THOROFAN HONORS RACHEL ALEXANDRA AS HORSE OF THE YEAR AT HER 4TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Raising Funds for Bobby Frankel Division of Old Friends at Cabin Creek
FREE ADMISSION
Date: Sunday Jan 31, 2010 Place: Union Grille, Saratoga Hilton 534 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY
Time: Seating 12-5pm
50% of tab will be donated to Old Friends at Cabin Creek by Andy Brindisi RSVP to be eligible for fab door prizes
Union Grille 518-682-2600
HILTON HOTEL HAS SPECIAL PRICING ON ROOMS AND SUITES More info? Contact: Bambii Rae (518) 695-3605 bambiirae@nycap.rr.com
GREAT FOOD, FUN PEOPLE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNG TO RACHEL IN NEW ORLEANS See famed equine artist Frankie Flores create “Rachel”,
Hear infamous Artie Rigileto Vendors: pictures, jewelry, hats & clothes
DON'T MISS THE EXCITEMENT
--------
Member of: www.equinewelfarealliance.org
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Penn Temporarily Bans Horses Owned by Gill
By Claire Novak
Updated: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 12:55 PM
Posted: Monday, January 25, 2010 7:40 PM
Horses entered in the name of Michael Gill, North America’s leading owner by races won and purses earned in 2009, will not be accepted for entry at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course effective immediately.
Chris McErlean, vice president of racing for track owner Penn National Gaming Inc., said Jan. 25 the temporary restriction has been put in place pending a meeting to review the necropsy results of two runners owned by Gill that recently broke down at the Pennsylvania track.
Several other runners owned by Gill have ralso eportedly suffered fatal breakdowns on the track since Oct. 1, although exact numbers have not been confirmed.
Gill, the leading owner in North America by purses earned and races won in 2003, 2004, and 2009—he led by wins and was second by earnings in 2005, the year he won an Eclipse Award—had taken a break from racing in 2006 but returned in 2008. He has 49 stalls at Penn National and stables the remainder of his 120 horses at his private training center, Elk Creek Ranch in Oxford, Pa.
Last year, 2,247 horses raced under his silks to 370 wins and earnings of $6,670,490.
“To my knowledge, regarding further entries at this point, we are going to wait until we have a scheduled meeting with Mr. Gill and his trainers once we get those reports from the most recent breakdowns,” McErlean said. “We want the ability to speak with him and his trainers to find out what’s going on and get some more information at that time.”
The practice of running and reviewing a necropsy exam on horses that suffer fatal injuries at Penn National is one instituted by the track at the start of the year in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.
“We’ve set up a process between ourselves and the commission to do an informal review of the report, to allow the trainer to tell us of any issues they were aware of, and through looking at vet records to try to piece together any reasons why the breakdown could have occurred,” McErlean said.
McErlean said results of the necropsies should be available by Jan. 27, and a meeting could be scheduled by the end of the week.
The restriction follows a threatened boycott of Penn National’s Jan. 23 card by jockeys that were concerned over a second spill involving one of Gill’s entries in a three-day period. The Darrel Delahoussaye-trained Laughing Moon broke down after the wire under jockey Ricky Frazier in the fifth race Jan. 23. A previous incident occurred Jan. 21, when Melodeeman, trained by Anthony Adamo, suffered a catastrophic breakdown in the second race on the card.
After a lengthy delay, Adamo scratched Justin M, Gill’s only other entry on the card, from the sixth race. Trainers subsequently withdrew horses owned by Gill from ensuing race cards; horses were entered through Jan 28.
Anthony Black, a veteran Pennsylvania rider who was active in forming the Philadelphia Park Jockeys organization, said he spoke to several riders involved in the situation. Black also approached stewards at Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack to inform them of local riders’ concerns.
“I talked to three older riders who are based there, and they’re having second thoughts when it comes to riding races with his horses,” Black said. “They’ve not ridden good races, and they realize they haven’t, because they wouldn’t tuck in behind those horses in the blue and white Gill colors—and it makes good sense not to tuck in behind them when they’re breaking down like that.”
Gill, reached Jan. 25, said his horses did not break down at a higher rate than usual for lower-level claimers. He said he has always maintained a practice of complete transparency with racing authorities.
“They can go through all my horses at my farm, at the barn, unannounced, uninvited,” Gill said. “They can take any blood test, jog the horses, look at everything. I’ve always been that way. You find something illegal with these horses, I’ll quit.
“We ran 2,247 horses last year and did we have a bad test? Not one. How many trainers do you think can claim that?”
Gill said he believes his practice of running large numbers of horses and claiming from smaller operations has angered horsemen on circuits from Delaware to Florida. In 2003, he was involved in a similar controversy stemming from the fatal breakdown of the Mark Shuman-trained Casual Conflict, but was exonerated along with his trainer of all wrongdoing in the situation.
“The people that we’re claiming from who happen to have been in that community for the past 20-30 years are unhappy,” Gill said “It’s not new. We’re claiming an inordinate amount of horses and taking too much money off the table. I take grief because I own a lot of claiming horses, but how many people spend millions of dollars on horses that never even make it to the racetrack?”
According to Gill, in 2009 he had two horses that suffered fatal injuries at Penn National for the entire year.
“The horse that broke down (Jan. 23) was sound; he had just won the race before," Gill said. "I’ll show you his vet records. He'd never been ‘tapped.' Maybe the track was a little hard; that’s part of winter racing when you’re running at a track in January where it’s raining, snowing, and freezing, too.”
BLOGGERS NOTE: We shall await the results of the testing before entering Gill as the latest inductee into The Horse Racing Hall of Shame...as we firmly belive in the theory of innocent until proven guilty...it is the American Way.
http://ow.ly/11rZC
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Pletcher fined, suspended by CHRB
By Steve Andersen
Daily Racing Form
The California Horse Racing Board fined trainer Todd Pletcher $25,000 and suspended him at least 10 days for a positive test for the anesthetic procaine by Wait a While following a third-place finish in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita in 2008.
The board adopted the recommendation of hearing officer Steffan Imhoff in a closed-door session at its monthly meeting on Jan. 15. Imhoff recommended a 60-day suspension with 50 days of the penalty stayed in the event that Pletcher does not have a positive for medications in classes 1, 2, or 3 during for a year.
Pletcher did not return a phone call Friday seeking comment.
Procaine is a class 3 medication that is commonly used with penicillin, an antiobiotic.
Pletcher, who has a small stable in California this winter, must begin his suspension and pay the fine by Feb. 20, according to racing board executive director Kirk Breed.
In his decision, Imhoff said he gave Pletcher the maximum suspension allowed under racing board rules because the positive occurred after a Breeders' Cup race. He said a majority of the suspension was stayed because Wait a While was treated with procaine at the advice of Pletcher's veterinarian and was not treated with the medication in the 18 days before the race.
Imhoff wrote, "If, as we believe, another procaine injection was given shortly before the race, there is no evidence to suggest this was done by Pletcher, or on his behalf."
Imhoff said the attorney general's recommendation for a $50,000 fine was "too high," but that a drug violation in a $2 million race demands a "substantial" fine.
http://ow.ly/ZKUv
Daily Racing Form
The California Horse Racing Board fined trainer Todd Pletcher $25,000 and suspended him at least 10 days for a positive test for the anesthetic procaine by Wait a While following a third-place finish in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita in 2008.
The board adopted the recommendation of hearing officer Steffan Imhoff in a closed-door session at its monthly meeting on Jan. 15. Imhoff recommended a 60-day suspension with 50 days of the penalty stayed in the event that Pletcher does not have a positive for medications in classes 1, 2, or 3 during for a year.
Pletcher did not return a phone call Friday seeking comment.
Procaine is a class 3 medication that is commonly used with penicillin, an antiobiotic.
Pletcher, who has a small stable in California this winter, must begin his suspension and pay the fine by Feb. 20, according to racing board executive director Kirk Breed.
In his decision, Imhoff said he gave Pletcher the maximum suspension allowed under racing board rules because the positive occurred after a Breeders' Cup race. He said a majority of the suspension was stayed because Wait a While was treated with procaine at the advice of Pletcher's veterinarian and was not treated with the medication in the 18 days before the race.
Imhoff wrote, "If, as we believe, another procaine injection was given shortly before the race, there is no evidence to suggest this was done by Pletcher, or on his behalf."
Imhoff said the attorney general's recommendation for a $50,000 fine was "too high," but that a drug violation in a $2 million race demands a "substantial" fine.
http://ow.ly/ZKUv
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Cincinnati Horse Trainer Charged with Cruelty, Abandonment
by: Pat Raia
January 08 2010, Article # 15610
Thoroughbred horse trainer Chad Moore faces multiple animal cruelty charges in connection with the alleged abandonment and maltreatment of horses at his Ohio farm.
Clermont County animal control officials removed six allegedly malnourished Thoroughbred horses, one pony, and one donkey from Moore's Bethel Farm last month. The carcasses of at least 10 horses were also found on the property, said Clermont County Communications Director Kathy Lehr.
Moore was arrested on unrelated charges shortly after the animals' removal.
On Thursday, he was charged with two counts of animal abandonment and two counts of animal cruelty. Additional charges are pending, Lehr said. Moore remains in the Clermont County jail.
Two mares were euthanized. The surviving animals are receiving rehabilitative care at a private farm.
Read more: Two Seized Cincinnati Horses Euthanized
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=15610
January 08 2010, Article # 15610
Thoroughbred horse trainer Chad Moore faces multiple animal cruelty charges in connection with the alleged abandonment and maltreatment of horses at his Ohio farm.
Clermont County animal control officials removed six allegedly malnourished Thoroughbred horses, one pony, and one donkey from Moore's Bethel Farm last month. The carcasses of at least 10 horses were also found on the property, said Clermont County Communications Director Kathy Lehr.
Moore was arrested on unrelated charges shortly after the animals' removal.
On Thursday, he was charged with two counts of animal abandonment and two counts of animal cruelty. Additional charges are pending, Lehr said. Moore remains in the Clermont County jail.
Two mares were euthanized. The surviving animals are receiving rehabilitative care at a private farm.
Read more: Two Seized Cincinnati Horses Euthanized
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=15610
Monday, January 4, 2010
Racing Industry "Catches" Equine Disease
I have got to say, if it wasent for this New Mexican Race-tracks Screening Methods, this disease might never have been detected. Nice catch NM!
EQUINE PIROPLASMOSIS - USA (12): (NEW MEXICO)
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 28 Dec 2009
Source: The Horse.com [edited]
As part of a racetrack screening program, 3 New Mexico horses have
been identified as infected with _Theileria equi_, a causative agent
for equine piroplasmosis. These infections are noteworthy as these
horses are not epidemiologically linked to those involved in a larger
ongoing investigation centered on horses from a South Texas ranch.
Information on the new cases, and an update on the Texas
investigation, was included in a 24 Dec 2009 report issued to the
World Organization for Animal Health (Office International des
Epizooties, or OIE) by John Clifford, DVM, deputy administrator of
the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The positive New Mexico horses did not show any clinical signs of
disease. Preliminary results of the investigation indicate that the
transmission of the organism might have resulted from management
practices (use of shared needles or substances between horses) rather
than by a tick vector, the OIE report noted. More than 1300 New
Mexico horses have been tested via the screening program.
Officials in the United States have screened all imported horses for
piroplasmosis for nearly 30 years. The disease was officially
eradicated from the United States in 1988. It is spread by some
species of ticks, the use of contaminated needles, and possibly
through blood-contaminated semen of infected stallions.
Clinical signs of equine piroplasmosis can include a host of
nonspecific problems, such as fever or anemia, and some infected
horses might appear healthy. Blood tests are needed to diagnosis the
disease. The only treatment is a potent type of chemotherapy that can
have serious side effects in some horses.
The larger piroplasmosis investigation remains underway, with 357
confirmed positive horses. All of the positive horses have direct
links to the index premises in Kleberg County, Texas. The OIE report
stated these include horses that currently or previously lived on the
index premises or live on a premises immediately adjacent, or [near]
other "dangerous contacts" (a positive foal born to an infected mare
was listed as an example of such).
Positive horses have been located in 12 states, with 289 positive
horses on the index ranch in Texas, 41 on other premises in Texas, 2
in Alabama, 2 in California, 5 in Florida, one in Georgia, 2 in
Indiana, 5 in Louisiana, 1 in Minnesota, 2 in North Carolina, 4 in
New Jersey, 1 in Tennessee, 1 in Utah, and 1 in Wisconsin. All known
positive horses are under quarantine.
More than 1500 horses have been tested for equine piroplasmosis as
part of the epidemiological investigation, including 587 horses
exposed to positive horses outside of the index premises. All of
these cohorts have tested negative, the report stated.
As a result of the current investigation, Canada and several U.S.
states have restricted the importation of horses from Texas. Horse
owners and veterinarians shipping horses are urged to check with
animal health officials in your state of destination to ensure the
animals have met all entry requirements.
[Byline: Erin Ryder]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[Although the horses do not appear to be epidemiologically linked to
the outbreak that started in Texas, sharing needles between horses
does not give a horse piroplasmosis unless those needles have been in
a horse with piroplasmosis. In other words, the disease had to have
come from somewhere. The question is where. Will New Mexico cast a
surveillance net to detect where the disease really came from? -
Mod.TG]
[see also:
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (11): multi-state 20091203.4128
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (10) 20091117.3963
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (09): (NJ ex TX) 20091111.3912
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (08): (TX) alert 20091030.3749
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (07): (TX) 20091024.3675
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (06): (TX) OIE 20091022.3631
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (05): (TX) 20091021.3617
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (04): (KS, MO) resolved 20090917.3262
Piroplasmosis, equine - USA (03): (KS, MO) 20090729.2662
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA (02): (MO) 20090612.2172
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA: (FL) quarantine lifted 20090225.0771
2008
----
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA (04): (FL) 20080930.3088
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA: (03) (FL) 20080828.2687
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (02): (FL) 20080823.2626
Equine piroplasmosis - USA: (FL) 20080819.2579]
...................................................tg/msp/lm
*##########################################################*
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are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
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EQUINE PIROPLASMOSIS - USA (12): (NEW MEXICO)
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 28 Dec 2009
Source: The Horse.com [edited]
As part of a racetrack screening program, 3 New Mexico horses have
been identified as infected with _Theileria equi_, a causative agent
for equine piroplasmosis. These infections are noteworthy as these
horses are not epidemiologically linked to those involved in a larger
ongoing investigation centered on horses from a South Texas ranch.
Information on the new cases, and an update on the Texas
investigation, was included in a 24 Dec 2009 report issued to the
World Organization for Animal Health (Office International des
Epizooties, or OIE) by John Clifford, DVM, deputy administrator of
the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The positive New Mexico horses did not show any clinical signs of
disease. Preliminary results of the investigation indicate that the
transmission of the organism might have resulted from management
practices (use of shared needles or substances between horses) rather
than by a tick vector, the OIE report noted. More than 1300 New
Mexico horses have been tested via the screening program.
Officials in the United States have screened all imported horses for
piroplasmosis for nearly 30 years. The disease was officially
eradicated from the United States in 1988. It is spread by some
species of ticks, the use of contaminated needles, and possibly
through blood-contaminated semen of infected stallions.
Clinical signs of equine piroplasmosis can include a host of
nonspecific problems, such as fever or anemia, and some infected
horses might appear healthy. Blood tests are needed to diagnosis the
disease. The only treatment is a potent type of chemotherapy that can
have serious side effects in some horses.
The larger piroplasmosis investigation remains underway, with 357
confirmed positive horses. All of the positive horses have direct
links to the index premises in Kleberg County, Texas. The OIE report
stated these include horses that currently or previously lived on the
index premises or live on a premises immediately adjacent, or [near]
other "dangerous contacts" (a positive foal born to an infected mare
was listed as an example of such).
Positive horses have been located in 12 states, with 289 positive
horses on the index ranch in Texas, 41 on other premises in Texas, 2
in Alabama, 2 in California, 5 in Florida, one in Georgia, 2 in
Indiana, 5 in Louisiana, 1 in Minnesota, 2 in North Carolina, 4 in
New Jersey, 1 in Tennessee, 1 in Utah, and 1 in Wisconsin. All known
positive horses are under quarantine.
More than 1500 horses have been tested for equine piroplasmosis as
part of the epidemiological investigation, including 587 horses
exposed to positive horses outside of the index premises. All of
these cohorts have tested negative, the report stated.
As a result of the current investigation, Canada and several U.S.
states have restricted the importation of horses from Texas. Horse
owners and veterinarians shipping horses are urged to check with
animal health officials in your state of destination to ensure the
animals have met all entry requirements.
[Byline: Erin Ryder]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[Although the horses do not appear to be epidemiologically linked to
the outbreak that started in Texas, sharing needles between horses
does not give a horse piroplasmosis unless those needles have been in
a horse with piroplasmosis. In other words, the disease had to have
come from somewhere. The question is where. Will New Mexico cast a
surveillance net to detect where the disease really came from? -
Mod.TG]
[see also:
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (11): multi-state 20091203.4128
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (10) 20091117.3963
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (09): (NJ ex TX) 20091111.3912
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (08): (TX) alert 20091030.3749
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (07): (TX) 20091024.3675
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (06): (TX) OIE 20091022.3631
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (05): (TX) 20091021.3617
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (04): (KS, MO) resolved 20090917.3262
Piroplasmosis, equine - USA (03): (KS, MO) 20090729.2662
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA (02): (MO) 20090612.2172
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA: (FL) quarantine lifted 20090225.0771
2008
----
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA (04): (FL) 20080930.3088
Equine Piroplasmosis - USA: (03) (FL) 20080828.2687
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (02): (FL) 20080823.2626
Equine piroplasmosis - USA: (FL) 20080819.2579]
...................................................tg/msp/lm
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Become a ProMED-mail Premium Subscriber at
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
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