owners

A proposal floated by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey (TBA) that would have significantly cut the cash awards the organization pays to the state's horse breeders and owners failed to gain approval at Wednesday's New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC) meeting. The measure, which was accompanied by the disclosure that the TBA has been unable to pay out $200,000 that is still due to breeders and owners who earned incentives at the 2025 Monmouth Park meet, got tabled until the July NJRC meeting by a 3-0 vote. The money...

As the global racing industry returns to its respective corners following the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the same drum is beating once again: "Regulatory vets are terrible. They have too much power. My horse is sound--we imaged them, we've had no issues, and we wouldn't send them if they weren't 100%." The truth is, all of those statements can be true at the same time--and often are. Whether you're a casual fan, a critic, or a lifelong racing supporter, you could easily walk away from this spectacular week thinking that...

The list of former breeders, owners, trainers, stallion farms and other connections participating in the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) Makeover Champions, an initiative to encourage more public support of Thoroughbreds in careers beyond racing via the Thoroughbred Makeover, was unveiled Wednesday morning. Makeover Champions have pledged to share updates about their former connected horses that are participating in next week's Thoroughbred Makeover, the largest and most lucrative retraining competition in North America for recently-retired racehorses and former broodmares. Additionally, many participating Champions will attend the event in person to connect...

Although he was the only guest from the Thoroughbred industry to be invited to speak on a panel largely comprised of and aimed at mental health professionals, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith spoke eloquently and poignantly Friday while offering perspectives tinged with gratefulness and optimism regarding how the racing industry has recently stepped up its suicide prevention and wellness initiatives. Smith appeared via videoconference from his home in California during a Sept. 26 session titled "Stigma and Suicide: Breaking the Silence to Save Lives" that was hosted in-person and...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Daniel Harvey was suspended five days and fined $500 for a caffeine overage determined to have come from contaminated feed supplements. The Harvey-trained Leopardi, who finished second at Tampa Bay on April 16, subsequently tested positive for caffeine, a Class...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is rolling out a participation incentive program for owner and trainers during the five-day 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course in early June, the track said in a release on Friday. Owners will be eligible for a starter bonus for horses finishing fourth through last with $1,500 awarded for stakes starters and $1,000 awarded to owners of starters in overnight races. Trainers whose horses start in stakes races that week will receive a $750 bonus, while a $500 bonus will be...

The Bloodstock PA, a new, remote full racing and breeding secretarial service, was launched by Holly Roeder on Oct. 1. This service, which will handle the paperwork associated with all racing and bloodstock ownership, BHA registrations with Weatherbys, including VAT and banking, plus keeping on top of all bloodstock records, is intended to assist owners and bloodstock agents. Roeder will continue as racing secretary to Sean Woods Racing, and will be available through The Bloodstock PA in the afternoons and evenings and strictly after 2:30 p.m. on weekdays. To learn...

Edited Press Release The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is now accepting new applications for experienced industry experts to join HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group. The Advisory Group was formed by HISA in 2022 to provide formal feedback to HISA's executive team and standing committees on the implementation and evolution of its Racetrack Safety and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) regulations. The Advisory Group has been responsible for recommending a number of substantive modifications to the HISA Rules that were ultimately approved by the HISA Board. Now that 18 months...

The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will have a nearly $6,000,000 stakes schedule this year the LTBA announced Tuesday. Offered over 67 stakes races, of which 33 will offer a purse of over $100,000, the purses are part of a continuing program to support accredited Louisiana-breds along with incentives for breeders and stallion owners. "We are proud to offer a dynamic stakes program that provides a year-round schedule for Accredited Louisiana breds," said LTBA secretary-treasurer Roger Heitzmann III. "Our owners and trainers have found this to be a tremendous benefit, and...

Horse Racing Ireland chief Suzanne Eade says the figures posted in 2023 in relation to on-course betting, commercial sponsorship and public auction bloodstock sales points to a solid year for the industry as a whole in Ireland.  However, in the full-year statistics released by HRI on Thursday, it showed that the total number of active owners in Ireland has fallen by 1.2% to 4,698 and racecourse attendance figures have also dipped compared to the numbers posted in 2022.  Total on-course betting, including Tote, rose to €80.5m in 2023, an increase...

Mike Repole, who announced last weekend on CNBC's Spinster Stakes program that he was interested in forming an owners' association to address problems in the sport, issued an update on his progress Thursday night on the social media platform X. The update reads, in its entirety: "I am amazed and motivated at the overwhelming support that the new Association has received!!!!! I have a name for the association that is are awaiting final approval. Not only have so many people reached out for our cause to make the horse racing...

Seminars, horse demonstrations, stallion viewings, prize giveaways and networking opportunities headline an ambitious agenda for the 2023 Autumn Equine Fair at Milky Way Farm in Temecula, California from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14. Participation in the event is free for current and prospective horse owners and breeders. Sponsored by the California Thoroughbred Farm Managers Association and California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the event will feature several 20-minute sessions led by professional speakers on a wide variety of topics, including horse health, feeding and nutrition, broodmare care, foal...