From the HISA Media Team:

The HISA February Newsletter

After an incredible year in 2024, I’m filled with optimism and enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead in 2025. This year holds tremendous potential to build on last year’s progress, and HISA remains steadfast in its commitment to working closely with horsemen and other stakeholders across the country to foster a safer, more transparent racing environment for everyone.

Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating California wildfires. We are deeply saddened by the challenges facing so many in Southern California, including horses, horsemen and the broader community. We continue to monitor the situation closely and extend our heartfelt condolences to those who have suffered losses. We wish everyone strength, safety and support as recovery efforts move forward.

The HISA team began 2025 with an energizing planning session, discussing fresh ideas to drive progress in the year ahead. From expanding our use of data for the purposes of formulating rules and knowledge sharing, to broadening the resources available to support jockeys’ health and safety, and to developing strategies for lessening the financial burden on the industry, this year promises to be a pivotal one for advancing the integrity and welfare of horse racing. I’m especially excited to visit tracks around the country throughout 2025, connecting with the people who make this sport so special and learning firsthand about the opportunities and challenges we face together. We’re ready to dive in and make this a standout year for the sport.

Yours in racing,

Lisa

HISA Welcomes New Members to Horsemen’s Advisory Group

HISA is pleased to announce the addition of Thoroughbred horsemen Michael Annechino, Neil Howard, Todd Mostoller and Justin Revak as new members of the Horsemen’s Advisory Group. We look forward to their feedback and perspectives as we continue to evolve our Racetrack Safety and ADMC programs. Our sincere thanks to outgoing members Timothy Keefe, Maggi Moss, Graham Motion and Kirk Wycoff, whose unwavering dedication and keen insights have played a critical role in advancing HISA’s rules and driven meaningful progress for the industry.

More information about each of the new members is available here.

Safety on the Road: Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale

HISA was thrilled to host a Help Desk at Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale, providing hands-on support to horsemen throughout the event. Our field support team was onsite to assist owners and trainers with registering their new Thoroughbreds, answer questions about HISA rules and offer resources to ensure compliance. It was a great opportunity to connect with the community and support horsemen as they prepare for the year ahead.

Want to invite HISA to your next event? Reach out to us at feedback@hisaus.org.

2024 Eclipse Awards

The 54th Annual Eclipse Awards took place on January 23, 2025, celebrating the exceptional achievements of Thoroughbred racing’s champions. Produced by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the Eclipse Awards represent the pinnacle of recognition in our sport, honoring the dedication, talent and passion that drive racing forward.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

Welcoming the New ADMC Members

We are also excited to officially welcome the new members of the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Committee, Jonathan Coyles, David Ingordo and David Sykes, who officially began their terms on January 1. These individuals bring a wealth of experience from the fields of horse racing, veterinary medicine and anti-doping in sport to HISA’s mission of promoting safety and fairness in horse racing. We look forward to their valuable contributions.

Employee Spotlight

Meet Dr. Karen Hassan, HISA’s Compliance Veterinarian!

Dr. Hassan is a Board-Certified surgeon with 26 years of experience in referral lameness and surgery. Her career includes work as a regulatory veterinarian for 1/ST Racing in California and at the California State Fairs. Since joining HISA in 2023, Dr. Hassan has been instrumental in supporting the Director of Equine Safety and Welfare and HISA’s Racetrack Safety and ADMC Programs. Her contributions include implementing uniform safety and welfare policies nationwide as part of HISA’s racetrack accreditation program, conducting veterinary outreach, representing HISA at trade and industry meetings and addressing stakeholder questions about HISA’s rules and equine safety and welfare.

Read more about Dr. Hassan’s veterinary career and her advice for those entering the industry here.

HISA to Publish 2024 Metrics

In the first quarter of 2025, HISA will release its second Annual Metrics Report. This report will include comprehensive data from the 2024 calendar year, covering:

  • Equine fatalities
  • Registrations
  • Fines assessed
  • Track accreditation
  • Riding crop violations

Additionally, for the first time, HISA will report training-related fatalities for the full year on an aggregate, per-state and per-track basis. By introducing tracking and reporting standards for training-related fatalities, HISA is providing unprecedented insight into equine safety. With transparency around this data, HISA is taking the lead internationally as we are not aware of any other racing jurisdiction in the world that publishes training fatalities.

This expanded data will enable a deeper understanding of safety risks, allowing for more targeted and informed actions to advance safety measures both in training and racing. These efforts represent another step forward in building transparency and continuing progress toward a safer future for the sport.

HIWU will publish data related to the ADMC program separately.

Increased Presence at Racetracks

Going forward, HISA plans to increase onsite engagement with trainers, jockeys and other stakeholders, providing greater field support and resources to ensure compliance with its regulations. This expanded presence will include planned visits to various racetracks across the U.S. throughout the year. These visits aim to address questions and gather valuable feedback to continue refining HISA’s approach to enhancing safety and integrity in the sport. By building stronger connections at the track level, HISA seeks to ensure its initiatives are both effective and responsive to the needs of the racing community. Stay tuned for more information on this initiative!

If you’re interested in arranging a track visit from the HISA team, reach out to Mandy Minger at mandy.minger@hisaus.org.

HIWU Update

From the desk of Ben Mosier, Executive Director, Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit:

The HIWU team is already off to a fast start in 2025 as we build on existing momentum while enacting new, positive changes to enhance the ADMC Program and support industry participants.

After nearly two years of preparation, the HIWU team was thrilled to launch the HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory (HEAL) accreditation on January 1. All four Program laboratories* that were testing samples for us at the end of 2024 have been granted probationary HEAL accreditation. We are thankful for the partnership with the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium for their laboratory accreditation management pre-HEAL and continued collaboration with the HEAL External Quality Assurance Scheme sample program, as well as research and substance reviews.

In advance of HEAL’s implementation, an independent Laboratory Expert Group was established to help oversee the accreditation program as required by the ADMC Rules. These three individuals offer expertise in many fields, including backgrounds in both human and equine anti-doping, laboratory operations and quality assurance management, and will meet regularly to evaluate the performance of ADMC Program laboratories in addition to providing HIWU with advice and recommendations within the overall management of HEAL accreditation.

A national ADMC Program has already had tangible benefits in relation to laboratory harmonization, as evidenced by our announcement this week regarding TCO2 testing methodology and previously announced advancements in harmonizing testing for other substances. In 2025 and beyond, the industry can feel confident that HEAL-accredited laboratories are subject to a robust quality assurance program and working together to identify potential threats to the integrity of racing.

More information about HEAL accreditation will be available in HIWU’s second annual report, which we expect to publish in the spring. We will be expanding the set of statistics shared in the report to give readers even greater insight into HIWU’s activities and service on behalf of the industry.

For the latest information from HIWU, please be sure to visit our website, app (free to download on Apple or Google Play) and social media pages on Facebook, X and LinkedIn. We are frequently adding educational content on topics of interest and welcome feedback for potential new resources.

I speak on behalf of the entire HIWU team in expressing our excitement for this year; we look forward to continuing to work with the industry to promote the highest standards of safety, integrity and welfare.

*Analytical Toxicology Laboratory at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Industrial Laboratories, Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California-Davis and Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture operated by the University of Pennsylvania

Thank you again for all you do to ensure that we’re moving forward together. 

Lisa Lazarus
CEO
HISA