Horse racing-Anti-doping program for racehorses seeks to win back public trust

LOS ANGELES : U.S. horse racing officials said on Friday they hope implementing the first nationwide program to combat illegal doping will help restore the public's faith in the sport.

The new rules, effective March 27, will replace the patchwork of state-by-state regulations after high-profile drug scandals and horse deaths led the federal government to intervene.

If successful, a "game-changing" electronic tracking system will reduce fatalities while finding and punishing bad actors, Lisa Lazarus, CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), told Reuters.

"That will allow us to gain the trust of the public and allow the sport to really thrive," Lazarus said in an interview.

"It used to be a top three sport in America for years and years, at least in my grandparent's generation, and it's fallen behind.

"Part of that is because we've lost a step on safety and integrity. If we can bring that back, we have a chance to present the sport as the best version of itself."

To lead enforcement HISA has hired former FBI agent Shaun Richards, who led a criminal investigation into the doping of racehorses that resulted in indictments of more than 30 individuals, including trainers Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis.

There has been some pushback against the seismic shift in regulation, with some worried that smaller racetracks may shut down if they cannot afford the cost of complying with HISA's previously implemented safety program.

Arizona's Turf Paradise this week agreed to pay over $150,000 in fees to ensure its track meets HISA's standards concerning the condition of track rails, availability of equine ambulances and riding crop violations, the Arizona Mirror reported.

"We will work with any small track that in good