Large Group of Prominent Owners, Trainers Pledge to Make Vet Records Public

Jockey Club press release

A large and growing number of prominent Thoroughbred owners and trainers have voluntarily pledged to make available to the public veterinary records of their horses competing in graded stakes races in the United States and Canada, The Jockey Club has announced.

Such records will cover the 14-day period preceding and including the day of each race and will be available on the day of the race at least two hours prior to post time. The pledges take effect immediately.

The decision by the owners and trainers follows closely on the heels of an April 14 public proposal by Ogden Mills Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club, suggesting that the veterinary records for every horse entered in this year’s Triple Crown races be made available as a means to bring greater credibility and integrity to Thoroughbred racing at a time when millions are watching.

“The outpouring of support for this initiative has been dramatic and this is just a preliminary list of those who have stepped forward in the past few days,” Phipps said. “I commend each of the owners and trainers for taking a bold step to enhance the image of our sport, and it is our sincere hope that other owners and trainers will soon adopt this voluntary practice as well.”

The current list of owners and trainers includes Adena Springs (Frank Stronach), John Amerman, Roger Attfield (trainer), Antony Beck, Gary Biszantz, Bill Casner, Mark Casse, Claiborne Farm, Christophe Clement (trainer), Darley and Godolphin (HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum), Adele Dilschneider, Dogwood Stable (Cot Campbell), Neil Drysdale (trainer), Will Farish, Glen Hill Farm, Harris Farms (John Harris), Stuart S. Janney III, Live Oak Stud (Charlotte Weber), D. Wayne Lukas (trainer), Earle Mack, Richard Mandella (trainer), Michael Matz (trainer), Shug McGaughey (trainer), Kenny McPeek (trainer), Graham Motion (trainer), Bill Mott (trainer), Phipps Stable (Ogden Mills Phipps), Pin Oak Stud (Josephine Abercrombie), Dr. Hiram Polk Jr., Dr. J. David Richardson, John Shirreffs (trainer), Al Stall Jr. (trainer), Dallas Stewart (trainer), Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke), Stella Thayer, Three Chimneys Farm (Robert Clay and Borges Torrealba), Tic Stable (Ian Highet), West Point Thoroughbreds (Terry Finley), Peter Willmott, Ian Wilkes (trainer), WinStar Farm (Kenny Troutt) and Woodford Racing (Bill Farish).

Owners and trainers who would like to add their names to the list of participants may do so by visiting The Jockey Club website at jockeyclub.com.

As an industry service, The Jockey Club will provide on its website (jockeyclub.com) a list of owners and trainers who pledge to make veterinary records available, and the list will be updated on a regular basis.

Additional details regarding this initiative will be announced in the near future.

Also, as an extension of its On Call media assistance program that is designed to provide accurate veterinary information, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) will provide to media, upon request, general information about medications and treatments described in those records. AAEP will not, however, provide information or perspective on any specific horse, treatment or procedure because an On Call veterinarian will not have examined the horse in question.