Turf Paradise cited by HISA for violations
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has sent a notice of numerous alleged violations of its safety rules to Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Ariz., with the threat that the track will lose its ability to send its signal out of state if the track does not come into compliance.
The notice, which was sent on Jan. 11, cites “ongoing” violations of HISA’s requirements for racetracks to have a working ambulance, a qualified regulatory farrier, or a rail that complies with HISA’s standards. The notice additionally alleges that Turf Paradise has failed to enforce HISA’s voided-claim rules and regulations regarding penalties and suspensions for violations of its whip rules, and that the track has failed to pay its dues to HISA.
The notice is the first sent by HISA to a racetrack under its jurisdiction. HISA, which was created by federal legislation passed late in 2020, is designed to be a national overseer of Thoroughbred racing, and a portion of its rules went into effect on July 1 of last year. Those rules all pertain to safety requirements for racetracks and licensees.
Under the enabling legislation, HISA is allowed to rescind approval for a racetrack to send its signal to out-of-state markets due to violations of its rules. The notice initially asked Turf Paradise to respond to the allegations by Jan. 18, but that deadline has been extended to Jan. 26, according to a spokesperson for HISA.
Vince Francia, the longtime general manager of Turf, said on Thursday that the track has already addressed several of the alleged violations, including repairs to its rail and a replacement for its ambulance. However, he said that several of the alleged violations, including those pertaining to the voided-claim rules and whip regulations, were due to discrepancies between Arizona racing statutes and HISA’s rules, and that Turf Paradise’s operating permit would be jeopardized if it enforced rules different from the statutes.
In Arizona, racing laws must be changed at the legislative level, not at the racing commission level. Francia said that rule changes that will bring Arizona into compliance with HISA’s rules have already been drafted and will be introduced to the legislature soon.
“I am right now reviewing 167 pages of changes to the racing statute because the commission wants our input,” Francia said. “These changes are coming. When you talk about the voided-claim rule, everyone wants it. The horsemen, us, everyone. We just can’t enforce it right now without violating our permit.”
Francia added that Turf Paradise plans to “address, not contest” the issues raised in the letter.
Turf Paradise, which runs during the fair-weather seasons in the Arizona desert, has battled a number of issues this year, including several high-profile catastrophic injuries to horses. The track has had a strained relationship with its horsemen for years, and that relationship has been further complicated by ongoing issues with its racing surfaces.
Not coincidentally, Turf Paradise has canceled its live racing card for Saturday, Jan. 21, to undergo renovations to its main track. The track has had to cancel numerous live racing dates during its current season due to unusual amounts of rain in the area, and Francia said that the renovation that will begin on Thursday is designed to iron out uneven patches in the surface caused by the weather. The track will return to live racing on Monday, Francia said.
The HISA letter also states that Turf Paradise had agreed to remit a total of $309,222 to HISA for its 2022 assessment, but that the track did not pay installments on the total in November and December. Francia referred comment on the matter to Jerry Simms, who has owned the racetrack since 2000.
Simms said on Thursday morning that he has “turned the matter over to my attorneys,” and that those attorneys are still reviewing the letter and Turf Paradise’s obligations to HISA.
“I can’t comment on it right now because they are still digesting it,” Simms said.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.