Important Message from National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback on the “Status Quo” in the Racing Industry

Hello everyone,

At the National HBPA/NHAC Full Board meeting March 5, 2022, I used the time set aside as my CEO Update to request all of our affiliates to stand with me by challenging the negative label continually couched through the phrase “maintaining status quo”. I am sure you have all heard this recently; especially in some form of “the National HBPA wants to maintain status quo and not support HISA” or something along those lines.  Well as is my norm, I wanted to investigate and ultimately define today’s status quo. Starting with my meeting with HISA Chair Charlie Scheeler in August of last year, I made it clear that I am proud to say, yes, I do want to maintain the status quo of today’s racing industry.

WHERE ARE WE WITH STATUS QUO:

• There are 31 active Thoroughbred pari-mutuel jurisdictions in the US – not the 38 incorrectly reported by most media. We may regain some states in the future, but there are 31 active TB tracks as of March 2022.
• The incidence of fatal racing injury on dirt surfaces in 2021 was the lowest on record at 1.39 per 1,000 starts compared to 2020 (1.41 per 1,000 starts). There has been a statistically significant drop overall since 2009 in the risk of fatal injury across all surfaces: dirt (28.1%), turf (35.6%), and synthetic (51%). The rate on synthetic (0.73) dropped below 1.0 for the second time and is the lowest since 2009.
• Throughout the course of 2021, approximately 99% of all Thoroughbred starts were included in the Equine Injury Database (EID).
• Based on the 2021 data, 99.86% of flat racing starts at the racetracks participating in the EID were completed without a fatality.
• The 2021 rate of fatal injury is the lowest number since the EID started collecting data in 2009. The risk of fatal injury in 2021 declined 1.4% from 2020 and 30.5% overall since 2009.  While we continue to strive for lower percentages, these numbers do not indicate a negative status quo.
• Our current Anti-Doping and Medication Control program and protocols operating through the ARCI and Racing Commissions – whose 250,000 + samples per year are subjected to rigorous testing – have over the past 5 years, consistently shown a clearance rate at least 99.4% free of any violations in all three major racing breeds.
• This is a similar rate seen by both USADA and WADA, according to the ARCI.  Additionally, these organizations are seeking the testing to find the very same substances, which are undetectable in the human and equine world.
• The current state of Thoroughbred racing in the United States is strong, with wagering and interest persuasive, even with all of the competition for people’s attention. We have the statistics to prove just that:

1. The 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course generated a record wagering handle of more than $815 million, from their 40-day meet;
2. The 2021 Breeders’ Cup handle for the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar reached $182,908,409, a record for the two-day event;
3. Wagering on races comparing 2021 to 2019 saw a, increase of 11% – Understanding statistics change and are often compared to the previous month or year;
4. With an average of 16.0 million viewers, the 2022 Kentucky Derby on NBC was the most watched “Run for the Roses” since 2019 and marked an 8-percent jump from last year. The Derby topped the very popular NFL Draft coverage of the first round (12.52 million viewers);
5. All-sources handle on the 2022 Kentucky Derby card easily set a new all-time record of $273.8 million, which marked a 17-percent increase from last year’s total of $233 million and a 9-percent jump from the previous record of $250.9 million in 2019;
6. After having no fans in 2020 due to COVID-19 and limited capacity last year, Derby Day attendance rebounded to pre-pandemic levels with a crowd of 147,294 packing into Churchill Downs;
7. When comparing wagering on U.S. races year-to-date through April between 2022 and 2019, we are up 14.7% in the United States;
8. When comparing U.S. purses year-to-date through April between 2022 and 2019, we are up 11.14% in the United States;
9. When comparing average purses per race day year-to-date through April between 2022 and 2019, we are up 16.7 % in the United States;
10. When comparing wagering per race day year-to-date through April between 2022 and 2019, we are up 20.4% in the United States.

The facts bare-out that Horse Racing is not dead – but racing is what we make of it.  Therefore, I ask of everyone – Start making the best of each day and be proud of the improvements in equine health and welfare along with horse racing’s popularity that have become our real STATUS QUO.

Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA