HISA

The European Athletics Championships of 1966 constituted the first major international sporting event where human athletes were officially drug tested. Driving this watershed moment was growing alarm that more and more athletes were turning to performance-enhancing drugs with near impunity and no small amount of personal risk. Several amphetamines were found in the system of Danish cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen after he collapsed mid-race at the 1960 Rome Olympics, fracturing his skull. He later died in hospital. Seven years after that, British cyclist Tommy Simpson collapsed and died during the...

During a detail-crammed 90 minutes, representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) took to a virtual town hall Thursday to talk some of the what, how and whys of the federal program's budget processes since its inception in 2022 and on into next year's yet-to-be projected cost sheet. As HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus summed up the event, "HISA operates as a service to the industry. We owe a tremendous fiduciary obligation to our stakeholders, and we take that very seriously." The...

LEXINGTON, KY--During a Speaker Series focusing on HISA, one question opened the door to an in-depth discussion. How do we catch the bad actors in horse racing without placing a financial burden on the good guys? Trainer Dale Romans, the President of the Kentucky HBPA and a member of HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group, was the first to take a stab at the answer, acknowledging that it was the million-dollar question. "That's a lot of what HISA has been struggling with because it's just as important to make sure that someone...

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: 04/22/2025 Licensee: Edwin Alvarez, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol--a controlled substance (Class C)--in a sample taken from He'squite Mischief on 3/19/25. Date: 04/21/2025 Licensee:...

HISA will host an upcoming virtual Town Hall on Thursday, Apr. 24, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET, the regulator said via a press release on Wednesday. The agenda includes a transparent conversation about financial processes, including budgeting, fee assessments and the cost assessment methodology rule, and how they are using those funds to advance safety and integrity across the sport. Attendees can submit questions in advance through the registration link below or live in the chat box during the Town Hall. Speakers Include: Lisa Lazarus, HISA Chief Executive Officer...

Trevor McCarthy is only 30 and a winner of 1,871 races, which suggests he had many good years left in the saddle. Instead, McCarthy, who last rode on Aug. 15 at Colonial Downs, has retired and has gone into the real estate business. It was his way of escaping a job that was not only making him unhappy but bringing about mental health issues that he knew he had to find a way to get under control. "Mostly, this was about my mental health and my happiness," said McCarthy, who...

Representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) hosted a Town Hall Friday to dig down into the information issued in their recent annual reports and fatality metrics. One aim of the town hall, said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus, was to publicly "look under the hood" of the fatality numbers to better understand how they're compiled. "How do we collect these metrics? What does the process look like? Why are we very confident that they are accurate?" said Lazarus. As much...

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: 04/08/2025 Licensee: Cathal Lynch, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on April 9, 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 (as applicable); a fine of...

With the Sunday conclusion to Santa Anita's Classic Meet, the 2024-25 season enjoyed significant gains in handle, attendance, field size, and safety, the track announced Monday morning. The all-source handle topped $510-million with players from around the world responding favorably to the modifications to the wagering menu. The handle on just Santa Anita's races increased five per cent from the last Classic Meet. Opening day Dec. 26 brought the third largest opening day handle in the venue's 90-year history, and the final three-day weekend claimed more than $40.6-million in wagers...

Racing industry participants are invited to the latest Speaker Series, a popular event hosted by the Thoroughbred Club of America (TCA) and which will feature HISA's CEO Lisa Lazarus as the guest after a day at the races at Keeneland. Lazarus will give a presentation discussing the first years of HISA and how to navigate the coming years. Scott Hazelton will moderate a panel discussion, which will include Dale Romans, Steve Asmussen, Elliot Walden, Dr. Stuart Brown, and possibly others, including Mark Casse. A question and answer session will follow....

A joint HISA and HIWU virtual Town Hall is scheduled for Friday, April 11 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET, the pair of organizations said in a release on Wednesday afternoon. Leadership will discuss and answer questions regarding the HISA 2024 Annual Metrics Report and the HIWU 2024 Annual Report. Attendees are welcome to submit questions about the annual reports in advance or live during the event.   Speakers include: Lisa Lazarus, HISA CEO Anjali Salooja, HISA Director of Operations & Compliance Jennifer Durenberger, HISA Director of Equine Safety & Welfare Ben...

Edited Press Release The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced today the release of its 2024 Annual Report. The full report is available here. The Annual Report details HIWU's organization-wide activities as the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. Among the highlights are statistics on testing, results management, the adjudication of cases, investigations, and educational efforts. The 2024 Annual Report introduces expanded testing statistics by state and racetrack, including the number of samples collected for each test type....