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Commission reviews HISA metrics; staff says oversight reduces race fatalities
Summary
Commissioners discussed a HISA report showing lower fatality rates in jurisdictions with HISA oversight and reasons why enhanced veterinary oversight and timing rules matter for horse safety.
Commissioners and staff at the March 20 Racing Commission meeting reviewed the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) 2024 annual metrics report and discussed how veterinary oversight and post-treatment waiting periods appear to reduce racehorse fatalities.
Staff reported that Minnesota’s fatality rates are below national averages in the HISA report and that jurisdictions with HISA oversight show notably lower fatalities per thousand starts. Commissioners and staff described specific HISA-related interventions they consider influential: mandatory pre-race examinations, oversight of intra-articular treatments, mandated minimum time frames between invasive treatments and racing, and enforcement actions against veterinarians, trainers or others who violate rules. Commissioners noted that tracks that opt out of such oversight lose access to interstate simulcast models, which can substantially reduce revenue.
Staff and commissioners also discussed enforcement outcomes in other jurisdictions, including license suspensions and multi-year penalties for serious violations. The commission’s staff characterized HISA implementation as costly and administratively burdensome but credited it with measurable safety benefits and with deterring some “bad actors.”
Context and next steps
- The commission is continuing rulemaking and coordination with state oversight as HISA implements additional policy changes; staff said implementation amendments for 2025 are expected next month.
- Commissioners asked staff to track HISA’s continuing rule amendments and to report comparative metrics at future meetings.
- Staff noted that the HISA report is one input among others used by advisory committees and the commission when evaluating safety and regulatory decisions.
