HISA taps KHRC's Guilfoil to head relations with regulatory agencies

Marc Guilfoil, the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission since 2016, has resigned from the position to accept a job as the Director of State Racing Commission Relations with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

Guilfoil will fully begin in his new position on July 15, approximately two weeks after HISA takes limited jurisdiction over the enforcement of safety rules at racetracks in the U.S. The position is currently being filled on an interim basis by Tom DiPasquale, a consultant to HISA, who will stay on in the position until July 15.

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Guilfoil began working at the Kentucky commission in 1988 and is one of the longest tenured commission officials in the U.S. He had previously served on the commission as its director of racing and its deputy executive director before being promoted to the top position in 2016.

“I want to the thank the governor and the state of Kentucky for the opportunity to serve the state as executive director,” Guilfoil said, in a statement. “It’s been both an honor and a privilege. I am looking forward to helping HISA achieve national uniform safety and integrity standards.”

A number of racing commissions have taken issue with HISA’s ability to enforce its standards and work with the commissions on achieving the authority’s objectives. Guilfoil is expected to attempt to iron those differences out.

“Marc is a respected leader in the racing industry with years of state racing commission experience, and I trust that his expertise, relationships, and professionalism will serve HISA well as we continue to work closely with state racing commissions to implement the new federal law,” said Lisa Lazarus, the chief executive of the authority.

HISA, which was created by federal legislation passed late in 2020, is a private, non-profit company that is tasked with overseeing and enforcing safety, medication, and drug-testing standards and protocols at U.S. racetracks.