The new federal authority that creates safety regulations for horse racing is rolling out a uniform anti-doping program next week.
On Monday, March 27th, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority plans to implement its Anti-Doping Medication and Control Program.
Officials say that for the first time, the industry will operate under a uniform set of guidelines related to anti-doping testing, results management, and penalties.
HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus explained the rollout of the ADMC program to reporters this week.
“It's important to say that HISA only applies to thoroughbred racehorses and to racetracks where the signal is sent out through the simulcast. And that's because that's our connection to interstate commerce,” said Lazarus. “So for every single track that is conducting thoroughbred horse races that are being exported, which is what we call covered horse races, all of those will be rolled out simultaneously on Monday. Obviously, not every single racetrack is racing at this stage of the calendar at this time of year. But every track that is racing thoroughbreds, where they're sending out their signal will be, the ADMC program will be in effect by Monday.”
HISA was created after the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into law in 2020.
Lazarus said that when HISA surveyed state racing commissions across the country, they were “all over the map” with respect to anti-doping practices. She said the new process standardizes every step of the sampling process.
“So…the kit is standardized, shipping is standardized so they have to be shipped out either day of or next day. There were lots of places that were keeping samples 5, 6, 7 days. That's not going to be allowed anymore. And then the manner in which the chain of custody is kind of followed is also now standardized,” said Lazarus.
Regarding past violations, Lazarus said every trainer under HISA oversight will start with a “clean state.”
“So, if you're a trainer that has like three prior violations, you start with zero priors. Now, if you're serving a suspension, under a state racing commission decision, you still to serve that out. Like, any actual suspensions will still be obviously honored. And even if a sample is taken on March 26th, and there's a positive test, then then, you know, the state racing commission is going to still have the jurisdiction to prosecute and take that take that test forward,” said Lazarus.
The New York Racing Association, which operates thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga, is a supporter of the new anti-doping regulations.
Patrick McKenna is NYRA’s vice president for communications….
“Fundamentally, what HISA does is replace a patchwork of regulatory authorities across 37 individual states with one unified federal body in charge of regulating not only racetrack safety standards, but also, importantly, medication control and anti-doping,” said McKenna.
McKenna said the racing community has been preparing for the new regulations for years. He said the new rules will not affect the fan experience.
“For folks who frequent Saratoga Race Course, for example, in the summer, will see virtually no change. There are no changes to the parimutuel wagering system, the way that races will be conducted, will look. So that is something that's important to note. But at the same time, this is a monumental moment for a sport that has been in need of modernization when it comes to its regulation,” said McKenna.
Under mounting scrutiny over racetrack safety and horse deaths in recent years, the patchwork racing industry signed on to HISA’s new role, with support from members of Congress like New York Democrat Paul Tonko of the Capital Region and Kentucky Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell.
