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By Eric Hamelback, National HBPA CEO The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) recently issued a press release addressing “Equine Sudden Death Syndrome.” Unfortunately, the statement raised more questions than answers. It cited no peer-reviewed published research (studies), offered no scientific references, and provided no direct link to the alleged research behind their claims, even [...]
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 [...]
Trainer Michael Dini at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, NJ Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO The achievement was not met with any sort of celebration or fanfare, mainly because that isn’t trainer and Tampa Bay Downs HBPA President Mike Dini’s way – and because he keeps himself immersed in his day-to-day responsibilities. But when [...]
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 [...]
Garry Simms Sr. in 2011 with Flashy Lassie, his first graded-stakes winner in the Grade 3 Debutante. Courtesy the Louisville Courier-Journal. Former racehorse trainer Garry Simms Sr. went 15 rounds, toe-to-toe, with the blood cancer multiple myeloma after being told in 2010 that he had mere weeks to live. It took a sucker [...]
The U.S. Supreme Court today issued a decision to grant, vacate, and remand (GVR) Nat’l Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Ass’n, et al. v. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Auth., Inc., et al. back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, directing the lower court to reconsider the challenge to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) [...]
Damon Thayer, left, and Corey Johnsen at England's Ascot Race Course in October, 2023, on British Champions Day. Photo courtesy Damon Thayer The Iowa Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (Iowa HBPA) is proud to announce the engagement of two nationally recognized industry leaders—Corey Johnsen, President of CJ Thoroughbreds, and Damon Thayer, President of Thayer Communications & [...]
D. Wayne Lukas delivering the keynote address at the 2022 National HBPA Conference at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. The following statement is from National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback on the passing of D. Wayne Lukas: "No one will match what D. Wayne Lukas did in horse racing. Others — and a few already have [...]
D. Wayne Lukas with a young fan at a public Q&A session at Ellis Park in 2021. (Photo by Gwen Davis/Davis Innovation) The following statement is from National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback on behalf of the organization and its affiliates: We, the affiliates of the National HBPA, along with the entire horse racing community, [...]
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 [...]