"The prompt reporting of this information to the horse identifier and the racing secretary will reduce confusion among the betting public and horsemen, as has been reported," Jim Gallagher, executive director of the Horse Racing Authority, said in a press release.One recent example of this problem occurred when Laity won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park March 4. He was listed as a colt but had recently been gelded.Failure to comply with the regulation could result in disciplinary action.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority approved a regulation March 30 requiring trainers to report first time gelding starters to the racetrack horse identifier and the racing secretary. Under the new regulation, the altered status will be reported to The Jockey Club, and then passed to the wagering public. Because of off-track betting sites, a late announcement of a first time gelding starter over a public address system is limited in its success in informing the betting public.