The HISA Newsletter

May 18, 2023

Dear Thoroughbred racing participants,

Next Monday, May 22, HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program will once again take effect. The resumption of the ADMC Program is not only an important milestone in our mission to strengthen the integrity and safety of Thoroughbred racing but also a necessary step towards our collective goal of always prioritizing horse welfare.

After the Program’s successful initial rollout in late March, I am confident that the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) is prepared to implement the modernized collection protocols, the centralized and efficient results management system and the intelligence-driven investigatory oversight racing deserves. Under the ADMC Program, both Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication alleged rule violations will be made public within weeks of being detected in the lab, introducing heightened transparency and accountability to the results management and adjudication process. HISA is grateful to partner with HIWU under the leadership of Executive Director Ben Mosier in this critical undertaking. A summary of the ADMC Program’s key elements is included in this newsletter and I encourage all racing participants to familiarize themselves with them.

As I communicated last week, HISA in the process of conducting our own independent investigation into the recent breakdowns at Churchill Downs in parallel with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s (KHRC) investigation. The findings, which will be made public following the investigation’s conclusion, will inform HISA whether potential or suspected rule violations should be referred for enforcement action. They will also help us better understand the factors contributing to horses’ risk for injury so we can work to mitigate them in the future.

Like you, I look forward to the running of the Preakness Stakes this weekend and thank all the horsemen, 1st Racing, and other racing participants involved in making sure the races at Pimlico and across the country are held in compliance with Racetrack Safety regulations.

Next week, HISA and the Jockeys’ Guild, as part of our joint jockey health and mental wellness initiative, will be announcing the results of an anonymous survey of jockeys. The survey was designed to collect feedback on how the industry can better support jockeys’ mental health needs. The findings will inform HISA’s go-forward strategy addressing the ever-important topic of athlete safety and wellness.

As always, I encourage industry participants with feedback for HISA to please share it with us online at feedback@hisaus.org. We value your input. Should you require assistance using the HISA Portal, our help desk line is open 24/7 at 1-877-513-2919.

With support and cooperation from horsemen and participants, we have the ability to truly transform how racing governs safety to better protect both horses and riders and strengthen public trust in this great sport. I am confident, despite the challenges we face, that we can deliver on this promise.

Yours in racing,
Lisa

HIWU Update

From the desk of Ben Mosier, Executive Director, Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit:

After nearly a year of preparation, the HIWU team was thrilled to kick off implementation of HISA’s ADMC Program on March 27. In our first week, we conducted testing at 16 racetracks and tested more than 700 horses. This successful launch would not have been possible without the cooperation of participants in the Thoroughbred industry, including state racing commissions, test barn personnel, racetrack staff, horsemen, and veterinarians.

As HIWU gears up to relaunch the ADMC Program on May 22, we are focused on training sample collection personnel at tracks that have yet to run under the ADMC Program and providing refreshers, where necessary. We are also fine-tuning processes based on feedback we received from the first week, which will ensure even more effective operations going forward.

As a reminder, industry stakeholders should be aware of key changes nationwide upon reimplementation on May 22:

• All Covered Horses will be subject to the ADMC Program regulations, which includes adherence to the Prohibited List of Banned and Controlled Substances/Methods. Banned Substances are prohibited from being used, possessed, administered, or trafficked in relation to a Covered Horse at any time. Controlled Medication Substances are permitted for use or administration in a Covered Horse, except in close proximity to a race or Vets’ List workout. As specified in the Prohibited List, certain Controlled Medication Substances, i.e., corticosteroids, NSAIDs, analgesics, and local anesthetics, are regulated in samples collected following routine official timed workouts.
• Lasix will be permitted in all races, except for 2-year-old races and stakes races. Lasix will also be permitted, regardless of age or class of competition, during training, including Vets’ List workouts.
• All test selection will be overseen by HIWU using an intelligence-based strategy. While HIWU has the ultimate discretion to select Covered Horses for testing, intelligence from “boots-on-the-ground” industry participants, including state stewards and veterinarians, and continued cooperation with state racing commissions and laboratory/scientific partners will also inform the test selection process.
• All sample collection personnel, including test barn staff, will have been trained by HIWU staff on ADMC Program-compliant procedures. Sample collection processes will be facilitated by a HIWU app that will serve as a paperless documentation system. The app will be prepopulated with relevant race-day and Covered Horse information from InCompass and the HISA Portal.
• National whistleblower platforms will relaunch on May 22. HIWU has partnered with RealResponse, the leading provider of safe and secure reporting platforms for athletes, teams, and organizations. Through telephone, text message, or email, individuals will be able to safely and anonymously provide any information relating to potential violations of the ADMC Program and Racetrack Safety Program, including names of Covered Horses, trainers, and owners. Individuals will have the option to voluntarily provide their contact information so that the HIWU Investigations Unit can follow up, if needed. The whistleblower phone numbers, text message information, and email address will be available on the HIWU website.
• All laboratories utilized under the ADMC Program are accredited by the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC), pending the implementation of the HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory accreditation, and will be held to the same performance specifications.
• All laboratory results for samples collected under the ADMC Program will be reported to, and processed by, HIWU. The standard turnaround time for receiving Post-Race test results will be 10 business days after the laboratory’s receipt of samples, and the standard turnaround for Vets’ List clearance testing will be five business days after the laboratory’s receipt of samples.
• HIWU will be responsible for distributing notices of Adverse Analytical Findings (i.e., positive test results) to Responsible Persons (trainers) under the ADMC Program and filing charges of ADMC Program violations against Responsible Persons.
• Anti-Doping Rule Violations will be heard by members of the Arbitral Body, which is administered by JAMS, an independent third party. Controlled Medication Rule Violations will be heard by the Internal Adjudication Panel, whose members are selected by HISA and HIWU.

Furthermore, our Education & Resources section on hiwu.org will continue to expand, and we encourage industry stakeholders to consult the latest materials, which include guidance on dietary supplements and processes for retiring/unretiring Covered Horses. HIWU is still available to meet with horsemen and other industry stakeholders in person or digitally. Groups interested in scheduling a meeting with HIWU should reach out to Stephanie Jenson at sjenson@hiwu.org.

Once the ADMC Program takes effect, the following states and/or racetracks with live racing in May will continue to provide sample collection personnel services by utilizing their current staff, who have been trained and certified by HIWU. Voluntary agreements have either been signed or will be signed before the first day of racing under the new ADMC Rules with the following entities:

• California Horse Racing Board
• Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission
• Emerald Downs (Washington)
• Florida Gaming Control Commission, in cooperation with Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs
• Indiana Horse Racing Commission
• Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission
• Kentucky Horse Racing Commission
• Maryland Racing Commission
• Minnesota Racing Commission
• New Mexico Racing Commission, in cooperation with Ruidoso Downs
• New York Racing Association (except Post-Race testing)
• Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission

For the following states and/or racetracks, HIWU has either contracted directly with existing personnel or has hired its own sample collection personnel to implement the ADMC Program. There is, therefore, no signed voluntary agreement with the following entities: 

• Arizona Department of Gaming (Division of Racing)
• Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack
• Illinois Racing Board
• New Jersey Racing Commission
• New York Gaming Commission
• Ohio State Racing Commission

Laboratories must be accredited by the RMTC to be eligible to conduct testing as part of HISA’s ADMC Program and must meet additional criteria determined by HIWU. HIWU has entered into contracts with the following laboratories to analyze samples collected under the ADMC Program:

• Analytical Toxicology Laboratory (Ohio Department of Agriculture)
• Animal Forensic Toxicology Laboratory (University of Illinois-Chicago)
• Industrial Laboratories
• Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (University of California, Davis)
• Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory
• University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

HIWU is excited to resume enforcement of American Thoroughbred racing’s first national ADMC program to promote the integrity of the sport and enhance the welfare of its equine athletes.

HISA Reaches 75,000 Registered Racing Participants

More than 75,000 racing participants – including over 30,000 Covered Persons and 45,000 Covered Horses – are now registered in the HISA Portal.

HISA is grateful for this widespread compliance with our registration rules and reminds horsemen that, effective March 27, 2023, all jockeys and Covered Horses must be registered and in full compliance with HISA’s Racetrack Safety rules to be eligible to race. For full details on these requirements, which the vast majority of the industry has met, please refer to HISA’s announcement of its updated enforcement measures.

Jeff Johnston Named HISA Rider Safety & Welfare Manager

HISA was thrilled in March to welcome Jockeys’ Guild veteran Jeff Johnston as our Rider Safety & Welfare Manager. A former jockey, Jeff joins HISA after a 17-year tenure at the Jockeys’ Guild, where he most recently served as Regional Manager.

In his new role, Jeff will work to improve rider safety and welfare nationwide by helping to ensure compliance with the Racetrack Safety Program and by leading important initiatives, including providing uniform first responder training and improving safety equipment. Jeff is also working with HISA National Medical Director Dr. Peter Hester to support HISA’s recently announced jockey mental wellness initiative in partnership with the Jockeys’ Guild, which aims to enhance rider access to mental health support and resources.

Sal Sinatra to Serve as HISA Technology Advisor to Oversee InCompass Integration

Racetrack technology pioneer Sal Sinatra has joined the HISA team on a temporary basis as an advisor to help guide HISA’s integration of The Jockey Club InCompass Solutions interface at racetracks nationwide. InCompass is used by the HISA Portal to collect and synchronize horse-related information, and its expanded integration will help streamline the records process under the ADMC Program.

Sal founded one of the predecessors to InCompass, TSNS, in the 1980s. We thank Sal for his commitment to HISA and to making it easier for horsemen and racing offices to comply with our uniform regulations.

Samuel Reinhardt Named HISA Assistant General Counsel

Samuel Reinhardt has joined HISA as Assistant General Counsel. In this role, he’ll be working alongside HISA Outside General Counsel John Roach to support the organization’s day-to-day operations. A native Kentuckian whose work has been recognized by the national, peer-reviewed publication Best Lawyers, Samuel joins HISA from the law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC (SKO), where he litigated a variety of equine-related matters. His experience and passion for the advancement of Thoroughbred racing make him an excellent addition to our team and we are happy to have him on board.

Thank you all again for all you do to ensure that we're moving forward together. 

Lisa Lazarus
CEO
HISA