Robert L. “Bob” Bork, who served for nearly 40 years as a racing executive at various tracks across the United States, died early Friday at his home in Houston following years of declining health. He was 83.

A state bill prohibiting the slaughter of racehorses passed the New York Assembly early on Thursday morning and has been sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The University of Louisville’s Equine Industry Program will begin to offer an online course load providing a “horse racing industry business certificate” in the upcoming fall semester, the program announced Tuesday.

The certificate program includes six courses offering a total of nine credit hours, at a cost of $800 for each credit hour, according to information about the program on the EIP’s website. The EIP said the program is designed “for current and aspiring industry professionals focused on building successful careers in the horse racing industry.”

Sal Sinatra, the longtime mid-Atlantic racing executive, has been hired as president of Equibase, the data company that is owned by a consortium of racetracks and The Jockey Club, the company announced Monday.

Sinatra, who is currently president and general manager of Laurel Park and Pimlico Racecourse in Maryland, two tracks owned by 1/ST, will succeed Jason Wilson, who resigned in March to take a position as chief operating officer for a division of 1/ST.

Snowfall emerged from the back of a field of 14 to win Friday’s Group 1 English Oaks at Epsom Racecourse by a record 16 lengths on a rainy day, continuing her ascension in the European 3-year-old filly division.

Snowfall, who paid $12.80 in American pools, was ridden by Frankie Dettori, who positioned the filly closer to the front at the bottom of Epsom’s uphill finish. With the field migrating to the outside rail, instead of the conventional path on the inside, Snowfall took the lead with more than a furlong remaining and was quickly clear.

Total wagering on U.S. races held in May this year was up 8.8 percent compared to the same month in 2019, prior to the pandemic disruptions, even as the total number of races held in the month dropped 11.6 percent compared to May of 2019, according to figures distributed by Equibase on Friday.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the new oversight agency established late last year by federal legislation, expects to be “up and running” in July 2022, its effective date, despite threats of delays from lawsuits and the “steep climb” presented by the work in front of it, the newly elected chairman of the authority said on Wednesday.

Board members of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority have elected Charles Scheeler, a retired attorney who once led an investigation into performance-enhancing substances in Major League Baseball, as chairman, according to the organization.

Scheeler was elected as chair of the nine-member board at the authority’s first board meeting on Thursday. The members of the authority’s board and its two standing committees were announced two weeks ago.

At Witz End has not raced since January, and has not won since August.

But the venue and distance of his most recent victory gives At Witz End a sneaky chance to end a five-race losing streak in a seven-furlong handicap at Casino Racecourse in the state of New South Wales in Australia on Friday.

At Witz End won a seven-furlong handicap at Casino in August, stalking the pace before winning by two-thirds of a length over Exclusive. Those two reversed the result in their following start, in a seven-furlong handicap at Murwillumbah Racecourse two weeks later.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two allies of the horse-racing industry have been appointed the co-chairs of a Kentucky legislative committee that will examine the amount of taxes that racetracks pay to the state from gambling devices known as historical horse-racing machines.