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HISA’s Lasix Advisory Committee Set

Edited Press Release

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) announced the members of an Advisory Committee which has been convened to oversee a three-year study on the use of furosemide (also known as “Lasix”) on horses during the 48-hour period before the start of a Covered Horserace, including the effect on equine health and the integrity of competition.

The establishment of this Advisory Committee for the study of furosemide administration and the requirements of the study are specifically mandated and set forth in the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. The HISA Board of Directors delegated its authority to select the Advisory Committee members to HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Committee who did so based on the members' relevant expertise. The Advisory Committee will oversee the process of issuing a Request for Proposal to conduct the research, reviewing grant applications from academic researchers and allocating grant funding for the study.

When the independent scientific research has been completed and published, it will be presented to the Advisory Committee who will then relay the findings and their recommendations to the HISA Board of Directors.

The Furosemide Advisory Committee is comprised of the following members:

Emma Adam, DVM, Ph.D., is a veterinarian with over 24 years of racing experience in the United States, United Kingdom, France and Australia. She is board-certified in equine medicine from Texas A&M University and in surgery from the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Adam also received her Ph.D. in musculoskeletal science from the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center.
Alan Foreman is Chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA) and Vice-Chairman of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC). Foreman is considered one of the leading racing law and equine attorneys in the United States and is an expert on medications used in horse racing.
Scott Hay, DVM, is a veterinarian at Teigland, Franklin and Brokken, where he focuses on lameness, performance evaluations and purchase examinations. He also serves on the RMTC's Scientific Advisory Committee. Dr. Hay previously served as President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and as a member of the Grayson-Jockey Club's Scientific Advisory Committee.
Ted Hill, VMD, is a racing steward for The Jockey Club with more than 23 years of experience. He previously served as Chief Veterinarian for the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Dr. Hill received his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania.
Rob Holland, DVM, Ph.D., is a respiratory and infectious disease specialist in Lexington, Kentucky and partner at Holland Management Services, Inc., a consulting practice offering solutions in outcomes research and veterinary medicine. Dr. Holland has worked with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) and is an expert in equine drug testing processes.
Heather Knych, DVM, Ph.D., DACVCP, is a Professor of Clinical Veterinary Pharmacology and Head of the Pharmacology Section at the K.L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Pharmacology Laboratory at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Kynch is board-certified in Clinical Veterinary Pharmacology and has an extensive publication record in the areas of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. She received her DVM and Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of California, Davis, where she also conducted her residency in Veterinary Pharmacology.
Ryan Murphy is the Executive Director for the Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC), the leading anti-doping research organization dedicated to the protection of clean athletes. Prior to joining the PCC, Murphy served as Program Officer with the Sports Diplomacy division at the U.S. Department of State and prior to that as Senior Manager for Sport & Competition for Special Olympics International. Murphy has also worked as an International Doping Control Officer for International Doping Tests & Management. In addition to his work at the PCC, Murphy serves as an Adjunct Professor for the Sports Industry Management Master's program at Georgetown University.
Foster Northrop, DVM, is a practicing racetrack veterinarian with more than 35 years of industry experience. He has served on the boards of the KHRC and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), as well as the RMTC's Scientific Advisory Committee.
Scott Palmer, VMD, is a former President of the AAEP and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). He also chaired the New York Task Force for Racehorse Health and Safety from 2011 to 2013 and served as a clinician and referral surgeon at the New Jersey Equine Clinic for 38 years. He is currently a member of the RMTC's Scientific Advisory Committee, the Horseracing Testing Laboratory Committee, the Association of Racing Commissioners International's (ARCI) Drug Testing and Standards Committee and the ARCI's Equine Welfare and Veterinarians Committee.
N. Edward Robinson, BVetMed, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized veterinarian, academic and researcher who spent nearly 50 years at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, during which he spent more than 20 years as the Matilda R. Wilson Professor of Large Animal Clinical Sciences. Dr. Robinson has spent his career researching lung disease in horses. He received his veterinary degree from the Royal Veterinary College in London and a Ph.D. from University of California, Davis.
Corinne Sweeney, DVM (HIWU Appointment), is an American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) specialist and has spent the past 44 years at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She has served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission since 2008 and previously served as Chair of the ARCI in 2019. She is a certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner and has served as the Penn Vet Ombuds since 2015.

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6-Mo. Extension to Maryland Racing Agreement; Details Not Disclosed

Tuesday's Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) meeting yielded the news that the state's horsemen, breeders, and the operator of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park have agreed on yet another six-month extension agreement to keep racing going after a 10-year deal expired at the end of 2022.

The placeholder agreement will go into effect for the final six months of 2023, and it follows a similar six-month extension reached earlier this year that is set to sunset June 30. The eventual goal is to come up with a longer-term contract.

Mike Rogers, the president of the racing division for 1/ST Racing, which owns the Maryland Jockey Club, which in turn owns both Pimlico and Laurel, led off his monthly presentation with the announcement of the agreement with the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and Maryland Horse Breeders Association.

But when commissioner Robert Lillis asked Rogers to elaborate on a June 6 news story published in Maryland Matters that dealt with the MTHA agreeing to use purse money to subsidize operations at the two tracks, Rogers balked at answering.

“I don't think I'm at liberty to talk about the details of the extension agreement. I'm not authorized to talk about those terms,” Rogers said.

At that point, MRC chair Michael Algeo stepped in to clarify that he didn't feel the parties were required to disclose such details at this time, because the announcement of the agreement extension was not a matter that the commission had to act on or vote on that afternoon.

But another commissioner, George Mahoney, wanted to know, “At any stage, will the Maryland Racing Commission be privy to the terms of the six-month agreement?”

Rogers replied that, “I would have to defer to our lawyers on that. I don't know what the disclosure requirements are on that.”

Alan Foreman, an attorney who serves as the legal counsel for the MTHA, then offered to give an explanation from the horsemen's perspective.

“In fairness to all the parties, and in response to commissioner Lillis's question, the horsemen and the tracks and the breeders have been a party to a 10-year agreement that expired at the end of 2022 in which the horsemen and breeders [already] were helping to subsidize the operations of the racetracks,” Foreman said.

“That was no secret. That was the agreement entered into with the commission back [in] 2012 to stabilize the industry,” Foreman said.

“What the parties have done is to extend the [expired] agreement [from] January to June 30, and the extension now through Dec. 31 is under almost identical terms,” Foreman said.

“So there's nothing new here. It's what's been continuing since the beginning of the 10-year agreement, and ultimately, if and when there's a longer-term agreement, that issue will be addressed. So the so-called subsidy from the horsemen and breeders is not a new item,” Foreman said.

Algeo, a retired Maryland Circuit Court judge, then weighed in again.

“If I could kind of frame the issue so we make certain it's very clear, at this juncture this is not being presented today for the commission to motion, to rule on it, or to discuss,” he said.

“I mean, quite obviously, at least I'm not going to approve anything without knowing what's in the agreement,” Algeo said. “And so, we don't know what's in the agreement, so there's nothing for us to address.

“My understanding [is] that this is a courtesy on behalf of the Maryland Jockey Club and the horsemen and the breeders to indicate that they have extended it, which they have done, by the way, frequently… If it was required for us to approve that now, to address it, then obviously we would have to know the contents of the agreement.”

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After Preakness, Maryland Racing Will Return To Laurel, But For How Long?

Pimlico, the home of a Triple Crown race, is rundown and needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Its sister track, Laurel isn't in much better shape. To have two tracks in such condition does not make for a sustainable model for the future of Maryland racing, a problem that track owners and politicians have been trying solve for more than a decade.

But the latest round of give-and-take appears to have yielded a solution. Money once earmarked for a rebuild of both Pimlico and Laurel is expected to be used solely to rebuild Pimlico and to create a racing facility worthy of hosting the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. But there won't be any money left over for Laurel, which likely means the track is nearing the finish line.

The scenario has shifted dramatically since 2019 when the Stronach Group, which operates both Maryland tracks, was hoping to rebuild Laurel and close Pimlico. That would have meant moving the GI Preakness S. to Laurel. That led to the city of Baltimore filing suit against the Stronach Group trying to block them from closing Pimlico.

Under political pressure to keep Pimlico open, track ownership pivoted and along with horseman, breeders, political leaders and others, got behind a new plan. In May of 2020, The Racing and Community Development Act (RCDA) of 2020 was signed into law by then Governor Larry Hogan and on the surface, it seemed to be the answer to all of Maryland's problems. The legislation called for the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue up to $375 million in bonds that were earmarked to pay for a rebuild of both tracks. The Preakness was going to stay in Baltimore, Pimlico was not going to close and the Stronach Group would be able to go forward with its plans to have a new and improved Laurel as the centerpiece of the Maryland racing circuit.

“This is a very important day in the future of Maryland racing,” Alan Foreman, general counsel for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said when the legislation was signed into law.

And then the world shut down.

Within weeks of the RCDA being signed, COVID-19 was in full throttle and that meant that nothing was going to happen anytime soon when it came to building new racetracks in the state.

It's been a bit more than three years since the RCDA legislation was approved and the pandemic is a thing of the past. But, when it comes to Pimlico and Laurel, time has stood still. Untouched, they remain in the same poor condition that they were in 2020. No shovels have hit the ground and not a penny of government money has been spent to improve either track.

The problem is that the bill that was signed in 2020 is no longer a viable solution in 2023. Three years later, the $375 million originally budgeted to rebuild both tracks is not nearly enough to pay for the projects. By some estimates, due to inflation, the cost to rebuild both tracks has doubled. Additionally, rising interest rates have led to the bonds being worth less.

“Almost to the day that the RCDA was signed by governor the world shut down and COVID hit,” said Alan Rifkin, an attorney who represents the Stronach Group in Maryland. “Nothing was happening. When the world re-opened, interest rates and inflation went through the roof. The inflationary spiral was so substantial that things like lumber, concrete and steel cost 20 to 30% more right after COVID than they had been previously. The other problem is that the $375 million we estimated would only produce today about $220 million in proceeds. As you pay more in interest to bond holders, there's less in the proceeds after interest payments are made. From the interest rate spiral and the inflationary spiral, that has meant that there is not enough money to do both Laurel and Pimlico. No matter how much you stretch the blanket, the blanket cannot cover the entire bed. That is the problem.”

But there should be enough money to rebuild one of the tracks, and everything points to that being Pimlico and not Laurel. Pimlico will be spared because that is what the city and the state politicians want, since a new track and a Triple Crown race remains a big part of the fabric of Baltimore. And its apparent that without the blessing of political leaders in the state there is no way that the money needed to rebuild one track or the other would be made available to the Stronach Group.

“The legislature and the Governor's office, the powers that be, have directed the parties to prioritize Pimlico,” Rifkin said. “We understand that there is not enough money to do both capital projects. The policy makers have instructed all of us in the industry working on this to prioritize Pimlico. We know that as a fact.”

“If there is going to be any redevelopment of the racetracks in Maryland, Pimlico has to be locked into that,” Foreman said. “That's because of the Preakness and because of the importance of the racetrack to the city of Baltimore. They are inextricably linked.”

Closing Laurel would solve some problems, but also create some others, namely what to do with all the horses stabled there. The Pimlico backstretch is not big enough to handle the state's horse population. A new training center that could accommodate as many as 1,000 horses would need to be built. Rifkin said that keeping Laurel open as a training facility is not likely to happen.

Mage | Jim McCue

Another issue may be the vision the Stronach Group has for a Maryland racing circuit with just one track. Rifkin maintains that the current structure, which includes year-round racing, is not economically viable. Not only does he want to see just one track, he wants to see a shorter racing season. That is something that could lead to a contentious relationship with horsemen.

“I don't think it should come as a surprise to anyone that operating two racing facilities 20 miles apart from one another is not conducive to profitability or, for that matter, sustainability under the current circumstances,” he said. “That is why we continue to raise the question of industry-wide restructuring in an effort to right size the number of facilities and right size the number of racing days in order to best ensure a viable, sustainable and profitable racing industry for years to come.”

Those are problems for another day. The emphasis now is on hitting the reset button on a project that would give Maryland racing a quality, modern facility that works for such a big event as the Preakness. With there still being a number of issues that have to be resolved before construction can begin on a new track, it's not clear what the timeline might be.

“There have been so many estimates so far as when a new Pimlico would be up and running,” Foreman said. “There was a time that people were estimating it would be ready for this year's Preakness. And as you know, the wrecking ball hasn't hit the grandstand yet. During construction Laurel will have to be operating during the time it will takes to construct a new Pimlico. I don't think the wrecking ball will hit Pimlico until a plan has been established for the racing industry in terms of year-round racing. That means that a training center site will have to be identified and plans for it will have to be developed. It's conceivable that construction could start after the Preakness next year, but a lot of work will have to be done between now and then to accommodate that happening.”

No matter when it happens, the future of Maryland racing is set to look nothing like the present. Pimlico is the more celebrated of the two tracks because it is the home of the Preakness, but Laurel has quite a history of its own. It opened on Oct. 2, 1911. In 1952, they ran the first ever Washington D.C. International, the first U.S. race that sought horses from overseas and it soon became one of the biggest events on the calendar. In 1984, the track was sold to Frank J. De Francis and his partners, Robert and John “Tommy” Manfuso, who brought several innovative improvements to Laurel.

But progress needs to be made in Maryland and most agree that the only way that will happen is if Laurel is razed and that a new Pimlico becomes the centerpiece of the future of Maryland racing.

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Training Open As Laurel Cards Races For Saturday

Laurel Park will be open for training on Thursday and Friday, with the intent to run this Saturday, Apr. 29, Alan Foreman, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA), said by phone Wednesday afternoon.

Last Saturday's cancelled Apr. 22 card of 98 entries included a pair of $100,000 races in the Native Dancer S. and the Primonetta S., scheduled for the main track. This time around, the racing office has taken 116 entries over 11 races with the same slate of five stakes.

The decision to cancel last Friday into the weekend came one day after a horse had to be euthanized, while the another was vanned off and reportedly euthanized. Both ran over the dirt surface Thursday, Apr. 20 in the fourth and fifth races–making five fatalities within the month.

With numerous talks between the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and the Stronach Group last weekend and into Monday, the two sides agreed, with the approval of the Maryland Racing Commission, to allow Laurel and Pimlico's former track superintendent John Passero to conduct his own third-party assessment of the track's suitability for racing.

“Mr. Passero made recommendations and adjustments based on his expertise and understanding of Laurel, and the horsemen respect those decisions,” Foreman said. “Training is open Thursday and Friday, and it is my understanding that he will be present to ensure that all goes well during that time.”

The Friday forecast calls for heavy rains that could derail the running of Saturday's card, but Foreman confirmed that Passero would be present into the weekend.

“If rain moves in, then we could have to postpone,” Foreman said. “There will not be training Saturday morning, and that will give him [Passero] time to issue further findings. There is an air of palpable confidence and we know this will lead to a positive situation for everyone. I only regret that we did not come to a decision sooner.”

Within the ranks of Maryland's horsemen others have expressed ongoing concern. Trainer Lacey Gaudet said, “I won't be participating in breezing or racing this weekend. The weather is also a factor in that, but everything is still awfully raw, and I just want to be confident before my stable moves forward. I can't thank all of my owners and clients enough for supporting that decision as a horseman.”

Laurel's 11-race card on Saturday also includes three turf stakes and an allowance one, which could be rained-off and moved to the main track, if racing is deemed safe to proceed.

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