38 More Cosponsors will Trigger New House Rule to Move Legislationb WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN-07), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, and Scott Perry (R-PA-10) — who represents the district where Penn National Race Course is located in Grantsville, Pennsylvania — are the latest to join in cosponsoring the Horseracing Integrity Act, … Read more
Gambling Company Spends Tens of Thousands Lobbying Against Anti-Doping Legislation that Would Save Equine Lives Louisville, Kentucky — Today, Animal Wellness Action took aim at Churchill Downs, the parent company and operator of The Kentucky Derby, for its self-serving announcement to delay the famed event while it quietly lobbies to block federal anti-doping legislation that … Read more
Washington, D.C. — Today, Bob Baffert, American horseracing’s best-known figure, endorsed the Horseracing Integrity Act, a measure to ban race-day doping of horses in American racing. Baffert’s endorsement was released in an essay published in the Washington Post. The legislation collectively has 275 Congressional cosponsors and is led by lawmakers representing major horseracing states and … Read more
My alarm didn’t need to wake me this morning. Instead, it was rapid-fire buzzing from a flurry of incoming calls before the sun rose. It was news of the FBI’s surprise raids at a racetrack and horse training facility in Florida around 5:00 A.M. I reached out to my contacts at the FBI, and U.S. … Read more
Washington, D.C. — In response to the FBI raiding multiple horseracing facilities across the U.S. and federal prosecutors charging racehorse trainers, veterinarians and drug distributors for involvement in a corrupt scheme to rig race outcomes, Animal Wellness Action lauded federal authorities for treating the problem seriously and renewed its call for lasting reform by passing … Read more
Updates on the Corona Virus and The Bear Protection Act American horses and horseracing itself are in peril, and horses are dying on tracks every week as a result of the overuse of medication and doping that runs rampant in the sport. But that’s not all — many racehorses that can’t fit the bill or … Read more
Horseracing Integrity Act and Safeguard American Food Exports Act Address Closely Related Concerns Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. House initiated the first of two hearings this week to address two long-standing animal welfare problems: race-day doping of horses thrust into competition and the slaughter of American horses for overseas markets for human consumption. The House … Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Animal Wellness Action, the leading animal protection group working to advance the Horseracing Integrity Act on Capitol Hill, applauded the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Subcommittee on Consumer Commerce and Protection for scheduling a hearing to look at the problem of widespread doping of equine athletes in American … Read more
The Super Bowl will be live broadcast to as many as 100 million people in early February, demonstrating again the immense popularity of the football in America. It’s maintained stratospheric levels of popularity even though it’s courted criticism and controversy, including over head injuries and cognitive dysfunction suffered by players of this generation and preceding … Read more
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Horseracing Integrity Act garnered its 218th cosponsor in the U.S. House of Representatives, now a majority of the chamber – a key milestone for this landmark legislation that would end the doping of American racehorses in competition. The Horseracing Integrity Act (HIA), H.R. 1754, led by U.S. Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY), … Read more
2019 has been a tumultuous and tragic year in American horseracing, and as today brings the season to an end, The Breeders’ Cup will crown its 36th World Champion of Thoroughbred Horseracing at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The average American might recognize the track from the award-winning movie Seabiscuit — a legend who … Read more
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Today, on the heels of the California Horse Racing Board’s decision Tuesday to deny further investigation into the controversial doping scandal related to 2018 Triple Crown Winner, Justify and the Santa Anita Derby, the Animal Wellness Foundation and Animal Wellness Action issued the following statement from Animal Wellness Action executive director Marty … Read more
Los Angeles, CA — Today, on the heels of information released regarding the doping scandal related to 2018 Triple Crown Winner, Justify, and the Santa Anita Derby, the Animal Wellness Group issued the following statement from Animal Wellness Action executive director Marty Irby: “Drug testing should be conducted and overseen by impartial operators and not by industry players with … Read more
As deaths mount at Santa Anita Racetrack and at other tracks throughout the United States, it is clear that Congress must act to address fundamental problems with the sport. Democratic presidential candidate and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and high-profile Republican Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ), have signaled that they want to lead the charge to pass … Read more
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) have put partisan issues aside and joined together to introduce the Horseracing Integrity Act to end the doping of American race horses and create a uniform national standard for drug testing that would be overseen by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). “Horses … Read more
Tomorrow marks the running of the 144th Preakness Stakes at the fraying Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, with ominous clouds of controversy hanging over the race and the entire sport of horse racing. This year, more than 23 horses have perished at a single track — Santa Anita Park in California. And the stewards’ decision at … Read more
Tomorrow marks the running of the 145th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, and the weather is calling for rain and storms at the track that’s been deemed one of the deadliest for horses. There’s been a black cloud over the horse racing industry this year amidst the crisis that began with 23 deaths … Read more
Churchill Downs and other major horse industry operations take important step, but it’s no substitute for the comprehensive reform of the Horseracing Integrity Act. The horse racing industry is showing flashes that it may be serious about weaning itself off of drugs. But key players within the industry continue to resist even modest anti-doping rules … Read more
Rash of horse deaths at Santa Anita signals fundamental problems for industry More than a few in the horse racing world think the rules about the responsible treatment of animals don’t apply to them or to their industry. Doping horses on race day to enhance performance, according to these “realists” in the sport, is the … Read more
In an industry where there are still too many low-grade tracks that cause in-competition injuries or are the last stop for poor-performing horses on their way to slaughter plants in Mexico and Canada, California’s Santa Anita Track is held up as one of the best venues in the trade. It hosts the most highly rated … Read more
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Andy Barr (R-KY), who represent two of the meccas of American thoroughbred racing — Saratoga Springs and Lexington — introduced the Horseracing Integrity Act, H.R. 1754, to end the doping of American race horses and create a uniform national standard for drug testing that would … Read more