Joe DeFrancis

When it comes to horses suffering severe injuries, there are those that fall into a gray area. They may be seriously hurt and unable to resume their racing careers, but that doesn't mean they can't be saved. However, that usually means expensive surgeries, long rehabilitation periods and no guarantees that they will ever be able to have second careers. What should an owner do? Euthanize the horse or go the extra mile and do what it takes to save them? It's a difficult decision, and one that many owners have...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)'s launch of the HISA Equine Recovery Foundation (HERF), an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing critical assistance for Thoroughbred racehorses sustaining a career-ending injury during racing, is set to begin operations in early 2026, according to an organization release on Wednesday.   HERF's mission: Support racehorses—with injuries sustained during races that historically have a positive prognosis for recovery—by ensuring immediate access to quality veterinary treatment and rehabilitation in order to facilitate a successful aftercare placement. Enhance access to diagnostic imaging services and tools...

Three versions of proposed federal legislation known as the Horseracing Integrity Act have been introduced in the United States Congress over the past five years, and only twice has the bill advanced as far as the subcommittee hearing level, like it did last Tuesday. Whether you're for or against HB 1754, which would mandate an independent anti-doping and medication control program in our sport, if you're called as a witness, it's crucial to tailor your arguments as concisely as possible. That's because legislators hearing testimony in the Subcommittee on Consumer...