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Churchill Downs To Resume Racing In September

Racing will return to Churchill Downs as scheduled for the track's regularly scheduled meeting beginning Sept. 14. The announcement comes following an “evaluation of existing safety protocols and a thorough assessment of industry best practices,” according to a release from the track.

Operations at the Louisville oval were suspended in early June following a rash of breakdowns during the first month of the meeting that began only a few days prior to the running of the GI Kentucky Derby. The balance of the Churchill spring meet was run at Ellis Park from June 10 through July 3.

Officials at Churchill Downs have announced several key enhancements to include:

Infrastructure Upgrades: Analysis by multiple leading industry experts found no issues with the racing surfaces, however, to further maximize surface oversight and consistency, the Racetrack has invested in additional new surface maintenance equipment and committed to doubling the frequency of surface testing;

Increased Veterinary Oversight: Additional resources will be added to CDI's highly qualified veterinary team to provide additional monitoring and specialized care for horses and assist in pre-race inspections and entry screening;

Collaboration with Industry Experts: Work will continue with HISA and other industry experts to predict at-risk horses using up-to-date data and advanced analytic techniques;

Establish Safety Management Committee: A new safety committee will be established consisting of horsemen designees, racetrack employees and veterinarians to candidly discuss concerns and observations to constantly provide real time feedback on areas of improvement.

“We are excited to resume live racing again at Churchill Downs,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “Our commitment to safety remains paramount as we enter this September meet and our participants, fans and the public can be assured that we will continue to investigate, evaluate and improve upon every policy and protocol.”

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HISA Issues Updated Guidance On Intra-Articular Injections

The Anti-Doping and Medication Control Standing Committee (ADMC) of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (“HISA”) has re-considered the Intra-Articular injection rule and has issued new guidance regarding its enforcement.

HISA ADMC Rule 4222 prohibits Intra-Articular injections on Race Day, within 14 days prior to Post-Time and within seven days prior to any Timed and Reported Workout. Effective July 16, 2023, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) will sanction the Responsible Person of any Covered Horse that violates the prohibition on Intra-Articular injections within 7 days prior to a Timed and Reported Workout as follows (within a 365-day rolling period):

1st violation: $3,000 fine.
2nd violation: $6,000 fine, 10-day suspension.
3rd violation: $10,000 fine, 30-day suspension.
4th violation: $20,000 fine, 60-day suspension.
5th violation: $25,000 fine, 120-day suspension.

Beginning July 16, 2023, Covered Horses will not be subject to a period of ineligibility for violations of the Intra-Articular injections Workout rule or Race Day rule, unless multiple violations involving the same horse are incurred within the 365-day period.

Until this new guidance takes effect on July 16, and in accordance with guidance previously announced on June 26, the prohibition on Intra-Articular injections within 7 days prior to any Timed and Reported Workout will continue to be enforced only against the Covered Horse through the imposition of a period of ineligibility of 30 days. The sanctions associated with the prohibition on Intra-Articular Injections within 14-days prior to Post-Time have not been modified, other than the fact that the Covered Horse may not be suspended.

The full language of today's issued guidance, which was approved by the HISA ADMC Standing Committee and the HISA Board, can be found on HISA's website.

Under Rule 4222, the day of administration is considered day 1. A horse may breeze on day 8 following administration and may enter to race at any time, provided the race is on day 15 or later.

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NYRA Releases Statement On Equine Safety At Belmont

Following an incident after race eight on Belmont's Monday card where Cold Hard Cash (Maclean's Music) sustained an apparent cardiovascular event during the gallop out, collapsed and died on track, NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna released the following statement:

“The health and safety of horses and jockeys competing at NYRA tracks is our highest priority and one that stands above all other considerations. NYRA's comprehensive safety strategy is informed by the most advanced science and research in consultation with independent experts, veterinarians, and horsemen. Every horse entered to compete at Belmont Park is required to undergo an extensive pre-race veterinary examination before the horse is permitted to race. In addition to physical inspection and observation, regulatory veterinarians perform a detailed review of each horse's medical records, past performances and workouts. According to these well-established protocols, Cold Hard Cash passed the required pre-race veterinary inspection. In the course of investigating this injury, necropsy results will be analyzed by Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) officials as well as the New York State Equine Medical Director. NYRA, HISA and the New York State Gaming Commission will closely review the circumstances around this incident to ensure we are providing the safest possible environment for racing and training at Belmont Park.”

Five horses have incurred fatal injuries during racing at the 2023 Belmont Park spring/summer meet, which began May 4 and has featured 2,493 horses starting in 326 races.

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HISA’S ADMC Program To Take Effect May 22

Following a launch March 27, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) plans to resume enforcement of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program May 22. The program seeks to implement the following:

Transparency: The ADMC Program requires public disclosure of alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violations once the Covered Person has been notified of the violation and Provisionally Suspended. The alleged violation will be reported by HIWU on its website, and the public information disclosed will include the date of the collection, the name of the Covered Person, the identity of the Covered Horse, the alleged ADMC Program Rule Violation, and the Prohibited Substance or Method detected/involved. Alleged Controlled Medication Rule Violations will be publicly disclosed once the B (“split”) Sample is confirmed by another lab or analysis of the Sample is waived by the Covered Person. In short, it will take weeks, not months, for an alleged violation to come to light.

Efficiency: The ADMC Program articulates specific timelines for the results management and adjudication processes, and parties can request an expedited hearing to resolve the eligibility of a Covered Person or Covered Horse prior to an upcoming race. Hearings of Anti-Doping Rule Violations will be held within 60 days of being requested, absent exceptional circumstances. Controlled Medication Rule Violations will generally be adjudicated in a few months. In summary, cases will not drag on for years.

Consistency and Fairness: In addition to samples being tested to the same levels and standards regardless of which laboratory performs the analysis, all alleged violations will be subject to the same penalties regardless of jurisdiction. Cases will be adjudicated by members of an independent Arbitral Body (Anti-Doping Rule Violations) or the Internal Adjudication Panel (Controlled Medication Rule Violations). For all cases, adjudicators will be selected so as to be free from conflict of interest, thus addressing any integrity concerns in the prosecution of cases.

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