PA Pony Roundup: Lasix Ban Proposal, A Failed Pony Raid And Derby Betting Choices

Saddle up, pony individuals, the Kentucky Derby is Saturday. Pennsylvania horse gamers have a number of choices for watching and betting on the large race.

Whether or not you watch at residence, an off-track betting parlor, or one in every of Pennsylvania’s six racinos, betting on-line is at all times an possibility at PA horse betting apps.

And in the meantime, there have been numerous horse racing happenings in Pennsylvania just lately. We dive into the newest PA horse racing information each month proper right here within the PlayPA Pony Roundup.

Lasix ban in PA horse racing?

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Fee plans on Tuesday to debate barring the usage of the anti-bleeding drug Lasix for all two-year-old thoroughbred horses and in all Graded Stakes races carried out in Pennsylvania beginning on June 1, 2021.

Lasix, given simply earlier than a race, is supposed to stop a horse from bleeding into its lungs. And it’s broadly thought-about a efficiency enhancer.

It’s also controversial as a result of it’s also a diuretic. A horse given the drug will excrete urine at the next charge than ordinary. In some circumstances, meaning as a lot as a 20-pound lack of weight simply earlier than the race.

And it could actually masks different medication in a horse’s system.

Drugging and deaths should not the identical points in horse racing

The Philadelphia Inquirer used 4,000 sprawling phrases in a late March story to rightfully rail about racing oversight and horse deaths, notably at Parx Racing.

Most significantly, the report acknowledged:

“State racing officers have suspended greater than 1,800 licenses and handed out greater than 4,500 fines within the final 5 years, disciplining some violators for utilizing banned medication. Nevertheless, they stated, not one of the horses that died within the final two years have been discovered to have been injected with unlawful substances.”

However the story and a subsequent editorial nonetheless considerably conflated all PA horse deaths with the drugging problem, which is simply not the case, based on Pete Peterson of the state’s Equine Coalition. And Peterson identified the horse mortality problem improved in 2020, although after all there was much less racing on account of virus restrictions.

Misjudged the traction and the circumstances

Each Inquirer items supported Gov. Tom Wolf’s Nellie Bly scholarship proposal to redirect $200 million in horseracing funds which move from a put aside from about 10% of PA’s land-based slots, however with none actual context of how the legislative set-aside with no sundown provision happened as a quid professional quo between city Democrats and rural Republicans to legalize casinos within the first place.

Neither piece acknowledged that the horse cash is held in an encumbered belief fund, a belief fund approved by Wolf.

And most critically, neither piece examined the political realities of getting the help to make a change.

That is the second 12 months Wolf has made the proposal, however with none actual changes in his proposal.

Likewise, the Commonwealth Basis, a public coverage options suppose tank with a free-market bent based mostly in Harrisburg, has for the second 12 months in a row railed towards the racing fund set-aside, once more with out inspecting the political context or political actuality.

‘Definition of madness’ lawmaker stated of floating similar proposal

PlayPennsylvania just lately checked in with the seemingly invoice sponsor, state Sen. Wayne Fontana. In accordance with Fontana, the draft legislative proposal has no probability of passage – “not gonna fly” he stated bluntly – because it presently stands on account of a scarcity of votes even amongst his personal Republican social gathering.

A narrative in LevittownNow.com (Levittown adjoins Parx) reported a number of lawmakers admonishing PA Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding for failing to reply throughout a funds listening to to deal with how racing’s enterprise mannequin would reply if the horse funds are shifted. As AG Secretary, Redding oversees horse racing within the Commonwealth.

After the assembly, Western PA state Sen. Joe Pittman, a Republican, known as the Wolf administration’s failure to deal with legislative questions on diverting the racing belief funds for 2 years in a row “the definition of madness.”

And whereas the Wolf administration was working the identical previous playbook because the one which didn’t garner help final 12 months, harness horsemen on the Meadows On line casino Racetrack in Western PA entertained lawmakers and employees in late March with “Legislative Day” for a contingent of lawmakers and employees.

In all, 20 state representatives, all Republicans, attended and heard pitches about racing’s financial impression past the tracks.

Horse betting choices growing in PA

In PA, these trying to wager horses on-line have their decide between PABets and FanDuel Racing. Now the state has one other racing app.

Churchill Downs, dad or mum of the Derby and Presque Isle Downs in PA, now has a PA betting app integrating horse racing, sports activities betting, and on-line on line casino.

The corporate hopes the brand new TwinSpires sports activities betting app (previously BetAmerica) will usher in prospects past the racing barn crowd.

In one other transfer meant to make wagering on horses extra like sports activities betting, New Jersey is contemplating fixed-odds betting, somewhat than pari-mutuel wagering, the place the chances should not locked in till the second earlier than a race.

If Jersey makes such a change, there will probably be strain for PA to observe go well with.

In accordance with an AG Division spokeswoman:

“The State Horse Racing Fee has had no discussions on fixed-odds wagering. Permitting the apply in Pennsylvania would require laws.”

How seemingly that is likely to be is troublesome to gauge with the funds season from now till the tip of June.

Parx graded stakes schedule

Parx Racing has launched its 2021 Stakes Schedule that includes over $5 million in purses after scratching most of its schedule final 12 months on account of COVID-19 points.

The marque occasions are the return of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes.

Each of the $1 million races run on Saturday, September 25. Seven different stakes together with The Gallant Bob (G2), Turf Monster (G3), Dr. James Penny Memorial (G3), and the Greenwood Cup (G3) are additionally on the schedule.

New director of racing for Meadows

The Meadows has named Scott Lishia as its new director of racing. He’s chargeable for all sides of  Meadows’ year-round harness racing program and its pari-mutuel operations.

Lead picture by way of Dreamstime.

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