Page 196 - May_2023

NEWS BRIEFS
New Wagering Format at Horseshoe Indianapolis
Race wagering at Horseshoe Indianapolis will see a few changes that began on April 18. The track will eliminate the Jackpot Straight Fire 6 and will replace it with an additional Pick 5. The Late Fire 5 will join the current Pick 5, which moves to the first five Thoroughbred races on the program. Both wagers will offer an industry low takeout of 11.99%. Each racing program will also retain two Pick 4 wagers, with the first Pick 4 starting on the second Thoroughbred race and the late pick 4 scheduled for the last four Thoroughbred races on the card. Both Pick 4 wagers also have a reduced takeout of 15%. All four wagers begin with a 50-cent minimum and provide separate pools with their own car- ryovers. In addition to the Pick 5 and Pick 4 wagers, the exotic wagering format also includes a rolling Pick 3 and Daily Double from the first race on, including the Quarter Horse races;
a Grand Hi 5 (top five finishers in one race) beginning in the sixth race on the remaining Thoroughbred races daily; and a Grand Hi-5 on all Quarter Horse races. Each of the Grand Hi 5 wagers offer a 10-cent minimum and provide carryovers. The 21st season of racing at \Horseshoe Indianapolis runs through Nov. 17.
OQHRA Participates in Oklahoma Ag Day
The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Asso- ciation (OQHRA) participated in the annual Oklahoma Ag Day at the state Capital on April 11. The event is a tradition in state and allows for the opportunity to educate legislators and the general public about the diversity and im- portance of agriculture in Oklahoma, and Governor Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur arrived at the capi-
tal steps in a mule driven wagon. The OQHRA booth included information on the economic impact of horse racing in the state of Oklahoma. “We handed out cookies and had photo opportunities with jockeys Cody Wainscott and Gonzalo Gutierrez,” said OQHRA Executive Director Krissy Bamberg.
Sunland Park Chaplaincy Donates To Recovering Jockeys
Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino on April 1 held a fundraiser for two jockeys to assist in their recovery efforts. Bryce Bourdieu, 19, and Joree Scriver, 21, were recently injured and will use the funds to help cover medical and rehabili- tation costs They were presented with checks by SPRC Simulcast Coordinator and Chaplaincy representative Rayeanne Holland. Event orga- nizer Brandi Lambert praised horse racing fans for buying tickets to the raffle drawing, which included VIP packages at Sunland Park, a Pro- fessional Bull Riding event, the Ruidoso Jockey Club and Del Mar Racetrack, as well as a $2,000 saddle, a $1,000 pallet of horse feed, and $3,500 custom boots by Mario Garcia. Bourdieu was injured last August while working as an exercise rider and assistant starter. He suffered extensive injuries including two back surgeries and a lower leg amputation. Scriver was injured on January
1 when the horse she was riding fell. She un- derwent a back surgery, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a bruised spinal cord, with doctors not knowing how much movement she will regain. “At Sunland Park all of our hearts went out to these two deserving people in their recoveries,” said Dustin Dix, Sunland Park’s Racing Director. “Horse racing can be a dangerous sport, but we are a tight-knit community that is ready to help whoever and whenever we can.”
Anonymous Mental Wellness Survey To Jockeys
The Jockeys’ Guild on April 24 sent out a sur- vey for jockeys via email and text message. As Jockeys’ Guild and HISA announced in March, the two organizations are working together to address jockey mental wellness, including via the critical first step of conducting an anonymous survey to seek jockeys’ input on how to best support the health and welfare of riders and oth- ers in the industry. The Jockeys’ Guild strongly recommends that jockeys throughout the coun- try participate in this survey. In addition to the Guild’s efforts to distribute the survey to its members directly, there will be other individuals and organizations reaching out to jockeys rid- ing across the U.S. to assist them in taking the survey. Their responses will be anonymous when submitted to FGS Global, an independent re- search company, and all data will be collected by FGS Global, who will only share the completely anonymous, combined findings. The final re- sults will be reviewed by HISA and the Jockeys’ Guild and serve as a starting point for building a framework to effectively use collective resources to address our riders’ most important health and safety needs. An industry stakeholders meeting is being planned to discuss these important is- sues and drive collaboration on a national level.
Harold Watkins Passes Away
Texas horseman Harold Watkins, 88, passed away on March 25. As a youngster, he helped on the family dairy farm and then later worked in the family corn fields. He was the champion Corn Grower in Texas in his senior year in high school. He worked in the oil fields, and later moved to Louisiana where he worked for the Missouri Pa- cific Railroad. He then transferred back to Texas
Ann Switalski Photography
Gilbert Ortiz Honored at Louisiana Downs
Veteran Quarter Horse jockey Gilbert Ortiz, 59, was honored on March 29 at Louisiana Downs by racing officials, jockeys, trainers, owners, and many others. This was the final day for Ortiz to ride at the track, as he is retiring at the end of 2023. He was presented with a commemorative plaque for his achievements in the industry by Louisiana Downs Racing Operations Manager Jen Sokol. “Gilbert has made an unsurpassed impact on Louisiana racing,” said Sokol. “It’s so much more than his 3,020 career wins; Gilbert has always given 100% to his horses, connections, fellow rid- ers, and fans. We wanted to honor him and make sure he knows how much we will miss him!” Ortiz plans to finish the year racing at Sandy Ridge in Kentucky, Delta Downs, and Evangeline Downs. Thus far, he has won 3,020 races with the earners of more than $38.5 million in Quarter Horse rac- ing. Among the top horses he has ridden are 2-time Champion Vals Fortune and 3-time Champion Kool Kue Baby. He has garnered multiple leading jockey titles and in 2012 was honored with the Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award.
194 SPEEDHORSE May 2023