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Open Letter to the Industry: 1/ST Support for the SAFE Act

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In an industry that does not always speak with one voice, there should be one clear point of agreement: we are judged by how we care for our horses. Without a firm commitment to equine welfare, our sport cannot sustain its future. We owe them safety, dignity, and lifelong care.

Everyone involved in racing shares responsibility for these horses, not only during their careers, but long after. The era of “business as usual” is over. This is a business, but it is also a responsibility that requires integrity and a clear commitment to doing right by these animals.

This is a pivotal moment for our industry. It calls for action, not silence. Inaction will be noticed and judged. The decisions we make now will define both our future and our credibility.

For this reason, 1/ST supports the passage of H.R.1661/S.755, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act. This legislation would permanently prohibit domestic horse slaughter and the export of horses for human consumption. While slaughter facilities no longer operate in the United States, the pipeline continues through export. In 2025, more than 25,000 U.S. horses were shipped to foreign slaughter plants, a sharp increase from the previous year. The SAFE Act would close this loophole and establish permanent federal protection.

Many of us work to identify and help horses at risk, particularly those we recognize. But the reality is that most horses in this pipeline no longer have an identity that connects them back to our sport. The question is not how many we can save, but how many we never see. Public expectations around animal welfare have shifted and will continue to do so. Industries that fail to respond face consequences. Racing should not assume it will be treated differently or given more time. This is not only an ethical obligation, but also essential to the sport’s long-term viability.

We commend the work of the Wild Beauty Foundation, the Lost Horses campaign and countless others for bringing attention to this issue and driving meaningful change.

There are moments when industries are asked to show what they stand for. This is one of them. 1/ST asks organizations across racing and the broader equine community to take a clear position by contacting Members of Congress and publicly supporting the SAFE Act.

At 1/ST, we are not waiting for perfect alignment, we are acting now. We encourage others to do the same and help set a clear standard for the humane treatment of horses, both during their careers and beyond.

Only when we account for our horses beyond racing can we truly claim to protect them.

Sincerely,
Aidan Butler, President, 1/ST

The post Open Letter to the Industry: 1/ST Support for the SAFE Act appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Everett Dobson Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland

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It’s no secret that The Jockey Club has come under fire recently, particularly from owner Mike Repole. There have been calls for it to step up and be a better leader, to take a larger role in solving the aftercare issues, and to spend its resources more wisely and on programs that would better help the sport. Owner Aron Wellman wrote in a TDN op-ed that The Jockey Club refuses “to accept responsibility for its own failures.”

The Jockey Club Chairman Everett Dobson joined this week’s TDN Writers’ Room Podcast presented by Keeneland to address some of the criticism and to talk about other issues, like the SAFE Act, the on-again, off-again efforts to impose a cap on how many mares a stallion can be bred to, and a venture that will bring the Derby experience to thousands of possible new fans who are tuning into YouTube and TikTok. Dobson was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

Dobson said that he and Repole have more in common when it comes to concerns about the sport than people might think.

“I’m willing to meet with him at any time and I have repeatedly communicated that to him,” Dobson said. “I would say 95% of the things we’re talking about, we absolutely agree on. There’s very little disagreement between my own opinions and the opinions of my fellow stewards at The Jockey Club and what Mike believes. We believe we need to grow the sport. We believe we need to better market the sport. We believe we have challenges around the foal crop and aftercare issues. All of those things are on the table when we have conversations with Mike, and there’s very little we disagree on.”

However, Dobson said that dealing with Repole is not always easy.

“I have no ill will toward Mike at all,” he said. “I wish we could have a better line of communication. It’s a little challenging. Right now the disconnect is that he’s threatened to sue us. And so it’s hard when anyone threatens to sue your institution. You don’t have an option but to involve lawyers.

“Now there are a few things–his opinions about the Breeders’ Cup and the state of racing in California. We take exception to some of those things. That’s what’s really a little bit confusing, that he’s been so adversarial to the institutions of The Jockey Club, the Breeders’ Cup and some others.”

The Jockey Club is believed to have about $48 million stowed away in a war chest. That money, some critics have said, should be used to help solve problems like aftercare, the demise of FanDuel TV, and the purses levels in California. Dobson said that The Jockey Club’s financial assets are already being spent on good causes. He named the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, the Jockey Safety Net Foundation, and non-profits like America’s Best Racing as examples.

“So where am I coming out on the importance of and the reason we have that money? It’s very important,” he said. “We need it. We desperately need it. So, to suggest otherwise to me is irresponsible. It’s just not logical. I’m not saying it’s irresponsible. It’s not logical that we should do something else with that money. We’re doing things that are helping bring people into the sport, and that’s really what it amounts to.”

The Jockey Club has long been pushing for a mare cap. The subject came up again when Dobson, while addressing the National HBPA Conference, said The Jockey Club is re-examining whether or not it should attempt to impose a mare cap. Just this week the Kentucky Legislature overrode the governor’s veto on a bill that included language that would effectively ban The Jockey Club from limiting stallion books in the state.

Dobson didn’t sound like someone who was ready to give up that fight.

“The numbers don’t lie,” he said. “They’re simple. It’s whether or not we have had a negative impact on the breed. That’ll show up in fertility rates, it’ll show up in performance, it’ll show up in the general health of the horse. That’s really where I want to focus the science and the interest of this organization.”

Dobson also spoke about the series of some 90 shorts that will be appearing on YouTube and TikTok that The Jockey Club has commissioned. Called the Unbridled Series, the writers and producers connect the audience with people involved in the Kentucky Derby and explain what is so special about the race. The first one, featuring Bob Baffert, is already out.

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was GI Apple Blossom Handicap winner Claret Beret (Not This Time), who earned a 105 Beyer in her big win at Oaklawn Park. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the sire Life Is Good.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley, and Zoe Cadman delved into the game of musical chairs the jockeys played before the GI Kentucky Derby, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. landing on GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief). They gave a thumbs down to the idea of the Arkansas Derby being rescheduled to fall three weeks before the Derby and took a look at what should be a terrific renewal of the GII Oaklawn Handicap.

For the audio (only) version of the podcast, click here. To view the video version, click here.

The post Everett Dobson Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Open Letter to the Industry: 1/ST Support for the SAFE Act

---

In an industry that does not always speak with one voice, there should be one clear point of agreement: we are judged by how we care for our horses. Without a firm commitment to equine welfare, our sport cannot sustain its future. We owe them safety, dignity, and lifelong care.

Everyone involved in racing shares responsibility for these horses, not only during their careers, but long after. The era of “business as usual” is over. This is a business, but it is also a responsibility that requires integrity and a clear commitment to doing right by these animals.

This is a pivotal moment for our industry. It calls for action, not silence. Inaction will be noticed and judged. The decisions we make now will define both our future and our credibility.

For this reason, 1/ST supports the passage of H.R.1661/S.755, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act. This legislation would permanently prohibit domestic horse slaughter and the export of horses for human consumption. While slaughter facilities no longer operate in the United States, the pipeline continues through export. In 2025, more than 25,000 U.S. horses were shipped to foreign slaughter plants, a sharp increase from the previous year. The SAFE Act would close this loophole and establish permanent federal protection.

Many of us work to identify and help horses at risk, particularly those we recognize. But the reality is that most horses in this pipeline no longer have an identity that connects them back to our sport. The question is not how many we can save, but how many we never see. Public expectations around animal welfare have shifted and will continue to do so. Industries that fail to respond face consequences. Racing should not assume it will be treated differently or given more time. This is not only an ethical obligation, but also essential to the sport’s long-term viability.

We commend the work of the Wild Beauty Foundation, the Lost Horses campaign and countless others for bringing attention to this issue and driving meaningful change.

There are moments when industries are asked to show what they stand for. This is one of them. 1/ST asks organizations across racing and the broader equine community to take a clear position by contacting Members of Congress and publicly supporting the SAFE Act.

At 1/ST, we are not waiting for perfect alignment, we are acting now. We encourage others to do the same and help set a clear standard for the humane treatment of horses, both during their careers and beyond.

Only when we account for our horses beyond racing can we truly claim to protect them.

Sincerely,
Aidan Butler, President, 1/ST

The post Open Letter to the Industry: 1/ST Support for the SAFE Act appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Everett Dobson Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland

---

It’s no secret that The Jockey Club has come under fire recently, particularly from owner Mike Repole. There have been calls for it to step up and be a better leader, to take a larger role in solving the aftercare issues, and to spend its resources more wisely and on programs that would better help the sport. Owner Aron Wellman wrote in a TDN op-ed that The Jockey Club refuses “to accept responsibility for its own failures.”

The Jockey Club Chairman Everett Dobson joined this week’s TDN Writers’ Room Podcast presented by Keeneland to address some of the criticism and to talk about other issues, like the SAFE Act, the on-again, off-again efforts to impose a cap on how many mares a stallion can be bred to, and a venture that will bring the Derby experience to thousands of possible new fans who are tuning into YouTube and TikTok. Dobson was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

Dobson said that he and Repole have more in common when it comes to concerns about the sport than people might think.

“I’m willing to meet with him at any time and I have repeatedly communicated that to him,” Dobson said. “I would say 95% of the things we’re talking about, we absolutely agree on. There’s very little disagreement between my own opinions and the opinions of my fellow stewards at The Jockey Club and what Mike believes. We believe we need to grow the sport. We believe we need to better market the sport. We believe we have challenges around the foal crop and aftercare issues. All of those things are on the table when we have conversations with Mike, and there’s very little we disagree on.”

However, Dobson said that dealing with Repole is not always easy.

“I have no ill will toward Mike at all,” he said. “I wish we could have a better line of communication. It’s a little challenging. Right now the disconnect is that he’s threatened to sue us. And so it’s hard when anyone threatens to sue your institution. You don’t have an option but to involve lawyers.

“Now there are a few things–his opinions about the Breeders’ Cup and the state of racing in California. We take exception to some of those things. That’s what’s really a little bit confusing, that he’s been so adversarial to the institutions of The Jockey Club, the Breeders’ Cup and some others.”

The Jockey Club is believed to have about $48 million stowed away in a war chest. That money, some critics have said, should be used to help solve problems like aftercare, the demise of FanDuel TV, and the purses levels in California. Dobson said that The Jockey Club’s financial assets are already being spent on good causes. He named the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, the Jockey Safety Net Foundation, and non-profits like America’s Best Racing as examples.

“So where am I coming out on the importance of and the reason we have that money? It’s very important,” he said. “We need it. We desperately need it. So, to suggest otherwise to me is irresponsible. It’s just not logical. I’m not saying it’s irresponsible. It’s not logical that we should do something else with that money. We’re doing things that are helping bring people into the sport, and that’s really what it amounts to.”

The Jockey Club has long been pushing for a mare cap. The subject came up again when Dobson, while addressing the National HBPA Conference, said The Jockey Club is re-examining whether or not it should attempt to impose a mare cap. Just this week the Kentucky Legislature overrode the governor’s veto on a bill that included language that would effectively ban The Jockey Club from limiting stallion books in the state.

Dobson didn’t sound like someone who was ready to give up that fight.

“The numbers don’t lie,” he said. “They’re simple. It’s whether or not we have had a negative impact on the breed. That’ll show up in fertility rates, it’ll show up in performance, it’ll show up in the general health of the horse. That’s really where I want to focus the science and the interest of this organization.”

Dobson also spoke about the series of some 90 shorts that will be appearing on YouTube and TikTok that The Jockey Club has commissioned. Called the Unbridled Series, the writers and producers connect the audience with people involved in the Kentucky Derby and explain what is so special about the race. The first one, featuring Bob Baffert, is already out.

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was GI Apple Blossom Handicap winner Claret Beret (Not This Time), who earned a 105 Beyer in her big win at Oaklawn Park. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the sire Life Is Good.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley, and Zoe Cadman delved into the game of musical chairs the jockeys played before the GI Kentucky Derby, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. landing on GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief). They gave a thumbs down to the idea of the Arkansas Derby being rescheduled to fall three weeks before the Derby and took a look at what should be a terrific renewal of the GII Oaklawn Handicap.

For the audio (only) version of the podcast, click here. To view the video version, click here.

The post Everett Dobson Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.