Mark Simendinger

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance elected new officers and five new directors at its meeting on Dec. 16. Beginning January 1, 2025, Walter S. Robertson, Jr. will assume the role as President of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Robertson, a member of the law firm Stites & Harbison, PLLC, has been involved with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance since 2018. Robertson's legal practice focuses on equine law, commercial finance, corporate finance and securities, corporate general services, and mergers and acquisitions. In addition to his legal career, he has experience in multiple breeds of the equine industry...

The penalty structure for the new slate of restrictive whipping regulations passed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) back on June 16 appears to be on its way to an overhaul after the KHRC Rules Committee unanimously voted Sept. 29 to present a "days instead of dollars" system to the full board for reconsideration. In essence, a series of escalating disciplinary actions will replace the suspension-plus-fine system that was originally based on a percentage of the purse being taken away from  riders who violate the "six underhanded strikes per...

Kentucky became the second major racing jurisdiction in five days to vote in more humane whipping rules of racehorses. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) unanimously approved a new slate of whip regulations at its monthly teleconference meeting on Tuesday. The California Horse Racing Board had voted in more restrictive whip rules June 11. A key aspect of the new KHRC rules includes a limit of six underhanded strikes per race with only two of those strikes allowed in succession before a horse has time to respond, just like in...