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Columbus, OH – The New York Times on Sunday (March 2) published a windy, one-sided opinion piece by former Rolling Stone editor Noah Shachtman entitled “Last Call for Horse Racing.” Below the title and photo of several Thoroughbreds in full stride, was a subheading. “Why are we paying billions for a sport that fans have lost interest in?” It […]
Columbus, OH — For the first time ever, harness racing in the U.S. and Canada will have a schedule of Graded and Restricted Graded Stakes races in 2025. The list of Grade 1, 2 and 3 was announced Monday (Jan. 6). During the inaugural year of the program, there will be a total of 171 […]
Columbus, OH — The U.S Trotting Association invites member racetracks, horsemen’s associations and harness racing industry organizations to apply for broadcast and promotions funding that will be made available in the Association’s 2025 budget. Funds are intended for the use of television, radio, online production and marketing promotions of harness racing events or special interest […]
Lexington, KY – On Monday (Nov. 4), HISA announced a policy change regarding Provisional Suspensions of Covered Persons requesting that the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) limit the circumstances of imposing those suspensions starting immediately. Following is the complete announcement posted on the HISA website Monday. “Following a resolution proposed by HISA’s Horsemen’s Advisory Group, which was […]
Columbus, OH — Graded stakes information will debut in harness racing yearling sales catalog pedigree pages beginning in 2025, the U.S. Trotting Association announced Monday. The move comes as the result of standards created by a Graded Stakes Committee that was formed in 2023 at the request of major sales companies and breeders, with the […]
Editor’s Note: The U.S. Trotting Association (USTA) continues to observe with alarm as Thoroughbred trainers are being penalized by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) for obvious environmental contamination positives at levels pharmacologically insignificant to the health or performance of the horse, which has incurred the positive tests. Worse still is HISA’s “guilty until proven […]
Here are some of the harness racing fines and suspensions in the USA as reported by state racing commissions to the United States Trotting Association. Dan Deslandes has been suspended from racing for six months after an off-track incident at the Skowhegan Fair on 8/13/24. Mr. Deslandes actions following the 7th race in the paddock […]
Goshen, NY — A crowd of more than 280 people gathered Sunday evening (July 7) at the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame to celebrate the induction of the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Trainer Jim Campbell, trainer/driver Ed Lohmeyer, and breeder/owner David McDuffee led the group, which was honored during the annual […]
Columbus, OH – On Friday (July 5), the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals again ruled that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) is unconstitutional, dealing yet another blow to the controversial piece of legislation. This new ruling follows a Fifth Circuit decision in November 2022 that also found HISA unconstitutional. The U.S. Trotting […]
Driver Ray Baynes of Freehold, NJ was fined $5,000 and suspended for 180 days for an unsatisfactory harness racing drive with Brickyard Rally at Harrah’s Philadelphia in the third race on June 13, 2024. It is not known yet if the ruling will be appealed. BRICKYARD RALLY REPLAY Driver-trainer Mike Cole has been fined $2,000 […]
Columbus, OH — On Monday, the U.S. Trotting Association launched the new HarnessRacing.com website. HarnessRacing.com was previously owned and operated by Horseman and Fair World magazine, which ceased operations in January 2021. “HarnessRacing.com is a new, exciting and interactive website that aims to attract new fans and to further educate casual ones about harness racing. It also spotlights comprehensive information for […]
Duke Of Walner (Walner) will head to Friday’s (June 21) lone MGM Yonkers Trot elimination looking for his first win of the harness racing season, and trainer/co-owner Lucas Wallin hopes the trip to MGM Yonkers Raceway coupled with several equipment changes can help the colt get the job done. The Yonkers Trot is the first […]
RAHWAY, N.J., June 18, 2024 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), is pleased to recognize a 50,000-microchip milestone as part of its ongoing harness racing partnership with the United States Trotting Association (USTA). The […]
Columbus, OH – The U.S. Trotting Association announced on Monday (June 17) the launch of the beta version of a new Equine Health & Wellness Database (EHWD). The initial phase is for the collection of data. When sufficient data is available, it will all be made available to the public. Any current USTA member that […]
Some members of our industry question why the United States Trotting Association is so forcefully against efforts to include harness racing in the bureaucratic nightmare called HISA, and to put harness racing under its enforcement arm, HIWU. After all, with the words “integrity” and “safety” right in its title, how really bad could the legislative scheme […]
Executives from Standardbred Canada (SC) and the United States Trotting Association (USTA) met Tuesday, May 21 at the SC offices in Mississauga, Ont. to discuss mutual concerns and possible synergies between the two harness racing organizations. The meeting was organized by Darryl Kaplan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Standardbred Canada, who attended the USTA’s […]
The following is the latest “Keeping Pace” weekly column at the Paulick Report by harness racing owner and breeder Andrew Cohen. The U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 last Thursday to uphold the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an Obama-era federal agency that is supposed to do what its title suggests; help consumers have access to […]
Columbus, OH — Two University of Findlay graduates have joined the U.S. Trotting Association (USTA) to assist with addressing USTA harness racing membership needs. Jourdan Miller comes into a newly created position, Member Services Outreach Specialist, while Sophia Bunten joins as an Information and Research Assistant. “We are pleased to have Jourdan and Sophia join […]
The Judges Reports to the US Trotting Association for last week show two more harness racing trainers, totaling eight horses, with positive testing for ADB Fubinaca or synthetic cannabis at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland. ADB-Fubinaca in simple terms is synthetic cannabinoids or cannabis. It is defined as new psychoactive substances (NPS) and are designer drugs […]
In the various state racing commissions in the USA, a number of harness racing trainers have been fined and suspended as reported to the US Trotting Association from last week. Also, a number of incidents have been appealed and stays issued. Lisa Zabielski has been fined $2,500 and a 75-day suspension as her horse, Mr […]
This past week saw a number of harness racing trainers fined and suspended for various infractions as reported from Racing Commissions to the USTA. Samantha Dubois has been fined $1,500 and suspended for 20 days as her horse, J-S Perfect Cache was found to be positive for Dexamethazone on March 19, 2024, at Saratoga Raceway. […]
Columbus, OH — The U.S. Trotting Association is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2024 Racing Official’s Accreditation Program (ROAP), which will be held June 16-23 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. The 60-hour course provides formal classroom study, covering both basic, day-to-day responsibilities of a judge as well as more technical subjects including medications and […]
It’s happening. The greatest harness racing trotter ever to head Down Under is on his way this season. Never before has a US Trotter of the Year stood in Australia or New Zealand – let alone a reigning US Trotter of the Year who achieved the feat as a three-year-old. Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing) is […]
There were a number of trainers who were fined and suspended from harness racing as reported from Racing Commissions in the USA to the USTA. Jeffrey Marsh received a $2,000 fine and 30-day suspension as his horse, Just Call Me Song, was found positive for Nikerthamide. This took place on 11/15/23 at Bally’s Dover Downs, […]
