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SPORTS Friday 5 May 2023

Horse racing poised for new antidoping, medication rules

By BETH HARRIS AP Racing der the HISA program,” he
Writer said. “That’s a big part of
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — our jobs, is to stay within the
Horse racing’s new an- guidelines.”
tidoping and medica- The National Horsemen’s
tion control program has Benevolent and Protective
stumbled out of the start- Association has pushed
ing gate, delayed multiple back against HISA and it,
times for nearly a year amid along with Louisiana, Okla-
lawsuits by those opposing homa, Texas and West Vir-
the new rules and frustra- ginia, have filed multiple
tion from those eager for lawsuits challenging the
national uniform standards new governing body’s
in the sport. constitutionality. The HPBA
The Horseracing Integrity represents about 30,000
and Safety Act (HISA) took owners and trainers in the
effect on July 1, 2022, with U.S. and Canada.
two major components: The states argue HISA is do-
racetrack safety and an- ing away with state regula-
tidoping and medication tion of the sport in favor of
control. rules set by a private entity
The safety rules, including rather than elected state
limits on how many times Kentucky Derby entrant Tapit Trice works out at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 4, 2023, in officials working with horse-
a jockey can whip a horse, Louisville, Ky. The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 6. men.
began last year. Still, they Associated Press HISA responded to horse-
have not prevented horse men’s concerns that they
deaths. Four horses died for four days. said. ing to be around, I believe, had little to no input in the
in five days at Churchill But a federal judge sus- The ADMC program covers for years and years.” rules by creating a Horse-
Downs in the days leading pended the program for drug testing, drug samples, Under the ADMC program, men’s Advisory Group.
up to the Kentucky Derby 30 days until this past Mon- out-of-competition testing, she said, there will be far It’s comprised of 19 own-
on Saturday. day, the start of Kentucky rulings and penalties. Labs greater emphasis on out- ers, trainers and veterinar-
The Antidoping and Medi- Derby week. Then the FTC will test for the same sub- of-competition testing and ians, along with represen-
cation Control (ADMC) last week delayed the start stances and at the same not just post-race testing. tatives of racing offices,
program was supposed to until May 22 two days after screening levels as op- “That will be very new for backstretch employees,
start at the same time as the Preakness, the second posed to different states the industry,” Lazarus said. blacksmiths and aftercare
the safety program. leg of the Triple Crown. testing at differing levels. Southern California-based groups.
Instead, it was pushed “Like everyone, I’m anxious The new rules replace the trainer Tim Yakteen notes “When I took on the job I
back to Jan. 1. Then that to have everything set in patchwork system of stan- that tracks in his state have thought this is going to be
date got scrapped when place and get a consistent dards in the 38 U.S. racing already been adhering to running a national govern-
the Federal Trade Commis- working order in progress,” states that can vary by rules that hew closely to ing body for horse racing,”
sion, which oversees HISA, said trainer Todd Pletcher, racetrack and location. those of the ADMC. Lazarus said.
didn’t give clearance be- who will saddle three hors- “This program is about hav- “I don’t see it really chang- Instead, she’s been sur-
cause of legal issues. The es, including the two early ing a legacy, setting the ing a whole bunch on my prised by how it has
FTC eventually gave the favorites, in the Kentucky foundation for the future,” end. evolved into a political de-
OK for a March 27 start and Derby on Saturday. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus told My team has already been bate on states rights versus
the ADMC went into effect “It’s going to be a learn- The Associated Press by working under the assump- federal rights.q
ing curve for everyone,” he phone. “This program is go- tion that we’re working un-

Sabalenka reaches Madrid final; Karatsev ends Zhang’s run

By TALES AZZONI nine of the last 11 games, Madrid.
AP Sports Writer including the last five, to Men’s qualifier Aslan Karat-
MADRID (AP) — Aryna Sa- comfortably close out the sev reached his first Masters
balenka advanced to the match. 1000 semifinal after ending
Madrid Open final for the “It was actually my best a strong run by Chinese
second time in three years match of the tournament,” player Zhang Zhizhen 7-6
by defeating Maria Sakkari Sabalenka said. “I’m super (3), 6-4.
6-4, 6-1 on Thursday. happy with the level that I The 121st-ranked Russian
The 2021 champion in the played, and especially with saved all three breaks
Spanish capital will face my mental game.” points he faced in the first
either top-ranked Iga Swi- The Australian Open cham- set and converted his only
atek or 12th-seeded Veron- pion is seeking her fifth WTA opportunity in the second.
ika Kudermetova, who will 1000 title and 13th career The 99th-ranked Zhang
play later Thursday. title overall. was the first Chinese man
The second-seeded Sa- The ninth-seeded Sakkari to make the quarterfinals
balenka opened with a 3-0 dropped to 7-22 in semi- of a Masters 1000 tourna-
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her victory over Maria lead before Sakkari pulled finals. It was the first time ment by upsetting Danis
Sakkari, of Greece, at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in
Madrid, Spain, Thursday, May 4, 2023. even. The 24-year-old play- the 27-year-old Greek was Shapovalov, Cameron Nor-
Associated Press er from Belarus then won playing in the last four in rie and Taylor Fritz.q