Speaking before the California Horse Racing Board at the November 22 lone meeting, representatives of major California industry players announced the launch of the California Horse Power Coalition.
The coalition is a partnership of thoroughbred associations whose mission, according to its website, “is to preserve and protect California’s vibrant equestrian culture by bringing together equine industry leaders, workers, families and fans of the sport and illustrating its significant benefits”. Coalition members include Del Mar, Santa Anita ParkCalifornia Thoroughbred owners and many other state groups.
Representatives of these stakeholders provided an overview of the coalition’s objectives without elaborating on specific plans.
In their remarks to the CHRB, Jordyn Egan, Executive Director of TOC, and Amy Zimmerman, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer of Santa Anita, highlighted how star horses, as likely Horse of the Year line of flight attract large audiences and flagship events such as the Breeders’ Cup bring in money for tourists and invigorate enthusiasm for the sport.
Santa Anita is hosting the 2023 Breeders’ Cup, marking the 10th time in 16 years the event has been held in California, Zimmerman said.
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The coalition’s supportive comments were echoed by follow-up statements from Cliff Goodrich, executive director of the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation; Dr. Casille Batten, trail veterinarian at Golden Gate Fields; and Natasha Clawson of the California Retirement Management Account.
Later during the CHRB meeting, the four commissioners present approved two-year licenses for early deposit betting platforms while stressing a requirement that within a few years all ADW providers should have the capability. to offer alternative betting options when a horse is scratched in certain multi-breed exotic bets.
Commissioners also unanimously supported entering into a voluntary implementation agreement with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, even after the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled the enabling statute unconstitutional in a decision of November 18. That court ruling will be challenged, according to HISA, and the earliest that ruling could go into effect is Jan. 10, after HISA’s anti-doping and medication control program begins on Jan. 1.
CHRB staff counsel Amanda Brown has suggested the case could be delayed and potentially go to the Supreme Court if the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rules in favor of HISA in another case. course in the court system.
“What’s the downside if we approve the voluntary agreement and HISA goes down? Is there a downside for us?” CHRB President Dr. Greg Ferraro asked Brown.
“No, the deal would be void and we would have nothing to enforce. We would revert to our pre-HISA California rules,” Brown said.
Cynthia Alameda, deputy executive director of CHRB, added that the regulator would stop fundraising if HISA was eventually declared unconstitutional, although she speculated that fees paid for HISA’s first six months for funding startup would probably not be recovered.
Later in his report, Equine Medical Director Dr. Jeff Blea said the biggest change to the medication rules for California participants is the use of HISA detection times versus the practice of long-standing use of thresholds.
“So I’m going to recommend that people delay their drug administrations further,” Blea said.
The CHRB also introduced a motion, clarifying its rules to state that using or possessing compound drugs is not a violation of CHRB rules if done in an approved manner. This decision stemmed from the California Veterinary Medical Board interpreting CHRB differently from CHRB and filing charges against several equine veterinarians for prescribing such drugs.