horseracing integrity act
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Can Congress find the solution?
T WOULDN’T BE disingenuous to say that this year has been something of an annus horribilis for horseracing in the US. To recap, earlier this spring a spate of equine fatalities at the fêted Santa Anita racetrack in California triggered a media frenzy that has monopolised coverage of the sport. National outlets such as CNN and HBO’s Real Sports ran detailed and damning reports that accrued lots of eyes within and without the industry. Influential politicians both at the state and federal level weighed in, issuing public statements damaging to racing’s image. Newly minted California governor, Gavin Newsom, is reported to have said about the fallout from events this spring: “I’ll tell you, talk about a sport whose time is up unless they reform. That’s horseracing.” Nor has the furore fizzled away. High-
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Could the Horseracing Integrity Act solve the ills currently besetting US horseracing and help find a united way forward? Dan Ross investigates
profile meets in states such as New York and Kentucky played out against an intense spotlight trained on their individual welfare records. As Santa Anita gears up to host the Breeders’ Cup once again, the anticipation of a global audience affords the track – and the broader racing industry in the state – no respite from harsh scrutiny.
Horseracing Integrity Act
As all this unraveled, time and time and time again, industry stakeholders bemoaned the fact that there is no central ruling body governing the industry – one that could seize control of the crisis and lead the way in terms of messaging and actionable measures, just like the National Football League and National Basketball Association do for their respective sports. This is hardly a new and insurgent idea. The sport’s regulatory system in the US – a
