HISA Pauses Some Sanctions Relative to Injection Rule

Citing widespread misunderstanding about the rule, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority will not assign sanctions against horsemen for the next couple of weeks if they violate a prohibition of intra-articular injections within seven days of a workout.

Rule 4222 prohibits such injections within seven days of an official workout but because of a lack of clarity about this rule among horsemen, HISA will not impose the 60-day suspension penalty associated with the infraction. 

HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus said the Authority will work the next couple of weeks to ensure horsemen completely understand the rule. During that time, until July 15, HISA said it will not impose sanctions against horsemen who violate the rule.

Lazarus noted June 30 that the requirement that horses not work within seven days of an intra-articular injection is a genuine change for trainers. She noted that while trainers were already accustomed to HISA's restriction relative to racing—no intra-articular injections inside 14 days of a race—the workout wrinkle was something new.

Lazarus said there have been about 50 violations of the injection rule relative to workouts but noted that she didn't view it as an effort to cheat but as an honest misunderstanding on the part of horsemen. With that in mind, HISA will pause sanctions for horsemen the next couple of weeks and increase education efforts about the rule. HISA announced the changes in a June 23 release. 

Out of welfare concerns for the horse, those sanctions stay in place. Any covered horse that receives an injection within seven days of a work will be ineligible to race for 30 days. 

Rule 4222 also prohibits intra-articular injections within 14 days of a race. There will be no pause to that part of the rule or the sanctions associated with it. Like the sanctions applied to workout violations, that 14-day rule also calls for a 60-day suspension if violated.