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Garcia, Amoss Dead Heat for Leading Trainer at Indiana

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Trainers Tom Amoss and Genaro Garcia concluded Indiana Grand’s 120-day run Nov. 7 with 45 wins a piece, sharing the title of co-leading trainers of the 2018 season. Garcia earned his second straight title at Indiana Grand, also picking up the honor in 2017. A native of Mexico, Garcia had 297 starters and maintained a 41 percent in the money average. Horses from the Garcia Stable earned in excess of $905,580.

“I’m really happy to have won the title this year and I want to say thank you to the owners and Indiana Grand,” said Garcia. “All of my two-year-olds did really well this year, and I was so glad to see that. It was exciting to see how they went through the whole process from breaking them to seeing them get to the track and race so well this year.”

Joining Garcia atop the trainer standings is Amoss, who picked up his sixth leading trainer title in the past eight years. A native of Louisiana, Amoss won titles from 2011-2014 and was back on top of the standings in 2016. Horses from his barn in 2018 were tough, winning 45 of 136 starts for a 33 percent win average and a 61 percent top three average.

“Winning a title is an honor for the stable and a reflection on all the people who work with us, especially the owners who entrust us with their horses,” said Amoss. “I’m not there as often as I’d like, but every time I go, the casual fans are so nice and enthusiastic. Indiana Grand is always a breath of fresh air when I visit.”

Louisiana Champions Day FINAL NOMINATION DEADLINE!

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Mobile Bay winning the $150,000 2017 Louisiana Champions Day Classic. Hodges Photo

Louisiana Champions Day Nominations

SEVEN STAKES FOR
ACCREDITED LOUISIANA THOROUGHBREDS
$750,000 IN PURSES

Final Nomination $500
Deadline November 14

Nominate Now

 

Louisiana Champions Day Lassie
Purse $100,000 Guaranteed
Six Furlongs
For Two Year Old Fillies, Accredited Louisiana Bred

Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile
Purse $100,000 Guaranteed
Six Furlongs
For Two Year Old Colts and Geldings, Accredited Louisiana Bred

Louisiana Champions Day Sprint
Purse $100,000 Guaranteed
Six Furlongs
For Three Year Olds and Upward, Accredited Louisiana Bred

Louisiana Champions Day Turf
Purse $100,000 Guaranteed
About one Mile and One Sixteenth (turf)
For Three Year Olds and Upward, Accredited Louisiana Bred

Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Turf
Purse $100,000 Guaranteed
About one Mile and One Sixteenth (turf)
For Three Year Olds and Upward Fillies and Mares, Accredited Louisiana Bred

Louisiana Champions Day Classic
Purse $150,000 Guaranteed
One Mile and One Eighth
For Three Year Olds and Upward, Accredited Louisiana Bred

Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint
Purse $100,000 Guaranteed
Six Furlongs
For Three Year Olds and Upward, Fillies and Mares, Accredited Louisiana Bred

 

Would you like to sponsor a newsletter? Reach over 2,500 readers.

Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for cost and availability.

Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.comfor consideration.

 

Any questions or need more info call

Roger A. Heitzmann III, Secretary/Treasurer

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association

504-947-4676, 800-772-1195

Election Aftermath Mixed for Thoroughbred Interests

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By T. D. Thornton

In the aftermath of Election Day, the gambling landscape shifted significantly overnight in three states. But the results are mixed in terms of how the measures will affect Thoroughbred horse racing.

In Arkansas, Oaklawn Park won the right to add full casino gaming and sports betting to its existing wagering menu of pari-mutuels and electronic gaming. The vote percentage was 54-46.

In Idaho, historical horse racing (HHR) video gaming at tracks was defeated by a 53-47 margin, putting the state’s already tenuous Thoroughbred future in even more of an endangered flux.

Florida voters banned greyhound racing by a 69-31 margin, with a 2020 sunset date but a provision to keep other forms of gaming at those tracks.

A separate Florida measure that passed by a 71-29 margin mandates that any future changes to casino gambling have to be approved through statewide citizen-initiated ballot measures, and not the Legislature.

All tallies in this story cited are listed in rounded percentages, and are according to results posted as of 2 p.m. Wednesday on Ballotpedia.com.

Arkansas

In Arkansas, the passage of Issue 4 amended the Arkansas Constitution to grant four casino licenses in specified locations. Oaklawn in Hot Springs and the Southland greyhound/gaming venue in West Memphis were granted “automatic licenses” for expansions “at or adjacent to” their existing operations. Both tracks already offer electronic games of skill under a 2005 state law.

Additionally, one casino license will be up for bid in both Pope County and Jefferson County.

As part of the Arkansas measure, “casino gaming shall also be defined to include accepting wagers on sporting events.”

The ballot initiative also included a tax revenue distribution plan that mandates “17.5% to the Arkansas Racing Commission for deposit into the Arkansas Racing Commission Purse and Awards Fund to be used only for purses for live horse racing and greyhound racing by Oaklawn and Southland.”

Idaho

The defeated Proposition 1 was designed to once again legalize HHR video terminals at tracks in Idaho, where seven fairs circuit tracks raced short meets in 2018. The measure would have granted HHR gaming rights to any track that cards eight calendar dates annually, and passage would almost certainly have meant the re-opening of Les Bois Park, formerly Idaho’s only commercial track.

Idaho had briefly legalized HHR in 2013 but the law was repealed in 2015. When the state pulled the plug on HHR, Les Bois, which was one of three locations that had the machines, shut down. Les Bois spent heavily to support Proposition 1, and reportedly had several hundred HHR machines still on the property ready to resume operation, along with live racing.

Florida

Florida’s two approved ballot measures might end up raising more questions than they answered in an already confusing state for gambling.

The Amendment 13 ban on dog racing actually had the support of some of the state’s 11 greyhound track operators, who saw it as a de facto way of attaining “decoupling” from less-profitable pari-mutuels while retaining lucrative gaming rights.

Some “What happens next?” scenarios could include horse tracks angling for similar decoupling rights based on this precedent. And with greyhound racing mandated to end, animal rights activists might now more closely focus on horse racing.

Carey Theil, the executive director of GREY2K USA, one of the leading backers of the ban, told the Orlando Sentinel that the vote appears to mean the greyhound industry will likely be “swept away in the night” and that “the historical consequences of this are incredibly significant.”

Amendment 3, which took control of future casino gambling decisions out of the hands of the Legislature, was proposed by Voters in Charge, a political committee largely financed by the tourism-centric Walt Disney Co. and the Seminole Tribe, which operates existing gaming facilities. According to published reports, that committee spent more than $31 million on the effort to transfer future casino decisions to voters.

According to a post-vote analysis in the Tampa Bay Times, “While the amendment, in theory, gives voters the power to expand gambling, it could actually make the process more difficult. Changing anything by voter decision is a long process, and would therefore keep competition low for the Seminole Tribe and ensure a more ‘family friendly’ tourism environment here, to Disney’s benefit.”

The Miami Herald recapped the vote this way: “Opponents to the amendment—like NFL teams, online betting sites like FanDuel and DraftKings and dog and horse tracks—have argued that it is unclear what affect the initiative would have on previously authorized gambling sites across the state.”

United States Congress

Two U.S. Representatives in positions to have an impact on Thoroughbred racing both won re-election bids Nov. 6.

Andy Barr (R-KY) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) are co-chairs of the Congressional Horse Caucus. They are also co-sponsors of HR 2651, the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2017, which was first introduced in a different form in 2015. Its revised version has not had any legislative action since a June 22 subcommittee hearing.

Barr won by a 51-48 margin. Tonko’s winning margin was 68-32.

Lexington Mayor

Linda Gorton bested Ronnie Bastin by a 63-37 margin in the Lexington, Kentucky, mayoral race.

In a profile published the week prior to the election, Gorton told TDN that “I have a long history of working with the equine industry here. I know many of the horse farm owners and managers. I understand their concerns…. That’s important for me, to have people understand that I have worked with this industry for many, many years, and have great experience in doing that.”

When Laminitis Strikes, What’s Your First Line Of Defense?

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by

 

Barbaro, Edgar Prado, and Dr. Dean Richardson at New Bolton during the Derby winner’s treatment for laminitis

The most important time to take action against laminitis is when a horse shows early signs or a high-risk event occurs that might trigger laminitis. Triggers for laminitis range from exposure to black walnuts to injury to physiological disruption from colic, high fever, retained placenta, or carbohydrate overload. In essence, anything that causes a horse significant trauma might set in motion a cascade that ends in laminitis.

Laminitis is regarded by many in the veterinary field as the most horrific disease to attack horses because in severe cases, it literally causes the hoof capsule to slough off when the laminae that make up the connective tissue between the interior structure of the hoof and the hoof wall die. Theories about what actually happens to the horse physiologically to cause laminitis are numerous, and researchers still seek answers to many questions about the disease.

Dr. Hannah Galantino-Homer is the director of the Laminitis Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. The laboratory is part of the Laminitis Institute founded by the university after the tragic death of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. The colt was euthanized after an eight-month battle against laminitis at New Bolton Center after fracturing his right hind leg at the beginning of the Preakness Stakes.

If you think laminitis is a threat, call your veterinarian immediately. Time is of the essence.

Galantino-Homer said several things can be done while waiting for the veterinarian to arrive. First, move the horse to a confined area with soft footing. This can be a round pen with a deep sand base or a stall with at least six inches of bedding, either shavings or several bales of scattered straw.

“This allows them to distribute the weight more, and it encourages them to lie down if their feet are really sore,” she said.

Next, ice the horse’s feet. Studies show that cryotherapy reduces pain and inflammation. This can be done by standing a horse in ice and water, using ice boots, packing crushed ice in a bag and securing it to the horse’s foot with bandage, or pulling pantyhose over the horse’s lower limb and filling it with ice. If you are fortunate to have a Game Ready system, this is an ideal use for it.

More importantly, icing can slow down the cascade of events.

“Any kind of damaged tissue tends to compound the damage by releasing more things that cause more damage, more inflammation,” Galantino-Homer said. “You’re slowing all that down. You’re slowing the metabolism of the white blood cells that have been activated by tissue damage going on. So you’re trying to slow all that down.”

Administering a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is the next measure but be sure to get your veterinarian’s approval first. The horse’s history, current medical condition, and potential cause of laminitis must all be factored into what the horse should receive.

“Veterinarians have preferences for what they use,” Galantino-Homer said. “For a horse owner in a first-aid situation, it would be whatever you have on hand—Bute, Banamine. It’s medical management for painkilling and inflammation, and it is going to depend on other clinical aspects. Such as a horse with colitis, you have to worry more about kidney damage. So they may manage pain differently.”

When your veterinarian arrives, he or she will examine the horse to determine the best course of treatment. This commonly includes tubing the horse with mineral oil and activated charcoal to protect the intestinal mucosa, particularly in the case of carbohydrate overload. When colitis is a threat, your veterinarian may recommend Bio-Sponge to combat bacterial overgrowth, Galantino-Homer said. Developed by the late Dr. Doug Herthel’s Platinum Performance laboratory, Bio-Sponge oral paste is an intestinal adsorbent that grabs onto damaging agents and carries them out of the horse’s body when it defecates.

Because laminitis is a complex disease and every horse is an individual, no set plan of treatment can be applied to every horse. Long term, expect the horse to require the care of a farrier knowledgeable about laminitis and therapeutic shoeing. Your veterinarian also may recommend management changes for the horse, including a nutritionist to modify the horse’s diet.

Judge Thomas A. Early, Jr. Passes Away After Brief Illness

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Thomas A. Early, Jr. passed away on October 30, 2018, after a month-long battle with illness. Born in New Orleans, LA. on June 10, 1931, he was the youngest of eight children.

Thomas graduated from Jesuit High School in 1950 where he was elected Student Body President. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in 1954 where he was elected President of the Student Body (President of the Yard). Following graduation, he served his country as a First Lieutenant in the 42nd Army Infantry Battalion and was stationed in Mainz, Germany from 1954-1956. After returning home, and while teaching English and coaching the Debate Team at Holy Cross High School, he obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola University School of Law. Thomas practiced law with the firm of Hooper, Schmidt, and Early. In 1962, he was elected as a Louisiana State Representative for the district encompassing the French Quarter, Treme, and Bayou St. John. In 1969, he was appointed by Governor John McKeithen to serve as a Judge on the bench at Civil District Court. Judge Thomas Early was then elected to the bench and served four terms. Throughout his life, he never lost an election.

Among Thomas’ passions were owning, breeding, and racing thoroughbred horses. He served on the LTBA Board of Directors from 1975-1980. He owned Triple E Farm in Covington. LA.

He was also an avid fan of all sports – especially baseball. He had a strong belief in and respect for learning and academics which he instilled and fostered in his children and grandchildren. His quick wit, sage advice, humor, and booming voice will be sorely missed by his family and all those he helped over the course of his life. He was a Champion for the Cause of all working people. Special thanks to Cathy Snee, Rosalind Carey, Tom Garic, and Dick Callais.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betty Franek Early; his parents, Thomas A. Early, Sr. and Rose Parillo Early; and six siblings, J. Michael Early (Leah), Clare Early Rosenmeier (Wilfred), J.D. Early (Marguerite), Margaret Early Durel (Homer), Rosemary Early Ward (Kenneth), and Patricia Early Sipos. He is survived by his three children, Amy Early Korte (Rick), Sean P. Early (Janie), and Erin Early Belleau (Chris); his sister, Jacqueline Early Garic (Bob); and his grandchildren, Ryan and Quinlan Early (Leslie), Charles, Weston, Austin, Kaily, and Holly Belleau, and Kami Korte.

An Opportunity for Students to Reach their Dreams of a Career in Equine Media through the AHP Student Award Contest

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Application Deadline Date is February 15, 2019

 

NOVEMBER 5, 2018- American Horse Publications knows all about students with a passion for horses and equine media. The AHP Student Award program, which began in 1993, was initiated to promote awareness to students of the career opportunities available in equine publishing. “AHP’s involvement with students is a rewarding experience for both the students and the association,” says AHP Executive Director Chris Brune. “Not only does it offer students a chance to learn about a career they may be passionate about, but it has also given equine media a long list of talented young people who are an asset to our industry.”

 

“Attracting young people with a passion for horses and media is important to sustain our industry,” continues Brune. “This year, AHP has increased the Travel Award to $1,000 and extended the application deadline date.” AHP will promote the Student Award to colleges throughout the U.S. and via its social media channels and member publications.

 

The 2019 AHP Student Award Contest recognizes the talents of students by awarding up to three $1,000 travel awards to attend the AHP Annual Equine Media Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 30 – June 1, 2019. Travel Award winners have an opportunity to meet leading equine media professionals and discuss career possibilities during the three days of educational sessions and related networking activities. One Travel Award winner will be selected at the conference as the 2019 Student Award winner and receive a cash award of $1,000.

 

If you know a student who could benefit from the AHP Student Award Contest, please encourage them to apply for this award.

 

2019 AHP Student Award applications and guidelines are available www.americanhorsepubs.org/student-award-contest/student-award-guidelines. Eligible applicants are required to send a completed application form plus additional information by February 15, 2019.

 

 

 

AHP offers other opportunities for students including Student membershipavailable to high school, college, and graduate students for annual dues of $25, and the AHP Internship Program, which offers college students an opportunity to intern at equine publishing media or businesses and gain valuable hands-on work experience.

 

 

For more information on American Horse Publications and its programs, visit www.americanhorsepubs.org or contact: Judy Lincoln AHP Student Program Coordinator, (386) 760-7743; E-mail: AHorsePubs2@aol.com.

 

Louisiana Bred Vibrance Runs 3rd in Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies

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Vibrance, a 2016 Louisiana Bred filly by Violence out of Dynaformer mare Block, made a valiant bid for the 2018 G1 Tito’s Handmade Vodka Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Churchill Downs, on Friday, November 2nd.

Vibrance, under the handling of J.R. Velazquez stalked the pace early while off the rail, was on the inside entering the lane while making a bid but weakened late in the stretch run for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Donna Daniell and Jim Daniell. From four starts, the Michael W. McCarthy trainee has one win, and placed in the G1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita, with $279,600 in earnings.

The filly was bred in Louisiana by Jason Hall and Bill Vanlandingham. Her sire Violence is the 2018 leading second crop sire in North America. Her dam Block, is a winning daughter of Dynaformer. She is a half sister to multiple graded winner in Peru, Lideris.

November Calendar of Events

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 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association would like to share the following list of dates of interest to Louisiana horsemen and women.

Brought to you by Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Whispering Oaks Farm, and Equine Sales Company. Click images to link to more information 

Nov 6

  • Election Day

 

Nov 11

  • Veterans Day

 

Nov 12

  • Veterans Day Observed

 

Nov 14

  • Final Louisiana Champions Day Nominations Deadline

 

Nov 15

  • Fair Grounds 147th Season Opens
  • Tom Benson Memorial Overnight Stakes, Fair Grounds, New Orleans

 

Nov 16

  • Louisiana Jewel, Delta Downs, Vinton
  • Treasure Chest Stakes, Delta Downs, Vinton
  • Mr. Sulu Overnight Stakes, Fair Grounds, New Orleans

 

Nov 17

  • Louisiana Legacy, Delta Downs, Vinton
  • Delta Mile, Delta Downs, Vinton

 

Nov 18

  • Happy Ticket Overnight Stakes, Fair Grounds, New Orleans

 

Nov 22

  • Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving Handicap, Fair Grounds, New Orleans

 

Nov 26

  • Stallion Registration Forms (covered in ‘18 for foals of ‘19) to mail from LTBA office

 

Nov 29

  • Louisiana Futurity Nomination Forms to mail from LTBA office

 

Nov 30

  • Fair Grounds Starlight Racing.

 

Dec 1

  • Clear Creek Stud, LLC Stallion Presentation

Would you like to sponsor a newsletter? Reach over 2,500 readers.

Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for cost and availability.

Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.comfor consideration.

 

Any questions or need more info call

Roger A. Heitzmann III, Secretary/Treasurer

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association

504-947-4676, 800-772-1195

2019 Thoroughbred Makeover Application Dates Announced

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Mark Your Calendars!

The 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will take place Oct. 2-5 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.

  • Updated rules will be published by Dec. 15, 2018.
  • Trainer applications will be available at www.TBMakeover.org by Dec. 15, 2018.
  • We will accept trainer applications from Dec. 15, 2018, through Jan. 15, 2019.
  • Trainer approvals will be announced Feb. 1, 2019.
  • Horse eligibility rules will remain unchanged from 2018: horses must have raced or had a published work on or after July 1, 2017, and must not have started training in a second career before Dec. 1, 2018.

Modernized IRS Rules Keep Millions in Bettors’ Hands

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NTRA looks back at first year since update on tax rules on withholding and reporting.

 

In the first year of operations under newly modernized U.S. Treasury and Intenal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, there was a $307 million reduction in the amount  of winning pari-mutuel wagers reported to the IRS using form W-2G, according to  statistics released today by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA).

This reduction in the amount of winning wagers reported was the result of a dramatic 89% decline in the number of winning tickets flagged for IRS reporting. The declines also led to a $35 million reduction in the amount withheld from bettors’ winnings. The new regulations, which took effect Sept. 28, 2017, recast the Treasury’s definition of the “amount of the wager” to include the entire amount wagered into a specific pari-mutuel pool by an individual rather than the prior IRS standard of using only the base amount of the winning wager.

Based on data provided by CHRIMS, which conducts settlements and other services for many of the nation’s pari-mutuel operators, individual racetracks, and the two largest U.S. totalizator companies–AmTote and United Tote–the NTRA estimates the following nationwide impacts over the first 12 months of operation under the new regulations (10/1/2017 – 9/30/2018 vs. 10/1/2016 – 9/30/2017):

•         The gross amount of winning wagers reported to the IRS on Form W-2G declined $307,700,000 (82%), from approximately $374,500,000 to about $66,800,000;
•         Federal taxes withheld from winning wagers and sent to the IRS declined $35,400,000 (82%), from $43,200,000 to $7,800,000; and
•         The actual number of IRS tickets flagged for W-2G reporting by the IRS declined nearly 89%, from approximately 235,100 tickets to only about 26,350 winning tickets.
From a percentage standpoint, the impacts were equally positive for horseplayers, pari-mutuel operators and horsemen across the country–regardless of the size of the racetrack market. The new regulations also provided positive impacts to advance deposit wagering (ADW) operators and their customers.

“The drastic reduction in the number of winning tickets requiring reporting and withholding is consequential in several ways,” said NTRA President and Chief Executive Officer, Alex Waldrop. “Under the old regulations, it was not uncommon for horseplayers to feel the thrill of ‘winning’ only to have their proceeds reported and/or withheld by the IRS. The old regulations were both unfair and a burden to all involved. A significant overreach by the IRS has been corrected thanks to fair-minded officials at the U.S. Treasury.”

There are numerous specific examples of events where the industry benefited from the new regulations.
On-track at the host venues of the Triple Crown races–Derby Day, Preakness Day and Belmont Stakes Day–the combined number of winning tickets required by the IRS to be reported on Form W-2G fell 96%, with the gross amount of winning wagers required to be reported falling by 87% and the amount of money withheld from pari-mutuel winnings falling 71%. It is likely that similar results were realized nationwide.

On-track impacts were most pronounced at Pimlico on Preakness Day, where the number of tickets requiring reporting fell 99% and the number of tickets requiring Federal withholding fell 100% because there were no winning tickets at Pimlico on Preakness Day that triggered Federal withholding.

On-track at the 40-day 2018 Saratoga Meeting, the number of winning tickets flagged for processing by the IRS fell 96%, the gross amount of winnings required to be reported fell 94% and the amount of money withheld from winning bettors fell 91%.

“The new regulations have been enormously beneficial to every sector of our business,” Waldrop continued. “They would never have transpired without the bipartisan support we received on Capitol Hill and the unwavering support of every segment of the horse racing industry, including thousands of customers who answered our call to action.  Best of all, we will continue to realize the positive impacts from these regulations for many years to come.”

For more than a decade, the NTRA and others promoted legislation to modernize pari-mutuel withholding and reporting. The industry argued that as pari-mutuel wagering increasingly shifts toward exotic bet types like Exactas, Trifectas and Pick 4s, more winning wagers are being reported and more winnings withheld, creating an unfair burden on bettors, pari-mutuel operators and state and federal governments.

Then in 2014, the NTRA developed a new strategy that relied on regulatory, not statutory relief from outdated regulations. Following the new strategy, the NTRA was able to convince the Treasury Department and the IRS to expand the definition of the phrase “amount of the wager” to include the total amount bet on a single ticket (or through an ADW) by an individual into a specific pari-mutuel pool. This one simple change in the Treasury regulations that took effect on September 28, 2017 has led to the significant benefits reported today.

Through September of this year, U.S. wagering has increased 3.95% ($336,724,709) overall while average wagering per race day has increased 7.67% ($180,231), according to statistics provided by Equibase.

 

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