Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted 2 hours ago Journalists Posted 2 hours ago Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority has issued to Churchill Downs Incorporated four notices for non-payment of its 2025 fees related to federal regulatory oversight of its Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Ellis Park and Presque Isle Downs racetracks. The matter will go before a panel of three HISA board members–Joe De Francis, Bill Thomason, and Terri Mazur–on March 11. This is separate from pending litigation between the two parties for Churchill Downs's refusal to pay HISA's assessed fees for 2023 and 2024. These are the years HISA's assessment model was calculated through a formula based on racing starts and purses. Last year, HISA started using a new assessment formula based on projected number of starts only. In its litigation with HISA, Churchill Downs challenges the legality of the original assessment formula, and instead contends it owes the federal body an amount based solely on starts. Churchill Downs submitted payments to HISA for 2023 and 2024 using their own formula, leaving an alleged unpaid deficit of around $1.7 million. The corporation has so far paid nothing for 2025, according to the notices the HISA Authority issued to Churchill Downs on Feb. 18. The amounts that HISA seeks from Churchill Downs for its unpaid 2025 assessments are based on the original formula (calculated using starts and purses) for Turfway Park, Elis Park and Presque Isle Downs. For Churchill Downs, the HISA Authority has used a number based purely on starts. The amounts (including accrued interest) HISA requests for each track are as follows: Churchill Downs, $2.5 million; Turfway Park, $1.49 million; Presque Isle Downs, $761k; and Ellis Park, $465k. According to the notices, the HISA Authority asks the board panel to require Churchill Downs to pay these amounts within ten days of the board's order. If not, Churchill Downs would be prohibited from conducting horseracing under HISA's federal regulatory oversight, meaning it wouldn't be allowed to simulcast its races outside of the state (if indeed it carried on with its operations). Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 02/17/2026 Licensee: Bruno Tessore, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 18, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Tom S, who finished second at Laurel Park on 10/19/25. Dates: 02/16/2026 Licensee: Anna Meah, trainer Penalty:7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 17, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Gabapentin–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Showers, who won at Churchill Downs on 11/6/25. Dates: 02/11/2026 Licensee: Darien Rodriguez, trainer Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance). Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Jimmy's Kid on 1/3/26. Pending ADMC Violations 02/16/2026, Eric Reed, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Flunixin–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Sexarito on 1/17/26. 02/16/2026, Dallas Stewart, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Tramadol–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Have Faith on 11/20/25. 2/16/2026, Linda Rice, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methylprednisolone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Sweet Rhythm, who is reported by Equibase to have been euthanized after sustaining a severe injury to her left front leg mid-race in the fifth at Aqueduct on 11/8/25. 02/13/2026, Jose Puentes, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Whisky My God on 1/14/26. 02/13/2026, William E. Merch, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Protest, who won at Tampa Bay on 1/14/26. 02/13/2026, Angela Maria Aquinano, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Golf Drama, who won at Los Alamitos on 1/11/26. 02/13/2026, Benjamin Feliciano Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Gabapentin–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Plenty on Tap, who finished second at Laurel Park on 1/10/26. Crop Violations Aqueduct Sahin Civaci – violation date February 16; $250 fine, one-day suspension Mahoning Valley Rocco Bowen – violation date February 14; $500 fine, two-day suspension Oaklawn Park Francisco Arrieta – violation date February 15; $250 fine, one-day suspension David Cabrera – violation date February 14; $250 fine, one-day suspension Emmanuel Esquivel – violation date February 14; $250 fine, one-day suspension Rafael Bejerano – violation date February 13; $250 fine, one-day suspension Santa Anita Kyle Frey – violation date February 14; $500 fine, one-day suspension Turf Paradise Cerapio Figueroa – violation date February 12; $250 fine, one-day suspension Turfway Park Jose Ramos Gutierrez – violation date February 13; $500 fine, two-day suspension The post Weekly Rulings: Feb. 12-18; Churchill Faces HISA Panel Hearing For Non-Payment Of 2025 Fees appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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