THA

Horseracing and Safety Integrity Authority chief executive Lisa Lazarus on Monday sent a letter to Alan Foreman, the chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA), warning THA members of "potentially significant disruptions" to the industry based on the HISA Authority's interpretation of legal strategies being pursued by the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA). With an application by the Authority pending in the United States Supreme Court that would stay a Horseracing and Safety Integrity Act unconstitutionality mandate that has yet to be released by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court...

The recent Dept. of Labor webinar is now available on HorsemenU for Continuing Education (CE) credits. Featuring representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage & Hour Division and the New York State Department of Labor, the webinar covered topics such as employer requirements for the H-2B visa program, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and investigative processes, along with labor law specifics for New York State Employers. Speakers included: Sarah Decker, Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist - DOL/Wage & Hour Division Cynthia Spahl, Regional Enforcement Coordinator for...

The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association pledged its support to the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma after a tornado struck Will Rogers Downs May 27--killing one horse, while injuring and displacing others. Approximately 150 horses were affected by the tornado, which caused widespread damage in northeast Oklahoma, damaged 14 barns on the backside and left the location without power and water. The aftermath also left horse trailers, travel trailers, and buildings significantly damaged and the loss of power resulted in a lack of water and the need for immediate evacuation. "The...

Tina Marie Bond, recently elected president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA), added the office of president of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA) to her duties after the THA's annual meeting and election Mar. 19-20 in Florida. "It's an honor to be elected president of such an esteemed collective," said Bond, who is the first woman ever to helm the organization. "THA is at the forefront of collaborative decision-making and policy implementation on issues such as racehorse aftercare, equine safety and welfare, and protecting the integrity of our...

Effective immediately, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) have named Alan Foreman, the chairman and chief executive officer of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Associations, Inc. (THA), as ombudsman on behalf of HISA's rules, with a primary focus on the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, both organizations released in a joint statement Wednesday. As the national ombudsman, which is modeled after the World Anti-Doping Agency's Ombuds Program, Foreman's responsibilities include: Serving as an impartial and unbiased resource for Covered Persons and other Thoroughbred...

With the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) first pending rulings for medication and anti-doping related violations having just been made public, the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA) issued a reminder Thursday of the possible sanctions under this new federal framework. As the THA points out, taken as a whole the penalty scheme under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) is significantly more stringent than that imposed previously by state commissions. These new sanctions pertain to medication positives and other anti-doping related infractions that come after May 22, when HIWU's...

Laurel Park will be open for training on Thursday and Friday, with the intent to run this Saturday, Apr. 29, Alan Foreman, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA), said by phone Wednesday afternoon. Last Saturday's cancelled Apr. 22 card of 98 entries included a pair of $100,000 races in the Native Dancer S. and the Primonetta S., scheduled for the main track. This time around, the racing office has taken 116 entries over 11 races with the same slate of five stakes. The decision...

The Thoroughbred Horsemen's Assocation released the following letter on HISA. Click here to read the full letter. Below is an excerpt from the letter: "In short, HISA has survived constitutional challenges and the legal maneuverings now are just a distraction lacking substance. As the federal court said when it granted the limited injunction, if HISA fixes the four issues it specifically addressed as faulty, the case is over. Our view was previously, and continues to be, that litigation would be costly and there is little to gain. HISA was crafted...

Alan Foreman, the chairman and CEO of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday afternoon as the Green Group Guest of the Week. Discussing the upcoming 2022 MATCH series for mid-Atlantic horses, a program he spearheaded, and providing updates on the scheduled renovation projects at Pimlico and Laurel, Foreman also called upon his legal expertise to weigh in on Bob Baffert's appeal of the GI Kentucky Derby disqualification and why the THA supports the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. While many in the racing...

THA Chairman and CEO Alan Foreman joined this week's TDN Writers' Room in wake of Medina Spirit's failed drug test in the GI Kentucky Derby.

One day in the not-too-distant past, a jockey who had taken a tumble at a Mid-Atlantic racetrack was required to get a doctor's note giving him the medical all-clear before he could ride at the same facility. And so, that's what he did. But rather than head immediately to a physician in that same state, the jockey hopped the border to ride at Laurel Park. After taking his mounts at the Maryland track, the rider swung by the office of Kelly Ryan, co-medical director for the Maryland Horsemen's Health Program....

The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association issued the following statement on the passing of horseman John Forbes, their longtime president who passed away Sunday at the age of 73. We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our friend, colleague and mentor John Forbes. Born to a family of horsemen, John was the consummate horseman. He was old-school. He was devoted to the horse, the industry and its people. He was never satisfied with the status quo. He demanded of the industry that which he expected of himself—honesty, integrity, hard...