Topics included the impact of bush track racing, and a variety of legal and scientific case studies, which were all geared for the investigator's toolkit.

With varied backgrounds in law enforcement and security, many attendees have experience growing up around horses. Investigators work for tracks and racing commissions, but they can never turn their backs on the chance to improve their techniques and plug into the ORI network fiber.

Kassie Creed, a Safety and Compliance Associate who works at Keeneland under Dr. Stuart Brown in equine safety, attended her second ORI meeting. She is part of the up-and-coming generation who is learning from those with decades of experience.

ORI Conference at Parx | Bill Denver/Equi-Photo

“Something I've noticed as a woman, thinking about my age, things that are relevant now will hit my generation in a different way,” she said. “I'm a small-picture person and my local horse population is my chief concern. So, when I came last year to ORI I added new skills and was able to apply what I learned here to my day-to-day processes, which really helps.”

The group began the day by hearing a talk on unregulated horse racing in North America by the USDA's Dr. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey. The epidemiologist has found 191 'bush tracks' across 30 states, and though all of them are racing Quarter Horses, she said that it is entirely possible that Thoroughbreds could be present too.

“Every time I go looking for these unregulated places, I find more, and if you think they are not in your backyard, like in New England, you'd be wrong,” she said. “The spread of diseases, the use of dirty needles, is a crisis, and there is no federal law that makes this racing illegal.”

The Association of Racing Commissioners International's Ed Martin added during his session, “We are being lumped in with unsanctioned racing and the public sees the videos and they share them. We are going to have to deal with this. It's here. This industry needs to be talking to one another. We need to get together. We need certainty.”

Presenter Ismael Navarreto | Bill Denver/Equi-Photo

Other presentations were offered by seasoned experts who work with Comisión de Juegos de Puerto Rico and from across the state of Pennsylvania. Their specialist's view concerning case studies went to the heart of equine health by examining everything from how pathology can be utilized in court cases, illegal horse ownership, and situational awareness when conducting interrogations.

The conference wrapped with Ann McGovern, the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority's Director of Racetrack Safety. Her presentation addressed last year's catastrophic injuries at Churchill Downs by highlighting the techniques which were implemented during the assessment.

“The process led us to found the HISA Track Surface Advisory Committee and expand on tools like an individual horse's exercise signature and their past performances,” she said.

As for ORI's next conference location, Keeneland was named as the site for 2025 with Dr. Brown serving as the conference chair.

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Hosted by Parx Racing and sponsored by everyone from Keeneland to the Breeders' Cup, over 100 specialists who protect racetracks in America and several other countries, listened, asked questions and made connections, all in the service of equine athletes.

As one investigator said about why he was in attendance, “We are here to protect those who cannot protect themselves and being in a room with like-minded individuals on our 24/7 mission is how we stay ahead.”

Each year conference participants swap tradecraft and those conversations lead to communication which crosses jurisdictions. It is a network behind the scenes, and that is why industry afficionados and the public do not necessarily have the opportunity to see the machinery at work.

“What we talk about here isn't secret, but our members need to have a degree of anonymity as they liaise with various groups of law enforcement, and that is one of the reasons why we don't open this conference to just anyone,” said this year's conference chairman Jason Klouser.

The morning sessions included several case studies about a variety of topics including horse welfare and how investigations have yielded important results. Members of the FBI's Philadelphia Office presented how xylazine used to sedate horses can enter the drug trade on the street illegally.

A highlight was the University of Kentucky's Dr. Camie Heleski, who spoke about the need for all horse sports to improve their optics by directly addressing its societal license to operate.

In other words, developing categorical areas to focus studies like recognizing physical and emotional stress in horses, what happens to them during the other 23 hours in a day when they are not performing and how tack and equipment can be used differently to improve the overall health of the sport.

HIWU's Shawn Loehr and Shaun Richards | J.N. Campbell

HIWU's Shawn Loehr and Shaun Richards gave an update concerning their investigative operations. The pair now have four investigators on staff, along with a pair of analysts, and they will be adding more soon. Concerning states that do not have a voluntary agreement with HIWU–like New York or Oklahoma–they explained how they have come to rely on independent contractors and that their developing relationship with ORI members continues to be significant to their operations.

“Our mission is to catch doping, protect the horses, serve the Thoroughbred industry, and for instance, our 150 plus barn searches and tip lines continue to yield results,” Loehr said. “ORI is such a valuable resource and being able to talk with them during this conference is essential to our mission.”

During the evening, which shifted venues from the Parx racetrack to the casino, an awards banquet included the TDN's CEO/Publisher Sue Finley, who delivered the keynote over the power of integrity and the precarious position news outlets find themselves in when it comes to coverage of horse racing.

“Some organizations and individuals accuse us of being pro-HISA,” said Finley, speaking about the importance of independent journalism in horse racing. “The only thing we're accused of more? Is being ANTI-HISA. Sometimes, we write an article which generates complaints from some that we are pro-HISA, while others write us and say we're showing an obvious anti-HISA bias. All from the same article.”

The first day activities ended with the awarding of the organization's most prestigious honor which is named for longtime investigator John F. Wayne. The lifetime membership award went to Tampa Bay Downs's Deanna Nicol.

ORI's 28th meeting continues on Tuesday, Mar. 5. Click here to access the schedule.

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The TDN's CEO/Publisher Sue Finley will serve as the keynote speaker during the group's Monday evening dinner and awards ceremony, where her remarks will focus on horse racing, the media and integrity.

Central to ORI is the pursuit of integrity and education for its members. Interactions among investigators through networking helps to create lasting relationships between jurisdictions. This year's attendees hail from 18 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Ireland, England, France and South Africa.

The event will feature 16 presenters over the course of Monday and Tuesday, as members soak up the latest information concerning a host of pertinent topics directly related to their day-to-day work policing racetracks in their home states.

A broad range of case studies include unregulated horse racing, stable area access systems and equine safety stewarding, just to name a few. Representatives from various organizations like the British Horseracing Authority, the Comisión de Juegos de Puerto Rico, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit and the Association of Racing Commissioners International will participate.

“Each year our attendance continues to grow and we would like to thank Parx for rolling out the red carpet for us and all of our sponsors for their assistance,” said ORI Chairman Jason Klouser of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. “This year's conference will have record attendance of over 120 individuals and has something for everyone. From the rookie investigator to the most seasoned, this is all about the general health of the sport. We are very pleased to welcome Sue as our featured speaker.”

“The question of integrity in horse racing has never been more important than it is right now, and the media has an important role to play in that question,” said Finley. “I look forward to speaking to the investigators and discussing how the roles we each play affect one another.”

Click here for the Parx Conference program.

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Don Ahrens of Sam Houston Race Park and Jason Klouser of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission explained how these special squads, working alongside agencies like the Breeders' Cup, the U.S. Trotting Association, the American Quarter Horse Association and various state racing commissions and tracks, ensure that safety and security is center stage from the test barn to the winner's circle.

“We have developed an approach with these integrity teams which can be tailored to any situation, racetrack or regulatory body, and it really directs all of our resources to the protection of the equine athletes and ensure a level playing field for the participants, so the wagering public can bet on a product they can trust,” said Klouser.

Ahrens and Klouser are part of the ORI cadre which at its core is based on training and networking. Operating behind the scenes, members wage a daily effort to strengthen racing's regulatory efforts.

ORI member conducting mock search at last year's ORI Conference | ORI

ORI member's tradecraft will be on full display from Mar. 3-6 when the ORI meets for what will be its 28th Training Conference. This time around, the multi-day event will be held at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

Chaired by Klouser, the preliminary agenda includes a diverse set of speakers who will be covering some of the most important issues pertaining to investigations in racing today.

“Our training conference continues to grow exponentially,” said Klouser. “That speaks to the organization's reputation and the importance of our network of investigators.”

This year's keynote address will be given by TDN's CEO/Publisher Sue Finley, who will discuss the changing landscape of media coverage and how it relates to racing integrity issues.

“We are excited to have Sue come and speak to the group since she has such an impressive list of accomplishments and we know she is going to deliver a unique set of perspectives concerning the media,” said Klouser.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the following:

• William Behe, United States Attorney's Office, Penn National Race Fixing Prosecution
• John Burgess, British Horse Racing Authority, BHA Overview and Case Study
• Angela Pezel-McCloskey, USDA Inspection Services, Unregulated Horse Racing in North America
• Ismael Navarreto, Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, Hidden Ownership & Fraud Case Study
• TC Lane, U.S. Trotting Association, USTA Regulatory Authority
• Cammie Helleski, University of Kentucky, Societal License to Operate
• Janet VanBebber, American Quarter Horse Association, AQHA's Role in Racing
• Vicky Kuora, FBI Violent Gangs & Safe Streets Task Force, Illicit Use of Xylazine
• Ann McGovern, Horseracing Integrity Safety Authority, Review of Churchill Downs Catastrophic Injury Report
• Shawn Loehr, Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit, HIWU Update
• Mickey Peterson, New Jersey Racing Commission, Preparing the Harness Horse for Racing
• Robert Martin, Parx Racing, Stable Area Access System
• Julie Engiles, Penn Vet-New Bolton Center Pathologists, Role in Equine Fatality Prosecutions
• Adam Morris, Governor's Office of General Counsel, Racing Official Prosecutions
• Michael Spada, Pennsylvania State Police, Case Study
• Carlos Quintana & Mónica Andreu, Comisión de Juegos de Puerto Rico, Regulating Racing in Puerto Rico

Click here for more information about ORI's 2024 Training Conference.

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In his introductory remarks, Mosier said, “Nobody knows more about the confusion over HISA they we do. We are prepared and ready, assuming Mar. 27 as a start date.”

Attendees heard from General Counsel Michelle Pujals, Head of Investigative Operations Shawn Loehr and Head of Intelligence and Strategy Shawn Richards, as each outlined a different segment of HIWU's program. A question and answer sessions covered topics including the contracting of outside investigators, how out of competition testing would be conducted and the current status of agreements with state racing commissions, which could directly affect the role played by members who serve on the frontlines at their respective tracks.

Besides the HIWU session, ORI examined a number of issues earlier in the day from ethics, the media, barn surveillance, proper licensing and employee retention. Participants came away from Tucson with a greater understanding of a myriad of best practices that they can immediately implement in their respective jurisdictions.

“This year's ORI meeting was our best yet,” said Chairman Juan Carlos Estrada of the Arizona Department of Gaming. “Not only because of the camaraderie, but we heard from some excellent speakers that gave our membership the opportunity to add to their skills, so we are already looking forward to next year.”

The 28th ORI Conference will be hosted by Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania with dates forthcoming.

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