Belmont Park among safest tracks in U.S.

Stewards at Santa Anita have dismissed complaints filed by the California Horse Racing Board involving the post-race drug tests of Triple Crown winner Justify and another horse in 2018, both of whom were trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. Stewards John Herbuveaux, Ron Church and Kim Sawyer issued their ruling on the combined cases late Wednesday after hearing evidence and testimony via video on Oct. 29. The CHRB had sought the disqualifications of Justify from his victory in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby and Hoppertunity from his win in the Tokyo City Cup the following day.

HISA, which will put anti-doping/medication control and safety programs under the umbrella of one independent, non-governmental authority as opposed to individual state racing commissions, was signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday. “This passage signifies the beginning of a new era in the storied history of the horse racing industry,” USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said in a statement. Tygart said USADA welcomed the opportunity to develop uniform rules and implement vigorous independent testing and enforcement which he feels will contribute to the longevity and legacy of the sport of horse racing.