Horse racing giant Churchill Downs has petitioned the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct an independent review of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). The private organization enforces safety and integrity standards for US thoroughbred racing and has recently faced criticism over controversies that cast doubt on HISA’s transparency and governance.
Several Incidents Caused Rising Discontent
Churchill Downs’ grievances stem from several recent incidents. The first centers on irregular betting activity tied to horses and trainers associated with Fair Hill Training Center. Their performances at Saratoga Race Course, Monmouth Park, and Colonial Downs reportedly drew unusual betting activity. While HISA does not directly concern itself with wagering, its reports can still influence odds.
Another point of concern is a significant delay in the disclosure of a doping test involving a horse trained by Angel Quiroz, who is also connected to the Fair Hill Training Center. While the test came back positive on July 10, results were not published until August, after several high-profile races, sparking significant backlash.
The third incident centers on owner Marshall Gramm, who allegedly accessed horse health information on animals not connected to him in any way. A HISA investigation revealed that Gramm likely exploited a loophole in the organization’s online platform to obtain approximately 4 million health records. Gramm has disputed the allegations.
The Tension Has Reached Its Boiling Point
The proximity of these incidents has prompted Churchill Downs to petition the FTC in an official letter, alleging that HISA severely mishandled its investigation and demonstrated troubling governance gaps. Churchill Downs is asking the federal authority to launch an independent review and determine whether HISA remains fit to oversee US thoroughbred racing.
We write to request a formal independent review of HISA’s recent handling of multiple matters implicating racing integrity, wagering integrity, non-public information, and the safeguarding of sensitive industry data.
Churchill Downs letter to the FTC
According to Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen, HISA had failed to meet its promises of uniform, timely, and transparent handling of integrity-related matters. He added that the failure to inform racetracks of failed doping tests could undermine the sport’s integrity. Meanwhile, the incident involving Gramm exposed concerning vulnerabilities and raised questions about whether HISA would properly address the underlying issues.
HISA has been in communication with the FTC about the issues raised in the letter and welcomes the FTC’s ongoing oversight and review of our actions, policies, protocols, and systems.
HISA statement
HISA has responded to these allegations, noting that it was already communicating with the FTC and would welcome the federal authority’s oversight. The doping incident was likely due to changes in the suspension process that gave trainers time to dispute the accusations. HISA was also adamant that it had fixed the vulnerability in its online portal. However, these explanations might not be enough to quell rising discontent in the sector.