HISA

Edited Press Release Funding for a pair of research studies has been announced by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)'s Exercise-Associated Sudden Death (EASD) Working Group. The group was formed in October of 2023 to advance research initiatives and collaborate with industry leaders on the critical issue of exercise-associated sudden death. The Working Group is made up of veterinarians and equine researchers focused on the scientific understanding and prevention of sudden, unexpected fatalities occurring during or closely following exercise in Thoroughbred racehorses. "The EASD Working Group is working diligently...

Edited Press Release David Ingordo, David Sykes and Jonathan Coyles have been added to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)'s Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Standing Committee, HISA said in Monday release. A horse owner and bloodstock agent, Ingordo currently heads up Ingordo Bloodstock LLC and manages the Belladonna Racing Partnership among other equine-related roles. Sykes is an Australian-based veterinary consultant with strong ties to international racing and currently serves as the head of anti-doping for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and consults for Racing Victoria on the...

All post-race test samples taken from contenders in the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have been cleared by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), the Breeders' Cup announced Monday and purse distribution has begun accordingly. 2024 marked the second year the Breeders' Cup World Championships were run under the full jurisdiction of the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority (HISA), including the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which took effect in May of 2023 and is implemented and enforced by HIWU. As...

After a nine-day delay to fix safety concerns that pushed back the opening of the 2024-25 racing season at Turf Paradise from Nov. 2 to Nov. 11, horsemen, jockeys, regulators and track management were all largely in concurrence Friday that the first four days of racing at the Arizona track this past Monday through Thursday were conducted in safe and sustainable fashion. The largely positive reviews and glowing articulations of cooperation at the Nov. 15 Arizona Racing Commission (AZRC) meeting stood out in contrast to the contention and infighting that...

Edited Press Release The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is accepting new applications for experienced industry experts to join HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group to replace several members whose terms are up at the end of the year. The Advisory Group was formed by HISA in 2022 to provide formal feedback to HISA's executive team and standing committees on the implementation and evolution of its Racetrack Safety Program and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The Advisory Group has been responsible for recommending a number of rule modifications that were...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the HIWU "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 11/12/2024 Licensee: Jesse Compton, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Nov. 13; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable);...

Following an inspection of the track surfaces by officials from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), the Arizona Horse Racing Commission has notified Turf Paradise that the 2024-2025 live meeting can begin Monday, Nov. 11. Turf Paradise General Manager Vince Francia said, "Thanks to our horsemen and the AzHBPA for helping us establish the new season. Our track maintenance crews did stellar work. We are excited to bring our fans another great season of racing." The racing calendar will run through May 3. This year's schedule includes live racing...

The submission deadline for HISA's furosemide request for proposals (RFP) has been extended to Nov. 22 from the original date of Oct. 15. The proposals should address furosemide's effects on horse health and racing performance. Click here for more information, including contact information, and here for the application.

With three separate requests involving three different federal appeals court cases pending before the Supreme Court of the United States to take up the question of whether or not the Horseracing and Safety Integrity Act (HISA) is constitutional, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority on Wednesday told the nation's highest court that the one involving a lawsuit spearheaded by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) is the one that should take precedence. In two separate legal filings Nov. 6, the Authority made its case for the Supreme Court...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. This week's rulings include three lengthy suspensions. Trainer Francisco Ramos has been banned for two years and fined $25,000 after his trainee You're a Dandy (Mizzen Mast) who finished second at Hawthorne Feb. 14, tested positive for the bronchodilator Clenbuterol. According to a final decision by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), Ramos apparently requested a B sample analysis but did not pay for it, which meant...

According to a posting on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) website, top California trainer Phil D'Amato has had a horse test positive for the banned substance methamphetamine. The 4-year-old filly Thebestisyettobe (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) tested positive following an Aug. 1 workout at Los Alamitos. Before HIWU/HISA made changes to its rules regarding its Anti-Doping Medication and Control program, D'Amato would have been facing a suspension of up two years. Over time and in the face of criticism that it was charging trainers who had horses test positive for...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Nov. 6 issued an order approving the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's $80-million budget for 2025. The Authority's proposed 2025 budget garnered only three public comments after it was first submitted to the FTC on July 31 and subsequently published in the Federal Register. The public commentary period closed Sept. 12. According to the FTC's order, "Two of the comments were brief and did not address the Decisional criteria that the Commission must apply in determining whether to approve a proposed budget. A third,...