The Horseracing Integrity and Security Authority launched a assertion relating to the Parx Racing turf course after officers and racetrack floor consultants examined it earlier this week. Turf racing at Parx has been suspended since late August after Causes Bother was fatally injured throughout the Aug. 24 Parx Sprint there, and the security of the course was known as into query by critics, led by Bob Hutt, president of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Affiliation.
“HISA officers visited PARX On line casino and Racing on Monday, September 2, and Tuesday, September 3, accompanied by turf floor consultants,” a HISA spokesperson wrote. “The staff performed a observe analysis, collected soil samples, and carried out moisture and consistency exams, which will likely be in contrast with earlier outcomes. On the time of the analysis, all divots had been stuffed with rising medium. Nevertheless, there was a noticeable lack of moisture within the observe floor. Monitor administration defined the irrigation system was down for upkeep.
“HISA officers met with PARX horsemen and Jeff Matty, Government Director of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Affiliation, to offer updates on the continued assessment and display the Racing Providers Testing Laboratory (RSTL) observe floor testing procedures.
“On Wednesday, September 4, the irrigation system was operational, and a portion of the turf course was aerated. Monitor administration has dedicated to finishing further steps over the subsequent two weeks, aiming to renew turf racing on Monday, September 16 via September 21, concluding with (Pennsylvania) Derby day. A consultant of HISA’s Monitor Floor Advisory Group will go to PARX for one more analysis previous to the observe re-opening. HISA will proceed working with PARX administration to judge the continued efforts and develop a complete long-term plan to improve the turf floor.”
BloodHorse requested the report from HISA investigators for assessment. A HISA spokesperson stated that they had not issued a report and the assertion was all it has shared to this point.
Absent the report, BloodHorse requested the particular emails and written documentation of HISA investigators and a extra detailed rationalization of some features of its assertion, resembling the extra steps PARX would undertake and the way lengthy the irrigation system had been down for upkeep. A response to these requests was not instantly obtained.
Hutt, whose contact with HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus helped sparked the examination of the course, responded to the assertion by saying, “In equity to HISA, I do not assume it is clever for me to remark throughout an ongoing investigation.”
He had beforehand known as the turf course a “minefield,” illustrating his level by circulating a video taken by a horse individual after racing that confirmed deep divots.
In an interview final week, Ann McGovern, director of racetrack security for HISA, stated Joe Wilson, chief working officer for Parx Racing, instructed her, “If it was his course, it was taken following a race day and never after the divots had been repaired, which might have occurred the subsequent day previous to racing. So we had been seeing a course that had not been attended (to) or maintained following racing.”
Wilson doesn’t converse to the media.
McGovern stated final week that HISA has not finalized the entire course of for accrediting Parx Racing, although officers visited it in April 2023 and once more this spring. Parx has famous it was licensed by the Nationwide Thoroughbred Racing Affiliation in 2018, and in June of this yr, the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory inspected and authorized its racing surfaces.
