Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association

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Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association

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Pennsylvania horsemen serving fellow horsemen at both Penn National, Grantville and Presque Isle Downs, Erie.

The Pennsylvania HBPA, Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, is an organization based on the ideal set forth by the National HBPA, an organization that prides itself on "horsemen helping horsemen." The Pennsylvania division provides services for horsemen at both Penn National in Grantville and Presque Isle Downs in Erie. It is made up of a President and 10 Board members made up of 5 owners and 5 trainers, as well as an office staff run by the Executive Director and Associate Executive Director, who run the day-to-day operations at each of the race tracks.

10/30/2026

Why do some racehorses wear blinkers?

They might look like a mask, but those cups beside a racehorse’s eyes have a job to do!

Blinkers limit part of a horse’s vision to the sides and behind, helping it focus on what’s ahead. They don’t usually block the horse’s forward view.

Horses can get distracted by other horses, movement around the track, or things happening nearby. Blinkers can help keep their attention on the race.

Why don’t all horses wear them?

Every horse is different! Some benefit from having fewer distractions, while others race better with a wider view of their surroundings. Trainers use what they learn during training and racing to decide what works for each horse.

Not all blinkers are the same, either.

The cups come in different sizes and shapes, allowing trainers to adjust how much the horse can see.

What does “blinkers on” or “blinkers off” mean?

These are equipment changes compared with the horse’s previous race:

• Blinkers on: The horse will race with blinkers after racing without them.
• Blinkers off: The horse will race without blinkers after wearing them.

Neither change guarantees a better performance—it’s an adjustment intended to help that particular horse.

Next time you’re watching the races at Penn National or Presque Isle Downs, look closely at the horses’ headgear. There’s more to it than matching the jockey’s colors!

10/29/2026

The winner, Hall of Jazz, on the inside with Leonardo Carujo aboard, is owned by Short Straw Stable, and trained by F.W. Stites Racing.

First post today, 5:45 pm.

Brother versus brother! 💪
Leonardo Corujo and Wilfredo Corujo finished one-two last night in the sixth race at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Photo by Kathy Hair/EQUI-PHOTO

10/29/2026

Jatniel Ramos won at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course tonight for the first time. He did so aboard Marchin Into April, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Trending Stable and trained by Josue Arce (pictured).

Photo by Kathy Hair/EQUI-PHOTO

10/28/2026

Do your homework before the gates open 📈 Grab your FREE Past Performances for this Wednesday's card at Penn National. Head over to PENNHORSERACING.COM and prep your picks!

10/28/2026

A $34,000 Maiden Special Weight event for 2 year olds sprinting 5.5 furlongs kicks off today's racing action at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course - there's racing Wednesday through Friday, with first post at 5:45 pm.
📸: Equi-Photo

10/28/2026

What does it mean when a racehorse is a “PA-bred”?

It starts with where the horse was born!

In Thoroughbred racing, a Pennsylvania-bred horse was foaled—meaning born—in Pennsylvania. But to become a registered PA-bred, being born here is only part of the process.

The horse must also be registered with The Jockey Club, meet the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association’s eligibility requirements, and be registered with the PHBA. Those requirements include rules about the mother’s residency, with specific options for certain purchased mares or mares bred back to a registered Pennsylvania stallion.

Does the father have to be a Pennsylvania stallion?

No! A horse can qualify as a PA-bred even if its sire stands in another state. PA-bred and PA-sired mean different things.

Why does the designation matter?

Registered PA-breds can qualify for races restricted to Pennsylvania-breds and opportunities through the state’s breeding fund program.

So when you see PA-bred, you’re seeing a connection to the farms and breeders raising Thoroughbreds right here in the Keystone State!

Who’s your favorite Pennsylvania-bred racehorse?

10/26/2026

They raced all that way… and it came down to a NOSE.

Two horses battle down the stretch, hit the wire together, and “PHOTO” goes up on the board. So how do officials figure out who won?

It comes down to whose nose reaches the finish line first. The horse’s feet and the jockey’s position don’t decide it!

A photo finish isn’t one regular picture snapped at just the right moment.

A special camera records a very narrow view directly along the finish line, building an image as each horse crosses. You’re seeing the same spot on the track over tiny moments in time.

Officials examine that image and compare the horses’ noses to determine the order of finish. That tiny difference can decide who heads to the winner’s circle!

And if they finish exactly together? That’s called a dead heat—a tie for that placing.

So when someone says their horse “won by a nose,” sometimes that’s about as literal as it gets!

Have you ever watched a finish you were SURE went one way, only for the photo to prove otherwise? Tell us below!

10/24/2026

Last night, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course held The Bryan Bushey Memorial Race in honor of the late "mayor of Penn National."

The founder of Bush Racing Stable after claiming his first horse in 2004, Mechanicsburg's Bryan Bushey was well known for grilling sausages for backstretch workers on the weekends.

10/24/2026

Address

777 Hollywood Blvd
Grantville, PA
17028

Telephone

717-469-2970

Website

http://pahbpa.com/

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