Ron Mitchell
Ron Mitchell is Online Managing Editor for The Blood-Horse magazine.
Articles by Ron Mitchell
Breeders' Cup: Life At Ten Investigation Still Ongoing
December 14, 2010
The chairman of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission said on Dec. 13 that any action stemming from the investigation into the Life At Ten case would be brought before the entire commission upon completion of a thorough review.
Breeders' Cup: Results of Life At Ten Probe Not Likely Soon
December 01, 2010
It is unlikely that an investigation into Life At Ten's participation in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic will be completed in time for a report to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) at its next meeting. Read More
Horse Racing: Kentucky Out-of-Competition Regulation to be Permanent
December 01, 2010
An out-of-competition testing regulation that was put into effect in Kentucky prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships will soon become permanent. During a meeting on Nov. 30, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's rules committee made ... Read More
All Zenyatta All The Time at Churchill
November 03, 2010
With only two workouts by Breeders' Cup World Championship entrants, the scene on the backside of Churchill Downs the morning of Nov. 3 was all about Zenyatta. Read More
Genetic Research is a New Tool in Breeding
October 13, 2010
The quest to breed a better horse has led Thoroughbred breeders to try many unorthodox theories and systems, all with mixed results. To date, the success (or lack thereof) of most of these tools has been anecdotal, with no way to qua Read More
<i>Secretariat</i> Hits the Big Screen in Lexington
October 04, 2010
In 1973, the great Secretariat propelled horse racing onto the covers of national magazines and on the evening newscasts as "Big Red" rolled through the Triple Crown, highlighted by his impressive 31-length Belmont Stakes romp. Read More
Out-of-Competition Testing Set to Begin in Kentucky
September 16, 2010
Regulators in Kentucky are planning to begin out-of-competition testing within the next seven to 10 days after Gov. Steve Beshear signed the new regulation to take effect on an emergency basis.
Acting on a request from the Kentucky Horse Racing Read More
Kentucky Panel Approves Out-of-Competition Testing for Race Horses
September 08, 2010
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, operating on a tight schedule, approved a regulation Sept. 7 governing out-of-competition equine drug testing with plans to have it in place in advance of the Nov. 5-6 Breeders' Cup World Championships Read More
27 Horses Killed in West Virginia Barn Fire
September 07, 2010
An early morning fire on Labor Day killed at least 27 horses stabled at three barns located across from Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Ranson, W. Va. Another 20 horses were rescued, according to Lenny Hale, executive direc Read More
Kentucky Out-of-Competition Penalties Divisive
September 02, 2010
An effort to finalize proposed regulations on out-of-competition testing of horses in Kentucky erupted into a lively debate over penalties when two panels met in joint session via teleconference Aug. 31. The out-of-competition regula Read More
Kentucky Out-of-Competition Regulations Closer to Reality
August 27, 2010
Two committees of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission have agreed on a set of regulations that will pertain to out-of-competition testing that is being pushed through before the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs. Read More
Kentucky Horsemen Seek Delay in Out-Of-Competition Drug Testing
August 25, 2010
During a meeting at Churchill Downs in Louisville Aug. 24, about three dozen horsemen told representatives of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) it should delay out-of-competition drug testing. Citing the many aspects of the Read More
India Relaxes Horse Import Restrictions
May 26, 2010
American breeders and sales companies now have access to a foreign market that had been off-limits to U.S. horses for the last five years due to import restrictions. The country of India had previously prohibited the import of horses Read More
Derby Day After--All Appear Well
May 02, 2010
As rain continued to pour on a soggy Churchill Downs stable area the morning of May 2, trainer Todd Pletcher was absorbing the previous day's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands victory by Super Saver as the trainers of those who finish Read More
New Racehorse Drug Testing Contract in Kentucky
March 17, 2010
A company that conducts equine drug testing in Great Britain but which has not been involved in testing of horses in America has been awarded the contract to handle the testing of horses racing in Kentucky, effective January 2011.
Th Read More
Ky. Panel Moves to Restrict Frivolous Appeals
February 27, 2010
In an effort to cut down on abuses of the appeals process by trainers and jockeys, the rules committee of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved a draft of a rule on frivolous appeals.
Under the proposed rule, presen Read More
Mare Aborts Full Sister to Barbaro
January 21, 2010
One day after Barbaro's brother Lentenor broke his maiden in impressive fashion, farm managers reported that La Ville Rouge, the dam of both horses, aborted her 2010 foal.
The foal, which was aborted Dec. 24, 2009, had been sired Read More
Equine Research Projects Get Racing Commission Approval
January 06, 2010
Six equine research projects totaling nearly $400,000 over a two-year period have been approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
All of the research, approved by the commission Jan. 5, will be conducted by the Kentucky Equine Read More
Kentucky Changes Racehorse Drug Testing Procedures
December 02, 2009
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved new procedures that regulators say will streamline and reduce the cost of equine drug testing in the state by as much as 25-30%.
Under the new procedures, approved unanimously by th Read More
Trainer: Rip Van Winkle Fine, No Foot Issues Currently
November 04, 2009
Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien said that Breeders' Cup Classic contender Rip Van Winkle is fine and did not show any indications of his recurring foot problems when he went to the track at Santa Anita early Nov. Read More
Barbaro's Brother Lentenor Entered in First Race
October 29, 2009
Lael Stable’s Lentenor, the full brother to 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, is scheduled to make his career debut on Keeneland’s Oct. 31 closing-day card.
The son of Dynformer produced from the Carson City mare La Read More
Kentucky Tracks Request Fewer Racing Days
October 26, 2009
Citing decreases in purses and the local horse population, Kentucky Thoroughbred racetracks requested a greatly pared down live racing schedule for 2010.
A Kentucky Horse Racing Commission committee discussed the requests Oct. 26. The full Read More
Keeneland September Yearling Sale Ends with Major Declines
September 29, 2009
The marathon Keeneland September yearling sale drew to a close Sept. 28 with some of the biggest declines in key statistical categories in recent history as the gross receipts fell 41.5%, the average was down 33.2%, and the median was off 40.5% Read More
Veterinarian Suspended for Medication Violations Granted Stay of Kentucky Suspension
July 18, 2009
Rodney Stewart, DVM, who was suspended five years by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission for violating various medication violations, including possession of cobra venom, has been granted a stay of that action until his appeal can be heard, Read More
Lawsuit Claims Racehorse 'I Want Revenge' Injury Not Disclosed
July 16, 2009
IEAH Stables has filed court documents claiming that David Lanzman failed to disclose injuries to I Want Revenge that eventually led to the 3-year-old colt being scratched on the morning of the Kentucky Derby, for which he was the morning-line Read More
