HISA

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 (HIWU)'s "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Among this week's rulings, a HIWU arbitrator has banned Illinois veterinarian Dr. Donald McCrosky a total 24 years and fined him a combined $300,000 for a series of nine violations: One count of trafficking banned substances; five counts of possession of banned substances; two counts of...

The Ohio Department of Agriculture ("Ohio Lab")'s probationary HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory (HEAL) accreditation status of the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory has been suspended for a minimum of six months, starting Feb. 9, according to a Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) release on Tuesday. Samples collected in Ohio will be directed to the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis for analysis. HIWU's independent Laboratory Expert Group, which evaluates the performance of Program laboratories, recommended the suspension of the Ohio Lab's probationary HEAL accreditation...

A Feb. 6 ruling posted to the Association of Racing Commissions International (ARCI) website stated that trainer Ingrid Mason has been ejected from Oaklawn Park by that track's stewards "until such time that Oaklawn management approves her re-admittance to Oaklawn Park's property." Chelsea Hackbarth of the Paulick Report quoted Mason as explaining that investigators from the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) "caught her with needles, syringes, and an injectable product called 'Movex.'" The Paulick Report's story descried Movex as a "Chondroitin 4 Sulfate injectable product" that is not known...

Trainer Phil Serpe, who is fighting both in federal court and at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) level to overturn a two-year suspension imposed by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) for a clenbuterol positive in one of his trainees, on Wednesday was notified by the FTC that his legal team would not be allowed to have new evidence considered in his nearly 18-month-old case. Serpe's suspension stems from clenbuterol detected in the urine of Fast Kimmie (Oscar Performance) after her Aug. 10, 2024 victory in a $30,000 claiming...

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 Dates: 02/04/2026 Licensee: Johanna Urieta, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 5, 2026; 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...

Medication trends, integrity issues in the U.S. and abroad, plus how investigators can impact aftercare are a few examples of the session topics that the Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI) will cover during their 30th annual training conference, which will be held from Sunday, Mar. 1 to Wednesday, Mar. 4 at Tampa Bay Downs. As the trend goes, the agenda places a strong emphasis on providing participants with security and investigative backgrounds access to the latest tradecraft and the opportunity to network with other members. "We are excited to have...

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 Roberto Gonzalez, Sr. has been suspended a combined 36 months and fined $25,000 for two out-of-competition positive tests collected from Ol' McClintock, according to the case resolution. Of the samples collected from the Gonzalez, Sr. trainee at Alburquerque Downs...

Since 2023, Mike Repole has waged a campaign of inflammatory social posts and public statements targeting The Jockey Club and other leading Thoroughbred organizations. His rhetoric relies on selective facts and false narratives--fueling division, eroding trust, and distracting from the real work our industry needs to move forward. His campaign offers no solutions or concrete plans and appears instead to be part of an effort by Mr. Repole to anoint himself the "Commissioner" of the sport. As Stewards of The Jockey Club, we work to improve racing and breeding in...

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. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 01/15/2026 Licensee: Charles Frock, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on January 16, 2026; 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...

Taken by the Wind (Rock Your World) remained undefeated and took another step closer to a start in the GI Kentucky Oaks when capturing Saturday's Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds. But a day later, what was most on the mind of trainer Kenny McPeek was what he called a "bureaucratic nightmare" that she had to overcome to even make the $150,000 race. The Silverbulletday was Taken by the Wind's first start since she won the Sept. 13 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. McPeek said that she was sidelined not...

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 Angel Sanchez Pinero has been banned a combined eight years and fined a total $90,000 (as well as arbitration costs) for a series of medication violations stemming from 2024 onwards. These penalties come in the wake of a two-year suspension...