Today HISA is introducing two additional safety precautions that will be in place for the remainder of summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. 

1. HISA rule 2142(a)* requires all horses running under HISA’s jurisdiction to undergo post-entry screening. This review occurs between the time the entry is taken and the time the regulatory veterinarians perform their in-person physical inspections on race day. This function is generally carried out by local regulatory veterinarians. Going forward through the remainder of Saratoga’s summer meet, a HISA veterinarian will perform these post-entry screenings to provide an additional layer of independent analysis to identify any horses that may be at increased risk of injury before a race. 
2. Members of HISA’s newly-formed Track Surface Advisory Group are now on-site at Saratoga to thoroughly review both the dirt and turf surfaces before live racing is scheduled to resume on August 30. The Track Surface Advisory Group is comprised of seven experts in a broad range of factors that contribute to dirt, turf and synthetic surface consistency. In addition to on-site inspections, the Advisory Group will examine historic and pre-meet inspection data compiled by the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory.

These steps are being taken to mitigate additional risk of equine injury in the short term as HISA continues to work with NYRA and the New York State Gaming Commission to thoroughly review the circumstances surrounding recent equine fatalities at Saratoga to inform additional interventions moving forward.

*HISA RULE 2142(a): 

The regulatory veterinarian shall perform post-entry screenings of previous pre-race inspection findings of entered horses to identify horses that may be at increased risk for injury. The regulatory veterinarian shall review past performances, lay-ups (more than 60 days without a timed workout or race), last 30 days medical history, previous injury and lameness diagnostics, intraarticular corticosteroid injections, previous surgery, and individual horse risk factors.

MEDIA CONTACT

Mandy Minger

mandy.minger@hisaus.org

917-846-8804

 

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About HISA:

When the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law, it charged the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) with drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HISA is implementing, for the first time, a national, uniform set of rules applicable to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. HISA is comprised of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect on July 1, 2022, and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which went into effect on May 22, 2023.

The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury. The Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.

The ADMC Program includes a centralized testing and results management process and applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across the United States. These rules and enforcement mechanisms are administered by an independent agency, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), established by Drug Free Sport International (DFS). HIWU oversees testing, educates stakeholders on the Program, accredits laboratories, investigates potential ADMC violations and prosecutes any such violations.