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Casse Training Center in Ocala. Penelope Miller/OBS photo The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative (TRI) is gearing up for Florida’s 2026 legislative session, whether that involves a renewed fight to again defeat decoupling, a reimagined circuit in the Sunshine State, pushing for industry-backed legislation that strengthens the existing racing and breeding structure or a combination [...]
Horsemen: The 2025 Claiming Crown is set for November 15 at Churchill Downs with eight races totaling $1.1 million in purses for all levels of horses on both dirt and turf. The minimum purse is $100,000 with the Claiming Crown Jewel offering a $200,000 purse. The fee is only $250 to request eligibility per horse [...]
The interactive, electronic version of The Horsemen’s Journal’s Summer 2025 issue is now available online. It is an enhanced version of the printed magazine, which is currently being mailed. To view it, click here. Features in the issue include: Big Questions Horse racing’s $342 per-start charge and escalating budget: Can the industry afford HISA’s 2025 [...]
Today, on the heels of the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, Rep. Clay Higgins (LA-03), Rep. Don Davis (NC-01), and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Racehorse Health and Safety Act (RHSA), a bipartisan, bicameral effort to deliver a constitutional solution to safety regulation in the horse racing industry. The legislation is backed by [...]
Jan Meehan at Churchill Downs for the Claiming Crown last fall By Jan Meehan, Tampa Bay Downs HBPA vice president, thoroughbred owner, trainer and breeder The Tampa Bay Downs HBPA, which represents racehorse owners and trainers at Tampa Bay Downs racetrack, has been clear about its opposition to the decoupling effort (Senate [...]
The interactive, electronic version of The Horsemen’s Journal’s Spring 2025 issue is now available online. It is an enhanced version of the printed magazine, which is currently being mailed. To view it, click here. Features in the issue include: The Backbone of the Stable Award-winning Turf writer, publicist Jennie Rees continues to advocate for horses [...]
The first quarter of 2025 has been nothing short of a tsunami for most of us in the industry. We entered the year with hopes of turning the page, making positive strides and setting the industry on the right path. Then came January 7. While the events of that date didn’t bring our industry [...]
Training at Gulfstream Park. (Eric Hamelback photo) The horsemen’s organization representing thoroughbred owners and trainers at Gulfstream Park is rejoining the National HBPA as an affiliate. The board of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, North America’s largest group representing thoroughbred owners and trainers, unanimously approved re-admitting the organization currently called the [...]
Sally Jane Mixon by Denis Blake/National HBPA The annual National HBPA Conference concluded its educational presentations Wednesday morning first with a session on how retired racehorses are transforming the lives of first responders and military members, as well as school children of backstretch workers. The final presentation showcased products using cutting edge technology to [...]
Equine attorney Jay Ingle. (Denis Blake/National HBPA) Two different panel discussions on Tuesday's opening day of the National HBPA Conference — one featuring lawyers and one with research veterinarians — recommended steps trainers can take to diminish the chances of a horse's post-race drug test coming up positive for an impermissible substance. [...]