Ahead of Saturday’s 150th Kentucky Derby, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority officials say safety strides are being made since last year’s Triple Crown races.
The Triple Crown season kicks off with the Kentucky Derby at a renovated Churchill Downs — at a time when the industry remains under intense scrutiny.
HISA’s press conference came on the heels of a much-anticipated report on horse deaths at numerous tracks including more than a dozen at Saratoga Race Course last year.
HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus says uniform rules have been vital in improving equine safety and the integrity of the sport.
“So, when we look at safety at the Derby or any other race there are essentially three questions we ask ourselves at HISA,” said Lazarus. “One, is the track surface in the best condition possible, is in the optimal condition? Two, is there anything in the horse’s system that shouldn't be there? Are there any drugs or prohibited substances? And three, is the horse free of injury and to fit to run? Has it passed our veterinary inspections and veterinarian protocols?”
Lazarus says oversight by the Congressionally-created regulator is already delivering results.
“In 2023, we're encouraged to report the tracks operating under HISA’s rules experienced a lower rate of equine fatalities than the previous year. But, more importantly, our rate was significantly lower than tracks that are not operating under HISA’s safety guidelines and rules,” said Lazarus.
A 2023 annual report says more than 50,000 tests were conducted on roughly 21,000 individual horses, with fewer than 250 positive results for prohibited substances.
Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit Executive Director Ben Mosier outlined progress made almost one year into the implementation of the uniform anti-doping and medication control program.
“Among other important changes, the ADMC program deploys a uniform, paperless chain of custody and collection system nationwide, clearly divides prohibited substances and corresponding violations into two categories with differing degrees of penalties. One, the controlled medication side which are therapeutic substances that are permitted outside of race day and other specific periods. And two, banned substances or substances that should never be present in a horse.”
The rule changes also replace the previous state-by-state adjudication process.
One area of concern remains track surfaces. HISA Director of Racetrack Safety Ann McGovern said her team completed 21 racetrack accreditation visits and collaborated with state-level racing associations.
“HISA’s formed a track surface advisory group consisting of racetrack surface experts. When needed, members of the group are deployed to racetracks across the country. They review historical data analyze dirt, turf, and synthetic surface consistency. We've also focused on exploring all weather surfaces. At HISA’s requests and as part of our strategic response NYRA established a blue-ribbon committee to evaluate the impact of various racing surfaces on equine injury rates, and to study the feasibility of broader adoption of all-weather surfaces nationally,” said McGovern
NYRA President Dave O’Rourke chairs the committee looking into the safety impacts of various racing surfaces as the New York circuit considers changing to artificial surfaces. The committee has not yet delivered recommendations.
The third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, is coming to Saratoga Race Course June 8th as part of a four-day festival while the downstate Belmont facility undergoes a half-a-billion-dollar renovation. It will return to Saratoga in 2025, too. The regular 40-day season at Saratoga begins July 11th.
