A new place to bet on horses is coming to Pennsylvania. While zoning has presented a roadblock for plans for an OTB move in Philadelphia, sports betting, horse wagering and crab fries are on their way to the Main Line via Parx Race and Sportsbook at Chickie’s and Pete’s, a popular casual restaurant and sports bar.
Parx has partnered with the restaurant chain and plans on opening an OTB location in Malvern, likely by mid-December.
OTB operations from the permanently closed Oaks Race & Sportsbook move to the Malvern location at the Grove Shopping Center, 10 Liberty Boulevard.
Parx Racing app updates
Parx Racing recently updated its horse betting app. On the (in addition to wagering) you can watch live races and replays. An odds board displays probables, carryovers and more.
Some of the upgrades to the new Parx Racing app include:
- Video improvements
- Wagering interface improvements
- Additional funding options
- Improved odds boards
Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act
The most significant regulatory change in horse racing oversight is making headway.
Rather than the patchwork regulating 38 racing states, including Pennsylvania, a uniform national standard is coming.
A draft of proposed anti-doping and medication rules is out and a comment period is open. Changes begin next July.
Key changes include:
- The bans the anti-bleeding medication Lasix on race day in all 2-year-old and stakes races. Last week, all 14 Breeders’ Cup world championships ran without Lasix for the first time.
- Primary substances are never allowed, including anabolic steroids and erythropoietin (EPO) that can increase red blood cells and boost aerobic capacity.
- Secondary substances as anti-inflammatories and supplements cannot be used on race day.
- Up to 48 hours before a race, Horses are allowed to ingest only water, hay and oats two days before a race.
- There be no detection of any prohibited substance beginning at midnight on race day.
Punishments tightened:
- A positive test, use or possession of a primary substance would be punishable by a suspension of up to two years or up to four years if there were aggravating circumstances or a second violation within ten years.
- A third violation within ten years could mean a lifetime ban.
- A positive test, use or possession of a secondary substance could result in punishment of a suspension of up to 30 days and a fine.
- Punishment could extend up to two years if there were aggravating circumstances or a fourth or more violation of this type within five years.
Also:
- Evasion, tampering, administration of a primary substance, trafficking, complicity and retaliation could draw a sanction of up to two years.
- Race-day violations mean automatic disqualifications for horses.
Several states are challenging the federal regulation in court. And some horsemen groups in PA have also joined the challenges, but not all.
On an up note: According to the Associated Press, all blood samples from the recent Breeders Cup races in California were clean.
Parx lawsuit over losses due to COVID-19 shot down
According to Bloomberg, Greenwood Racing, which operates Parx racetrack, can not recover shutdown losses due to the pandemic.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania dismissed the coverage claims.
Horse racing in Keystone State gears down
Harrah’s Casino Philadelphia, both Hollywood Casino tracks, and Parx are the only PA courses continuing to race through December.
PABets and TVG allows you to place bets from anywhere.
Top jockey who came up at Presque Isle killed in KY
Miguel Mena, a horse jockey who twice raced in the Kentucky Derby after launching his career at Presque Isle Downs, is dead. Mena died in a pedestrian accident in Louisville on Halloween night. His death is classified as an accident.
Mena, who was from Peru, was about to turn 35. And he was in Kentucky racing at Churchill Downs at the time of the incident.
He had won 2,079 races in North America and earned nearly $72.5 million in prize money.
He was the leading rider at Presque Isle in 2007. His time there set him up for the rest of his career.
Parx trainer Glorioso dies
Ronald S. Glorioso, 79, of Langhorne, a Parx Racing Hall of Fame Trainer, who won more than 1,000 races, has died according to the Bucks County Courier Times.
Before turning to horse racing, Glorioso was a mounted PA State Trooper. He had served on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association since 2007.
Lead image Alex Brandon/AP
