national horsemen’s benevolent and protective association

The National HBPA has canceled its annual convention scheduled for March 24-28 in Hot Springs, AK, another casualty of the COVID-19 outbreak and the need for America to eliminate crowds of any size. “We are saddened to have to call off our conference,” said Eric Hamelback, chief executive officer of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & […]

Former Indiana horse racing regulator Joe Gorajec criticizes the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association as being “tone deaf” for its recent “PUBLIC LETTER on Stance to NOT Eliminate the Choice to Administer Lasix on Raceday” distributed recently to the media and published at Paulick Report. The NHBPA letter includes the statement research “proves” that, […]

It began with a media death watch during a cold and wet winter at Santa Anita Park. As the number of racing and training fatalities increased at the Arcadia, Calif., track (it topped out at 30 from Dec. 26 through June 22), local and then national media began to take notice. Santa Anita owner Belinda […]

Due process is a fundamental and accepted constitutional right in our country. In a government sanctioned and regulated industry, it is required. Every person in our industry who holds a license to participate is given a right to due process when their livelihood is threatened. We are an industry that operates according to rules and […]

Eric Hamelback, chief executive officer of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, is developing a concept he believes would help stewards navigate the increasingly complex world when highly sophisticated testing collides with environmental contamination and the inadvertent transfer of matter to racehorses. Speaking Friday on the last day of programming at the National HBPA […]

Sports betting and its possible effects on horse racing. Stemming the dearth of backside employees. Horses’ inadvertent exposure to recreational and prescription medications. Needing solutions, not just funding, for Thoroughbred aftercare. Where the trainer absolute-insurer rule stands. Horsemen as citizen marketers. Those are among the discussions taking center stage at the National HBPA Convention, March 13-17 at […]

The California Horse Racing Board has confirmed that 46 horses perished on Thursday when the Lilac Fire destroyed nearly half the barns at the San Luis Rey Downs training center, according to bloodhorse.com. A small number of horses believed to have broken through a fence are still unaccounted for. Approximately 360 Thoroughbreds from San Luis Rey […]

Four defending champions are among 294 nominations to the 19th running of the $1.11 million Claiming Crown set for Saturday, Dec. 2, opening day of Gulfstream Park’s 2017-2018 Championship Meet. This year marks the sixth consecutive year Gulfstream Park will serve as host to the nine-race Claiming Crown, created in 1999 by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and […]

John V. Finamore, Senior Vice President of Regional Operations for Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course authored the following response to a piece written by Ray Paulick Wednesday regarding the outcome of the federal trial of trainer Murray Rojas in Pennsylvania: Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (“Penn National Race Course”) shares in the public’s concern […]