Trainer of the Year
Jimmy Nickerson
Driver of the Year
Bruce Ranger
Caretaker of the Year
Allison Pletcher
Horse of the Year
Pacer - Mansome
Trotter - Marquis Lafayette
Mare of the Year
Hilaria
Iron Horse
Massive Lightning
Rising Star
Pacer - Anvil Hands
Trotter - Billy B
Claimer of the Year
Beachchip Hanover
Senior Citizen
Denver Dolly
Lookinforadventure
Ubanji
Western Victory
We are pleased to report that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission unanimously approved to revise the percentage distribution from the RHDF to 92% for overnight purses, 75% for Breeders purses, and 50% for Health and Welfare Benefits.
Regarding overnight purses, 92% is allocated to the Standardbreds; 8% is allocated to the Thoroughbreds; the percentage distribution had been 70% to the Standardbreds and 30% to the Thoroughbreds.
Regarding the Massachusetts Breeders, 75% is allocated to the Standardbreds and 25% to the Thoroughbreds; the percentage distribution had been 70% to the Standardbreds and 30% to the Thoroughbreds.
Regarding Health and Pension, the distribution was voted to be split 50% each to the two breeds. It was previously 40% to the Standardbreds and 60% to the Thoroughbreds.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our representative, Peter Goldberg for the work done on receiving the favorable percentage and the efforts of the Directors of the HHANE and SOM for providing the data that supported our position that was provided to the Horse Racing Commission.
The Horseracing Integrity & Safety Act was signed into law. Here’s what every USTA member should know. – U.S. Trotting News
*HISA is scheduled to go into effect no later than July 1, 2022. The Federal Trade Commission will oversee a rule-making process that eventually will establish and approve the medication control and racetrack safety programs to be enforced by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (Authority). Letters have already gone out to Thoroughbred stakeholders asking recipients to suggest nominees for the Authority’s board of directors.
*The entity will be costly to the industry, but that price has yet to be determined. The new law stipulates that the Authority initially will be funded by loans taken out to fund its expenses, which will then be repaid by fees assessed to the state racing commissions. It is widely believed that a per-start surcharge will be implemented.
*The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is identified within the new law as the medication control enforcement body that will be the foundation of the Authority.
*The new law does not specifically mention harness racing, and, indeed, some proponents of the legislation frequently questioned why the USTA was opposing a measure that did not include Standardbreds. However, the law contains an opt-in provision for each state racing commission to elect to have additional breeds covered by the law, and the financial implications for state racing commissions, as expressed clearly in a September press release from the Association of Racing Commissioners International (https://www.arci.com/2020/09/federal-bill-may-incentivize-states-to-defund-anti-doping-and-medication-rule-enforcement/), are such that many commissions will have no choice except to bring Standardbred and Quarter Horse racing into the federal fold.
*The new law effectively removes medication control from the state racing commissions. The commissions will continue to perform all other traditional functions, including licensing and general oversight. State racing licenses will still be required for participants, and it is likely that a national license also will be required for owners, trainers, etc.
*The new law specifies that all race day medication, including Lasix, is to be phased out and ultimately prohibited. It does allow for a Lasix study to be performed, but for any changes to be implemented, the entire nine-person board of directors must unanimously agree that the following conditions are met:
1. That the modification is warranted.
2. That the modification is in the best interests of horse racing.
3. That furosemide has no performance enhancing effect on individual horses.
4. That public confidence in the integrity and safety of horse racing would not be adversely affected by the modification.
Given that all four conditions are subjective, rather than objective, and that all nine handpicked board members, rather than a majority, must be in agreement in order for the policy to be changed, it’s probably safe to say that Lasix will be off the table in any harness racing jurisdiction that opts into the Authority.
*In addition to medication control, use of the whip/crop also would be regulated by the Authority as it is considered a racetrack safety issue. Other matters under the racetrack safety umbrella likely will include track surface composition and conditioning, in addition to pre-race examination and testing.
There remains a long road ahead as the enactment of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act is contemplated. The USTA, under advisement from its attorneys, remains convinced that the new law is unconstitutional, and has grave concerns about its potential impact upon the harness racing industry. The Association continues to evaluate this issue and explore its options. Further developments will be reported as they occur.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved the recommendation by the Race Horse Committee to allocate the funds from the Race Horse Development Fund (RHDF) using the following formula.
Of the 80% of the RHDF allocated to purses, the Standardbreds will receive 70% and the Thoroughbreds 30%
Of the 16% of the RHDF allocated to breeders the Standardbreds will receive 70% and the Thoroughbreds 30%
Of the 4% of the RHDF allocated to Health and Welfare, the Standardbreds will receive 40% and the Thoroughbreds 60%
The change is effective as of August 27, 2020.
Previously, the allocation of the RHDF was split 65% to the Standardbreds and 35% for the Thoroughbreds for purses, breeders and health and welfare. The HHANE will continue to work to increase our allocation, in 2020 and beyond, especially in light of the fact that the Thoroughbreds will not race in Massachusetts in 2020
A must read as posted on the USTA website
Owners, trainers, drivers will pay for federal legislation if enacted
September 21, 2020, from the USTA Communications Dept.
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