Wayne Potts, the trainer who was banned by Maryland track operators in late August, is being allowed to start two horses at Laurel Park that are under restrictions prohibiting the horses from running anywhere but at tracks within the state, according to the track’s president.
Two individuals who were indicted in March along with 25 other persons connected to Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing have entered a single guilty plea each on a charge related to manufacturing and distributing illegal substances to racehorses, according to prosecutors.
The federal bill putting in place a national regulatory body for Thoroughbred racing is considered a near certainty for passage later this year, generating timely questions about how the body will function and deliver on its promise of improving the industry's drug-testing abilities and the safety of its athletes.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the powerful Senate majority leader from Kentucky, has introduced a bill creating federal government regulation over a national racing board that would be responsible for setting drug-testing policies and standards for the sport.
Is the Kentucky Derby the Kentucky Derby if it is run four months after the first Saturday in May? Handle and viewership numbers would say no.
The Kentucky Derby broadcast on NBC-TV on Saturday peaked at 9.8 million viewers, a steep fall from the viewership for last year’s broadcast when the race was held in May.
Total handle on a Kentucky Derby run four months after the first Saturday of May dropped just more than 50 percent this year, underlining the importance of the race’s longtime spot on the calendar.
Federal authorities have charged a New York man of stealing equine pharmaceutical products from his workplace and reselling them to veterinarians and trainers.
Total wagering on U.S. races in August dopped by nearly 2 percent compared to the same month last year on a 10 percent drop in races held, according to figures released by Equibase on Friday.
Casinos in New York will be allowed to open at limited capacity starting Wednesday, according to a directive issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday, resurrecting an essential lifeline for purses and for operating funds for New York racetracks.
