The Horseracing Safety and Integrity Authority has announced Lawn heaven last week for alleged violations of Track Safety Program rules and underpayment of HISA assessment fees. Turf Paradise general manager Vince Francia said the Phoenix racetrack has one week to respond to the announcement — although it has been extended.
The agency wrote that it has “reason to believe” that Turf Paradise sometimes fails to comply with regulations regarding facilities, monitoring of track surfaces and horse ambulances. In addition, HISA claims the track does not enforce HISA’s void claim rule and rules regarding horseshoes and crop violations and restrictions.
The notice sent to Turf Paradise was initially reported by Paulick Report.
Francia said the track’s track — a goal criticized by HISA officials — was a complaint in the past, and since it was resolved around the time of the current meeting’s start, “The racers the horse was fine with it.”
Other violations documented by HISA, such as failure to enforce a void claim rule, involved Turf Paradise’s compliance with Arizona’s racing regulations, which Francia said were determined by the legislature. its state. He said many people in Arizona support the void claim rule and that such legislation could be advanced in the state this year.
He declined to comment on whether the track would pay two outstanding installments worth more than $154,000 each from 2022 to HISA, saying that would require a discussion between him and the owner. racetrack owner Jerry Simms.
“I think a lot of the ideas put forth by HISA are really worthwhile because they’re geared towards the safety of the horses. I think that’s good and far from coming,” said Francia. “But the way this happened, pitting the states (against) the federal government, and that put GMs on the track (in a difficult position.) Which employer do I have to obey? Sometimes , I feel being put in that position is not just unfair, it’s not justifiable.
“There are things that HISA … needs to deal with with state regulators who feel they’re following their regulations, rules and statutes. And that’s what I have to follow. … The (state) Department of Racing feels they are the authority on what we do at the racecourse, and those are the rules that I have to follow.”
HISA rules do not allow it to take action against a state regulator, but it can impose fines and other sanctions on a racecourse for non-compliance. HISA officials believe their administration prioritizes state law in areas where their rules are authoritative.
Turf Paradise and Arizona regulators have been slower to adopt equine safety measures than other jurisdictions. During a meeting this past spring, Arizona Racing Commission veterinarian Dr. Susan Gale noted that horse mortality at Arizona races in a 12-month period ending in March 31 was 3.34 per 1,000 departures, more than double the national average of 1.39. Mortality rates have been high for most of the past decade in Arizona.
Also in the first quarter of 2022, there was a highly publicized incident at Turf Paradise when a highly favored practitioner of Juan Pablo Silva named juror was dragged into a race by jockey Fausto Da Silva, much to the disappointment of bettors. The fact that he started from the gate meant that he became the official starter, and so the claim and transfer of ownership took place. Juror hasn’t raced since that March 10 race.
This incident occurred before HISA regulations were rolled out across the country in early July.
The disqualification rule is intended to protect bettors, owners and horses by having a horse deemed unhealthy by a governing authority veterinarian returned to its original owner. .
