Page 100 - 14 September 2012

Micah and Leslie McKinney, J. Garvan Kelly, Nancy Yearsley and Danielle Bryan
Racing Free Awards First Check To Kelly-Yearsley
Racing Free, a new organization that rewards owners for racing their horses without perfor- mance-enhancing drugs, awarded their first check to members J. Garvan Kelly and Nancy Yearsley for Free Stater and Maggie Redmond, both wire-to-wire winners at Prairie Meadows on Aug. 31. Trained by Charlton Hunt, both won their races just four days after being entered into the program. And as of press date, the part- nership of Kelly-Yearsly won yet another race at Prairie Meadows on Sept. 2 and will receive a check for the drug free victory of the Hunt- trained Quarter Horse Crowned Silver.
Owners pay a $300 entry fee per meet/per horse into the Racing Free Program, and any horse that wins a race and has a clear drug test
is currently awarded $1,500. Racing Free will also give end-of-meet owner, trainer and jockey awards for those with the most Racing Free wins. The program is also accepting membership for
a Racing Free Jackpot Series during the fall of 2012. For information, visit www.racingfree.com.
Hubbard, Ruidoso Downs Announce Stricter 2013 Guidelines for Drug Offenders
R.D. Hubbard, chairman of the board and majority owner of Ruidoso Downs Race Track, announced that drug offenders will be booted from the race track’s private property begin- ning in 2013, saying “the sign is out that drug offenders are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and in New Mexico.”
In addition, he has informed the New Mexico Racing Commission and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez that he will work to get other tracks to implant the same strict guidelines.
“I have been in the horse racing business
for more than 50 years and I love the horses and the sport,” Hubbard said. “I will not idly stand by and watch a few mistreat these great animals and ruin the great sport of horse racing. Consequently, I have informed the New Mexico Racing Commission and the Governor of our intentions for the 2013 race season.”
The new guidelines will be that any positive test for a Class 1 or Class 2 drug will result imme-
diately in the trainer having his stalls revoked and his or her ability to enter horses suspended as well. They will be banned from the grounds. These guidelines will be included in the stall application which trainers sign when applying for stalls.
“The race track provides stalls to trainers rent free and we pay all the utilities associated with them as well as the cost of removal of waste,” Hub- bard said. “Most people do not realize that having stalls at a track is a privilege and not a right.
Consequently, anyone who abuses these great animals and this wonderful sport are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
“This should not be a burdensome rule to anyone because there is no need for a Class 1 or Class 2 drug to be anywhere near these horses. We recognize that the majority of trainers are quality and trustworthy horsemen and it is just a few who have abused the system. This guideline will give all other owners and trainers as well as the fans the assurance that horses are all running with an equal opportunity.”
Hubbard did not stop there. “I have already spoken with Dr. Ed Allred (owner of Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California) and he fully supports this guideline and is going to institute it there as well,” Hubbard continued. “Furthermore, I am personally going to seek the agreement of
the other tracks in New Mexico as well as Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana to join us in this effort.”
Executive Vice President Don Treadway of the nearly 300,000 member strong American Quarter Horse Association offered his support as well. “We very pleased to see this action taken by Ruidoso Downs and will do everything we can to take a leadership role in implanting this and other strong guidelines against illegal drug users in all areas of the country.”
Ruidoso Downs Race Track has been a strong supporter of active steps the New Mexico Racing Commission has already taken in crack- ing down on the illegal use of Class 1 and Class 2 drugs. It worked collectively with the Racing Commission to find one of the few laborato- ries in the country (University of California Davis) able to detect the designer drugs that
a few horsemen were using on Memorial Day weekend, the opening of the 2012 race season at Ruidoso. That enhanced testing resulted in multiple bad tests on opening weekend.
“The good news is that since May 26, 2012, there has not been one positive test for a Class 1 drug and only two high caffeine tests,” Hubbard said. “I believe everyone got the message and now are playing by the rules. This new guideline will be one more step in our effort to work with the Commission to clean house on anyone using illegal drugs. Everyone will have had plenty of notice that the sign is out that drug offenders are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and in New Mexico.”
The Downs Enacts Tough New Policy Following Rash of Horse Doping Cases
William Windham, President of the Downs at Albuquerque Racetrack and Casino, announced Sept. 6 a new policy directed at addressing the issue of horse trainers that have been recently accused of doping.
Under the new policy, following an initial positive test for doping conducted by the New Mexico Racing Commission, the trainer will have their privilege to participate in any racing at the Downs at Albuquerque suspended. If the trainer is ultimately found to have violated state racing regulations for banned drugs, the trainer will be permanently barred.
Mr. Windham said, “I welcome the steps the state Racing Commission is taking to insti- tute tougher sanctions for those who choose to cheat. We believe this new policy will send a message that the tracks will not tolerate those who are willing to risk harm to the jockeys, the horses, and the reputation of the sport.”
Mr. Windham went on to say, “The vast major- ity in the industry respect horse racing and play by the rules. We will continue to work to uphold the traditions that have allowed this sport to endure.”
This new policy is effective immediately and applies to all pending cases.
Special Leader
World Champion Special Leader Dies
Special Leader (Special Effort-Miss Eye Opener, Dash For Cash), 1991 World Champion, Champion Aged Horse and Champion Aged Stallion, was euthanized Aug. 29 due to declining health. The 1987 stallion won seven races and $292,605, including the Champion of Champi- ons-G1 and All American Gold Cup-G1. Bred by AQHA Hall of Famer Joe Kirk Fulton and owned by Joe Kirk and Merle Fulton, Special Leader has sired earners of nearly $13 million from 18 crops, including Champion Leading Spirit. According
to Fulton Quien Sabe Ranch, “We are very sad
at the recent loss of World Champion Special Leader. He was laid to rest at home in Fredericks- burg, Texas, next to Dashs Dream and his mother Miss Eye Opener. He will be missed so much,” continuing that they were, “so proud of all he ac- complished on and off the track.”
98 SPEEDHORSE, September 14, 2012
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