Jeff Hall–Ellis Park's popular director of racing operations who began his more than 50 years at the track by parking cars as a teenager–passed away Saturday morning at University of Louisville Health-Jewish Hospital. He was 75. A lifelong resident of Henderson, Hall was known for his strong local connections in the Tri-State region, his deep [...]

SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas — The head trainer is the guy who prepared 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra to be a racehorse. He and his two assistant trainers combine for more than 100 years of experience and the development of more than 300 stakes horses. Yearlings and weanlings romp in undulating pastures. Two-year-olds learning [...]

HOT SPRINGS, AR–The chronic shortage of backstretch workers is as critical as an issue facing horse racing as the need for medication reform and finding homes for retired racehorses. That's the view of Remi Bellocq, the Bluegrass Community and Technical College's executive director for equine studies. Bellocq moderated a panel on employee development Friday morning [...]

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.–Dave Basler sees betting on table tennis in Asia and envisions it being replaced with horse racing in America's burgeoning sports books. “We can fill that void a lot of times during the day so that they don't have to play table tennis from China or cricket from Australia–things that people have no [...]

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.–The National HBPA's National Conference at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort kicked off Wednesday morning with a panel on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act entitled “HISA: Where are we now?” It was a question largely answered with more questions, as has been the case with much of the dialogue about HISA since the [...]

A funny thing happened on Chester Thomas's way to downsizing his large racing stable and equine operation: The Hanson, Ky., entrepreneur became a first-time stallion owner, with five-time Grade III winner and Grade I-placed Mr. Money (Goldencents–Plenty O'Toole, by Tiznow) in his first year at stud at Journeyman Stud in Ocala, Fla. So while Thomas [...]

LOUISVILLE, Ky.–Larry Melancon might not have been the top jockey at Churchill Downs during his long career, though he ranks among the winningest riders at the historic Louisville track even a decade after his retirement. But no Churchill Downs jockey can match the resilience and longevity of Melancon, whose tenure of riding full-time under the [...]

CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla.–Eric Hamelback, chief executive officer of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, is developing a concept he believes would help stewards navigate the increasingly complex world when highly sophisticated testing collides with environmental contamination and the inadvertent transfer of matter to racehorses. Speaking Friday on the last day of programming at the [...]

CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla.–The theme of improving horse racing through greater sharing of data and revved-up analytics continued into Thursday's second day of programming at the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association's annual convention at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort. Dr. Steven Vickner, an associate professor in the University of Louisville College of Business's equine industry [...]

CLEARWATER BEACH, FL.–Giving up to get more was a major theme of two panels Wednesday at the National HBPA Convention's first day of horse-racing industry discussion and presentations at the Sheraton Sand Key. The takeaway: more statistical information, including past performances for upcoming race cards, should be provided free or at a radically reduced price [...]

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Horse racing must make better use of technology to create new betting products and experiences or it will be left behind other sports and entertainment industries. That was the message of Friday's technology session on closing day of the Association of Racing Commissioners International's 84th annual Conference on Equine Welfare and [...]

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.–Three perspectives on how to achieve North American uniformity of Thoroughbred racing regulations were presented on Thursday's second day of the Association of Racing Commissioners International's 84th annual conference on Equine Welfare and Racing Integrity. James Gagliano, president of The Jockey Club, batted leadoff and pushed for a proposed federal bill that would [...]