The conversation around America's aftercare ecosystem has never been louder. Funding it and reforming it have been central to Mike Repole's efforts over the past three years. If our industry cannot align around something as fundamental and humane as aftercare, it raises serious questions about our ability to solve larger, more complex challenges. Events last [...]

After months of research and stakeholder engagement for Mike Repole's National Thoroughbred Alliance initiative, I read the Aug. 26 open letter, “When Does a Thoroughbred Earn a Safe Retirement” with interest and, assuredly, shared frustration. The authors have been at the forefront of fighting the slaughter pipeline for years. The most basic finding of my [...]

Dan Ross's article from Sunday, February 20 highlighting the many unanswered questions regarding provisions of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) should concern anyone who cares about American racing. For an entity which many are expecting to be vitally important to the future of the sport, it has left much to be desired in [...]

Amongst serious horseplayers, takeout rates in pari-mutuel pools are a frequent discussion. It should be a focus of breeders, owners, trainers and track operators. Unless they are serious bettors too, takeout rates rarely “get a run” from those constituencies, though. Our recent #FreeDataFriday piece highlighted the impact of various takeout rates on win pools at [...]

Thoroughbred Idea Foundation Two weeks ago, Microsoft announced the launch of its “Open Data Campaign,” in their words, “to help address the looming 'data divide' and help organizations of all sizes to realize the benefits of data and the new technologies it powers. “We believe everyone can benefit from opening, sharing and collaborating around data [...]

We cannot say this any simpler: American racing does not have a fair and equitable split of the takeout dollar, it has overly and foolishly relied on alternate sources of gaming to supplement purses. So, we remind you–whether you are for or against a 'federal bill,' a Jockey Club member, a commercial breeder, a small [...]

This text is an abridged version of today's Free Data Friday release from the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation. Read the full version here. As the famous proverb goes–the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now. Despite few tracks going forward in recent weeks and little to no competition [...]

Editor's Note: the following is part of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation's weekly `Free-Data Friday' series. by Pat Cummings The federal indictments handed down on Monday, March 9 have rippled through the American racing industry, with every indication more are on the way. The results confirmed details which American horseplayers have accounted-for in their analysis over [...]

Pat Cummings is Executive Director of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation “Oh, the places you'll go,” hoped Dr. Seuss. There are reasons to be optimistic about the future of Thoroughbred racing in North America. Our future could be far brighter than the present, but it is all very conditional. A massive effort to modernize the sport [...]

Editor's Note: the following is part of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation's weekly `Free-Data Friday' series. New Jersey moved first. Again. Continuing a trend that has seen the Garden State lead the way forward on sports betting and evolving the nation's wagering landscape, Tuesday's announcement was a potential positive volley in that evolution as Monmouth Park [...]

Is it really possible that, in 2019, some are still questioning the value of sectional times? Yes, apparently. The latest foray in the decades long debate coming from former Racing Post editor and current contributor Bruce Millington, who suggested that sectional times are not “useful.” The view is surely shared by some in the “let's [...]