Horsemen at Oaklawn HBPA Convention Push Back Against HISA, Demand Fairness

Horsemen at the National HBPA conference at the Oaklawn Park hotel in Hot Springs, Ark., used opening-day panels and a closing Trainers Talk to press legal and operational challenges to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback outlined concerns about HISA’s legality and its governance as a board that would operate under the Federal Trade Commission, while the HBPA and many state-level groups have filed suit in federal court in the Northern District of Texas.

The topic dominated the second panel on opening day, March 2, where National HBPA general counsel Peter Ecabert hosted panelists Pete Sacopulos, Chris Kannady, and Ed Martin. Ed Martin warned that “the most important thing states need right now is certainty,” urging clarity so state regulators can create budgets and understand new responsibilities. Martin added that the uncertain timing of HISA’s implementation “potentially could be disruptive” and that “we're going to be cooperative to try to avoid the mess.”

Panelists also sketched how litigation could reshape HISA’s rollout. Sacopulos speculated that regardless of how the Texas case resolves, “there likely will be an appeal,” and that such an appeal would delay HISA’s launch “at least in the areas of contention in the appeal” while appellate courts decide. Those legal questions intersect with HISA’s own timetable: sources at the conference noted HISA plans to begin safety oversight on July 1, while its planned launch of national drug-testing and anti-doping oversight had already been pushed to early 2023.

Trainers closed the conference with a frank session moderated by Jennie Rees that featured Jason Barkley, Ron Faucheux, Bret Calhoun, and Hamelback. Calhoun, a Louisiana HBPA board member who maintains training strings in Kentucky and Texas, told attendees, “The whole thing is a façade. It's been all smoke and mirrors.” Calhoun added, “They sold this thing as the safety of the horse. It's absolutely not about safety of horse. It's a few people, with self-interest and they have their own personal agenda.” ThoroughbredDailyNews characterized the exchange as the close of the 2023 National HBPA Annual Conference with three prominent horsemen questioning the need, validity and overreach of federal legislation.

A separate panel tackled fixed-odds wagering and content distribution, with Scott Daruty, president of Monarch Content Management, speaking for tracks and content distributors. Daruty said, “I think everybody in this room agrees we want to get our racing product in front of the sportsbook customers,” but warned that new offerings must “not hurt our pari-mutuel pools.” He urged that fixed-odds wagering be offered “on a win and place basis only.” That position drew pushback from an attendee identified as Ames, a former Ladbrokes executive, and the panel included two heads of major content distributors and two executive directors of horsemen’s associations.

Organizers scheduled panels to continue through Friday, with a full HBPA board meeting set for March 5 at the Oaklawn Park hotel. With the HBPA-led lawsuit active in the Northern District of Texas and trainers publicly questioning motives and mechanics, attendees left debating immediate operational consequences: budget planning by state regulators, the scope and timing of HISA’s authority over safety and anti-doping, and whether litigation and appeals will force further delays to nationwide oversight. For contact and conference information, the National HBPA lists 866-245-1711 and racing@hbpa.org.