Page 208 - Speedhorse November 2019

HAVE N SE
In the April and May issues of Speedhorse, we highlighted K-9 Csini and her partner, Luis Alvarez, who is leading Ruidoso Downs’
racing integrity efforts. In a joint effort between Ruidoso Downs, the American Quarter Horse Association and the Downs at Albuquerque, Alvarez and Csini recently assisted with security at the Challenge Championships, which were held at Albuquerque for the first time on Oct. 26.
Speedhorse reached out to Alvarez to learn more about the successful operation at Albuquerque.
“My boss, Jeff True, who is the general manager at Ruidoso Downs, had offered the services to Ms. Janet VanBebber for us to work with the Integrity Team,” Alvarez said. “That’s how we were able to go
to Albuquerque.
“We worked the weekend of the Challenge races,” he continued. “We found some items that the dog was able to hit on – various paraphernalia and some medication that
was prohibited for trainers to have in their possession. What the dog did in her work, I am very proud of her and think that we were very, very successful.”
Csini, a 3-year-old German Shepherd- Belgian Malinois cross, was acquired through K9s4Cops, a non-profit organization founded by Kristi Schiller, and following her formal training, began working the Ruidoso meet in May. Alvarez explained how he prepared his
partner for the spotlight of one of Quarter Horse racing’s biggest nights of racing.
“Prior to coming up to the Challenge, I extended her training hours over the last few weeks from four to five hours to six to seven hours per week,” Alvarez said. “I wanted
to make sure that she was on point for this event. I wanted to be very effective. I knew that people were coming from all parts of
the country from different racetracks, and
I wanted to be able to show her potential
for the job she can do. Overall, it was very successful, and I was very proud of her work at Albuquerque for the Challenge races.”
Alverez compares Csini’s training to preparing a horse for a race.
“It’s like a racehorse,” he explained. “Even though you may not have a race available yet, you want to make sure that your horse is fit and ready to go whenever a race comes about, like an extra. It’s pretty much the same thing with the dog. The only difference is that her schedule at the racetrack is different because
I can sit down with her and focus on certain items or training techniques to work with her and sharpen her up. I did give her a week of rest after the meet and then brought her back up. When I was asked if we were available
to go to the Challenge, that’s when I started working with her again and tuning her up to be ready.”
Ruidoso isn’t keeping this powerful weapon to itself.
“If there are other racetracks that want or need our services, we will be available,” Alvarez said. “No other racetracks have contacted us yet. The whole goal is to let other tracks know this is a tool that is available. Ruidoso’s owners and management are trying to make an effort to clean things up. It will always be an ongoing battle. But, having another tool available to use – and I can be available for other jurisdictions to use – this is something that can be helpful. Looking at the other side of the track from
a racehorse owner’s view (which I have had
WILL TRAVEL
by Jennifer K. Hancock
horses running in the past) and seeing this is available and being used, I think that’s great as an effort to help clean things up. Now that I’m on the racetrack side and learning the business of that, we can use all the tools that we have or develop in order to make things better for the industry. It may be insignificant or very small at the moment, but any little thing that this dog can find will help, and it can go further than that.”
While laws, rules and regulations are in place, not everyone likes to play fair, and thus there is the need to sniff out cheaters.
“The whole point is to be a deterrent,” Alvarez said. “We’re not trying to punish everybody or label people as being bad guys. It’s trying to help make things better and make it an even playing field across the board.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity that was given to me to do this and to be the first ones to do it,” he added. “I think it’s a great deal, and I’m very excited and very proud of it, too.”
by Jennifer K. Hancock
“I wanted to make sure that she was on point for this event. I wanted to be very effective.”