The Nebraska Racing Commission has suspended owner/trainer David C. Anderson for three years and fined him $4,000 as a result of positive tests for Class I drugs in two of his horses.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Anderson’s two horses in question — Storms of Life and Overnite Surprise — both finished second in their races at Horsemen’s Park July 16, 2

Calling it “one of the most important moments at Oaklawn and in Arkansas sports,” Oaklawn Park president Charles J. Cella has upped the purse of the April 3 Apple Blossom Handicap to $5 million provided champions Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta both start, according to a track release.

At a morning press conference Feb. 4, Cella reported that he has spoken with the owners

The horses of Thoroughbred trainer Michael Gill entered for the Feb. 3 race card at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course will be permitted to start unless the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission steps in with immediate action, a spokesman for Penn National Gaming Inc. ({NGI) said Jan 29.

One of the most competitive races for Horse of the Year honors in recent memory will conclude tonight, Monday, Jan. 18, with announcement of whether it is Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta, two females who dominated American racing in 2009.

The Horse of the Year announcement will be made at the 39th annual Eclipse Awards dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. The

As news of the devastating earthquake, which struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti on Jan. 12, continues to unfold, the Santa Anita jockeys’ colony and Santa Anita Park have joined forces to send aid via the American Red Cross.

The new policy in New York that would have allowed for out-of-competition testing as of Jan. 1 has been put on hold because of a restraining order received by the Standardbred Owners Association of New York.

The New York State Racing and Wagering Board will not be able to start the testing after the New York State Supreme Court ruled Jan. 7 in favor of halting the new regulation.

Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, has purchased 360 acres in South Carolina’s Aiken County through the Darley America arm of his Thoroughbred empire. He eventually will operate a training facility on the property, according to a story on www.aikenstandard.com. The deal for the land closed Dec. 30.

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New York racing authorities are authorized to conduct unannounced drug testing of horses that are expected to compete at tracks in the state even when they are stabled at farms away from those tracks under rules going into effect Jan. 1.

In a statement from the New York Racing and Wagering Board, chairman John D. Sabini said the new “out of competition” rules apply to al

The California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) Foundation is awarding $264,000 to 12 different charitable organizations caring for retired California racehorses. It represents an increase of approximately 50% from the amount granted in 2008, its first year of fundraising.

Last year, after only six months of operation, the CARMA board voted to grant $150,450 to eight charitie

Santa Anita’s traditional opening day of Dec. 26 brought out 35,292 to watch a pair of grade I races and to honor Zenyatta and John Henry. The crowd was the largest in the last 10 years of opening days at the “Great Race Place.”

The throng enthusiastically cheered Jerry and Ann Mosses’ undefeated Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Zenyatta who was par

The undefeated 5-year-old mare Zenyatta, who became the first female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic last month at Santa Anita, finished second to tennis star Serena Williams as the Associated Press “Female Athlete of the Year” for 2009, it was announced Dec. 22.

Zenyatta, with 18 votes, finished a distant second to Williams, who received 66 votes from the 158 ballo

Calder Casino & Race Course lifted a virus-related quarantine Dec. 21, allowing 60 horses to resume normal training and racing.

The quarantine was enacted at the Miami Gardens, Fla., track in late November, after one horse was diagnosed with equine herpesvirus-1.

Horses are now permitted to ship to Calder for racing.

“While the quarantine w

Heavy rainfall in South Florida Dec. 18 forced officials at Gulfstream Park to take immediate action to protect horses and people. About 600 horses were relocated to other area stabling facilities and there was an evacuation of one backstretch dormitory.

Results of testing for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) on a horse in one of the quarantined barns at Calder Race Course came back negative the morning of Dec. 5. This allowed for the quarantine on that barn to be lifted and, thus, the activity of all the horses in that barn, including racing, is now unrestricted.

Three barns at Calder remain under quarantine conditions implemen

Phil McCarthy, DVM, a veterinarian who specialized in reproductive issues and the owner of Watercress Farm near Paris, Ky., died Nov. 29 of cancer at his home in Lexington. He was 58.

"Phil McCarthy was a pioneer in many different areas of the horse business; from fetal sexing of mares to diagnosing and treating stallion infertility," said James Robertson, DVM, Dipl.

Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick's Rachel Alexandra arrived in Louisiana Nov. 27 but probably won't race until March or April.

Rachel Alexandra shipped by van from Churchill Downs to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots without incident, Fair Grounds officials said. The filly hasn't raced since early September but had begun jogging at Churchill for trainer