Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Racing Commission has adopted a new set of rules regarding the medication Lasix, which will soon be banned in all 2-year-old races and graded stakes. The rules, which were approved at a regularly scheduled commission meeting Tuesday, will go into effect June 1. There are seven graded stakes races set to be run this year at Parx, including the GI Pennsylvania Derby and the GI Cotillion S. "I thought that it was obvious that this was the right way to go because Lasix gets abused badly," said Racing...

Edited press release Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to the health and welfare of Thoroughbreds, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) announced its endorsement of the John Stringer Rainey Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act, named for the late South Carolina philanthropist and former director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), is legislation that would permanently end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in the United States and abroad. It also amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code by making it illegal to "possess, ship,...

Pennsylvania casinos have been greenlighted to reopen as of Monday, Jan. 4, rekindling revenue streams that fund Thoroughbred purses in the state. Governor Tom Wolf announced Dec. 30 that because COVID-19 mitigation efforts have been working to tamp down the spread of the pandemic, he will allow more stringent safety restrictions that went into effect Dec. 12 to expire as planned. But that doesn't mean a full-blown opening for the 13 casinos in the state: Mitigation efforts will roll back to what they were on Dec. 11, which still caps...

MGSP Tight Ten (Tapit--Devils Humor, by Distorted Humor) will stand at Mountain Springs Farm in Pennsylvania. He will have an introductory fee of $2,500 live foal and additional mares can be bred for $2,000 each. A lifetime breeding right to Tight Ten will be awarded to breeders after booking four mares. A debut winner at Churchill as a juvenile, the Winchell homebred was second in both the 2018 GII Saratoga Special S. and GIII Iroquois S. for trainer Steve Asmussen. He retires with a record of 14-2-3-1 and earnings of...

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders distributed $41,625 in breeder grants ranging from $375 to $1500 this week to help needy members with feed and veterinary bills, according to their executive secretary, Brian Sanfratello. "Prominent breeders like Chuck Zacney and Glenn Bennett stepped up to the plate with generous donations to the cause," said Sanfratello in an email release. "Chuck and Glenn remarked that they have been very blessed and wanted to share that with those in need. Their donations, along with matching funds from the PHBA, made the grant program possible."...

The Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (PHBPA) has agreed in principle with the management of Penn National to resume spectator-free racing at the track prior to the opening of Hollywood Casino if Governor Tom Wolf gives approval. "When racing resumes, our board is committed to maintaining the same daily purse structure," Todd Mostoller, the PHBPA's executive director, wrote in a one-page memo to members issued Wednesday afternoon. "The number of days raced will be adjusted as needed." Mostoller added that he has received assurance from the governor's office that...

Addressing the plight of the state's racetracks on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf laid out a difficult path that must be followed before the state's three Thoroughbred tracks can start running again. As is the case with many governors, Wolf has put forth a plan that calls for the state to reopen in stages, in Pennsylvania's case red, yellow and green phases. While horsemen have advocated that racing, without spectators, should be among the first businesses in the state to reopen, Wolf said the tracks cannot resume racing until their...

from Katie DeCanzio I am writing with urgency asking for help by bringing attention to a crisis we are currently experiencing in Pennsylvania regarding the horse racing industry. As a result of Gov. Tom Wolf's lockdown orders in response to Covid-19 our industry is on the verge of collapse. Horse racing in Pennsylvania generates revenues solely through gaming activities.Horse racing creates 23,000 jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity within our state. Unlike other businesses, horse racing cannot simply shut its doors as a result of a lockdown order.There...

After suffering every horseman's nightmare, a barn fire that claimed the lives of 15 horses, Clovis Crane, who consigns 2-year-olds as Crane Thoroughbreds, is looking towards the future and feeling extremely humbled by the support of the Thoroughbred industry. "I can't tell you how humbled I am," Crane said. "This has been an unbelievable time in my life. Prior to the fire, we were rolling along and were on cruise control, training and getting ready. In the blink of an eye, everything was turned upside down." Crane was able to...

The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation, a Pennsylvania-based non-profit group dedicated to the support of local, regional, and national organizations  promoting education and research to benefit the Thoroughbred, has unveiled a new website at www.terfusa.org. The new website includes 2020 grant application materials. TERF will consider grant applications which focus on Equine Education, Equine Research, Veterinary Medicine Scholarships and the proper care of horses. Applications for grants are due Apr. 1. The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation's mission is to support Thoroughbred health and welfare by funding scholarships, educational programs,...

Governor Tom Wolf's expected to visit Lock Haven University Wednesday to tout his college tuition plan prompted Pennsylvanians to speak out about the negative impact his plan--which would divert money from Pennsylvania agriculture--would have on jobs and the agricultural industry. Supporters of Pennsylvania agriculture argue Wolf's plan for funding the new initiative would result in the end of horse breeding and racing, put more than 20,000 state residents out of work and it would jeopardize hundreds of thousands of acres of open space, thereby eliminating an industry that has a...

Pennsylvania's Governor Wolf hosts a radio show in which he answers questions from his constituency. I sent the following question, which he failed to address. "Dear Governor Wolf, Have you thought about the potential ramifications of your proposal to raid the protected horse racing and breeding fund that you signed into law back in 2017? If so, how do you explain the loss of 20,000 jobs and an industry that has a $1.6-billion economic impact and contributes $68 million in taxes annually? Thank You." I would like everyone who loves...