Sacramento, CA — The U.S. Trotting Association’s (USTA) slate of district meetings resumed on Sunday (Jan. 12) at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West when members and leadership from District 3 convened.

Helmed by District Chairman Ivan Axelrod, who was joined by fellow district directors Sal DiMario and Ben Kenney, the assemblage voted on 41 rule change and bylaw proposals, approving 31 and rejecting 8, with two tabled for further discussion at the USTA’s full board meeting later this winter. That conference will take place from March 7-9 in Columbus, Ohio.
Axelrod, who was re-elected as district chairman, ably and efficiently managed the proceedings, encouraging discussion and calling upon others in attendance to supplement the conversation. Chris Schick, the general manger of Cal Expo, spoke on the state of California racing and his company’s pursuit of the approval needed for Cal Expo to install historical horse racing (HHR) machines.
Mike Tanner, the USTA’s CEO, provided updates regarding the Standardbred Racing Investigative Fund (SRIF), the Harness Racing Medication Consortium (HRMC), and matters pertaining to the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority (HISA).

The meeting, which was punctuated by raffle drawings resulting in gift prizes, lasted approximately an hour and 45 minutes. The voting summary is as follows:
1. Corresponding Officer/Ownership Percentages — NO
2. Head Numbers Return — NO
3. Minimum Requirements to Warm Up Horses — TABLED
4. Judges Report Incident Details to USTA — YES
5. Mandatory Win Photo Purse Deduction — YES
6. Minimum Time Between Races for 2-Year-Olds — TABLED
7. Cap on Number of Starts for Older Horses — NO
8. Q/F Drivers Must Race Both Gaits — NO
9. Judges’ Discretion/Race for Purse Money Only — NO
10. Sulky Performance Standards — YES
11. No Gray/White Outrider Horses — NO
12. Saddle Pads Not Counted as Equipment — NO
13. Restrictions on Shock Wave Therapy — YES
14. Testing Where USTA Has Authority — YES
15. Owner/Trainer Present During Sample Collection — YES
16. HRMC Screening Thresholds — YES
17. Absolute Insurer — YES
18. First Year Stallion – Cap of 160 Mares — NO
19. Prohibit OPU/ICSI Sperm Injection Procedures — YES
20. Electronic Voting for Rule Change Proposals — YES
21. Widen Window for District Meeting Scheduling — YES
22. Director Elections Not Tied to District Meetings — YES
23. Incumbents Declinations Due in July, Not September — YES
24. Elections Due to Vacancies Not Tied to District Meetings — YES
25. District 2 and 2A Realignment of Directors — YES
26. USTA Officers Must Be Directors — YES
27. Denial of Membership — YES
28. Violations — YES
29. Person Not in Good Standing — YES
30. Failure to Report Fraudulent Proposal — YES
31. Conspiracy to Commit Violations of Rules — YES
32. Aiding of Abetting Violation of Rules — YES
33. Prohibition Against Individuals Not in Good Standing — YES
34. Trainer of Horse for Disbarred Person — YES
35. False Ownership — YES
36. False Trainer of Record — YES
37. Effect of Penalty on Horse — YES
38. Participation by Person Not in Good Standing — YES
39. Fraudulent Transfer — YES
40. Failure to Submit Information — YES
41. Location of Hearing — YES