HISA to review policies involving Veterinarians' and Stewards' Lists
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority will conduct a “comprehensive” review of the policies that limit horses in training and racing when they are placed on the Veterinarians' or Stewards' Lists, with a goal of updating the policies by the end of 2026, HISA announced on Monday.
The goal of the review will be to “modernize and harmonize” the criteria for inclusion and removal from the two lists across racing jurisdictions, HISA said in a release. Once placed on either of the two lists – one maintained by regulatory veterinarians and the other by racing officials – a horse’s activity can be limited until it meets certain criteria, such as performing a workout, passing a veterinarian’s exam, or testing clean for medications.
“The current structure of the Veterinarians’ List and relevant Stewards’ Lists, which are based on legacy categories created decades ago, varies widely across states and racetracks and, in some cases, is no longer fit for purpose in a modern, national racing environment,” said Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, HISA’s director of equine safety and welfare.
Inclusion on the lists has often generated criticism from horsemen, even prior to HISA taking over most regulatory functions in the majority of U.S. racing jurisdictions in 2022. Problems have also arisen when the criteria to be removed from a list in one jurisdiction varies from the criteria in another jurisdiction.
HISA said in the release that it will distribute surveys to regulatory veterinarians and stewards in early 2026 and then conduct follow-up interviews among those groups to gather additional information. The responses will then be used to create a master list of current practices and to identify “areas where differences exist across jurisdictions,” HISA said.
Once that process is complete, HISA will conduct an “internal analysis of the findings to identify patterns, gaps, and areas where updates may be needed,” HISA said. HISA will then consult with its various advisory groups to develop a system that is “practical, fair, and aligned with the industry’s commitment to equine welfare.”
“As with any HISA initiative, our goal is to promote equity among all stakeholders and ensure more transparency into national safety metrics, while providing appropriate protections for horses identified as being at increased risk for injury,” Durenberger said.
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