racing

The rate of fatal injuries in 2022 was 1.25 horses per 1,000 starts, a 10.1% decrease from 2021 when there were 1.39 fatalities per 1,000 starts according to figures compiled by the Equine Injury Database (EID) and released Monday by The Jockey Club (TJC). It was the lowest number since the EID began covering the fatality rate in 2009, when the figure was 2.00 horses per 1,000 starts. "The data shows that since 2009, the risk of fatal injury during racing has declined by 37.5%, which is statistically significant," said...

Due to ongoing inclement weather, Santa Anita has cancelled their Friday race card. Track officials said racing will continue as scheduled on Saturday and Sunday. Santa Anita will add a race day next week to make up for the cancellation. The track remains open for simulcasting on Friday.

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 143 entries for its December Digital Selected Sale, which may now be viewed at digital.fasigtipton.com. Bidding is open as of Thursday, Dec. 8 at 12 p.m. ET and closes Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. ET. The catalogue features selected horses of racing age, breeding stock, weanlings, and yearlings. There are offerings located throughout the United States, including California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. "We have put together a very exciting catalogue for this inaugural December Digital auction," said Leif Aaron,...

Citing an inability to support three days of racing per week, Hawthorne Race Course asked for and received permission from the Illinois Racing Board (IRB) to drop the remaining five Sundays from its current Thoroughbred meet that runs through June 25. This is the first season in recent Illinois history with the scheduled-to-be-sold Arlington International Racecourse not running a summer meet, which has led to a thinned horse population this spring at Hawthorne. The Hawthorne season started Apr. 2 with just Saturday and Sunday racing. Fridays were added May 6,...

Colonial Downs will offer a record of more than $600,000 in daily average purses and an expanded stakes schedule for the upcoming 2022 meet, starting July 11. The meet has six extra race days this year. The stakes schedule is highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Virginia Derby and $200,000 Virginia Oaks Sept. 6. Maiden special weight races during the meeting will carry a $60,000 purse. As a bonus, once again, all owners will be guaranteed $1,000 per start or their share of the purse money, and all trainers will receive...

Jean-Claude Rouget is not prone to hyperbole so, when the decorated French handler compared the unexposed Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) to his only G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) earlier this week, some people did a double take. Not Benoit Jeffroy, who manages Haras de Bouquetot on behalf of the Al Shaqab operation. Jeffroy has long been aware of the standing in which the multiple Classic-winning trainer has held Al Hakeem and, when the colt won the Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly on...

A deal has been struck for globetrotting star State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}--Repose by Quiet American), who added to his truly unique record of Group 1 triumphs when battling to Prix Ganay glory at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, to stand at Rathbarry Stud once his racing days are finished. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, State Of Rest won the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. before beating the best of the Australians in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last season. His reappearance win at ParisLongchamp hardened his reputation as one...

In ages past horseracing was accepted as a part of global culture. Initially a pastime of the aristocratic, the invention of syndicates gave opportunity for working people to become a part of the sport. This was a goal that many strove towards and achieved during the twentieth century. The practices within the mystical realm of racing were not questioned; it simply was not done. The dawn of a new millennium has seen society change, animals have been humanised and a group within society now question our practices and the morality...

Key French racing industry stakeholders under both codes, trotting and the Thoroughbred industry attended a forum at ParisLongchamp on Mar. 15. The goal of the forum, organised by the French racing school, the AFASEC, in association with the governing bodies, France Galop and LeTROT and supported by Together for Racing International, was to unite the key stakeholders to share a day rich in reflection, exchange, and solutions in response to the stud and stable staff crisis within the French racing industry. Nearly 70 participants took part including, industry professionals; trainers,...

With Friday's weather forecast calling for a 90% chance of rain in Arcadia, Santa Anita Park, in consultation with the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the CHRB, will shift Friday's eight-race program to Monday, Mar. 7 with first post time at 12:30 p.m. Accordingly, there will be no re-draw, with Monday's program now scheduled as an exact replica of what had been planned for Friday.

A two-phase fix to the allegedly unsafe new lighting system at Delta Downs is underway that could allow the Louisiana track to switch back from afternoon programs to traditional weekend night cards by Nov. 12. The recently installed light-emitting diode (LED) system, which was necessitated by the old lights getting wrecked by a hurricane in August 2020, was only operational for three races on the first night program of the season Oct. 15 before a horse fell at the top of the stretch. Fueled by complaints from some jockeys and...

NBC and NYRA TV Host Laffit Pincay III joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to talk on the upcoming Breeders' Cup Championships and his early racing memories.