Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority - HISA

HISA is excited to announce the newest members of our Veterinary Advisory Committee (VAC)! The VAC provides feedback to HISA’s executive team and Standing Committees on their ex*****on and development of protocols surrounding veterinary care, racetrack safety, equine research and other related topics.

HISA would also like to give thanks to outgoing members Drs. Nolton Pattio, Martha Misheff, Amy Narotsky and Horace “Sam” Ferguson, III for their contributions and dedication to safe and fair racing.

Read more about the newest members: https://hisaus.org/news/hisa-welcomes-new-members-to-the-veterinary-advisory-committee

What is a scratch?

A scratch occurs when a trainer, steward or regulatory veterinarian removes a horse from a race after entry. This can happen for several reasons, including scheduling conflicts, track conditions or, less commonly, safety concerns.

In 2025, the majority of scratched horses returned to racing within 30 days. Every horse undergoes a thorough evaluation to help ensure it can compete safely on race day.

351 new owners registered with HISA in Q1 2026; a 53.3% increase year over year.

Nearly 40,000 people are now registered with HISA, including more than 22,000 Thoroughbred owners.

As participation grows, so does our commitment to ensuring every horse competes safely—before, during and after racing.

DID YOU KNOW?

More Covered Horses trained and competed during the first quarter of 2026 than during the same period last year. We’re proud to support these Thoroughbred athletes and their riders through ongoing racetrack safety and anti-doping efforts.

Read the 2026 Q1 Metrics Report: https://hisaus.org/news/2026-q1-metrics-report

Horsemen’s Advisory: Yunnan Baiyao / Yunnan Paiyao - HIWU Following up on an advisory distributed in January 2024, HIWU strongly advises horsemen to dispose of any variations of the herbal products that may be identified on the labels as Yunnan Paiyao, Yunnan Baiyao, and/or Baiyao. HIWU continues to find these supplements during searches despite the risks....