Mike Ziegler, who has been the head of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety and Integrity Alliance since its formation in 2009, has been hired for the newly created position of executive director of racing at Churchill Downs Inc., the company announced on Friday.
An incentive program designed to entice owners to acquire horses from other states or countries and race in Southern California is being expanded from two race meetings at Del Mar to the entire circuit in April, the California Horse Racing Board was told on Thursday.
Phil Hanrahan is stepping down from his position as chief executive officer of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association in mid-February, the organization said on Wednesday.
Delaware Park will race 81 days as part of a 2015 schedule approved Wednesday by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission. The track will open its 78th season May 16 and race through Oct. 17.
New York’s Gaming Facility Location Board said late Tuesday it would comply with a request from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reopen bidding for a casino site in the so-called “Southern Tier,” an area near the state’s border with Pennsylvania.
A Republican candidate for this year’s gubernatorial election in Kentucky formally entered the race Tuesday with a promise to push for the legalization of casino gambling in the state.
A bipartisan group of Kentucky lawmakers has introduced a bill to the state legislature granting the Breeders’ Cup a tax break during the two-day event scheduled for Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland in Lexington this year.
As a part of the Eclipse Awards festivities and to salute horseplayers throughout North America, Jose Arias, of Bell Gardens, Calif., will be recognized as the winner of the $750,000 first-place prize, an Eclipse Award, and the title of 2014 DRF/NTRA Handicapper of the Year for capturing the 15th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship last January at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Makari, a finalist for the steeplechase Eclipse Award, made just two American starts in 2014. He won the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial at Saratoga on July 31 by throwing his nose down on the line to defeat fellow finalist Demonstrative in a photo. Twenty-five days later, in the midst of a similar rally on the same turf course, he fell at the final fence of the Grade 1 New York Turf Writers Cup and died.
