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Uncertainty Amid HISA Conflict Continues in Texas

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Texas tracks have been unable to send their domestic simulcast signal out-of-state.

 

Lone Star Park, like some other tracks across the country on July 4, will ignite fireworks before thousands of fans in a celebration of Independence Day, coming on the closing day of the track’s Thoroughbred season.

But amid continued opposition of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority by the Texas Racing Commission and other entities in Texas, the state’s Thoroughbred industry has taken on a less celebratory mood over the past year. Texas tracks running Thoroughbred meets have been unable to send their domestic simulcast signal out of state over the length of the dispute, which began last July when HISA began its initial responsibilities for enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in United States Thoroughbred racing.

Since then, the overall handle has plunged at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston Race Park, the state’s other track that hosts Thoroughbred racing.

 

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International Sire El Corredor Dies at 26

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El Corredor carried out his stud career on three continents since 2002.

 

Grade 1 winner El Corredor , who carried out his stud career on three continents since 2002, reportedly died June 20 at Çelikoğlu Stud in Turkey, according to the Thoroughbred racing news outlet Yyaris Dergisi. The son of Mr. Greeley was 26.

El Corredor was the first foal out of the unraced Silver Deputy mare Silvery Swan and bred in Kentucky by Needham-Betz Thoroughbreds and Liberation Farm. The mare was a half sister to two stakes winners and later produced grade 1 winner Roman Ruler , grade 3 winner Silver Tornado, and grade 1-placed winner Maimonides . El Corredor sold as a yearling for $110,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to trainer Bob Baffert, who bought the colt on behalf of owner Hal Earnhardt III.

The colt became a winner in his second start at 2 and at 3 won four of five starts, getting wins in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) and Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2). He would also run second to Fusaichi Pegasus in the Jerome Handicap (G2). At 4, he added two more graded stakes victories with a repeat win in the Del Mar Breeders’ Cup and a win in the Pat O’Brien Handicap (G2). He ended his racing career with an unplaced finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), in which he was hindered by a quarter crack.

 

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Ryvit’s Chick Lang Triumph Brings Joy to Breeder Curt Leake

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Breeder Curt Leake has had 65 winners in his career, but only two have ever won a graded stakes race. The most recent happened Preakness Stakes (G1) weekend in the Chick Lang Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course. Ryvit , by Competitive Edge   and out of a Medaglia d’Oro   mare, She Is Bedazzling, took home the six-furlong race. 

Based in Northeast Louisiana, Leake said he is about as far away from any racing circuit as anyone could be. “I’m probably three hours from Louisiana Downs, four hours from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and then another four hours to Evangeline Downs,” he said. From a family of farmers, Leake has made Thoroughbreds the newest crop to be passed down as his son, David, works alongside him.

 

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HBPA Groups Again Appeal HISA Ruling to Fifth Circuit

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Appeal follows denial of HBPA’s constitutional claims, injunction motion.

 

For the second time the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will consider the constitutionality of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act after a federal judge shot down efforts by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, as well as state and local HBPA affiliates, to derail the legislation.

On May 17 the HBPAs filed a notice of appeal after multiple rulings adverse to its legal efforts issued by federal judge James W. Hendrix in United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

The case first came before Hendrix last year. He decided HISA was constitutional, but a Fifth Circuit panel reversed the ruling and declared HISA facially unconstitutional for failing to grant sufficient power to the Federal Trade Commission to oversee the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. The authority is a private corporation formed to regulate the horse racing industry for compliance with nationwide safety and medication rules.

 

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Keith Desormeaux Celebrates Confidence Game’s Kentucky Derby Entry

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“We’re all celebrating what we love,” Desormeaux said.

 

When trainer Keith Desormeaux arrived at Churchill Downs in 2016 to prepare Exaggerator , his first starter in the Kentucky Derby (G1), he admits he was on edge around his barn, unaccustomed to a stable area drawing so much activity from media and observers.

Desormeaux grew frustrated when he felt they infringed upon his colt’s space, though he and his horse weathered the circus. Exaggerator performed well on Derby Day before a crowd of 167,227, running second to Nyquist  .

Two weeks later, Exaggerator captured the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course under the trainer’s brother, Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux. The colt would then complete the Triple Crown series for 3-year-olds with an 11th-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

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Keith Desormeaux<br> Horses training at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on April 29, 2023.
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt

Trainer Keith Desormeaux at Churchill Downs

Desormeaux Full of Confidence About His Derby Angle

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In the words of President George W. Bush, “Fool me once … shame on you. If … fool me you can’t get fooled again.”

We got the gist. Apparently, though, no one’s been heeding the advice of the former chief executive, at least when it comes to the young horses of trainer Keith Desormeaux stepping up in the springtime for any number of Triple Crown preps. For instance:

In January of 2022, Desormeaux came out firing with the Midnight Lute colt Call Me Midnight to win the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds, knocking off 3-year-olds trained by Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, and Mark Casse. He paid $59 for a $2 bet.

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Whence Sires First Winner in Louisiana

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All of Us won his second career start Feb. 28 at Delta Downs.

 

Averett Farm’s Whence , a multiple-winning sprinter by Scat Daddy, sired his first winner Feb. 28 when his 3-year-old son All of Us  won a five-furlong maiden claimer at Delta Downs by three-quarters of a length in his second start.

All of Us is the first foal out of the winning Half Ours  mare Mine Yours an Ours  and was bred in Louisiana by Gerald Averett Jr. The mare has a 2-year-old by Ocean Knight  and is in foal this year to a full sibling to All of Us.

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Asmussen Makes History With 10,000 North American Wins

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Hall of Fame trainer made history for a second time Feb. 20.

 

Steve Asmussen became the first trainer to win 10,000 Thoroughbred races in North America when Bet He’s Ready won the fifth race at Oaklawn Park Feb. 20.

Asmussen also has two additional wins overseas, including Curlin  ‘s victory in the 2008 Dubai World Cup (G1).

A Hall of Famer, Asmussen became the winningest trainer in North American history on Aug. 7, 2021, when Stellar Tap  won a maiden race at Saratoga Race Course, giving him his 9,446th win and pushing the late Dale Baird into second. Since then, Asmussen has continued to win races at a high rate, drawing ever closer to the latest milestone.

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HISA Opponents Seek National Injunction

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HISA officials downplay move, say Congress’ amendment has addressed concerns.

 

An amended complaint filed in a Louisiana federal court names a host of new states and other entities seeking a national injunction against oversight of important areas of horse racing by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

The case referenced originally was filed by the states and racing commissions of Louisiana and West Virginia, the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and others. A preliminary injunction issued by Judge Terry Doughty of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana led to a halt of rules enforcement in the two named states by HISA and the Federal Trade Commission.

According to the amended complaint, four other states are now involved in the lawsuit: Arkansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Pari-mutuel racing is held in all of those states except Mississippi. In addition to the racing commissions of Louisiana and West Virginia, new plaintiffs include the Oklahoma Racing Commission and Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. Although the state of Arkansas is named in the case, the Arkansas Racing Commission is not a plaintiff.

 

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Sam Houston Race Park Puts Simulcasting On Hold

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The Houston track steps back from announcement to resume simulcasting Feb. 3.

 

On the day Sam Houston Race Park intended to resume interstate simulcasting, the Houston racetrack took a step back and has put that plan on hold citing the need for a legal review of the “many complexities” surrounding recent court action and law amendments by Congress related to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

“We have determined more time is needed to fully evaluate the many legal complexities surrounding recent court decisions and the HISA amendment enacted by Congress at the end of last year,” said a statement released by Sam Houston Feb. 3.

The decision to resume simulcasting followed a Jan. 31 ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that denied a request by HISA and the Federal Trade Commission to reverse a decision that the HISA is facially unconstitutional. The appellate court had Nov. 18 reversed a decision of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that had upheld the constitutionality of the HISA after it was challenged by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, multiple state HBPA affiliates, the State of Texas, and the Texas Horse Racing Commission. Since the initial Fifth Circuit ruling, Congress amended the language of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act to include “clarifying language” that shores up the FTC’s oversight of HISA.

 

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