The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has earned re-accreditation from the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. The re-accreditation followed a complete review of all racing operations at the facility. Saratoga received its initial Alliance accreditation in August 2009. All accreditations and re-accreditations carry an effective period of two years. 

Saratoga is the eighth Alliance-accredited racetrack to earn re-accreditation. Keeneland Race Course received re-accreditation from the Alliance in April of this year; Churchill Downs and Pimlico Race Course each earned re-accreditation in June; Arlington Park, Hollywood Park and Belmont Park each earned re-accreditation in July; and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club was re-accredited earlier this month.

The re-accreditation of Saratoga was the culmination of a lengthy certification process that began with the track’s completion of a 48-page written application and continued as Saratoga hosted several meetings with Alliance officials. The on-site review included inspections of all facets of the racing facility, with special attention paid to areas that were newly added to the Alliance’s Code of Standards in 2010 and 2011. Such areas containing new or more stringent requirements include wagering security, injury reporting, post-mortem veterinary inspections, jockey health and safety, paddock safety, aftercare/transitioning of retired racehorses and cross-jurisdictional sharing of vet’s list data. Interviews were also conducted with track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers, stewards and fans. The inspection team was comprised of Ronald Jensen, DVM; Mike Kilpack of the Organization of Racetrack Investigators (ORI); racetrack executive Jim Gates; and Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance.

During the latest Alliance inspection of Saratoga, best practices were identified in areas including pre-race veterinary examinations; post-race veterinary observation; use of cushioned riding crops; equine ambulance protocols; establishment of a substance abuse and addiction program for licensees; safety research; safety training and continuing education; catastrophic injury planning and procedures; fire safety planning and procedures; regulation and testing for alkalinizing substances; regulation and administration of Lasix; regulation of shock wave therapy; and wagering integrity standards, including stop wagering device protocols, elimination of cancel delays and display and synchronization of atomic time stamping.

“Saratoga’s commitment to safety and integrity befits its status as one of the world’s showpiece racetracks,” said Ziegler. “As has always been the case with racetracks operated by The New York Racing Association, Saratoga features a great many policies and procedures that can be categorized as industry-wide best practices.”

“We are proud that Saratoga Race Course, like Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack, meets and often exceeds the very high standards called for by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance,” said Charles Hayward, President and CEO of The New York Racing Association. “Our next objective on this front is for Aqueduct to earn re-accreditation when it is re-inspected later this year.”

Saratoga Race Course is one of 19 racing facilities to receive full accreditation. Others are Belmont Park, Calder Casino and Race Course, Churchill Downs, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Keeneland, Arlington Park, Hollywood Park, Monmouth Park, Turfway Park, Oak Tree at Santa Anita/Santa Anita Park, Fair Grounds, Aqueduct Racetrack, Pimlico Race Course, Golden Gate Fields, Woodbine, Canterbury Park, Sunland Park and, Finger Lakes Casino and Racetrack.

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.