controlled medications

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) seeks public comment on proposed modifications to the Rule Series 5000 (Equine Testing and Investigation Standards) and 7000 (Arbitration Procedures) of its Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program by Monday, Feb. 23, the regulator said via a press release on Thursday. The proposed modifications build on HISA's ongoing review of the ADMC Program. In November, HISA distributed for public comment proposed modifications to other Rule Series comprising the ADMC Program (1000, 3000 and 4000). Comments received in response to that request are under...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Jose R. Gonzalez, Sr. has been suspended 18 months and fined $12,500 as a result of his trainee Discovery N Sight testing positive for the banned bronchodilator Albuterol from an out-of-competition hair sample collected on July 23. His suspension began...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Francisco Ramos has been banned 4-years and fined $50,000 for the possession of Diisopropylamine and Clenbuterol, both banned substances. Despite repeated attempts to contact him as the case was processed, Ramos "has never responded to HIWU concerning this Charge or...

A federal judge denied a preliminary injunction Oct. 22 in a lawsuit initiated 3 1/2 months ago by a Sunland Park-based veterinarian against the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU). The case involves anti-constitutionality claims that are similar to a number of other lawsuits swirling in the federal court system. But the civil complaint filed by Jason Scott, DVM, is unique because it raises the issue of what happens when a mixed-meet vet is found in possession of medications that are prohibited for...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's proposed 2026 budget has been out for its mandatory public comment period and is now before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The topline comes out to just over $78.4 million. If credits to the industry are fully applied, then the cost to the industry is around $60.4 million. HISA has already responded to nine public comments posted to the federal register. Its response, however, doesn't include those subsequently submitted by Churchill Downs Incorporated's (CDI) CEO, Bill Carstanjen. CDI is hardly an impartial voice in...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 09/16/2025 Licensee: Dale Romans, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Calixto Juarez has been banned a combined 36-months and fined a total $25,000 for an incident at Delaware Park June 4. The case was resolved without a hearing. The suspension began Aug. 8. In the case resolution, Juarez was observed...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Among this week's rulings, Angel Sanchez-Pinero was suspended 30-days for a phenylbutazone positive stemming from February-the latest action amid a series of alleged offenses facing the trainer. This includes another pending violation issued against Sanchez-Pinero this week concerning the alleged breach of rule 3230(b)(2), related...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 03/25/2025 Licensee: Collin Maragh, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 26, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender...

Dear Santa, As the clock ticks down on another year we can hopefully all agree that we have much to be grateful for. Racing in many ways seems to have recovered its footing from our headline fatality troubles and we just learned the fatality rate at HISA tracks continues to decline. Who can argue that we are not making progress and moving in the right and needed direction in making racing safer? I do have two requests for you, Santa. First, I would love to learn from the NHBPA an...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the HIWU "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 11/12/2024 Licensee: Jesse Compton, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Nov. 13; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable);...

Trainer Joe Taylor, a longtime fixture at Parx and the leading trainer there in 2019, has received an eight-year suspension handed down by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), after he had two horses test positive for banned substances. The story was first reported by Matt Hegarty of the Daily Racing Form. Taylor received a pair of four-year suspensions, one for each horse. According to postings on the HIWU website, the Taylor-trained Classy American (Uncle Lino) tested positive for Methylphenidate and Clenbuterol following a June 20 race at Parx....