A large and growing number of prominent Thoroughbred owners and trainers have voluntarily pledged to make veterinary records of their horses competing in graded stakes races in the United States and Canada available to the public, The Jockey Club announced April 17.
Such records will cover the 14-day period preceding and including the day of each race and will be available on the day of the race at least two hours prior to post time. The pledges take effect immediately.
The current list of high-profile owners includes Frank Stronach's Adena Springs, John Amerman, Antony Beck, Gary Biszantz, Bill Casner, Claiborne Farm, Sheikh Mohammed's Darley and Godolphin, Adele Dilschneider, Dogwood Stable, Will Farish, Glen Hill Farm, Harris Farms (John Harris), Stuart S. Janney III, Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud, Earle Mack, Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak Stud, Dr. Hiram Polk Jr., Phipps Stable, Dr. J. David Richardson, Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables, Stella Thayer, Three Chimneys Farm, Tic Stable (Ian Highet), Terry Finley's West Point Thoroughbreds, Peter Willmott, WinStar Farm, Woodford Racing (Bill Farish), and Zayat Stables.
Trainers include Roger Attfield, Mark Casse, Christophe Clement, Neil Drysdale, Mark Hennig, D. Wayne Lukas, Richard Mandella, Michael Matz, Shug McGaughey, Ken McPeek, Graham Motion, Bill Mott, John Shirreffs, Al Stall Jr., Dallas Stewart, and Ian Wilkes.
The decision by the owners and trainers follows closely on the heels of an April 14 public proposal by Ogden Mills Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club, suggesting that the veterinary records for every horse entered in this year¹s Triple Crown races be made available as a means to bring greater credibility and integrity to Thoroughbred racing at a time when millions are watching.
"The outpouring of support for this initiative has been dramatic and this is just a preliminary list of those who have stepped forward in the past few days," Phipps said. "I commend each of the owners and trainers for taking a bold step to enhance the image of our sport, and it is our sincere hope that other owners and trainers will soon adopt this voluntary practice as well."
Owners and trainers who would like to add their names to the list of participants may do so by visiting The Jockey Club website at jockeyclub.com.
As an industry service, The Jockey Club will provide on its website a list of owners and trainers who pledge to make veterinary records available, and the list will be updated on a regular basis.
A Jockey Club spokesman said there is no clearinghouse at this time where the records that are released will be maintained but that the organization is working on how to make the information available to the public. He noted that it is a "work in progress."
Additional details regarding this initiative will be announced in the near future.
Also, as an extension of its On Call media assistance program that is designed to provide accurate veterinary information, the American Association of Equine Practitioners will provide to media, upon request, general information about medications and treatments described in those records. AAEP will not, however, provide information or perspective on any specific horse, treatment, or procedure because an On Call veterinarian will not have examined the horse in question.
