Welcome to What’s Racing Through Washington newsletter, your one stop shop for all things Thoroughbred racing in Washington, D.C. As this new Congress begins its work, it is increasingly important to understand the latest policy developments and potential impacts to our industry. We hope you will enjoy the newsletter and we look forward to engaging with you more on issues impacting our industry.

NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney meets with Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03) in his office on Capitol Hill 

Are You Ready for HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program?

The first uniform and nationwide anti-doping program for U.S. Thoroughbred racing is set to launch in under one week! The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) will be responsible for implementing and enforcing the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, pending final approval from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on March 27.

To aid in the industry’s preparation for the ADMC Program, HISA and HIWU have undertaken substantial educational initiatives, such as in-person and virtual meetings held on tracks, presentations delivered to industry groups, and an expanding collection of educational materials accessible through HIWU’s website. HISA’s website also features responses to frequently asked questions regarding the ADMC Program, in addition to social media posts and other informative resources.

Make sure you are keeping up with the latest information from HISA by signing up for their newsletter HERE.

NTRA Expresses Support for Funding Request for UK’s Equine Biological Passport Initiative

On Friday, March 17, 2023, NTRA joined Keeneland, Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club, and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association in sending a letter to Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) expressing support for University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture’s Fiscal Year 2024 Community Project Funding request to assist researchers at the Gluck Equine Research Center in developing the equine biological passport (EBP). The EBP would enable practitioners to learn more about how legitimate medication and illicit substances impact horses biologically and long-term and broaden the spectrum of substances that can be detected. This would make the sport of horse racing safer by better identifying racehorses at-risk of injury before they compete, with the goal of decreasing injuries and breakdowns. The funding would also support Kentucky jobs, as the horse industry in Kentucky supports approximately 65,000 workers.

Read the full letter HERE.

 Treasury Secretary Yellen Talks Tax with Senate Finance Committee

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told the Senate Finance Committee that a report outlining how the IRS will spend the $80 billion provided by Congress should be completed in the coming weeks. Yellen faced complaints from both Republicans and Democrats during the hearing, with Republicans criticizing the administration’s international tax agreement with other countries and demanding a list of provisions in the 2017 tax cuts that must be extended beyond their 2025 expiration date to avoid violating the administration’s pledge not to raise taxes on people making less than $400,000. Democrats also raised concerns about issues such as the state and local tax deduction cap and the impact of changes to the R&D credit on small businesses.

NTRA will continue to monitor these policy discussions and advocate for any tax incentives that promote investment in Thoroughbred breeding and racing, including some incentives set to sunset or be phased out as part of the TCJA of 2017 like bonus depreciation.

Paul Calia Wins NTRA National Horseplayers Championship

Paul Calia from Kansas City, Missouri, won the 2023 National Horse Players Championship and earned the prestigious title of Horseplayer of the Year on Sunday March 12. Calia took home nearly $1,000,000 in prizes after topping a field of 779 entries in the three-day tournament. He finished in fourth place as well and became the first winner to finish in the top ten with a second entry. Calia’s strategy was not to let the odds affect him and he only switched about 10-15% of his picks between cards. His total earnings from the weekend amounted to $960,000, and he also earned an exemption into next year’s NHC and a berth to the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge worth $10,000.

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities, and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. There are no bye-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards and is named Horseplayer of the Year. For more information on the NHC and NHC tour, visit ntra.com.