Stobart Lester Award Nominations

Named in honor of legendary British flat racing Champion Jockey, Lester Piggott, the Stobart Lester Awards honor jockeys for a range of achievements at a ceremony held in Britain each year. With the 22nd annual Stobart Lester awards due to take place at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham on Thursday April 5th, the list of nominees has been published, with the world’s top jockeys in line for what has been described as the horse racing industry's own "Oscars".

BHA's New Chief Faces Funding and Whip-Rule Issues

Having worked at the old British Horseracing Board, as well as holding senior posts in New Zealand racing and his home-country of Australia, Paul Bittar brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the table as he takes up his post as chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority. By all accounts, Bittar's experience and competence will be put to the test immediately as he addresses two issues that need to be resolved urgently for the British horseracing industry to move forward. The issues that need a speedy resolution are the acceptable use of a whip in horseracing, and funding the Sport of Kings in a shaky economic climate.

Rapid Redux Continues Winning Streak

With a winning streak stretching back to December 2010, six-year-old- gelding Rapid Redux took first place in the sixth race at Laurel Park on Wednesday January 4, thereby extending his United States record to winning twenty-two consecutive races. With JD Acosta in the saddle, Rapid Redux took the lead early in the six-horse race, claiming victory in the five-horse race by three-quarters of a length. Seen as a worthy opponent, Awesome Rhythm came in a close second, having previously claimed second place to Rapid Redux in the race at Laurel Park on 13 December last year.

Horseracing in Maryland Thrown Lifeline for 2012

The horseracing industry in Maryland has been dealing with uncertainty regarding its future for some time now. While in many other states horseracing tracks have onsite slot machine gambling, the only track to have this facility in Maryland is the harness racing track of Ocean Downs. Horseracing in the United States has been hard hit by the country's economic turmoil, and while casino gambling doesn't make horseracing a more financially viable sport, it does help cover the costs of running racetracks.

Banning Lasix

My name is Glenn Thompson and I am a thoroughbred horse trainer with over 30 years experience in training. Throughout my career I have been fighting the bleeding issue with my horses, sometimes winning and sometimes losing. I am not sure what has been the cause for the bleeding to get so bad, but I do know that it has gotten much worse as the years have passed. It could be a combination of a few things: The steroids that were legal all those years; the over-use of antibiotics; the anti-inflammatories; or even the pesticides used in the hay, straw and oat fields.

Luck - Revealing the Multi-Faceted World of Horseracing

Often referred to as the "Sport of Kings", horseracing has had more than its share of controversy during its history. Today, with casinos collaborating with the horseracing industry, and advances in modern technology bringing simulcast racing to many venues, the sport is perceived by many to be just another form of gambling. This perception is challenged by horseracing enthusiasts who are involved with the equine athletes that stir up so much excitement on race-day. A new television series, set to premiere on 11 December, may very well change the general public's understanding about horseracing, as it addresses all aspects of the sport, including the role of owners, jockeys, punters and various gaming entities, as well as the horses themselves.

Record-Chasing Rapid Redux

A quote famously attributed to Richard Branson states that "Records are made to be broken. It is in man's nature to continue to strive to do just that." And judging by the performance of Rapid Redux at Mountaineer Park in Chester, West Virginia, horses can strive to break records too. In a race that left competitors in the dust, the gelding notched up his 20th consecutive win, breaking the 19-race records set by both the legendary Zenyatta and lower-grade mare from New Mexico, Peppers Pride.

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