Photo: MEC
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today
that Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., has been fully
accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a
complete review of all racing operations at the facility.
The accreditation of Gulfstream was the culmination of a lengthy
certification process that began with the track’s completion of a
48-page written application and continued as Gulfstream hosted several
meetings with Alliance officials. The on-site review included
inspections of all facets of the racing facility, and interviews with
track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers,
stewards and fans. The inspection team was comprised of Ronald Jensen,
DVM; racing official Richard Lewis; Mike Kilpack of the Organization of
Racetrack Investigators (ORI); and Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of
the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance.
“Gulfstream was reviewed during its current live meeting,” said
Ziegler. “It received ‘Best Practice’ ratings in many areas including
pre-race examination protocols; post-race observation protocols; fire
safety planning and procedures; regular, weekly meetings with horsemen
to discuss safety and other regulations; and its aftercare program,
which is supported by the Gulfstream Park Thoroughbred After Racing
Fund.
“It was clear from the inspection that the Gulfstream Park management
and staff place an extremely high emphasis on the safety of its human
and equine athletes,” Ziegler continued.
“We are pleased to earn this accreditation and proud of the high marks
our facility received in a wide variety of areas," said Tim Ritvo,
President and General Manager of Gulfstream Park. "The safety of our
athletes and the integrity of our product are fundamental to everyone on
our staff.”
Gulfstream Park is now the 23rd racing facility to receive full
accreditation, joining Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Belmont Park,
Delaware Park, Hollywood Park, Monmouth Park, Arlington Park, Saratoga
Race Course, Calder Race Course, Turfway Park, the Del Mar Thoroughbred
Club, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Fair Grounds, Aqueduct Racetrack, Golden
Gate Fields, Woodbine, Pimlico, Canterbury Park, Sunland Park, Finger
Lakes Casino and Racetrack, Suffolk Downs and Santa Anita Park.
The Alliance, formed in October 2008 with the goal of establishing
national uniform standards in the areas of safety and integrity,
includes 55 racetracks in North America and every major national
horsemen’s organization. Alliance certification standards cover six
broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing
environment; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; uniform
medication, testing and penalties; safety research; and wagering
security. Within those six categories, specific standards focus on areas
including:
• Systematic reporting of equine injuries
• Aftercare of racehorses
• Pre- and post-race veterinary examinations
• Post-mortem examinations
• Health and safety of jockeys
• Riding crops and their use
• Horse shoes and hoof care
• Safety research
• Safety equipment for jockeys and horse handlers
• Exogenous Anabolic Steroids
• Alkalinizing agents (TCO2)
• On-track emergency medical care for humans and equines
• Out-of-competition testing
• Freezing and retrospective testing of post race samples
• Continuing education
• Security assessment and training
• Totalizator technology and “stop wagering” protocols
• Wagering incident investigation
The NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance is a standing organization whose
purpose is to establish standards and practices to promote safety and
integrity in horseracing and to secure their implementation. Information
on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found
at www.NTRAalliance.com.