The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Sept. 9 that Calder Casino and Race Course 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. Calder received its initial alliance accreditation in September 2009. All accreditations and re-accreditations carry an effective period of two years.
Calder is the ninth alliance-accredited racetrack to earn re-accreditation. Keeneland 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 and Saratoga were re-accredited earlier in September.
The re-accreditation of Calder was the culmination of a lengthy certification process that began with the track’s completion of a 48-page written application and continued as Calder 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.
The inspection team was comprised of Dr. Ron Jensen; Mike Kilpack of the Organization of Racetrack Investigators; racing official Richard Lewis; and Mike Ziegler, executive director of the alliance.
During the latest alliance inspection of Calder, best practices were identified in areas including procedures for maintaining the veterinarian’s list; participation in safety research; safety training and continuing education programs; frequent safety committee meetings; aftercare and transitioning of retired racehorses; and wagering integrity protocols and procedures.
“Since the inception of the alliance, there has been no more ardent supporter of the accreditation process than John Marshall and his team at Calder,” Ziegler said. “We are delighted to grant this re-accreditation in light of Calder’s strong, ongoing commitment to safety and integrity.”
“The safety of our human and equine athletes is of paramount importance in everything we do here at Calder Casino and Race Course,” said Marshall, Calder’s vice president and general manager of racing. “Calder is proud to have been the first racetrack in Florida accredited by the NTRA, and now the first Florida track to be re-accredited.”