Churchill Downs asks FTC to review Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
The operator has called for an independent review of HISA following several incidents involving betting activity.
US.- Churchill Downs has asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct an independent review of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), which oversees safety and integrity standards for US thoroughbred racing. The request comes after a series of controversies raised concerns over HISA’s transparency and governance.
One issue involves unusual betting activity surrounding horses and trainers linked to the Fair Hill Training Center during races at Saratoga Race Course, Monmouth Park and Colonial Downs. Churchill Downs also raised concerns over a positive doping test involving a horse trained by Angel Quiroz, which was recorded on July 10 but not disclosed until August, after several major races.
A third incident involved owner Marshall Gramm, who allegedly accessed health information belonging to horses unrelated to him. A HISA investigation found that Gramm may have exploited a vulnerability in its online platform to access approximately 4 million health records, although he has disputed the allegations.
In its letter to the FTC, Churchill Downs requested a formal review covering racing and wagering integrity, non-public information and the protection of sensitive industry data. Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen argued that HISA had failed to deliver uniform, timely and transparent handling of integrity matters. He also warned that the delayed disclosure of failed doping tests could undermine confidence in the sport and said the Gramm case highlighted vulnerabilities in HISA’s systems.
HISA said it was already communicating with the FTC. The authority attributed the doping disclosure delay to changes in its suspension process, which gave trainers additional time to challenge findings, and said it had fixed the vulnerability in its online portal.
