Lisa Lazarus

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...

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...

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...

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...

Jeff Novitsky, currently the senior vice president, anti-doping compliance, for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been reappointed to the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Committee of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Prior to joining UFC in 2015, Novitsky was a federal agent with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, leading investigations of companies suspected of illegally distributing performance-enhancing substances, including the case involving Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team. Prior to that, Novitsky conducted Internal Revenue Service investigations into some of...

Lexington, KY - With a view overlooking the massive renovation of the Keeneland paddock, professional equine investigators soaked up the latest techniques in the trade and engaged some of the most pressing issues across racing during the first day of the 29th annual Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI) Training Conference on Monday. The ORI is a member organization which is composed of investigators who hail from jurisdictions across the U.S. and includes an international cadre as well. The conference's purpose is to create a resource where these shoe leather detectives...

Racing last year for the first time since a pair of 2017 hurricanes decimated St. Thomas's Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack in the U.S. Virgin Islands, at least six Thoroughbreds were euthanized over the course of three carded days at the track. Another horse suffered a breakdown during a workout, bringing the total to seven. Those are just some of several major issues plaguing the St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission (STT/STJ HRC), who is charged with the responsibility of regulating racing on the island. Compounding horses dying on the track,...

Fifty days since his last mount, when he was suspended by HISA for striking a horse in a malicious manner following a race at Parx, Paco Lopez will return Saturday at Laurel, where he will have three rides. They include the mount on Hawkstone (Catalina Cruiser) in the Spectacular Bid Stakes. "I'm feeling good and I've been working very hard to be ready for my comeback," he said. Lopez was aboard National Law (Constitution) in a maiden special weight race at Parx for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. The horse bore...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) reached a settlement of their dispute regarding HISA's fee assessment methodology, according to a Thursday press release from NYRA. As a result of the settlement, NYRA will withdraw from the litigation pending in the Western District of Kentucky and HISA will withdraw the enforcement action initiated against NYRA on Nov. 13, 2024. "HISA's ongoing work and overall mission are critically important to the future of thoroughbred horse racing," said NYRA President & CEO David O'Rourke....

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has named 16 regulatory and private practice veterinarians from across the country to serve as members on its Veterinary Advisory Committee, according to a press release from the organization on Thursday morning. The committee will commence regular meetings in early 2025 to provide feedback to HISA's executive team and standing committees. Advisement on topics would include the implementation and evolution of HISA's rules and protocols related to veterinary care, medication, racetrack safety, equine research and other relevant issues. Committee members will serve staggered...