National HBPA CEO Hamelback’s Statement on Giving HISA power to Suspend Live Racing

Recently, an official with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority confirmed that the Authority is considering a rule change to allow it to shut down racetracks even when there is no ongoing health and safety violation. In response, National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback released the following statement:

“The National HBPA supports a robust investigation of the tragic deaths at Churchill Downs. But at this point, no one has found any evidence of rules violations by Churchill Downs. The Authority is using this crisis as cover for a massive power grab, to confer upon itself the ability to shut down racetracks even when they are not violating any rules. Not only does a shutdown order stop the racetrack from operating, but it also affects all of the trainers and owners who were scheduled to run horses at that track. The idea that one private corporation can use government power to shut down another private company is without question unconstitutional.”