Gramm accepts provisional suspension, still plans to fight HISA charges
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Marshall Gramm, the horse owner and The Jockey Club member who is facing two charges, including fraud, from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and a possible lifetime ban from the sport, on Monday voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension from HISA while the case against him moves forward.
As part of the provisional suspension, Gramm agreed to divest his interest in any horses he owns. Gramm races under the moniker Ten Strike Racing, which owns horses both solely and with many different partners.
Separately, it was also announced on Monday by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association that Gramm had voluntarily withdrawn from the 2027 National Horseplayers Championship. Further, after consultation with the NHC Players Committee, the NTRA has deemed that all NHC contest participation and NHC Tour membership for Gramm be suspended pending further investigation of the charges leveled against him.
The Jockey Club announced last week that it would seek to remove Gramm as a member.
Gramm, an economics professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., had become of the most respected voices in the game due to his involvement in both the racing and handicapping side of the sport. On Aug. 17, HISA announced that Gramm was facing charges related to his accessing the medical records of thousands of horses that he did not own. It was further alleged that access to that information led Gramm to perpetuate fraud by using that information to claim horses and also for wagering purposes.
HISA alleged that Gramm wrote a special code to get into the HISA portal to access those records, and that during the six-week period for which he had that access, he claimed nine horses.
Gramm admitted to being the one who responsible for getting the past performances of two horses who raced at Saratoga – Deterministic and Griffin’s Wharf – that were put on social-media platforms. The past performances showed dates when magna wave treatments were given to Deterministic and interarticular injections were given to Griffin’s Wharf. That information was supposed to be available only to the connections of those horses and regulatory veterinarians through the HISA portal.
During an Aug. 17 conference call with reporters, HISA officials said they would seek punishment of Gramm that included a potential lifetime banishment from the sport. HISA also mentioned the possibility of getting law enforcement involved.
For the transfer of Ten Strike Racing-owned horses to be valid, it must be approved by the stewards at the tracks at which the new trainers are receiving the horses. Furthermore, changes of ownership must be registered in the HISA portal.
Hearings regarding the two charges brought by HISA are still scheduled to take place on Sept. 14 and 16. Gramm, in a text message to Daily Racing Form, said he still plans to fight charges.
Later Monday, Gramm released a statement through the law firm Cozen O’Connor.
“I continue to work in good faith to address this matter with HISA. As part of that effort, I have agreed to a temporary suspension of my ownership privileges while the process moves forward," read Gramm's statement. "Prior to the agreement, I returned contest earnings. I am also working to return the purse money and horses at issue and am awaiting instructions to ensure those steps are completed properly.
“I remain willing to work constructively with HISA while preserving my right to defend myself. I hope we can resolve the remaining issues fairly and put this matter behind us so that everyone can refocus on the sport we care about.”
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