Racehorse Safety

The Horseracing and Safety Integrity Authority has added two new safety precautions to be in place for the remainder of the Saratoga Race Course meet. HISA rule 2142(a) requires all horses running under the authority's jurisdiction to undergo post-entry screening 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, but going forward through the remainder of Saratoga's summer meet, a HISA veterinarian will perform these post-entry screenings to...

In racing, there is nothing more horrific than watching a horse break down in front of you. My heart goes out to every person connected with each of the horses that has lost its life in this manner and to each fan who's witnessed this. As my husband said after Maple Leaf Mel's tragic end, "They're just innocent animals!" He left immediately after her death, horrorstruck, and, fortunately, was not at the track on Travers Day. Like countless other casual fans who've seen such awful things, it is unlikely that...

Rick Williams has been named Safety Officer for Colonial Downs, it was announced Tuesday. Williams will begin his role when the Colonial backside opens up July 5 ahead of its summer race meet, which kicks off July 19. Williams has a diverse racing background that includes stints as a groom, jockey agent, and in several front side departments including photo finish, mutuels and track maintenance. Before retiring in 2012, he spent his prior 15 years in a regulatory position with both the Ohio and Kentucky Racing Commissions and was involved...