NTRA

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor issued a joint temporary final rule published Tuesday in the Federal Register that offers 22,000 additional H-2B visas to employers for the second half of the federal fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, 2021. The visas, used by employers such as racehorse trainers seeking seasonal guest workers, are capped at 66,000 annually, with an even split of 33,000 available for each half of the federal government's fiscal year. Six thousand of these supplemental visas will be reserved for nationals of...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory (RSTL) will launch a joint initiative offering a Racecourse Manager Certification from the University of Kentucky. The initial three-course program, entitled "Turfgrass as an Equine Sports Surface," is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. Free online classes will begin June 7 and will be archived. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a...

Edited Press Release The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) 2020 Legislative Action Campaign (LAC) Annual Report is now available on the association's website and can be downloaded here. The report reviews the NTRA's federal legislative activities in 2020 and the fundraising programs that support them. Specifically, the report includes:   A federal legislative summary of issues that are important to horse racing and breeding, including the latest on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, Sports Betting, Three-year Racehorse Depreciation, Immigration and other legislation;   A list of 2020 contributors to...

The NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance (Alliance) is resuming on-track accreditation visits after an eight-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal regulations following the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) note that the new Authority may extend provisional or interim accreditation to a racetrack accredited by the Alliance. "Racetracks across the nation are gradually beginning to welcome back customers and participants, so it is time to begin the process of re-accrediting many of the 21 racetracks currently accredited by the Alliance," said NTRA President and CEO...

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor have agreed to offer 22,000 additional H-2B visas to employers for the second half of the federal fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. These visas are used by employers, such as racehorse trainers, who seek seasonal guest workers. They are capped at 66,000 annually, with an even split of 33,000 available for each half of the federal government's fiscal year. The additional visas will be made available later this spring or early summer via a temporary final...

There's plenty to talk about in racing these days, and NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning to dig into a good deal of the sport's most pressing topics. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Waldrop talked about how to capitalize and sustain the positive handle trends of the past year, how to pay for the groundbreaking Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, what movement he expects on H-2B visas with a new administration and more. "Looking back...

NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to talk on positive handle trends, H-2B visas, paying for HISA and more.

For years a top player on the National Horseplayers' Championship (NHC) tour, Sally Goodall claimed her first NHC title in 2020, earning 22,330 points to just edge Dylan Donnelly. Goodall's early-season surge--she had secured two spots in the NHC by March--and consistency throughout 2020 saw her outfinish Donnelly, a five-time contest winner, by just 54 points. Goodall's husband Richard won the NHC title in 2008 and was inducted to the NHC Hall of Fame last February. The couple freely admits that they schedule their year around the NHC, held annually...

Eleven of the most memorable events from the last 12 months of Thoroughbred racing are up for the 2020 FanDuel Racing NTRA Moment of the Year, which is determined by fan voting and recognized at the upcoming Eclipse Awards. To vote or to view the complete listing of eligible moments, visit the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) website https://www.ntra.com/2020-moment-of-the-year/. Voting can also be executed via Twitter, where every retweet or use of the official hashtag for the moments as presented on the @NTRA account will be counted as one vote....

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Protequus, the company behind the NIGHTWATCH smart halter, are teaming up for a holiday promotion benefitting the Retired Racehorse Project. Now through Dec. 31, members of NTRA and approved affiliates will receive a 25% discount on their purchase of a NIGHTWATCH smart halter with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the RRP. The NIGHTWATCH smart halter is an equine distress and wellness monitor that promotes early referral and intervention among horse owners while fostering more informed decision making by veterinarians and trainers through noninvasive...

The Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) and the University of Louisville have announced a 16-hour continuing education course to be held live online Monday, Dec. 14 and Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Both sessions begin at 8:00 a.m. ET and finish each day at 5:00 p.m. ET. Speakers during the live online sessions include: Alex Waldrop - CEO and President of the NTRA; Dr. Will Farmer - Churchill Downs Equine Medical Director; Barbara Borden - Chief State Steward, Kentucky Racing Commission; Hugh Gallaher - Safety Steward, NYRA; et al. Registration is...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) has rescheduled the upcoming 2021 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), originally slated for Feb. 12-14, to Aug. 27-29 due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19. The NHC, a culmination of a year-long series of tournaments of which the winner is honored at the Eclipse Awards, will be held at Bally's Las Vegas. "With the support of our partners at Bally's and Caesars Entertainment, we have secured dates that provide us with a great opportunity to host a world-class event in the safest possible environment for...