Racecourse Manager Certification Program

The initial three-course program, entitled “Turfgrass as an Equine Sports Surface,” is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. Free online classes will begin June 7 and will be archived on a YouTube channel. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks who enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

Turfgrass as an Equine Sports Surface

CULTIVATION OF TURF FOR COMPACTION AND WEAR

Course 3

  • Course 3A – Turfgrass aeration – why, how, when.
  • Course 3B – Lessons learned from Del Mar Woodbine, Fair Grounds, and Churchill.
  • Course 3C – Tractor selection.

Course 4

  • Course 4A – Topdressing and surface maintenance.
  • Course 4B – Divot mix, germinating seed and the use of cutouts.
  • Course 4C – Matching the mechanics of the turf in the divot mix.

MEASUREMENT OF TURF CONDITION

Course 5

  • Course 5A – The phases of loading with respect to surface functional props.
  • Course 5B – Current tools and limitations for measuring biomechanical response.
  • Course 5C – Calibration and correlation

Course 6

  • Course 6A – Measurement of surfaces in British Eventing.
  • Course 6B – Take off and landing areas in measurements of turf for appropriate biomechanical response.

SELECTION OF TURF FOR CLIMATE ZONES

Course 1

  • Course  1A – Cool season grass selection.
  • Course 1B – Warm season grass selection.
  • Course 1C – Bluemuda (or overseeding) on turf surfaces

Course 2

  • Course 2A – Manage turfgrasses in cool season climates.
  • Course 2B – Manage turfgrasses in warm season climates.
  • Course 2C – Turfgrass selection to match the racing/competition season.
This is exactly the type of collaboration we envisioned when the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL) joined forces with the University of Kentucky AG Equine Programs. The benefits of this interaction are undeniable as we seek to further protect the welfare of the horse and develop the industry’s future workforce.

Alex Waldrop. , NTRA President and Chief Executive Officer

We have assembled a powerhouse line-up of instructors to cover multiple equine disciplines ranging from turf racing to polo to eventing. This will be a science-based curriculum for individuals who are serious about their profession and desire to be leaders in their chosen fields. We are starting with a turf curriculum, but future modules will focus on all types of surfaces and will include hands on training with track maintenance equipment.

Mick Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory

We are thrilled to see this program get off the ground and appreciate the support of NTRA. Our college has a strong commitment to getting our best information out to those in the real world who can use it.

Nancy Cox, UK Vice President for Land Grant Engagement and College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Dean

The science driving progress on racing safety includes not only the horses and riders themselves, but also clearly the racing surfaces on which they compete. It is exciting to see the optimization and application of knowledge from turfgrass science applied to the management challenges of turf racing.

James MacLeod & Elizabeth A. Knight , Director of UK Ag Equine Programs & Chair and Professor of Veterinary Science at the Gluck Equine Research Center

The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL). Other participants in the online courses include turf experts:

  • Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates;;
  • Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland;
  • Michael Goatley, Jr.,Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University;
  • Beth Guertal, D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University;
  • Gregg Munshaw, Ph., Director of Agronomy, Mountain View Seeds; and
  • Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland.

Participating experts in equine biomechanics include:

  • Dr Sarah Jane Hobbs, University of Central Lancashire;
  • Alison Northrop, Nottingham Trent University; and
  • Lars Roepstorff, Swedish University of Agriculture.

Racing industry leaders participating include:

  • Brian Jabelman, senior director of track operations, New York Racing Association;
  • Jim Pendergest, Director of Racing Surfaces, Keeneland Racetrack;
  • Jamie Richardson, Racetrack Superintendent, Churchill Downs; and
  • Sean Gault, Equine Racing Specialist, DCS & Associates.