two-length defeat by Prince Of Penzance in the Australian showpiece.

Buffering Best in Australia's Winterbottom S. (G1); International Campaign on Tap

Good Project Breaks Maiden in Railway Stakes (G1) in Australia

The third annual Sporting Art Auction, presented by Keeneland Association and Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington, is set for Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. ET in the Keeneland sales pavilion.

Chile’s oldest racecourse is one of the world’s most beautiful. The Club Hipico’s palatial complex is a vast green oasis at the south east of Santiago’s bustling city centre. Since its construction almost a century ago, it has ranked as one of the architectural highlights of the Thoroughbred world – imaginative, picturesque and almost miraculously preserved.

Hong Kong: Mondialiste, who came close to his biggest win when second in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland last month, could continue his world tour with a trip to Sha Tin for the Longines Hong Kong Mile on December 13.

Nominees for the 2015 Cartier Racing Awards were announced Nov. 6, with Horse of the Year to be decided amongGolden Horn, Legatissimo, Muhaarar, and Solow.

The sale of 14 seven-figure horses, led by the $6 million paid for champion Take Charge Brandi and a North American weanling record of $3.2 million bid for a War Front filly, highlighted a day of strong trade that resulted in substantial gains in gross, average and median prices on Tuesday at Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale.

While Triple Crown winner American Pharoah with jockey Victor Espinoza won the Breeders Cup Classic on Halloween day at Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky, a big story had unfolded earlier in the day with some interestingly dressed men from a far away land.

The 32nd Breeders' Cup highlighted North American racing while Australians were riveted by the Victoria Derby Day card at Flemington.

Out of town visitors for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup probably know that Lexington and the Central Kentucky region is known for it national championship college basketball teams, smooth bourbon and fast Thoroughbreds. What they probably haven’t heard is that Lexington also sets high standards for education.

For owner Ahmed Zayat, the difference between American Pharoah winning the Triple Crown and winning the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) in his final race is very clear.

"With the Triple Crown, we wanted it for the sport," Zayat said the evening Oct. 27 during the Thoroughbred Charities of America "Evening With Team American Pharoah" fundraiser. "On Saturday, we want it for American Pharoah. We want him to go out on a high note."

Winx a Record-Setting Winner of Cox Plate (G1)

Marcel Upset Winner of Racing Post Trophy

The Kentucky Horse Park will unveil a new memorial statue dedicated to the great Thoroughbred champion Cigar on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 3 p.m. Created by artist Douwe “Dow” Blumberg, the statue will be placed at Cigar’s gravesite at the Hall of Champions and features Cigar with jockey Jerry Bailey winning the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

There’s more than one way to corral a horse. But what does the method we use tell us about ourselves?

Susanne Riemer of New Ipswich is a clinical social worker. Most of her career has been spent in an office, seeing one client after another.

Pat Smullen scythed through the field to become the winningmost jockey in British Champions Day history, powering to the front on the Dermot Weld-trained Fascinating Rock and landing the feature Champion Stakes.

Many people find recreational horseback riding pleasurable and relaxing.  However, many individuals are unaware that there’s a therapeutic form of horseback riding [often integrated with psychotherapy] called “equine assisted therapy.”  In recent years equine therapy has garnered attention as a potential intervention for the treatment of PTSD, troubled youth, and even autism spectrum disorders.

Explore your sense of Hollywood fashion by entering the Hollywood Fashion Contest on Opening Day, always one of San Diego's biggest parties. Everyone is invited to dress up in their best fashionable attire. Revert back to styles from the dazzling vintage Hollywood era or go glamourous modern diva, your favorite Hollywood Celebrity or a fabulous duo from past or present.

There were five G1's at Cauflield in Australia on Saturday while Her Emmyency (North America) and Air Force Blue (England) scored Grade 1 victories on their continents.

Press Statement (pictured) all class in Caulfield Guineas (G1) victory

Dissident has been named Australia's Horse of the Year for his four Group One wins last season.

Trained by Peter Moody until his retirement to stud this spring, Dissident was the decisive winner of the award over Brazen Beau.

It is the fifth time in six years a Moody-trained horse has won the honour with Typhoon Tracy winning in 2010 and Black Caviar taking the title three times.

Fashionistas take note, the Down Royal’s Best Dressed crown is up for grabs this month.

Victoria Square will make sure style is a cert with fashionistas from across Ireland jockeying for position to be named Best Dressed at the Northern Ireland Festival of Racing.

After a series of three straight second-place finishes at different distances and surfaces Takemetohollywood starred in a winning role at Belterra Park on Sunday.

The rare pure white Thoroughbred rated just off the pace in a one mile race and ran down the pacesetter Spaced Out late to win by ½ length.


It hosts one of the most glamorous days on the sporting calendar, but Paris' Longchamp racecourse has long been in need of a makeover.

On a 94-degree day this July, a heist appeared to happen in broad daylight on West 52nd Street.

One by one, 36 colorful iron lawn jockeys were yanked from their spots outside the iconic ‘21’ Club, where they guarded the doors to the dining room of the city’s cultural, political and business elite.

California Chrome Fan Day at Kentucky's Taylor Made Farms will give fans a chance to shake hands – and hooves – with the famous stable team and the racehorse. From Nashville, the event is only a few hours away.

The final day of live racing at Kentucky Downs supported a worthy cause and added a variety of fair-like events and attractions to an exceptional closing-day card, which was highlighted by four stakes.

TORONTO, September 7 - Wise Dan, who earned U.S. Horse of the Year honours in 2012 and 2013, has been retired from racing.The Morton Fink homebred, trained by Charles LoPresti, had been slated to make his return from an ankle injury in the Grade 1 $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile set for Sunday, September 13, at Woodbine. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky -- Churchill Downs Racetrack, one of the world's most recognized sports venues and home of the Kentucky Derby, has announced an extensive $18 million capital project to modernize the Turf Club and several other premium areas. 

Before the running of the $1.6 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Dale Romans thanked the New York Racing Association for capping attendance at 50,000 people—so more, he said, would not be there to boo Keen Ice after the Curlin  colt took down Triple Crown champion American Pharoah.

If you blinked, you might have missed it. American Pharoah was on the Saratoga Race Course main track for all of five minutes for an easy gallop Aug. 27. It was the Triple Crown winner's first time on the track, following his arrival one day earlier.

Nearly four years after plans for a new grandstand were first unveiled, France Galop’s administrative council has finally given the go-ahead for the rebuilding of Longchamp.But the project will come at a cost, both financially and to the trad

EUGENE, Ore. – A local nonprofit called RideAble celebrated its 20th anniversary Sunday not with cake, but with horses.Many people at the event said the horses at RideAble have changed people’s lives.

For 30 years, the Comox Valley Therapeutic Riding Society has addressed needs of physically, mentally and emotionally challenged residents of our community.

The Del Mar crowd let out a hopeful roar when Beholder blew by her male companions in the final turn of the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr.I), but even the most hopeful in attendance could not have imagined what was coming next. Watch Video

The New York State Gaming Commission will host a day-long summit focused on the issue of retired racehorses – both Thoroughbred and Standardbred – on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 10 a.m. at the Fasig-Tipton Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs.

This event is designed to focus attention on the issue of racehorse retirement and publicize the current status of New York and national initiatives – including those ongoing and those developed since the New York Task Force on Retired Racehorses issued recommendations in

(Via the Twinspires blog): The top three finishers from the July 5 Queen's Plate will have a rematch in Tuesday's C$500,000 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie.

Interviewed by HRRN's Mike Pena, Trainer Charlie LoPresti talks about Wise Dan's recovery and potential plans for the 2015 season.  

THE calming power of horses is being used to bring peace and new hope to former servicemen’s lives.

Charity Salute is teaming up with Barden Lane Stables in Burnley to help armed forces veterans cope with their rehabilitation after the traumas of spending time in the world’s war zones.

Kentucky Downs recorded $8,425,830 in pari-mutuel handle on historical horse racing from June 29 to July 5, to set an all-time weekly record, besting the old mark of $8,332,610, set Feb. 24 to March 2, 2014. The record business levels followed Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) approval of 10 new wagers from the Encore system at its meeting on June 29.

Fort Erie Race Track is starting to see year-to-year growth and  . . . just one month into its 2015 season, the 118-year-old race track is seeing yet another spike in attendance and business.

At the midpoint of 2015, an exciting competition is underway for the title of LONGINES WORLD’S BEST JOCKEY. Leading the standings are Victor Espinoza and James McDonald, but several other riders are not far behind with plenty of racing yet to take place.

Ahmed Zayat, the owner of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, has confirmed that his 3-year-old colt will run next in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2. 

After three weeks off following his Triple Crown sweep, Zayat Stables' American Pharoah returned to work June 29 with a three-furlong drill in  :36 2/5, according to clockers at Santa Anita Park.

"Worked like the champ he is," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said in a text message. "Cruised three-eighths."

If anyone has any doubt about horse racing being a sport, listen to this video from our Racing Future vault.

The New York Racing Association is proud to serve as the steward of Saratoga Race Course, which, by all arguable metrics, is far more robust and sound today than at any time in recent memory. This proposition is not based on opinion, but is rooted in fact.

Consider the following numbers which are derived from a recent independent economic impact study commissioned by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency:

Click on the image or on this link to access a larger

I stood in the apron for the 79th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie with my daughter. The sky was overcast and Ellie huddled close to me as we watched her favourite horse, Coltimus Prime, win the race in a very definite finish. It was exciting – we were jumping up and down as he crossed the finish line.

Free Eagle wins the 2015 Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot despite great go by The Grey Gatsby.

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Jockey Victor Espinoza plans to donate 100% of his earnings for the week beginning Aug. 10 at the Del Mar race meet to the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation, to be used exclusively to assist Southern California racetrack grooms.

Frankie Dettori says California Chrome will be a “great asset” for Royal Ascot having ridden the colt in a Racecourse gallop here on Thursday. 

Crowned American Horse of the Year in 2014 after winning the Kentucky Derby and Group One Preakness Stakes – two thirds of the so-called American Triple Crown, Chrome is no stranger to the big occasion. 

Having spent the last 15 years around horses and people who care for them, it is easy to see the high therapeutic value horses have.

In response to a request from the New York State Gaming Commission, the New York Racing Fan Advisory Council today issued recommendations to increase transparency and reform Steward practices to further underscore the integrity of New York’s world-class horse racing. 

By Martha Beck

A cool coastal-California breeze settles in around us as Koelle Simpson and I, sitting side by side on an observation deck, gaze into a round pen below. Inside the pen, a woman named Avery* stands nervously beside a half-ton chocolate-colored horse named Ernie. She eyes him warily. Ernie eyes her back. Then Koelle gives Avery the deceptively casual, heavily loaded instruction, "Do whatever you want."

Mike de Kock has secured the services of promising 23-year-old jockey Irad Oritz, jr. for Mubtaahij in the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York, on June 6.

Originally from Trujillo Alto in Puerto Rico, Ortiz is a graduate of that country’s Escuela Vocacional Hípica, a school for prospective jockeys. His grandfather, also named Irad Ortiz, was a jockey, and so is his uncle, Ivan Ortiz.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Tuesday, May 19, 2015) – With a June 2 deadline looming, only 14 days away, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) is urging individuals to submit a comment to the U.S. Treasury Department in support of modernization of regulations relating to player withholding and reporting.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Paulick Report

Thoroughbred OwnerView

The jockey Gary Stevens was trying to find the right words — and wondering if words would do — to describe the experience of riding Firing Line as he dueled American Pharoah down the stretch in the Kentucky Derby.

The City of Toronto is looking for public input before making a decision on expanding gaming at Woodbine Racetrack. What do you want City Council to consider?

Public Meeting: Monday May 11, 2015

Please plan on attending our open house to learn more and speak about this issue. Displays, presentations and staff will provide information about the Woodbine Racetrack location, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's (OLG) process for potential gaming sites, and this consultation. Staff will be on hand to answer your questions and record public remarks.

Mobile data came out of the gates running this year at the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, setting a new peak-hour mobile data usage record at a sports venue.

From Opening Night to the thrill of the final 2-minute horse race, our customers were there to share all the Derby action with their friends and family. To make sure our customers had great coverage and could share their Derby hat selfies at Churchill Downs, we worked with Mobilitie to increase capacity to the Distributed Antenna System (DAS).

Ocho Ocho Ocho (Post position 1, morning line 50-1) – Jim Cassidy (trainer) – “It is what it is. It’s a tough spot but what are you going to do? My plan, to be honest with you, is still to take hold and sit in the second flight. I’ve got to think Carpe Diem and a couple of those others are going to go but I don’t want to go with them, or sit behind. That’s what I’m going to talk to Elvis [Trujillo] about.”

If, as Dr Michele Travers says, "a veterinarian's best friend is an x-ray machine," Itzhoweeroll's best friends are the passionate and tech-savvy Ontario veterinarians in this video who, along with his original owners, help "Roller" move on from horse racing.

A great video to post in the lead up to the Triple Crown, showing just how well-designed horses are for galloping.

The new experience of shipping Gr1 Kentucky Derby contender Mubtaahij from Dubai to Kentucky has required improvising from trainer Mike de Kock—but when it comes to racing without raceday medication, the respected South African-based conditioner will not change the Dubawi colt’s routine.

Gary Barber's Lexie Lou was named Canada's 2014 Horse of the Year the evening of April 10 during Sovereign Award presentations at Woodbine near Toronto.

Aintree kicks off today with bookies expecting horse racing fans to splash out £200million in a huge betting bonanza on the nation’s favourite event.

More than 150,000 racegoers are expected to descend on Liverpool’s iconic course for the three day meet, kicking off with Grand Opening Day today.

In early March, 2013, after only 15 days in the Legislature, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced a new way forward for Ontario horse racing that included transitional funding and the committment to integrate horse racing into the provincial gaming strategy.

In Canada, E.P. Taylor is known for his marketing and business acumen as well as his retailing genius which helped him create Argus Corporation, one of Canada’s largest conglomerates. In its day, Argus included, amongst many other entities, Canadian Breweries Limited (now part of Molson Coors), Standard Broadcasting (a current owner of Sirius Radio), and Dominion Stores (one of Canada’s largest national grocery chains, now part of Metro). That Mr.

[On March 23rd] the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved a regulation that would permit the state's racetracks to card races that would prohibit the administration of furosemide, also known as Salix or Lasix, within 24 hours of post time. The vote was 8-4.

[Australia's] Gai Waterhouse equalled the record of her late father Tommy Smith as Vancouver (Tommy Berry) led home stablemate English in the world's richest juvenile race.

LAUREL, MD– The Maryland Jockey Club announced today that approximately $7 million in improvements at Laurel Park – including new barns for 300 horses and a new washroom – could be completed within the next month.

Despite record low temperatures during the months of February and March, one of two 300-stall barns should be completed by the first week of April, according to Maryland Jockey Club General Manager Sal Sinatra.

The official Championships for Flat jockeys and owners will run over the core premier Flat Racing period in 2015, starting at Newmarket's QIPCO Guineas Festival (Saturday 2 May) and concluding at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day (Saturday 17 October).

Isaiah Forte, 9, flashes a brilliant smile from the horse he’s riding. Diagnosed at 2 with autism, Forte for years had difficulty communicating and connecting with others.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., March 6, 2015 - The annual summer meet at Saratoga Race Course generates $237 million in economic activity and nearly 2,600 jobs across the greater Capital Region, according to the findings of a study released today by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (IDA).

Becoming a Horseplayer

The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) announced today that The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. has purchased a majority ownership interest in Blood-Horse magazine. The purchase also includes related digital and custom printing properties of Blood-Horse, the Stallion Register, and Blood-Horse’s 50% interest in TrueNicks LLC.

The announcement was made jointly by Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club, and Peter S. Willmott, chairman of TOBA.

Carl Bouckaert, Chairman of the Georgia Horse Coalition and owner of Chattahoochee Hills Bouckaert Farm, has made a generous donation of $5,000 to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

A group of prominent organizations involved in Thoroughbred breeding, racing and sales in North America today issued a statement in reaction to the British Horseracing Authority’s enhanced Equine Anti-Doping Rules, which were published earlier today after an extensive period of development. The rules, which include a zero-tolerance approach to anabolic steroids, will be implemented March 2, 2015. 

After an extensive review, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has published new anti-doping rules, which will be fully implemented on March 2^nd 2015. 

The BHA has been contacing everyone who may be effected by the new rules, both in the UK and internationally, to ensure that there is awareness across world racing. Part of this awareness programme includes a comprehensive Guide, which explains what must be done to be in compliance with the rules. 

Prime Minister David Cameron lauded British horseracing as "a massive success story" when he made an unexpected visit to Newmarket's gallops on Friday morning. 

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 17, 2015 – NBC Sports Group, the home of horse racing, will provide live radio coverage of all three Triple Crown races for the first time on NBC Sports Radio, it was announced today.  NBC Sports Group in 2015 will present live, exclusive coverage of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes on NBC and NBCSN; on desktops, tablets and mobile devices through NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC Sports Group’s live-streaming product; and on NBC Sports Radio. 

Yoga, which is speculated to have originated in India, is gaining widespread popularity in the West and in the Arab world as well. 

Legislation that would permit the Kentucky General Assembly to approve a new game linking Thoroughbred racing and the state lottery unanimously cleared a Senate committee Feb. 10.

The Senate Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee passed the bill on a 9-0 vote. The legislation builds off the original law that established the Kentucky Lottery.

By Tom La Marra, The Bloodhorse 

The Stronach Group remains optimistic about the future of the horse racing industry in North America and will continue to push for what it believes are fundamental structural changes needed to move the business forward. 

Horse racing is one of the world's oldest sports that offers a great social experience everyone can enjoy. DatingFactory.com helps horse lovers and horse racing fans connect with the introduction of the Racing Future Inc. online dating site, WinnersCircleDating.com.

A miniature therapy horse named Valor is joining the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to “heal hearts and bring smiles to hurting people” who have suffered traumatic incidents, officials said.

Horse of the Year

California Chrome           

Voting: California Chrome, 143; Main Sequence, 53; Bayern, 36; Shared Belief, 12; Untapable, 11; Wise Dan, 6; Adelaide (IRE), 1; Take Charge Brandi, 1. Voter Abstentions, 2.

3-year-old male

California Chrome           

The Jockey Club and FOX Sports 1 today announced that The Jockey Club Tour on FOX Sports 1 will kick off its 2015 season with the $500,000 Donn Handicap from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., and the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, February 7, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. EST.

TREE House of Greater St. Louis – formerly Therapeutic Horsemanship – provides hippotherapy (horse therapy) for patients with a variety of disabilities including veterans, autism, Down syndrome and stroke.

TREE stands for therapy, recreation, education, exploration. Located in St. Charles County south of Wentzville, the facility provides occupation, physical and speech therapy all centered around horses.

A new campaign has been launched to bring more women into the world of competitive horse racing – and it is working. The initiative, run by the Gold Coast's prestigious Magic Millions race, provides $500,000 in extra prize money for the top four female-owned horses in the competition. Regardless of where each horse finishes in the race, the fastest four horses owned and trained by women will receive a share of the $500,000 prize.

Over a billion people in China and millions around the world will celebrate the first day of the Chinese New Year on February 18-19, 2015, which marks the end to The Year of The Horse and the start of The Year of The Sheep.

LEXINGTON, Ky.

The establishment of a new Racecourse Capital Development Fund of over €100 million, an increase of €5 million in prize-money next year, enhanced integrity funding and further reductions in owners’ and trainers’ administrative costs were the key features of Horse Racing Ireland’s 2015 budget, which was approved by the Board at their meeting on Thursday December 18th.

EquiLottery and AmTote are announcing a newly formed strategic relationship that will make AmTote the preferred tote provider for EquiLottery moving forward. This agreement gives lottery companies and vendors a fully ready implementer to allow seamless integration into racetrack pools essential to the EquiLottery gameplay structure.

Ever wonder which horse was the greatest of its foal crop - which horse earned the most, won the most races, or had the most stakes wins among its foal crop?

The answers to these questions, plus easy access to much more data of this type, is now available with the introduction of leaders’ lists by foal crop in the Stats Central section on equibase.com.

With the 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course as its glittering centerpiece, the New York Racing Association has released its racing calendar for 2015, which calls for 251 days of live thoroughbred action at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga.

The Saratoga meet, anchored by the Grade 1 Whitney on Saturday, August 8 and the 146th edition of the Grade 1 Travers on August 29, will begin on Friday, July 24 and conclude on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, with racing conducted six days a week, Wednesday through Monday.

Barrier draws are complete for the Longines Hong Kong International Races, which are set to run on Sunday, December 14th at Sha Tin Racecourse.

TORONTO, December 9 - Track announcer Dan Loiselle, the voice of Canadian horse racing, announced today that he will call his last race at Woodbine Racetrack on May 31, 2015, bringing a 29-year career as thoroughbred race caller to a close.

Sole Power was honoured with the coveted Horse of the Year crown at the 12th Horse Racing Ireland Awards staged at Leopardstown.

CHICAGO -- Though it may sound like one, this is no joke: Two miniature horses trotted into a hospital.

Global private equity and investment advisory firm, CVC Capital Partners (CVC), has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in Sky Betting & Gaming (Sky Bet), from Sky Plc (Sky) in a transaction that values Sky Bet at £800 million. The price represents a multiple of approximately 15x EBITDA for the 12 months ended 30 June 2014, reflecting Sky Bet's record of strong growth and high cash generation.

Another chapter in the BHA's history has begun with the unveiling of six new directors - some of whom will be relatively unknown in the sport - who will sit on the board of British racing's governing body as it implements changes to the way the sport is run.

While the BHA described the appointments as evolution rather than revolution, they mark a fundamental shift in approach for the organisation and follow the recruitment of Ladbrokes' Nick Rust as chief executive.

Dubai Racing Channel presenter Laura King pays a visit to the Irish National Stud, home to top stallion Invincible Spirit, and finds out how they juggle breeding top horses with being one of Ireland's top visitor attractions.

Numerous equine stars from around the world are beginning to arrive in Hong Kong in advance of the Longines Hong Kong International Races on December 14^th.  Millions in prize money is available to be won in this series of four races all set on the turf at Sha Tin Racecourse.

A Winsloe couple is using horse therapy to help them deal with difficult issues in their lives.

Chairman, Mr John Messara AM and Chief Executive, Mr Peter V’landys AM on behalf of Racing NSW, today released the Strategic Plan for the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry for the next three years.

Chairman John Messara said the plan represents a blueprint for the reinvigoration of the NSW Racing Industry into the future. 

Kildare, Ireland – 20th November 2014: Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) has launched a new initiative called the “The ITM Irish Stallion Trail” which will see some of the best Irish stud farms open their doors in January for breeders and visitors to view stallions.

Thousands more visitors are to enticed to Newmarket every year via a new initiative just launched at event held at the Jockey Club Rooms.

DEL MAR — Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome likely will race at Del Mar on Nov. 29, according to his trainer Art Sherman, in a race that could affect the outcome of Eclipse Award voting for Horse of the Year and top 3-year-old.

The outstanding three-year-old miler Kingman was named the Cartier Horse of the Year on Tuesday evening at the 24th annual Cartier Racing Awards, European horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars. The Cartier Racing Awards were presented before an invited audience of 315 at the Dorchester Hotel, London, England

On Thursday, November 6th Wounded Warriors Canada received a $120,000 donation from Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch during a charitable presentation at the Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) in Toronto, Ontario.

Meydan Racecourse ushers in a new era tomorrow (Thursday) with the opening of its newly-installed dirt track for the first meeting of the 2014-15 Meydan racing season.

A racecourse trial was held at the new track on Tuesday evening, with horses successfully galloping over 1400m and 1600m under race conditions. Following the trial, Dubai Racing Club Executive Director - Racing, Frank Gabriel said: “We were very pleased with tonight’s trials. The feedback from trainers and jockeys has been positive and we are excited about the new season.

Racing Future is continuing to research and curate the best ideas for marketing horse racing and growing our sport's fanbase around the world. We received a lot of great feedback and ideas for re-building the sport, which you can read by clicking here. As part of this ongoing project, we have been collecting what we believe are some of the best horse racing commercials from around the world.  Do you have a favourite horse racing commercial to add to our collection?

Japanese top weight Admire Rakti remains favourite to win today's Melbourne Cup which was reduced to 22 runners after English galloper Cavalryman was scratched this morning.

1.       Admire Rakti (JPN) (Tomoyuki Umeda) Z Purton
2.       Cavalryman (GB) (Saeed Bin Suroor) C Williams
3.       Fawkner (Robert Hickmott) N Hall
4.       Red Cadeaux (GB) (Ed Dunlop) G M Mosse
5.       Protectionist (GER) (Andreas Wohler) R Moore
6.       Sea Moon (GB) (Robert Hickmott) T Berry (Scratched)
7.       Seismos (IRE) (Marco Botti) C Newitt
8.       Junoob (GB) (Chris Waller) H Bowman
9.       Royal Diamond (IRE) (Johnny Murtagh) S W Arnold
10.   Gatewood (GB) (John Gosden) W Buick

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 30, 2014 - The Breeders’ Cup and the NBC Sports Group today announced an unprecedented 10-year media rights partnership extension that will keep the Breeders’ Cup on NBC and NBCSN through 2025. The agreement was announced by Craig Fravel, President and CEO, Breeders’ Cup Limited, and Jon Miller, President of Programming, NBC Sports and NBCSN.

Churchill Downs Racetrack plans to enhance the experience for owners that start horses in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and the Longines Kentucky Oaks through a $4.2 million capital improvement project that includes the construction of 20 private, open-air, all-inclusive Winner’s Circle Suites in a premium location under the Twin Spires between the sixteenth pole and finish line.

Following the historic win by Adelaide (IRE) in the G1 Sportingbet Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in Australia, Ryan Moore has climbed to the top of the LONGINES WORLD’S BEST JOCKEY Standings with 82 total points. Mr Moore is followed closely by Christophe Soumillon at 76 points and Joseph O'Brien at 72 points.

More than 150 veterans have found health and healing by going through the Saratoga WarHorse program.

Some things are written in the stars, and as Noble Mission, trained by the late Sir Henry Cecil’s wife, Lady Cecil, battled all the way to claim the Champion Stakes at Ascot by a neck you can’t help but feel this was one of those moments.

Emulating his more famous full brother, Frankel, by winning this race, Noble Mission has cemented his place in history after an epic battle with the Roger Charlton-trained Al Kazeem, who was the most courageous of runners-up after returning from stud half way through the flat season.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 22, 2014) — Keeneland Association and The Red Mile today said they plan to jointly develop a $30 million project at The Red Mile in Lexington to house a 1,000-terminal “historic racing” video betting parlor rather than create separate competing facilities.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be an owner of a Melbourne Cup winner, you should read Peter Wilmot's interview of John Bongiorno and Ross Herron. Their horse, Fiorente, trained by Gai Waterhouse, won "the Race that Stops a Nation" in 2013.

Feet in the stirrups, hands on the reins, Karen Souza closes her eyes as a quarter horse named Rio carries her to a tranquil, peaceful place she has rarely visited.

Utilizing the latest, most-cutting edge technology to further enhance the overall experience for horseplayers and racing fans alike, the New York Racing Association announced that starting tomorrow morning, visitors to NYRA.com will be offered a special, two-day sneak preview of new, HD video capabilities.

This first-of-its-kind industry-offering will enable NYRA.com viewers to utilize a variety of unique camera angles from on and off the track. These include:

• National Thoroughbred Racing Assiocation Annual Report 2014-2015, July 2015
• Ontario Fact Book, A statistical guide to the Thoroughbred industry in Ontario, March 2015 

Some aspects of Thoroughbred ownership, from buying a horse at auction to knowing how to select and deal with a trainer, can be daunting.

Racing Future Purpose

Racing Future's principle purpose or "raison d'etre" and entire marketing and communications thrust is to motivate and inspire a new generation of fans to get involved in and support horse racing - the Sport of Hope. 

Toronado has joined the growing list of absentees from Qipco Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday.

The prospect of testing going has prompted trainer Richard Hannon and owner Sheik Joaan Al Thani to switch the colt's target from the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes to the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in California on November 1.

SASKATOON – Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina say horses can play a large role in treating First Nations youth who are struggling with drug addictions.

“The horse is a very spiritual and important part of some First Nations, and culture is important to healing, it’s foundational,” said Coleen Dell, the research chair in substance abuse at the University of Saskatchewan.

The healing power of horses will be used to help people with special needs, with a riding centre opening its doors next year in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) capital, Abu Dhabi.

The director of the centre, which is to be run by the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs (ZHO), believes that horses can help people with conditions such as autism communicate more easily.

Trained by Andreas Wohler, the Monsun colt was only fourth - beaten a length - in the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield but that performance was sufficent to shoot him to the top of the market for next month's feature contest.

Criquette Head-Maarek's outstanding filly had been set to retire to become a broodmare after she brilliantly claimed a second consecutive Arc last Sunday.

The state government is set to announce nearly $300,000 in funding for the state-of-the-art Hawk-Eye technology to be used for horseracing in Victoria.

Hawk-Eye, embraced by many sports worldwide, is looked upon as one of the biggest breakthroughs in racing technology in years.

The financing of Hawk-Eye - to be rolled out at Caulfield on Saturday - is a joint venture with the state government and Racing Victoria.

The funding will enable Racing Victoria to fit out three broadcast bands with the hardware and software required for the Hawk-Eye system.

EquiLottery CEO Brad Cummings has been invited to present his new horse racing lottery game to the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission on Oct. 16 at 11:30 am EST at Parx Racing in Bensalem, PA.

On the eve of the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London, The Jockey Club today unveiled a new venture, Jockey Club Services, created to provide organisations in British sport with a range of business services in which it has particular expertise, scale and the ability to provide cost savings and quality results.

A few weeks ago, Apple presented its latest innovations, including a smart watch and a new way of paying for goods and services. In a short time, the company has literally changed the world with its innovations. The investment necessary to create and deliver such innovations is driven by a profit motive.

Outlining the ongoing reforms which are transforming the New York Racing Association into a more accountable, efficient and sustainable racing leader, Chief Executive Officer and President Christopher K. Kay offered a positive, upbeat report at today's Board of Directors meeting in midtown Manhattan.

Lexington, KY, September 30th 2014 - Keeneland’s commitment to providing fans with technology to enhance and share their experiences at the track continues during the 17-day Fall Meet, which opens Friday. Efforts include an expanded #ILoveKeeneland social media campaign and an enhanced Keeneland Race Day App.

It took 90 years for Thea Murphy to get on a horse, but about 30 seconds to fall in love.

EquiLottery President & CEO Brad Cummings presented his vision for a lottery game based on the results of live horse races to the California Horse Racing Board on Sept. 24 and after an extensive question and answer session was met with unanimous support to move forward with his efforts in the state. A letter to both the California Lottery and Gov. Brown’s office will be sent out in the coming days to reflect this support.

Fort Erie, Wednesday, September 24th…Years of uncertainly have come to an end for the employees and horse people of Fort Erie Race Track.  Today, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Jeff Leal, reiterated the government’s commitment to the continuation of live thoroughbred racing at the historic site.

Two-time reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan worked on Keeneland’s turf course Tuesday morning as he prepares for his next start in the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) on Oct. 4.

Clockers caught Wise Dan, with regular exercise rider Damien Rock aboard, in five furlongs around the dogs on the course labeled firm in 1:01.20. 

The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), LONGINES, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced today that the jockey with the best performance in the world’s highest-rated races will be honored at the inaugural LONGINES WORLD’S BEST JOCKEY award ceremony at the gala dinner of the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, which is scheduled for 12 December 2014 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

They have been a missing ingredient in Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival since 2010 but the presence of Japanese gallopers in this year’s Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) became a reality on Saturday when four horses arrived safely in Melbourne.

Jockey Club Editor’s Note: The Jockey Club believes that horses should compete only when they are free from the influence of medication. The following essay, written by Matt Iuliano, the executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club, provides insights into a recent study pertaining to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) and long-term racing performance.

By Matt Iuliano

By Ray Paulick

Stephen Koch is vice president of racing, stables and grounds for the Woodbine Entertainment Group, which this year is operating nine months of Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine racetrack in Toronto, ON., from April 12-Dec. 7. This is the first of a five-year deal over which time the Ontario government is supporting racing with a $500-million investment, in the wake of the termination of the slots-at-racetracks program operated in partnership with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

"The Therapist" follows Brent Applegate, a physical therapist who specializes in hippotherapy, which is centered on using horses to provide therapy for many health conditions. Applegate is the owner of MyHeroes, which he named in honour of therapy horses. His company has two locations: Fort Collins, Colorado and Atlanta, Georgia.

A growing list of leading farms in Kentucky have expressed their support for EquiLottery, a new lottery game based on the results of live horse races. This announcement comes one day before EquiLottery President & CEO Brad Cummings introduces the game to the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Licensing and Occupations Committee at Keeneland on September 12.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s new marketing initiatives for 2014-2015 season are as follows: 

New digital experience – selected examples:

By Press Release from German Racing Review

HEROIC war horse Warrior, dubbed the horse the Germans could not kill, will today be awarded an honorary PDSA Dickin Medal on behalf of the millions of animals that served with the armed forces during the First World War.

Wise Dan is particularly special for South African racing and breeding enthusiasts, as the big chestnut is by Wiseman’s Ferry out of a Wolf Power mare called Lisa Danielle.

The $500,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (Grade I) has been added to the list of races that comprise the 2014-15 “Road to the Kentucky Derby.” The series of 35 select races – 19 “Prep Season” races and 16 “Championship Series” races – will determine which horses qualify to the 141st running of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on Saturday, May 2, 2015.

The three-year-old was a brilliant winner of the UAE Derby at Meydan earlier in the year, but after three months off the track, Toast Of New York ran below expectations when only sixth, albeit not disgraced, in last month's Belmont Derby.

When Marianne was introduced to Tranquil Acres, a therapeutic equestrian centre in Vars, the primary focus was on her 16 year-old autistic son Adrian. Dealing with anxiety issues of her own, she was scared of horses with no desire to ride. Yet after a year of interacting with a big, strong animal on the ground, Marianne noticed an improvement in her ability to assert boundaries and was less fearful to the point where she is now learning to ride Dory, a Pinto mare that she has bonded with.

Saturday, August 23^rd sees the 145^th running of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga where top 3 year olds run 1 ¼ miles on the dirt track for a purse of  $1,250,000. Live coverage of the Travers will be part of NBC Sports Network's national telecast from 4:30 to 6 p.m. (EDT). The Travers has a scheduled post time of 5:46 p.m. Post positions:

We're collecting the best horse racing marketing ideas from around the world. Questions, contributions, thoughts? Please feel free to comment below or get in touch at dennismills@racingfuture.com or by using our contact page.

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Ten years ago in an Op/Ed written for The Blood-Horse, I suggested that only an independent agency like USADA (United States Anti-Doping Association) was capable of bringing order to our sport by cleaning it up, as it had done with Track & Field and subsequently with Cycling. 

Horse therapy is the latest weapon being used in the fight against dementia and loneliness.

Care home owner Neil Robson admits, however, he was initially horrified at the idea that a horse had been booked to visit residents.

The QIPCO Champions Stakes list of current entries shows that this will be a great race for fans who will have the chance to see some of the finest and fastest horses in the world compete on Saturday, October 18^th at Ascot Racecourse.

Sabrina McCoy is looking forward to walking down the aisle Aug. 16 and marrying her sweetheart, Tyler Farella. Her stroll may take a bit longer than most brides, but each step is a victory in its own right.

Treve enjoyed a beneficial workout for the first time on turf since her bruising Royal Ascot experience when she covered a mile on the Chantilly gallops on Tuesday morning.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) today became the 24th racetrack entity in the United States to commit to making a contribution to the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC).

This commitment is part of the RMTC’s annual track fundraising campaign, in which it hopes to raise at least $200,000 in contributions from tracks across the country.

Bill Carstanjen, CDI President and Chief Operating Officer, linked CDI’s contribution to the RMTC’s continuing efforts in drug research and equine advocacy.

TSN brings horse racing fans the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown series, the Prince of Wales Stakes. Live coverage Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on TSN, as the 79th running of the race unfolds at Fort Erie Racetrack in Fort Erie, Ont.

TSN subscribers can watch live streaming and on demand coverage of the Prince of Wales Stakes via TSN GO.

Raven Rock Ranch is just a few miles from the suburban communities of Woodinville and Redmond, but it’s a world of peace and tranquility. It’s the perfect setting to rescue horses and help children and adults recover from traumatic events through equine-facilitated psychotherapy.

Del Mar began its 75th summer season on a Thursday this year, but just as it has for the better part of two decades, the shore track broke running with “up” numbers proving boss despite the opening day shift.

Whereas the seaside oval bypassed its normal Wednesday beginning in order to have an extra day to ready itself following an extended San Diego Fair season, the opening four days of the session proved solid on its ledgers even though it lost a day and a total of five races in the first of seven weeks that comprise the 2014 meeting.

The Irish horseracing industry statistics for the first half of 2014 showed improvement across many important areas with year-on-year increases in bloodstock sales, racecourse attendances, new owners, Tote turnover and prize-money. However, the number of active owners remains a concern.

Bloodstock sales at public auction grew for the fifth consecutive year with turnover up by 41.9% from €25.8m to €36.6m year-on-year, which is the highest level it has reached since the first half of 2007.

On a perfect summer afternoon, Saratoga Race Course played host to 25,612 guests as it opened its 2014 meeting with Fashion Alert taking a heart-pounding edition of the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes and international riding sensation Frankie Dettori capturing two races on his first-ever visit to the Spa.

The nominations for the second jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown of horseracing closed Tuesday, July 15th with 11 possible entrants for the Prince of Wales Stakes to be run at Fort Erie Race Track.

Lexie Lou, the filly who captured the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine on July 6th was not made eligible to compete by her connections making the race a wide open event for a $500,000 purse.

Run at one mile and three sixteenths, the Prince of Wales is the only race in the Canadian Triple Crown Series that is run on a traditional dirt surface.

Brian Rolapp, the executive vice president of NFL Media and the president and CEO of the NFL Network, will share insights into the National Football League’s wide ranging media strategies and Denis Egan, the chief executive of the Irish Turf Club, will provide an update on jockey safety and welfare initiatives when The Jockey Club hosts its 62nd Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing on Sunday, August 10, at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

By Trent Owen

Connections of the once-in-a-lifetime superstar have asked not to be told the sex of her first foal, which is due in late September.

Part-owner Neil Werrett told AAP that the pregnancy has been going to plan and the mighty mare has settled in well to her slower-paced lifestyle as a broodmare.

By Doug Robertson

Punters bet more than a billion Hong Kong dollars – or $A137.6 million – and 12,000 people flock to night racing at Happy Valley Racecourse each Wednesday.

Media Release - TORONTO: Lexie Lou charmed many racing fans and produced countless new ones with her win at the 155th edition of the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine on Sunday.

On the business side, Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) also considers this year’s event a terrific success.

A total of $9,079,520 million was wagered on the 13-race card, the second highest handle recorded in Queen’s Plate history. A record $3,074,410, including $653,423 on the Jackpot Hi-5, was bet on the Queen’s Plate race itself.

Press Release - July 8th 2014 -- The Breeders’ Cup and Equibase Company LLC today announced the launch of the 2014 Virtual Stable “Road to the Breeders’ Cup” notification service, which provides a once daily e-mail of workouts, entries and results for the top contenders for all 13 World Championships races. The service is free through breederscup.com and equibase.com.

The “most remarkable and notable season in our 130-year history,” was how the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, summed up the 2013/2014 campaign, which concluded today (6 July) with record total turnover of HK$101.838 billion.

With more than 50,000 fans on course and millions worldwide watching South Africa's Vodacom Durban July on Saturday, the biggest winner will be the KwaZulu-Natal economy, which is set to receive massive exposure along with a cash injection of around R425-million.

Press Release - Leading online wagering provider, Xpressbet, is excited to announce it has partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to bring live, commingled wagering on Hong Kong races to Xpressbet’s platform in the United States. Xpressbet customers can wager on the races from Hong Kong beginning July 1, 2014. Hong Kong racing is famous for offering the world’s largest pools, which currently average more than $17 million per race, and the highest prize money per race worldwide, as well as world-class racing at its two premier racing venues, Sha Tin and Happy Valley.

Toronto, ON – From London, Ontario to London, England, from the thoroughbred Melbourne Cup to the standardbred North American Cup - horse racing is truly an international sport -- and one of the most regulated sports in the world. Equine athletes are tested more than most human athletes.

While Ontario has rigid standards locally, illegitimate operators have crossed jurisdictional borders easily through the internet and negatively impacted the fairness of the sport.

Front running Game On Dude, No 3 in the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings, and two-time winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup in 2012 & 2013, seeks his third lifetime win in the prestigious mile and a quarter fixture on Saturday, June 28th , as the Grade I, $500,000 Gold Cup at

By: Bill Lambdin

Prison officials marked a major anniversary today at Wallkill Correctional Facility.

For 30 years they've been rescuing thoroughbred horses and helping inmates develop better attitudes with a unique horse therapy program.

By Paul Post, The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS >> Higher purses, nearly $2 million in capital upgrades and numerous special promotions are among the strategies planned to boost Saratoga Race Course attendance, which dipped slightly a year ago despite the large 150th anniversary of Saratoga racing celebration.

New York Racing Association executives discussed all aspects of the 2014 meet, which opens July 18, during a Monday news conference at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion on East Avenue.

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - When Alexandra Jara traveled to South Florida in 2007 and watched her older brother Fernando win Gulfstream Parks’s Donn Handicap (G1) aboard Horse of the Year Invasor, the teenager dreamed of someday doing the same.

Now, she has the opportunity.

Esteemed sportsmen Edward R. Bradley and Edward P. Taylor have been elected to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame as Pillars of the Turf.

TORONTO - Lexie Lou will get a shot at winning Canada's most prestigious horse race.

The LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings is horseracing's equivalent to World Rankings by other major sporting organizations such as ATP Tennis Rankings, World Golf Rankings, FIFA World Rankings for soccer and IRB Rugby World Rankings. 

Cirrus des Aigles won the 2014 Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom Racecourse and is now having some well-deserved rest. The media caught up with his Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe who discusses his post-race xrays and future plans for one of the world's best race horses.

Longines and the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) honoured ORFEVRE as the co-third highest-rated horse in the world for 2013

California Chrome’s quest to become Thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner helped drive unprecedented traffic across all Equibase electronic platforms on Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes days. For those three days, Equibase reported a record total of 11.5 million pageviews on equibase.com, the Today’s Racing app and mobile.equibase.com, according to Google Analytics, a 28% percent increase over the 9 million pageviews during the comparable three days in 2013.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome returned to Los Alamitos Race Course on Sunday night, June 8, 2014. As always, he was accompanied by his groom Raul Rodriguez. 

Los Alamitos Race Course congratulates the outstanding horse California Chrome for his victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and his courageous effort in the Belmont Stakes.

Thank for a thrilling ride in the Triple Crown series and so many unforgettable memories.

Victor says he's the boss when they're racing, but does California Chrome agree?

California Chrome will be the toast of the horse racing world if he wins the Belmont Stakes on June 7 and becomes the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed, some 36 years ago.

But the equine industry itself is riding through a rough patch, according to a recently released census from the United States Department of Agriculture.

The U.S. horse population decreased about 10 percent between 2007 and 2012, the USDA said. So too have the number of farms and ranches raising them—with a 12 percent decline over the same time period.

The quest for the elusive Triple Crown by California Chrome has resulted in the NBC Sports Group doubling the number of hours it will devote to the 146th Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the addition of two executives to its senior management team, naming Lynn LaRocca to the newly created position of Chief Experience Office and Joseph Lambert as its General Counsel.

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sovereign-award winning Trainer, Gerry Belanger. I asked him about his 40 years in the sport of horse racing in Canada. His response was to share the following (unedited) personal story of E P Taylor and his vision for Woodbine and Canadian horse racing -- Dennis Mills

----

“Horses will be racing at Woodbine forever.”

The British horse racing industry is aiming to treble international investment in the sport with plans to attract tens of millions of pounds worth of overseas funding per year.

Steve Harman, chairman of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), said that British horse racing is renowned worldwide and, as the second most popular spectator sport in the UK, has the potential to attract massive investment.

“Britain overall has been attracting more foreign investment because people have enjoyed the jubilee, the Olympics, they like the pound, they love Britain.

Triple Crown candidate California Chrome "trained like a monster" the morning of May 25 as he continued his preparations for the upcoming $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

California Chrome was greeted with clear blue skies and a bright morning sun for the first time since his arrival at Belmont Park May 20.

Saratoga WarHorse is a confidential, peer-to-peer, equine assisted experience that goes beyond therapy and beyond horsemanship to create a natural release for the emotional turmoil veterans are left to deal with.

HAYDOCK, Catterick and Goodwood will host the six legs of the record-breaking £16 million Scoop6 on Saturday it was revealed on Friday.

A total of 88 runners have been declared for the six races starting with the 16-runner 6f Betfred Scoop6 £15 Million Today Handicap at Haydock (2.05).

The bet will feature two 7f handicaps at Catterick, a 7f handicap from Goodwood plus a 6f handicap at Haydock before finishing with the fiercely competitive 1m Betfred Mobile Casino Silver Bowl Stakes (3.45) at Haydock.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a weekly celebration of global culture and heritage with its inaugural International Heritage Series at Saratoga Race Course during the 2014 summer meet.

The day-long festive events will feature traditional music, dance, entertainment, crafts and food each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Saratoga Pavilion located inside the Reserved Seats Box Office entrance. Musical and dance performances will also take place near the Saratoga bandstand and gazebo throughout each afternoon.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20, 2014) – Keeneland on Monday began the conversion of its main race track from a synthetic Polytrack material to a state-of-the-art dirt surface, with a drainage system that will be the first of its kind in North America.

From New York Racing Association

A large, competitive contingent of challengers is expected to face California Chrome when he attempts to become thoroughbred racing's 12th Triple Crown winner in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Belmont Park.

Commanding Curve, second in the Kentucky Derby, and Ride On Curlin, runner-up in the Preakness, are slated to take on California Chrome again in the Belmont Stakes.

There used to be a time when any winning wager that delivered a windfall of thousands of dollars would send a bettor dancing in the streets.

Those were quaint times, indeed.

Ron Sanchez's roots in horse racing go deep into his childhood in Caracas, Venezuela, where his maternal grandmother took him to the races every weekend at La Rinconada, the country's largest and oldest track.

"I was five years old and we'd walk all the way to the track, it's like two miles," Sanchez recalled Monday at Pimlico. "I fall in love [with horse racing]. Once you get here [to the race track], it's impossible to get out."

An Oregon State University-Cascades Campus professor has received a grant to study how horses can be used to treat trauma survivors.

In this series of interviews recorded in early May 2014, Dennis Mills speaks with 3* FEI Reining Judge, professional horseman and educator, John Snobelen.

ATLANTA, May 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – Sportech Racing and Digital, a division of Sportech PLC, (LSE: SPO), will feature the latest technologies for digital pari-mutuel wagering at the 35th Asian Racing Conference in Hong Kong.  During this global racing forum organized by the Asian Racing Federation, Sportech will showcase new wagering products designed to significantly improve the consumer experience and allow licensed racing operators to expand distribution and offer new wagering content.   

By Greg Kocher

Fifty years ago, a record was set in the Kentucky Derby.

The horse that blazed that record was foaled not amid the green pastures of Central Kentucky, but in the cooler clime of Ontario, Canada.

DESIGNS ON ROME (John Moore/Tommy Berry) staked a strong bid for Horse of the Year honours by defeating the reigning titleholder and stable companion Military Attack in a pulsating Audemars Piguet QEII Cup on Sunday.

Spectacular racing, unique special events and the return of warm, sunny weather combined to produce an exceptional Keeneland Spring Meet, which closed Friday with record 15-day meet attendance and gains in on-track wagering.

On-track attendance for the Spring Meet, held April 4-25, totaled 270,093, besting the previous 15-day meet record of 269,292 posted during the 2012 Spring Meet, and just behind last spring’s record 278,415 for 16 days of racing

By Media Release

TORONTO – The Government of Ontario, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), and the Ontario Racing Commission (ORC), through its newly formed Ontario Horse Racing (OHR) division, are partnering to build a sustainable future for the Ontario horse racing industry.

“OLG is pleased to partner with the government, ORC and OHR to build stability in the horse racing industry,” said Philip Olsson, OLG’s Chair of the Board. “Together, we are making progress bringing horse racing into the provincial gaming strategy.”

By Natalie Voss

“Believe big.”

That’s the tagline on all the promotional materials for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and the philosophy paid off with Danza. Although he was a shocker in the Arkansas Derby with odds of 41-1, Eclipse president Aron Wellman had been hoping the colt would be the ownership group’s ticket to the Kentucky Derby since 2012.

The principal players on this sunny April afternoon are a curious trio: A 4-year-old boy and a dark-bay pony, 20 years his senior, plodding along under the watchful gaze of a retired police investigator.

As mismatched as they seem, they are hard at work making sense of all five senses.

Media Release -- NEW YORK (April 21, 2014) – Breeders’ Cup, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious global racing event, announced today a new marketing platform that will feature 18 of the best Breeders’ Cup Challenge races from top race tracks in the U.S. All races will be broadcast by NBC Sports Group and will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign that will run across NBCUniversal properties as well as Time Inc. properties Sports Illustrated and People.com.

Eight years ago, Lisa Carter had the idea to create a “therapy ranch”, helping hurting children and horses at the same time. The result was H.U.G.S. Ranch, which is modeled after a ranch in Oregon, called Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch.

The ranch strives to provide a “faith-based, non-threatening, peaceful environment where children with a variety of needs and rescued horses can help heal each other.”

Carter told FOX 17 News the programs, which service children ages 5-17, are completely free.

Aurora, Ontario -- The Stronach Group has always been committed to ensuring that our horse racing businesses operate with integrity and concern for the health and safety of the horses and the people who work with them. Now, more than ever, we as track operators, horsemen and regulators must come together to do everything we can to prevent any abuse of our thoroughbred athletes. We must also work diligently to ban any individuals engaged in fraudulent or harmful activities from participating in our sport.

By Marcus Townend

He is an untested bundle of energy and exciting raw potential and he is ours... and yours.

“What we’ve got is the horse. When someone gets exposed to the beauty of the horse they want to get involved." - Joe Taylor, Taylor Made Sales Agency

Related

Taylor Made Turns 35

Teddy Dieterman sat tall in the saddle Thursday as he rode one of Sunnyside Equestrian Center’s horses through an obstacle course in a Lincroft paddock.

Dieterman, a seventh-grader from Hillsborough who has autism, and a group of his classmates from Collier Middle School in the Wickatunk section of Marlboro spent the sunny morning watching and riding the horses as part of Sunnyside’s Equine Environment for Learning. The program provides horse-based therapies for children with disabilities.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 13, 2014)—Two-time Eclipse Award Champion filly Beholder towers over six older fillies and mares in next Sunday’s $75,000 Santa Lucia Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, her first start since winning the Grade I, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

UPDATE: Wise Dan wins his second consecutive Makers 46 Mile.

Earlier today . . .  

Lexington, KY  - Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan will make his 2014 racing debut today at Keeneland as he attempts to defend his victory in last year's $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile.

One of the few remaining races where horses can accumulate points along the road to the Kentucky Derby runs at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, April 12th: The Arkansas Derby. There are 9 horses set to run for the $1m purse in the 1 1/8th mile race. Post time is scheduled for 6:07 pm Eastern.

1. Danza (Joe Bravo)

2. Knock Em Flat (Luis S Quinones)

3. Tapiture (Joel Roasario)

4. Ride on Curlin (Jon Kenton Court)

5. Thundergram (Norberto Arroyo Jr)

6. Commissioner (Mike Smith)

7. Conquest Titan (Calvin Borel)

8. Bayern (Gary Stevens)

The new Grandstand at Churchill Downs is coming along. Here's a quick peek of the progress to date.

TREVE is proving terrific even before her return to action in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on April 27 after a glowing report from Frankie Dettori on last year's champion of Europe.

The unbeaten winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is Dettori's ride in his role as retained jockey to her Qatari owner Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, and he was bubbling about a recent workout on the filly who shared with Black Caviar the accolade of the world's best in 2013.

The 3-year-old colt is owned by Centennial Farms, whose president Don Little hails from Boston. Last year, when it was time to name the colt he’d purchased for $375,000, he wanted to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Saturday's Santa Anita Derby is an eight-horse race, but the kind of buzz that has accompanied California Chrome, ever since he blew the field away in the March 8 San Felipe, makes it difficult for the other contenders to get any attention.

Dubai: Emirati jockey Ahmad Ajtebi believes that Sunday’s Chengdu Dubai International Cup Raceday in China represents a big opportunity for him to enhance his reputation on the global stage.

Media Release - UAE based racehorse trainer Doug Watson and jockey Royston Ffrench met members of the local media at Jinma Racecourse in the Wenjiang District of the Garden City of Chengdu on Thursday morning, when both expressed their delight at the prospect of taking part in the groundbreaking China raceday on Sunday 6 April.

Tyler Stafford was typical of the students who file into Northern Racing College.

Expelled from school at 14, he could barely read or write but masked any feelings of inadequacy with bluff arrogance. Coming from a family of Durham travellers, horses had always been part of his life. He rode most days and thought he knew best.

by C. Randy Duncan, Steve Critchley, and Jim Marland

Press Release - The five-year research program, headed by Wendy Wood, head of CSU’s highly ranked Department of Occupational Therapy, is funded by a donation from the Carl and Caroline Swanson Foundation. The $468,000 gift will allow two graduate students, a Ph.D. candidate and Wood to lead the research via a partnership with CSU’s world-renowned Equine Sciences Program.

An era of Asian dominance beckons. Hong Kong comprehensively dominated the sprint races at the Dubai World Cup meeting, while Japan had the world’s measure over middle distances.

Attracting horses from Australia, England, Ireland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Germany, the United States and Qatar, the World Cup meeting lived up to its name with yet another spectacular showcase of international racing.

Australians who stayed up into the wee hours of Sunday morning were greeted with eight Group races, five of which were at Group 1 level.

Friday, March 28, 2014-- Following the allegations raised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and reported on March 20, 2014, by The New York Times, many of us in the Thoroughbred industry are eagerly awaiting the final determination of these issues by the New York State Gaming Commission and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

It is my hope that these state bodies use all the prosecutorial powers available to determine if there is evidence of animal cruelty, medication violations — and cheating.

Friday, 28 March, 2014

Akeed Mofeed (GB) -- Trainer Richard Gibson: “He is in very good shape. The preparation has gone well and he is in fantastic health. You need to be 100 per cent to win this race and I reckon that’s where he is.”

In response to a growing demand for qualified attorneys to work in the nation’s $225-billion equine, racing, and gaming industries, and with several casinos in development stage across New York state, Albany Law School announced March 27 that it will offer a concentration in equine, racing, and gaming law—the only one of its kind in the nation—starting September 2014 for the incoming class of 2017.

Sheikh Joaan Al Thani's Al Shaqab Racing has purchased a 50% interest in the Coolmore-owned Ruler Of The World, last season's Epsom Derby winner.

The four-year-old Galileo colt will remain in training with Aidan O'Brien and will continue to be ridden by the Ballydoyle handler's son, Joseph.

Ruler Of The World is due to contest the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on Saturday but will now run in the colours Al Shaqab Racing.

Akeed Mofeed (GB) -- Trainer Richard Gibson said: “I’ve just arrived in Dubai and I’m very happy to see him in such good order. He looks great. He was a bit fresh going cantering around the all-weather track as it was his first time, but I’d say that’s a good sign. His weight loss on the trip was standard and he’s where I’d want him to be. Douglas Whyte will ride him on the main track on Thursday, just a gentle blow doing something like 28 and 26 seconds for his final 800m.”

Thoroughbred horse racing's Group 1, 2000m Dubai World Cup with a total purse of $10m is set for March 29th. Five days out and here are some notes and updates on the likely runners. Post positions will be drawn on Wednesday, March 16th.

Akeed Mofeed (GB) -- “No problems from what I hear so far. He seems to be very happy in his new environment,” said trainer Richard Gibson from Hong Kong.

The Japan Racing Association was honored March 14 at the Champs Elysees Theatre in Paris as recipient of the prestigious Cravache International Award, bestowed by the JRA's French counterpart France Galop at the 65th Cravache d'Or Awards.

Representing the JRA at the ceremony was Executive Director Masayuki Goto, who received the trophy of a golden whip in recognition of Japan racing's accomplishments, its influence on racing in France and around the globe, and its position as "world leader in terms of turnover."

"50 to 1" is about a misfit group of New Mexico cowboys who find themselves on the journey of a lifetime when their crooked-footed racehorse qualifies for the Kentucky Derby. Based on the inspiring true story of Mine That Bird, the cowboys face a series of mishaps on their way to Churchill Downs, becoming the ultimate underdogs in a final showdown with the world's racing elite.

Ilka Gansera-Lévêque trains from a yard in the famed Hamilton Road, Newmarket.

If you are an Ontario thoroughbred breeder or owner you may want to attend the round table set for Wednesday, March 19th:

In this 50th anniversary year of Northern Dancer's champion season, we are calling upon all owners and breeders to attend the first in an ongoing series of round table discussions that will focus on growing our world class sport by drawing on Canada's enormous contributions to the global Thoroughbred breeding industry.

The HK$ 16 million Hong Kong Derby runs on March 16^th at Sha Tin. Sponsored by BMW, the Derby is one of Hong Kong’s most historic races, with the first race being run over 125 years ago in 1873 some 13 years before the official founding of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The inaugural staging of the Chengdu Dubai International Cup race day, a partnership between the Meydan Group and the Chengdu Municipal Government is scheduled for Sunday April 6, 2014.

The groundbreaking race meeting, which will be held at the Jinma Racecourse in the Garden City of Chengdu in Wenjiang District will consist of five turf races, highlighted by the 2200m Chengdu Dubai International Cup and the Wenjiang Meydan Classic over 1600m, both presented by Longines.

Service and strength are two qualities veterans and horses share.

A program called Veterans Equine Therapy Services (VETS) is uniting veterans and horses together to bring out their best qualities.

"It [has] definitely changed my life," said veteran Darryl Hamilton.

Experts thought Game On Dude had lost a step, but the gallant old gelding proved them wrong with a history-making third victory in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 8 at Santa Anita Park.

By Jim Haug

At a ranch-style retreat for families dealing with the death of a loved one, white poster-board signs with the words ‘anger,’ ‘guilt’ and other emotions written on them were attached to tires and traffic cones along a ‘path of grief.’

John Moore has his eyes on racing's richest purse after Horse of the Year Military Attack was elevated into the Dubai World Cup field on Tuesday, giving Hong Kong two horses in the US$10 million race for the first time.

Military Attack was initially invited for the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free, but after a dominant last-start win and a request from trainer Moore, he will now face Richard Gibson's Akeed Mofeed at Meydan on March 29.

Churchill Downs new track announcer Larry Collmus takes time to do a Q & A with Neil Benoit of Getting Out of the Gate answering questions about how he got started, how he prepares for each race, and his memories of different races and two decades at Monmouth Park. 

How did you get interested in this line of work?     

Peter Aiello is the announcer and director of simulcasting at Hialeah Park, and was the announcer for Gulfstream Park’s summer meet this year. He graduated from the University of Arizona’s Racetrack Industry Program and interned for Horse Racing Alberta, and also took guest announcing stints at Rillito Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and the Arizona Fair Circuit. He has also served as the announcer at River Downs.

PR: What got you hooked on racing, and why?

By Steve Davidowitz

When Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey left the Churchill Downs winner's circle last May, he took Kentucky Derby winner Orb to the Preakness in Baltimore as the only horse with a chance to sweep the elusive American Triple Crown.

Didn't happen.

"Sure, I was disappointed," McGaughey said. "But the letdown didn't last long. I still was feeling the excitement of having won the Derby and I knew that was something nobody would ever take away from me, or the horse."

Racing fans, however, were disappointed.

NBC and Churchill Downs have reached a 10-year agreement to extend the network’s exclusive rights to broadcast the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

The deal runs through 2025 and extends a partnership started in 2001.

While the Derby will continue airing on NBC, the Oaks and other Derby Day programming will be carried exclusively on NBC Sports Network, the cable channel.

AP McCoy last night described Johnny Murtagh as one of the best jockeys he has ever seen, following the triple Epsom Derby winner's announcement that he is retiring from the saddle to concentrate on training.

Military Attack reasserted his authority over his domestic rivals this afternoon, Sunday, 23 February, with an imperious victory in the HKG1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) that puts Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year firmly on course for a date in Dubai at the end of March.

Adena Springs Press Release

Press Release - Louis ROMANET, the Chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), today announced the appointment of Phil SMITH, Head of Handicapping for the British Horseracing Authority, as co-chairman of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, replacing Garry O’GORMAN, Senior Flat Handicapper for the Irish Turf Club who has decided to stand down after serving six years in the position. Nigel GRAY, Head of Handicapping and Race Planning for The Hong Kong Jockey Club will remain in his current capacity as co-chairman.

EDMONTON - He’s not exactly D. Wayne Lukas, but even the legendary horse trainer got his start somewhere.

Growing up, Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two passions: hockey and thoroughbred racing.

By Steve Davidowitz

It's snowing in the east again.

It's ice cold in the midwest and they're even doing the Luge in a small Russian town hosting the current cold weather Olympics.

Add all that together and it can only mean one thing: Spring is in the air.

Yes, Spring! Want proof?

Legions of major league baseball players are reporting for spring training in Florida and Arizona. Dozens of the best 3-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses are revving up for the Kentucky Derby in prep races every weekend.

By Amanda Duckworth, ESPN

Things I thought I’d never say.

“Where would the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry be today if it weren’t for The Jockey Club?”

A brief video which captures the majesty of the horse in pictures and the enormous economic impact of the horse industry in words.

Related

Horse Racing Ireland 2013 Statistics, January 2014

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today that its 2014 Belmont Stakes card on Saturday, June 7 will offer total purses of $8 million and feature 10 stakes races. In 2013, only one card, Breeders' Cup Saturday at Santa Anita Park, had purses totaling more than $8 million.

LOS ANGELES, California February 04, 2014 - Singpoli Group has announced that Lou Raffetto, Jr. has been named President of YUP Racing, effective January 1, 2014. YUP Racing is a new company to provide the Chinese American community information about horse racing.

Mr. Raffetto has served throughout his career in several executive positions in the horse racing industry. Most recently, he was President of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Previously, Raffetto served as President/Chief Operating Officer of the Maryland Jockey Club for seven years.

A holiday crowd of 98,149 ensured a vibrant festival atmosphere as racegoers celebrated the Year of the Horse at Hong Kong’s traditional Chinese New Year raceday today, Sunday 2, February.

Swiss watch brand Longines has become an official partner for the Organización Latinoamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura de Carrera (OSAF), a leading Latin American horse racing body.

As part of the agreement, Longines' Conquest Classic is named as the official watch of the annual Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano horse race, which will be held on 15 March this year in Lima, Peru.

By Gene Kershner

2014 Superbowl ad from Budweiser captures the majesty of the horse perfectly!

Thoroughbred Racing Associations president Scott Wells has seen first-hand how race fans, and potential new fans, connect with jockeys.

Wells, president of Lone Star Park and Remington Park, said a series of commercials featuring the Remington jockey colony have proven popular in Oklahoma City. The spots typically have run at the end of Remington Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse racing seasons, serving to promote the track's casino operation while keeping an emphasis on racing.

Christopher Tsui is gearing up for a strong year of mating.

The auspicious Year of the Horse is approaching, and the Hong Kong-based private investor sees the possibility for more interest in one of his long-term investment projects: a champion race horse with a potentially lucrative career in breeding.

Jose Arias of Bell Gardens near Los Angeles topped a field of 500 to win the 15th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship Jan. 26 in Las Vegas.

Arias took home the $750,000 first-place prize and an Eclipse Award as "Handicapper of the Year" in this year's event presented by Racetrack Television Network, Sovereign Stable, and Treasure Island Las Vegas.

By Linda McSweeny, The Age

Horseracing, Britain's second biggest spectator sport, benefits the economy around Flat racing's 'headquarters' of Newmarket by more than £208m annually and is responsible for more than 8,500 jobs within a 25-mile radius, according to a new study by leading economic research provider, SQW.

The NFL’s Dilemma

By Brian Vellmure

The NFL faces an interesting dilemma. Popularity is at an all time high, but attendance has been steadily falling for the past several years. How could this be?

The summary answer is that the “experience” of watching from home has begun to rival and in some cases even surpass that of attending a live game.

FRANKFORT, KY. — A bill to expand a Kentucky thoroughbred purse supplement fund to include certain horses — eligible to be bought in a race — easily passed the state Senate on Thursday and now goes to the House of Representatives.

The 36-1 vote on Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, came with no discussion on the floor beyond the sponsor’s brief summation.

BRITISH racegoers can look forward to a first glimpse of last year's joint-best horse as Treve's provisional programme includes a trip to Royal Ascot, connections revealed on Thursday.

BLACK CAVIAR, the winner of all her 25 races, and outstanding Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve have been announced as the world's best by the World Rankings Supervisory Committee on Thursday.

The deadly duo couldn't be split by the committee, who awarded both horses a rating of 130 as they topped the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2013.

ASCOT’S King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which has carried the Betfair name since 2009, will be sponsored by Qipco Holding as part of a five-year partnership with the racecourse.

While the value of the mid-season middle-distance showpiece remains unchanged at £1 million, it becomes the third race carrying a seven-figure purse to be run at the Berkshire track under the Qipco umbrella, joining the £1.3m Champion Stakes and £1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

By Matt Gardner

The other day The Jockey Club, along with NTRA Communications, re-upped the America's Best Racing Brand Ambassadors for the 2014 racing season. The marketing initiative was a result of an increased focus by the industry over the last couple of years to educate and attract new fans to the sport. From the press release from the Jockey Club:

SHE battled depression and dark thoughts – but now Zeb Nawaz is helping other people with their demons by offering them time with her horse.

Zeb, 35, from Gloucester, struggled with depression and anxiety earlier in her life and sought medical help.

She tried various anti-depressants prescribed to her but none of them helped.

By Tom LaMarra, The Horse

A study on former racehorses transitioned to second career indicates a large percentage of them are acquired from their owners, not auctions.

The Retired Racehorse Training Project (RRTP) released the results of the study Jan. 9. It stemmed from a 2013 survey of the owners of 4,200 ex-racehorses in 47 states and Canada, the RRTP said.

Trainers Matt Cumani, Tony Gollan and Brent Stanley in Australia this week discussed the future of horse racing.

---

. . ."With this next generation coming through, there's a wave coming and when it breaks on the beach we all want to make sure we're in the right place to catch it. It's coming at some point," Cumani says.

Read this article and let us know if this has been your racetrack experience.

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The New NYRA Customer Experience

By Dean Keppler

The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horseracing and one of the largest music promoters in the UK, today launched a joint venture partnership, Jockey Club Live, to secure, promote and produce music and other forms of live entertainment at its 15 well-known racecourse venues nationwide.

TWO years into one of the world's most important racing jobs, Wagga man Paul Bittar is loving every minute of his role as chief executive of British Horseracing Authority.

Following in the footsteps of fellow Wagga racing administrator Greg Nichols, Bittar is enjoying the challenge of being the number one man in British racing.

By Shin Ji-hye 

In recent years, Korea’s horse racing industry has gained the spotlight from the global market. The nation’s racehorses have been exported to other countries including Malaysia and Macau, and Korea also held its first international race with Japan last November. 

The state-run Korea Racing Authority said it exported broadcasts of the race to Singapore for the first time in Korea last December. The KRA signed a deal with Singapore Turf Club to air the grand prize race at Seoul Racing Park. 

Irish researchers talk about what makes some Thoroughbred race horses faster than others and their efforts to find the "speed" gene.  With the help of Dawn Approach and Trainer Jim Bolger.

The New York Times has won the 2013 Media Eclipse Award in the audio/Internet category for "The Jockey," a profile of Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze, which appeared online Aug. 13.

By Natalie Voss

Despite the recent economic recession and resulting shrinking of the Thoroughbred industry, some members of Generation Y are choosing to launch careers in racing. Each week, we will ask these young professionals what issues they’re most concerned about, and how they think they could be solved.

The Senegal National Lottery (LONASE) has utilised its partnership with gaming technologies provider SENEJEUX to launch a new fixed-odds, 3D virtual horseracing game in app pari-mutuel urban (PMU) betting outlets in the African country.

The new high-frequency, random number generated virtual horseracing system offers races every five minutes and is capable of operating 24 hours a day.

There was more than one winner when Sushi Empire rolled to a stylish 1 ¼-length victory in Wednesday’s Blue Norther Stakes.

The owner of the 3-year-old Empire Maker filly is George (Chip) McEwen III, racing as Wounded Warrior Stables, whose donations benefit members of the U.S. military injured in the line of duty, and other worthwhile causes.

McEwen’s patriotism is much more than skin deep. His silks listed in the program are described as, “Yellow, purple heart, purple hoop on sleeves, purple cap.”

As Fort Erie Racetrack makes The Niagara Review's list of newsmakers of the year, Racing Future continues to work through the Christmas-Ne

Orfevre, the horse that 5k Japanese fans followed to France for the Arc d'Triomphe ran his last race on Sunday - the Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse. The Arima Kinen is Japan's Kentucky Derby with a twist; ten of the horses in the field are selected by fan vote.

The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horseracing, which reinvests every penny it makes back into the sport, today revealed plans to make an industry record £19.5 million contribution to prize money in 2014 from its own resources, beating by more than £1 million its own previous record high of £18.4m it is contributing this year.

Since 2009, The Jockey Club has increased its annual contribution to prize money by £7.1m as a result of its commercial success.

Sportech PLC ("Sportech") is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with one of the governing bodies for horseracing in California, the Southern California Off Track Wagering, Inc. ("SCOTWinc"), for a license to allow Sportech to operate up to ten innovative retail venues offering customers the ability to bet on horseracing in a high-end sports bar and restaurant facility.

Jockey Javier Castellano put his name in the record books on Friday at Gulfstream Park, passing Ramon Dominguez to establish a new North American single-season record for purse earnings.

Castellano, 36, set the standard for riders after rallying on the far outside with I Ain’t Gonna Lie ($7.20) to win the third race by a nose over Currency Union for owner and trainer Herman Wilensky.

By R.J. DeLuke

The 2013 thoroughbred horse racing season - the 150th at the historic Saratoga Race Course - was a record-breaking economic boon for the city of Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County.

But officials were quick to point out that while the race track and Saratoga Performing Arts Center are key cogs in bringing people into the area during the summer, tourism is strong all seasons of the year and efforts are constantly ongoing to strengthen tourism through diversity of events and promotions.

Horseracing is Britain's best value day out for sports fans, according to a new report published by the Racecourse Association.

The research, conducted by Deloitte, shows that racing consistently costs less than other major sports such as Twenty20 cricket, Football League games, a round of golf, domestic rugby and Premier League football and other competing leisure activities.

Japanese superstar Lord Kanaloa stamped himself as the best sprinter in the world with a dominant victory in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin yesterday.

On Monday, December 16, 2013 the Ontario Racing Commission and the Ontario Ministries of Agriculture and Food and Rural Affairs are co-sponsoring the Horse Racing Innovation Summit.

Time: 9:30 – 3:00 pm

Location: Flamboro Downs Racetrack, 967 Highway #5 West Hamilton (Flamborough), ON L9H 5G1 

OF ALL the unusual sources of inspiration for a football club, the Brisbane Lions are looking to draw hope from the deeds of champion horse Buffering ahead of the 2014 season.

Australia's best sprinter and the winner of three Group One races in the past six weeks, Buffering and trainer Rob Heathcote were signed up as Lions members on Monday morning.

See the listing for the Top 100 at Equineline.com

Richard Hughes was the winner of the 2013 World Super Jockeys Series in his first time taking part in this competition.

BLACK CAVIAR (AUS) [130] and TREVE (FR) [130], the joint top rated horses in the 2013 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, are to be recognized as such during the LONGINES WORLD’S BEST RACEHORSE CEREMONY at the gala dinner of the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, which will be held on 6th December at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Ce

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) has delivered a record profit of nearly $7.5 million for the 2012/13 racing season, up from $2.4 million the previous year, strengthening its position to implement its ambitious Masterplan for Flemington.

The profit allowed the Club to fully repay its remaining $9 million bank debt. During the season the VRC invested over $10 million in racecourse improvements, and increased returns to owners, paying more than $36.4 million in prize money.

Reigning horse of the year Gentildonna became the first back-to-back winner of the Japan Cup with a historic photo-finish victory over Denim and Ruby on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.

The 4-year-old Gentildonna, in her first partnership with English jockey Ryan Moore and who hadn’t won yet in three previous starts this season, was declared the winner by a nose in Japan’s richest race with a purse of ¥521 million — ¥250 million of it going to the champion.

THE European contingent of Joshua Tree, Simenon and Dunaden face a formidable challenge in Tokyo on Sunday when they attempt to unseat a strong domestic defence in the 33rd running of the Japan Cup.

Ryan Moore partners star Japanese filly Gentildonna (Sei Ishizaka) as she attempts to become the first back-to-back winner of the 521 million yen (£3.23m) contest. The four-year-old is vying for favouritism alongside the top-class Gold Ship (Naosuke Sugai/Hiroyuki Uchida), with the three visitors accorded relative longshot status.

The Barrier draw for the Japan Cup is now complete. This 2400m turf race will take place In Tokyo on November 24^th.

Jockey John Velazquez, Chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild, continues to recover at his home in Long Island, New York. Velazquez was injured on November 2 at Santa Anita Racetrack when his mount, Secret Compass, broke down during the running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adjusting metal shoes) with some veterinarian's skills (knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the lower limb) to care for horses' feet.

by Andrew Hawkins

Champion American jockey Gary Stevens will cap off his remarkable comeback to the saddle when he returns to Hong Kong to ride in next month's Longines International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley.

The December 4 series will see four past winners of the showpiece return once more - perennial Hong Kong champion Douglas Whyte (2002, 2007, 2008), France's leading rider Christophe Soumillon (dead-heat 2004), Epsom Derby winner Ryan Moore (dead-heat 2009, 2010) and Brazil's Joao Moreira (2012).

Every twelve year cycle of the Chinese calendar is represented by an animal and, for horse lovers around the world, 2014 is a special year because it is the Year of the Horse.

The Horse has a strong, ethical character, and is very social and generous yet disciplined.  While innovative, the Horse is also a practical problem-solver who never gives up.

By Mike Riopell

The effort by the Illinois horse racing industry and state lawmakers to save the summer season at Arlington International Racecourse and elsewhere is almost certain to come down to a photo finish.

When Illinois lawmakers left Springfield Thursday, they left without a new law to prevent Arlington's live racing season from being cut nearly in half to just 49 days next year.

Press Release

Toronto, ON – Elmer Buchanan has been appointed by the Government of Ontario as Chair of the Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) for a term of one year. Most recently, he served as a member of the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel, which met with industry participants and worked to develop a vision for the industry's future.

One lucky Victorian TAB punter correctly selected Fiorente, Red Cadeaux, Mount Athos and Simenon to be the first four horses over the line in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington yesterday.

He was one of the big winners on the race that stops a nation as punters wagered $90.6 million through the NSW and Victorian TABs on the Melbourne Cup.

By Lara O'Toole

Thousands of people flocked to the city today for the Melbourne Cup parade of the jockeys and trainers who hope their horse will take home Australia’s richest racing prize.

By Andrea Edde

Michael Fuentes is a 14-year-old boy with Cerebral Palsy, ADHD, developmental disabilities, autistic behaviors and a basically useless right hand. But that doesn’t stop him from holding Oreo, the horse, with both hands while in therapy at Good Hope Equestrian Training Center.

With only a couple of months of horse therapy, Andrea Fuentes, his mother, is pleased with the changes she has seen in Michael.

By Tom Pedulla

ARCADIA, Calif. — Princess of Sylmar’s pedigree changed with one well-placed kick, and her roots were not promising to begin with. She was born at Sylmar Farm in Pennsylvania, a state that is not known for producing high-caliber thoroughbreds. She made an inauspicious debut last October, when she took fourth at Penn National Race Course, off the beaten path in central Pennsylvania.

By Mike Chiari

Although it isn't a Triple Crown event, the Breeders' Cup Classic is arguably the biggest competition in horse racing. With $5 million on the line, the best horses, jockeys and trainers will converge on Santa Anita Park in Arcadia,[California], on Saturday for a chance to be called the best in the world.

UNIONTOWN, Ohio — For an entire year, Michael Kuhn visited the horses. Always alone, on Sundays.

FORTY years after the legendary Secretariat ended his career by winning the Canadian International, Joshua Tree (Ed Dunlop/Ryan Moore) created a small piece of racing history when he became the first horse to capture the $1 million contest three times.

The six-year-old kept at bay the late challenge of Hyper to claim Canada's most prestigious race by three-quarters of a length, with Germany's Seismos third.

Arcadia, CA, October 23, 2013 -- HRTV (R), The Network for Horse Sports, will present comprehensive live coverage leading into, and continuing through, the 30th running of the Breeders' Cup, Thoroughbred racing's most prestigious global event, which will be held on Friday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov. 2, at Santa Anita Park.

The Breeders' Cup consists of 14 races over the two days, with purses totaling more than $25 million.

By Charley Lanyon

British entrepreneur Byron Constable is breaking all the rules to bring the sport of kings back to China.

While the mainland plays differently in many ways, it may still come as a surprise to learn that the venerable Shanghai Race Club (SRC), which he revived, operates without a clubhouse, without betting, without a racecourse and, believe it or not, without horses.

It's a popular hobby, a great form of exercise and certainly a lot of fun. But, horseback riding is much more than that, providing a much-needed therapy to kids, like 9-year-old Jessie Crider.

Jessie has autism. His entire life he's been in therapy. But, only one program has ever truly made a deep impact: the SMILES (Special Methods In Learning Equine Skills, Inc) organization, in Darien, provides a horse-assisted therapy for kids with special needs.

After much debate and nearly no motion being made, Churchill Downs Racetrack received approval Tuesday from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission for a jackpot pick 6 wager beginning with the fall meet.

The bet will be a 50-cent minimum with 80 percent of the pot being returned to bettors daily. Twenty percent will be reserved for a rolling jackpot that can be claimed only if there’s one winning ticket. Under the rules, which Churchill will have to publicize, the jackpot won’t be paid if there’s only one winner who has two perfect tickets.

By Howard White

WHILE global figures for thoroughbred breeding continue to fall, the number of new countries lining up to join the stud book system is showing unprecedented growth.

Figures released to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities annual conference in Paris this month confirmed falls in the number of stallions who covered mares in 2012 (by around 12 per cent), as well as the total number of mares bred (by 11 per cent) and foals born (by about four per cent).

By Press Release

Meydan is preparing to host some of the biggest names in horseracing this season with the release of the 2014 Dubai World Cup Carnival programme, worth more than US $37m in prize money.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival, which gets underway on Thursday January 9, 2014, features 11 high-class race meetings at Meydan Racecourse, including Super Saturday on March 8, 2014 and the season-ending $27.25m Dubai World Cup day on Saturday March 29, 2014.

“We’re pleased with the attendance which has matched our expectations,” said Rod Street, Chief Executive of British Champions Series Ltd.

“We all know that the Frankel factor has had an important bearing in the past, so this year’s attendance figures are very satisfactory for a Day that’s still very much in its infancy.

By James Hill

OLYMPIC GLORY showed his true ability in first-time blinkers as the Richard Hannon-trained three-year-old ran away with the big mile prize on Champions Day under a well-judged ride from Richard Hughes, winning by three and a quarter lengths.

The success was another big one for owner Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, following on from his victory with Treve in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Channel 4 is to use footage from a helmetcam worn by reigning champion jockey Richard Hughes at tomorrow's live broadcast of the QIPCO British Champions Day.

The view of Ascot Racecourse from the helmet has not been easy to achieve. The helmetcam had to be approved by the British Horseracing Authority and Hughes has needed time to get used to having the apparatus on his head while racing, wearing it all week in pre-race training.

The intention is to incorporate the footage within the Channel 4 post-race analysis.

To help returning veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and other stressors, the VA Hospital at Fort Harrison has introduced a program called equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Since June, about 30 veterans have come through the program and there is currently a waiting list.

The Jockey Club today released Report of Mares Bred (RMB) statistics for the 2013 breeding season. Based on RMBs received through October 10, 2013, The Jockey Club reports that 1,698 stallions covered 34,174 mares in North America during 2013.

By Bill Finley

Ken Ramsey seems to be running an assembly line as much as a horse racing stable. He churns out these horses as if they're made in a factory somewhere, each one similarly named, each one with ability, so many of them stakes winners. Which horse named Kitten something or other will win what next?

For the year, 18 different Ramsey-owned sons or daughters of Kitten's Joy have combined to win 24 stakes races.

An ABC News report of the great therapeutic program attached to the platoon which honours American soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Horses are being used to soothe and provide calming therapy to disturbed teenage Paris Jackson. The daughter of Michael Jackson has been undergoing therapy since June of 2013 when she attempted to take her life. Her father died tragically and Jackson has been thrown into the limelight relentlessly since that time.

By Tom LaMarra

Upgrading the on-site customer experience, be it for live horse racing or full-card simulcasts, is critical to the growth of the business, panelists said Oct. 7 on the first day of the International Simulcast Conference in Lexington.

What a great video! Watch this and get a sense of what it will be like for jockeys and horses in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamps Racecourse in Paris, France on Sunday, October 6th. 

The 92nd running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will take place at Longchamps Racecourse in France on Sunday, October 6th. Horses 3 years and older run 2,400m on the turf. With prize money of €4.8million, the 2013 race now has a set field of 18 horses. Here are the results of the draw by gate or post position:

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe field is shaping up. If there are more than 20 entries on Friday morning, eliminations will take place. François Boulard, representing France Galop, explained the process: "Maximum runners for the Arc will be 20.

Aidan O'Brien's six-times Group One winner had to be retired after suffering the leg injury on the gallops at Ballydoyle when being prepared for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

A few days after surgery, the six-year-old contracted colic, and he had a further setback when it was discovered a steel weight-bearing pin in a cannon bone had broken.

By Sam Walker 

When he was born he lay still and silent on the turf. The lifeless body was three weeks overdue and his carers could do nothing but rub and pray, rub and pray. In the end they stopped rubbing and just prayed. 

In the same state, 300 miles to the south, Kathy Ritvo was in a bad way. Hooked up to a intravenous machine that kept her failing heart functioning, she would spend a further five months in the critical care unit before a donor could be found. 

29th September 2013

Jockey Club Racecourses, the UK's largest racecourse group, today signed a landmark prize money agreement with The Horsemen's Group, which represents British racing's owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and stable staff, committing to contribute into prize money at least 40% of its betting-related media growth for the next three years to ensure all parties enjoy a fair share of the sport’s commercial success.

Champion Groupie Doll, some recent grade I-winning fillies, and Eblouissante, half sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta, are among the 3,602 horses Keeneland has cataloged for its 2013 November breeding stock sale Nov. 5-14. 

Catalogs will be available electronically via Keeneland's website, Keeneland.com, beginning Oct. 1. Print catalogs will be mailed the week of Oct. 14. 

By James Adams 

Back in the day, Windfields Farm was something – more than 600 hectares of bucolic rolling countryside near Oshawa, Ont., owned by business tycoon and thoroughbred horse-breeder E.P. Taylor (1901-1989). 

By Francesca Cumani

They say that delightful spa town of Baden-Baden in south west Germany is just so good that you have to say its name twice.

With its tree-lined avenues, beautiful canal and breathtaking gardens, it’s hard to disagree. In the mid-19th century the town became a favorite among the rich and famous as a holiday destination. They came for the spas, for the uber-elegant casino, the opulent hotels and, of course, the horse racing.

It feels like a place that has resisted the passage of time and still proudly clings to its tradition.

By Alex Campbell

The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, which operates thoroughbred racing at Fort Erie Race Track, said it has submitted a proposal to the Ontario provincial government's Horse Racing Transition Panel to continue live racing at the track for at least the next three years.

Racing Future will be featuring past and present leaders in the sport of horse racing as a new and ongoing addition to our site. As we celebrate these great contributions to sustain and grow our sport, we are pleased to announce our first piece, featuring Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

We have chosen Sheikh Mohammed because of his positive commitment to horse racing on a global basis. As part of the series, we will feature other leaders, including E P Taylor and Frank Stronach.

By Gary West

South Africa will be represented at the inaugural racemeeting of the China Horse Club at Hohhot, Inner Mongolia this Saturday. The 2013 China Equine Cultural Event will be held from 8 to 21 September.Well known Bloodstock specialist Robin Bruss is attending, together with SA Jockey Association Chairman Tex Lerena, and  top South African jockeys