By: NTRA
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind., has earned reaccreditation from the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance. The 14-year-old racetrack hosts its biggest card of the season Saturday night with six stakes worth $1.1 million, including the $500,000 Indiana Derby (G2) and $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G2).
This is the first reaccreditation for Indiana Grand, which earned its initial accreditation in 2014 shortly after joining the NTRA. All accreditations carry an effective period of two years.
The reaccreditation of Indiana Grand – owned and operated by Centaur Gaming – was the culmination of a lengthy process that began with the track’s completion of an extensive written application and continued as the track hosted several meetings with Alliance officials. An on-site review included inspections of all facets of the racing operations. Interviews were conducted with track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers, veterinarians, stewards and regulators.
The inspection team was comprised of Jim Cain, security consultant with 40 years of law enforcement experience including Chief of Enforcement with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission; Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, veterinary and regulatory consultant with past experience as a state veterinarian, track veterinarian, steward and regulator; Jim Gates, racetrack operations consultant, former general manager of Churchill Downs; and Steve Koch, executive director of the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.
Alliance certification standards address an extensive list of safety and integrity concerns within six broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing environment; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; uniform medication and testing; jockey health and welfare; and wagering security.
“We are happy to be part of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance,” said Jon Schuster, vice president and general manager of racing at Indiana Grand. “This organization does great work for the welfare of our industry and we are proud of our team for continuing to receive best practice grades during the evaluations through the Alliance certification standards.”
Indiana Grand is one of 23 racing facilities fully accredited by the Alliance that together host 94 percent of Grade 1 stakes and attract more than 70 percent of North American pari-mutuel handle. The others are Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, Canterbury Park, Churchill Downs, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Gulfstream Park West, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Laurel Park, Los Alamitos Race Course, Monmouth Park, Pimlico Race Course, Santa Anita Park, Saratoga Race Course, Suffolk Downs, Sunland Park, Turfway Park and Woodbine.
The NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance is a standing organization whose purpose is to establish standards and practices to promote safety and integrity in horseracing and to secure their implementation. Corporate partners of the Alliance include Lockton Insurance and Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Information on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found at NTRAalliance.com.
