NY Summit to Focus on Retired Racehorses

The New York State Gaming Commission will host a day-long summit focused on the issue of retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses Sept. 1. The summit will begin at 10 a.m. ET at the Fasig-Tipton Humphrey S. Finney sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and is free and open to the public.



According to a release from NYSGC, the event is designed to focus attention on the issue of racehorse retirement and publicize the current status of New York and national initiatives, including those ongoing and those developed since the New York Task Force on Retired Racehorses issued recommendations in late 2011.



"The commission believes that responsible stewardship of the horse includes factoring in the entire lifecycle and ensuring that these athletes have viable options once their racing careers are over," said commission executive director Robert Williams. "This event will highlight the steps that have been taken so far, and identify the challenges and solutions to promoting responsible aftercare."



"It's our duty to make sure they have access to safe havens once their days on the track are complete," said Sackatoga Stable's Jack Knowlton, a prominent owner and former Task Force Member who has been instrumental in putting together the summit. "Everyone—breeders, trainers, owners, track management and more—have an obligation to work together and address this issue. The Retired Racehorse Summit will showcase some exciting new endeavors being undertaken by the commission and the industry, to bring about real positive change for our horses."



Knowlton will review the Task Force's key recommendations and discuss the status of ongoing research indicating where horses go after they leave the track. He will also discuss the social responsibility component of the issue.

See tentative panels and participants