WASHINGTON, DC (September 7, 2022) – The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today sent a letter to leaders on Capitol Hill expressing the overwhelming support from the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry for the newly implemented Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). Authored by NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney (former Member of Congress from 2009-2019), the letter applauds HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus and the HISA Authority’s initial efforts to improve the safety and welfare of Thoroughbred racing as a whole and bring national uniformity to the sport.
The letter was addressed to the offices of Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
“The Authority has worked diligently with its state racing commission partners and has now reached cooperative agreements with the lion’s share of states where Thoroughbred racing is conducted. HISA’s July 1, 2022 implementation date launched a new FTC-approved racetrack safety program which has already improved safety for our human and equine athletes. Since implementation, tens of thousands of ‘covered persons’ have registered with HISA, a strong early showing of compliance,” wrote Rooney, a longtime Thoroughbred breeder and owner who also registered earlier this summer with HISA.
Cosignatories of the letter include 20 NTRA member racetracks representing nearly 70% of the 2021 U.S. pari-mutuel handle. The letter was also co-signed by the president of the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (THA) and chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), which together represent nearly 30,000 owners and trainers in the United States. Breeders’ Cup Limited, The Jockey Club, and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association also endorsed the letter along with leading veterinarians, present or past members of state racing commissions, and National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame member jockeys Jerry Bailey and Chris McCarron and trainers Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey and Todd Pletcher.