Posts Tagged ‘delaware racing commission’
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
Citing an unusual number of horses that stumbled at the start of their races, the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission recently approved an emergency regulation regarding toe grabs on front shoes, increasing the maximum allowed in dirt races from two to four millimeters. The adoption of rules earlier this year (by the Delaware commission and most other racing commissions or by racetracks in the form of house rules) barring front toe grabs that exceed two millimeters was in line with model rules of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, eligibility guidelines for graded stakes from the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s American Graded Stakes Committee, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety and Integrity Alliance Code of Standards, and the recommendations of the Jockey Club Safety Committee on Shoes and Hoof Care.
Delaware Park received a safety accreditation in June from the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. It’s not known how the Delaware Racing Commission rule change affects that status.
The policy change, adopted June 23 and effective the following day, may not affect graded stakes at Delaware Park. According to John Wayne, the racing commission’s executive director, the policy change will not apply to American Graded Stakes. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, which oversees the American Graded Stakes program, set two new conditions for races to receive a grade in 2009: a ban on anabolic steroids and on front toe grabs exceeding two millimeters.
The regulations were based on studies tying increased incidence of catastrophic breakdowns and injuries to toe grabs. WinStar Farm co-owner Bill Casner, former chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, presented some of those statistics during a talk at the 2008 Jockey Club Round Table in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. , in which he said horses and jockeys may be at higher risk when front toe grabs were worn.
However, the Delaware commission reversed the regulation for the same reason. “The commission felt that the present regulations were putting jockeys in unnecessary danger,” said Wayne, who added that both the Delaware Jockeys Association and Jockeys’ Guild supported the change from two millimeters to four.
Immediately after the regulations on toe grabs went into effect in April, stewards at Delaware Park noticed an increase in the number of horses stumbling coming out of the starting gate and began to track the statistics at Wayne’s request. “They noticed two, three or four horses a day were stumbling, and riders were coming off horses." Wayne also said track maintenance crews and the starting gate crew tried different things to alleviate the increase in stumbles at the start, to no avail.
"Since we made the change (to four millimeters) last month," Wayne said, "the number of horses stumbling has fallen off the charts.” (Click here to see their report.)
The commission notified both the NTRA and Jockey Club of the change. TOBA officials contacted the commission on Monday seeking clarification.
“We didn’t make this decision hastily,” Wayne added.
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
Savvy businesses recognize value. Advertise in the Paulick Report.
Support the Paulick Report. Make a donation today.
Sign up for our Email Flashes to get the latest news, analysis and commentary from Ray Paulick
Tags: american graded stakes, Bill Casner, delaware park, delaware racing commission, jockey club safety committee, john wayne, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, NTRA, ntra safety and integrity alliance, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, safety and integrity alliance code of standards, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, TOBA, toe grabs
Posted in Horse Welfare, Industry Reform, Jockeys, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, TOBA, racing injuries | 16 Comments »
Friday, May 1st, 2009
By Ray Paulick
Officials in Delaware have ordered two horses owned by the Paragallo family be scratched from races at Delaware Park on Monday. The horses, Another Hades and Pink Viper, were entered the name of Nob Hill Stable after formerly racing for Paraneck Stable, the operation that is listed as being owned by Kristin and Jennifer Paragallo, daughter of Ernie Paragallo.
Paragallo was recently charged on 22 criminal counts of animal cruelty at his Center Brook Farm in upstate New York. As a result of the case, in which scores of horses were found malnourished, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board launched an investigation into the Paragallo family and the roles of the father and the two daughters in Paraneck. Paragallo had his owner’s license revoked in 2005 for financial irresponsibility, but he was allowed to be licensed as authorized agent for the stable. The New York Racing Association banned Paraneck horses from running at its tracks until a new authorized agent is approved, one who is not related to the Paragallos and has not worked prevoiusly for the operation. The Paulick Report reported Friday that Melville, N.Y., attorney Robert Savitsky has applied for a license as authorized agent to the newly formed Nob Hill Stable, but that application has not been approved by the SRWB.
Delaware Racing Commission executive director John Wayne confirmed the scratch of the two horses from Monday’s racing program but could not comment because the matter was still under review.
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
Support the Paulick Report. Make a donation today.
Visit the Paulick Report for all the latest news throughout the racing world.
Sign up for our Email Flashes to get the latest news, analysis and commentary from Ray Paulick
Tags: animal cruelty, another hades, center brook farm, delaware park, delaware racing commission, ernie paragallo, Horse Racing, jennifer paragallo, john wayne, kristin paragallo, nob hill stable, paragallo, paraneck, Paulick Report, pink viper, Ray Paulick
Posted in Horse Welfare, Regulatory Issues, ernie paragallo | 16 Comments »
Thursday, April 30th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
UPDATED FRIDAY, 3 P.M.
The two horses mentioned in the story below have been scratched. Click here for details.
Two horses that previously raced for the Paraneck Stable managed by Ernie Paragallo, who was recently charged with 22 criminal counts of animal cruelty at his Center Brook Farm in upstate New York, have been entered to race at Delaware Park on Monday under the name Nob Hill Stable.
Paragallo and Paraneck Stable are being investigated by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board (SRWB) and its horses are banned from racing at New York Racing Association tracks until a new authorized agent is named to run the stable. Paraneck is listed with the SRWB as being owned by Jennifer and Kristin Paragallo, Ernie Paragallo’s daughters. Paragallo had his owner’s license revoked by the SRWB in 2005 because of financial irresponsibility but he was allowed to retain a license as authorized agent to the stable. NYRA is insisting Paraneck retain a new agent who is not related to the Paragallos in any way or has been an employee of the operation. Paraneck has been a leading owner at New York tracks for more than a decade.
The Paulick Report has learned that Robert Savitsky, a Melville, N.Y., attorney, has applied with the SRWB to be the authorized agent for Nob Hill Stable.
John Wayne, executive director of the Delaware Racing Commission, said there is “100% reciprocity” in Delaware regarding the New York ban on Paraneck horses and said his office is currently investigating whether or not NYRA’s requirements have been met.
Wayne said he began looking into the matter Wednesday when he first saw the entries for Monday’s racing program at Delaware Park. The Nob Hill Stable name listed as owner of the two horses, Another Hades and Pink Viper, is spelled differently than the Knob Hill Stable founded by the late Steve Stavro of Canada. Kristin and Jennifer Paragallo are listed as owners of Nob Hill Stable. Paraneck’s private trainer, John P. Campo Jr., is listed as trainer. (Note: Daily Racing Form past performances spell the owner’s name Knob Hill Stable.)
“Before anyone would be permitted to race horses whose connections have had a previous problem," Wayne said, "the owner and trainer in their application would have to file a sworn statement saying that they have no connection with the former connections of the horse. Those statements have to be notarized and signed under a threat of perjury. Once that affidavit comes back to me, I’ll review it and have it looked at by an investigator.”
Wayne said it was his understanding that no new authorized agent has been approved for Paraneck in New York. “As far as I know, there’s an application filed with the (New York) wagering board and I don’t think that process has been completed.”
"An application has been filed which has not been acted on," SRWB spokesman Joseph Mahoney said, though he would not confirm Savitsky as the applicant. "It is being reviewed. We have a subpoena out for certain records involving the financial affairs of Mr. Paragallo, Center Brook Farm, and Paraneck Stable, trying to find out if he was the actual owner of the horses when he was only licensed as an authorized agent. We are also looking at questions involving what the daughters’ role has been with Paraneck. It is an intensive investigation. But we have certainly not acted on the application or approved it."
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
Support the Paulick Report. Make a donation today.
Visit the Paulick Report for all the latest news throughout the racing world.
Sign up for our Email Flashes to get the latest news, analysis and commentary from Ray Paulick
Tags: another hades, center brook farm, delaware park, delaware racing commission, ernie paragallo, jennifer paragallo, john campo, john wayne, knob hill stable, kristin paragallo, New York Racing Association, new york state racing and wagering board, nob hill stable, nyra, paraneck stable, pink viper, swrb
Posted in Horse Welfare, Regulatory Issues | 27 Comments »
|
|
