Tom LaMarra
Tom LaMarra is the news editor for The Blood-Horse magazine.
Articles by Tom LaMarra
Preakness: Gasps and Disbelief Give Way to Hope, Prayers
May 20, 2006
The gasps that rose from the record crowd gathered for Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Race Course told the story. There eventually was a winner, but even his connections were thinking about the injury to heavily favored Barbaro, Read More
Ferdinand Derby Anniversary Impetus for Slaughter-Ban Push
May 04, 2006
Supporters of legislation that would ban the transport of horses to slaughter for human consumption are hopeful the measure will pass Congress this year, a co-sponsor of the bill said May 3. Meanwhile, members of the Kentuck Read More
Diagnostic Center Funds Removed from Kentucky Budget
April 25, 2006
A $13.5-million appropriation for an expansion of the University of Kentucky's Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) in Lexington is among the budget line items vetoed by Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher.
Fletcher on April 24 cut $370 Read More
Kentucky Budget Includes $15M for Horse Industry
April 13, 2006
More than $15 million for horse industry-related projects and financial relief is included in the 2006-07 budget approved April 11 by the Kentucky General Assembly. The spending plan now goes to Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher for Read More
AHC Considers "Unwanted Horse" Coalition Proposal
April 05, 2006
The American Horse Council board of trustees is considering a proposal that would place under the organization's umbrella a coalition working on the issue of unwanted horses.
At the American Horse Council issues forum a year ago, the Read More
Medication Consortium Lobbies For Long-Term Funding Mechanism
February 08, 2006
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, expected to exhaust its bridge funding this year, continues lobbying the industry to support a per-start fee that would be shared by horsemen and racetracks.
RMTC chairman Dan Fick, executive Read More
Research Sought on Use of Alcohol in Racehorses
February 08, 2006
Having gotten field reports that racehorses are receiving vodka intravenously in an attempt to calm them down before races, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) has authorized laboratories to develop a test for Read More
Second Barn Quarantined at Turfway Because of Virus
January 07, 2006
A second barn at Turfway Park has been quarantined because of equine herpesvirus, which was first discovered at the Northern Kentucky racetrack the week before Christmas.
One horse in Barn 27 has tested positive for the virus, Turfway Read More
Turfway Heightens Precautions After Filly Tests Positive
December 24, 2005
Turfway Park heightened precautionary measures Dec. 23 after a 3-year-old filly was diagnosed with equine herpesvirus, a contagious disease with respiratory and neurological signs.
The filly, trained by Chuck Simon, was shipped Dec. 21 t Read More
Legislative Subcommittee OKs Kentucky Drug Rules
December 14, 2005
Kentucky's new medication rules were approved Dec. 13 by the state General Assembly Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee.
The rules, centered on race-day medication, were approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority Nov. 14 Read More
Ellis Park Tornado Damage Assessed; Trainers Ponder Options
November 08, 2005
Insurance adjusters were at Ellis Park Nov. 7 assessing the damage wrought by a tornado that struck the western Kentucky racetrack early in the morning the previous day.
Three horses were killed and several others were injured, according Read More
Breeders Speak Out in Favor of Kentucky Medication Changes
November 02, 2005
More than 100 Kentucky-based breeders have come out in support of new equine medication and related penalties proposed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority.
Arthur Hancock III of Stone Farm near Paris, Ky., sent breeders copies of a Read More
Call Goes Out to Fund Testing Consortium
October 26, 2005
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium expects to have enough money to carry it through 2006, but officials with the group indicated not all members are on the same page on how to fund the organization in the future.
The consortium Read More
New Turfway Surface Well Received, But Test Comes This Winter
October 17, 2005
The Polytrack experiment at Turfway Park was deemed a success--especially for safety reasons--at the conclusion of the 22-day summer/fall meet, though the Northern Kentucky racetrack expects to get a more accurate picture of the synthetic surfac Read More
Change in Kentucky Drug Rules Could Trigger Lawsuit
August 23, 2005
The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) could file a lawsuit to prevent implementation of a new race-day medication policy in the state.
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher signed the more restrictive rules Aug Read More
U.S. Equine Economic Impact Study Released
August 01, 2005
The horse industry in the United States contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact and generates about $102 billion in total spending, according to a detailed economic impact study released June 28.
"The Economic Impact of the Horse Read More
Kentucky Can't Pinpoint Origin of Strangles Cases
July 15, 2005
Kentucky legislators received assurances July 13 the state is well equipped to handle future equine disease outbreaks, but they got no answers to questions about the origin of the strangles cases earlier this spring at the Churchill Downs Read More
Expansion of Critical Kentucky Lab About to Begin
July 14, 2005
The long-awaited expansion of the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, made possible through an $8.5-million appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly this spring, is about to begin and could be completed in about Read More
Study: Horse Industry Produces $102B in Spending
June 28, 2005
The horse industry in the United States contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact and generates about $102 billion in total spending, according to a detailed economic impact study released June 28.
The Economic Impact of the Read More
National Economic Impact Study to be Released
June 24, 2005
The release of what is being called the most comprehensive study ever done on the horse industry in the United States will be released June 28 in Washington, D.C.
The study, called "The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry in the United Read More
Officials to Discuss Polytrack Surface at Turfway
April 26, 2005
Keeneland racetrack in Lexington, Ky., and Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., plan a joint press conference April 27 to discuss installation of the Polytrack surface, now used on Keeneland's five-eighths-mile training track, at Read More
Precautions Taken After Trackside Strangles Case
March 14, 2005
Churchill Downs is taking precautionary measures at its Trackside training facility in Louisville, Ky., after a Thoroughbred racehorse was diagnosed with strangles, a contagious bacterial disease.
Rumors began circulating the weekend of Read More
Kentucky Breed Development Incentives Almost Home
March 08, 2005
A proposal to create breeders' incentive funds and a modification of the tax on yearlings and 2-year-olds was slated for passage March 8 as part Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher's tax modernization and budget package.
The House and Senate Read More
Kentucky Panel: Adopt Model Medication Rules
February 07, 2005
The Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council set in motion major changes in the state's medication and drug-testing policies when it voted Feb. 4 to recommend adoption of the model rules devised by the national Racing Medication and Testing Read More
Drug Consortium Moves on Violations, "Milkshakes"
January 26, 2005
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium has set a deadline for adoption of recommended uniform medication violations and testing protocol for "milkshakes," which are mixtures of bicarbonate of soda and a liquid given to a racehorse before i Read More
