The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., 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. Belmont Park received its initial Alliance accreditation in April 2009. All accreditations and re-accreditations carry an effective period of two years. 

Belmont Park is the sixth Alliance-accredited racetrack to earn re-accreditation. Keeneland Race Course received re-accreditation from the Alliance in April of this year, Churchill Downs and Pimlico Race Course each earned re-accreditation last month, and Arlington Park and Hollywood Park earned re-accreditation earlier this month.

The re-accreditation of Belmont Park was the culmination of a lengthy certification process that began with the track’s completion of a 48-page written application and continued as Belmont Park 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. Such areas containing new or more stringent requirements include wagering security, injury reporting, post-mortem veterinary inspections, jockey health and safety, paddock safety, aftercare/transitioning of retired racehorses and cross-jurisdictional sharing of vet’s list data. Interviews were also conducted with track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers, stewards and fans. The inspection team was comprised of Ron Jensen, DVM; Mike Kilpack of the Organization of Racetrack Investigators (ORI); racing official Richard Lewis; and Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance.

During the latest Alliance inspection of Belmont Park, best practices were identified in areas including pre-race and post-race examination protocols; regulation and use of cushioned riding crops; equine ambulance equipment and procedures; substance abuse programs; participation in safety research; safety training and continuing education programs; planning and procedures in cases of catastrophic injuries; paddock safety protocols; regulation and testing for alkalinizing substances and anabolic steroids; regulation of shock wave therapy; out-of-competition testing protocols; requirements for licensing for jockeys; ambulance and medical support for riders; and for wagering integrity areas including stop wagering protocols, and maintaining integrity of the wagering pools

“Throughout the accreditation process, we found the people involved at Belmont Park are dedicated to safety and integrity,” said Ziegler.  “The list of best practices is long, clearly exemplifying that they are committed to the safety and welfare of their human and equine athletes and offering an integrity-based racing product.”

“There is nothing more important to the success of horseracing than ensuring the safety of our participants and the integrity of our product,” said Charles Hayward, President and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Racing Association.  “The accreditation process gives us an opportunity to review our operations and make sure we are doing all we can in these areas.”

Belmont Park is one of 19 racing facilities to receive full accreditation. Others are Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Arlington Park, Hollywood Park, Monmouth Park, Saratoga Race Course, Calder Race Course, Turfway Park, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Oak Tree at Santa Anita/Santa Anita Park, Fair Grounds, Aqueduct Racetrack, Pimlico Race Course, Golden Gate Fields, Woodbine, Canterbury Park, Sunland Park and, Finger Lakes Casino and Racetrack.

The Alliance, formed in October 2008 with the goal of establishing national uniform standards in the areas of safety and integrity, includes 55 racetracks in North America and every major national horsemen’s organization. Alliance certification standards cover six broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing environment; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; uniform medication, testing and penalties; safety research; and wagering security.

Within those six categories, specific standards focus on areas including:

• Systematic reporting of equine injuries
• Aftercare of racehorses
• Pre- and post-race veterinary examinations
• Post-mortem examinations
• Health and safety of jockeys
• Riding crops and their use
• Horse shoes and hoof care
• Safety research
• Safety equipment for jockeys and horse handlers
• Exogenous Anabolic Steroids
• Alkalinizing agents (TCO2)
• On-track emergency medical care for humans and equines
• Out-of-competition testing
• Freezing and retrospective testing of post race samples
• Continuing education
• Security assessment and training
• Totalizator technology and “stop wagering” protocols
• Wagering incident investigation

The NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance is a standing organization whose purpose is to establish standards and practices to promote safety and integrity in horseracing and to secure their implementation. Information on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found at www.NTRAalliance.com.

The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson, former four-term Governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, serves as independent monitor of the Alliance and will provide public reports on Alliance progress in instituting safety and integrity standards.