Page 151 - April 2016

Rillito Park Sends First Simulcast Signal
Rillito Park Racetrack began sending out a sig- nal of its races for the first time in the track’s his- tory at the beginning of March. Rillito’s races are now available on Dish Network Racing Package, Racetrack Television Network & advance deposit- wagering sites. General Manager Michael Weiss coordinated the move and University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) students produce much of the show. Students from the RTIP began working at the Tucson, Arizona track last year with the introduction of a coordinated relationship between the program and Rillito. Students now hold many positions at the track, including working the photo finish equipment, creating the race program, working and managing admissions, and being the like talking heads live on screen as handicappers.
Rillito Opposes Bill To End Dog Racing
Rillito Park Racetrack opposes a bill sup- ported by animal rights groups and Tucson Greyhound Park that would end dog races at the dog park but still allow them to operate off-track betting parlors for two years. Tucson Greyhound Park, which makes most of its money from eight off-track betting parlors, is allowed to operate said parlors because they run live dog races. Some of the money made from the parlors is divided among Turf Paradise
and Tucson Greyhound Park, with a small
percentage going to Rillito Park, which would like to get into the off-track betting business but can’t since they do not run enough races.
TVMDL Receives Accreditation
The Drug Testing Laboratory at the
Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) became the seventh laboratory to received full accreditation after dedicating two years to achieve the standards put forth by the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC). The Drug Testing Laboratory receives samples from equine and canine owners, as well as samples from fairs and livestock shows looking to ensure fair competition. The TVMDL is responsible for providing drug-testing services to the pari- mutuel horse and greyhound racing industries. For more information on TVMDL’s testing services, visit tvmdl.tamu.edu, or contact the agency headquarters at (888) 646-5623.
Zoetis Awards Over $700,000 To Veterinary Students
On March 22, Zoetis and the Association
of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) announced the winners of this year’s Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. This is the sixth year of the annual program, which awarded over $700,000 in scholarships to second- and third-year veterinary students. The
program operates as part of Zoetis Commitment to Veterinarians created to support leadership and diversity among future veterinarians and to help offset the costs of a veterinary education. Zoetis is a leading animal health company with over 60 years of experience in animal health. The nonprofit AAVMC works to protect and improve the health and welfare of animals, people and the environment by advancing veterinary medicine.
Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Approves $1.16 Million For Equine Research
The board of directors of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation approved a budget of $1,160,556 to fund equine research in 2016, which will fund 11 new projects, eight second- year projects, and two Career Development Awards to encourage young scientists. The new projects address issues such as dorsal displace- ment of the soft palate, the importance of latency in outbreaks of equine herpesvirus-1, foal pneumonia, prevention of strangles, train- ing and surface factors in preventing injury, and underlying mechanisms of disease. The second year research projects include other aspects of pneumonia and EHV-1, plus lamini- tis, colic and placentitis. The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is a leading source of private funding for equine medical research. Additional information about the foundation can be found at grayson-jockeyclub.org.
Can you identify this picture? Here’s a hint: This photo was taken following the 1980 Northeast Kansas Quarter Horse Association Futurity at Eureka Downs. The answer is on page 151.
SPEEDHORSE PHOTO ARCHIVES
SPEEDHORSE, April 2016 149
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