by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

UNIRE, the governing board for horse racing in Italy, has just announced a 40 percent cut in purses for next year.

The economic situation in Italy is among the worst in Europe and betting on horse racing has dropped 21 percent this year.

The news about the cut in purses for 2012 is certainly not good news for the Italian horse racing community and the organization Federippodromi, which represent 16 of the leading race tracks in Italy, has announced that the member tracks will go on strike on January 10 if the 40 percent cut stands.

The Italian horsemen are well aware that a cut in purses is necessary as the handle has dropped, but feel that it’s far too much at one time.

In 2010, $408 million was paid out in purses in Italian horse races.

Pierre Levesque is free to train and drive

The two-time winner of the Prix d’Amerique, Pierre Levesque, has won an appeal in a civil court and will return to racing within the next week.

Levesque had his license revoked by the French trotting association after one of his trotters had a positive test.

As this was the third time Levesque had a positive test, his license to drive and train was revoked for one year.