For the first time in the United States since data has been recorded, the racing-related fatality rate for the majority of U.S. races—specifically tracks under the oversight of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority—fell below 1.00 per 1,000 starts for a calendar year in 2024.
The majority of tracks in the U.S. now race under HISA safety standards. The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database began tracking racing fatalities at U.S. tracks in 2009. At 2.00 per 1,000 starts, that 2009 rate was more than twice the rate at HISA tracks in 2024 when 99.91% of starts did not result in a fatality.
From Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2024, 47 racetracks across 19 states operating under HISA's rules recorded an aggregate racing-related fatality rate of 0.90 per 1,000 starts, an approximate 27% decrease from the 1.23 rate reported by HISA in 2023 and a 55% decrease from 2009.
"It has never been clearer that Thoroughbred racing has become safer under HISA," said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. "While we celebrate this progress, HISA remains committed to collaborating with industry stakeholders to further reduce fatalities and to enhance safety for horses, jockeys and all those who love and participate in the sport."
The 2024 HISA numbers do not include tracks not racing under its oversight, including tracks in Louisiana, Texas, and West Virginia. In 2023 tracks under HISA saw a rate of 1.23 per 1,000 starts while tracks remaining under state oversight saw a 32.5% higher rate at 1.63.
The numbers suggest that HISA's Racetrack Safety Program, implemented July 1, 2022, and Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program, implemented May 22, 2023, have significantly strengthened safety measures nationwide by implementing uniform rules that embody best-practice standards.
HISA said that key requirements include expanded veterinary protocols, prerace inspections, laboratory harmonization, racetrack surface monitoring, and uniform medication oversight. HISA also has rolled out new technologies in the past year to assist stakeholders with making informed decisions about equine athletes, including HISA Horse In-Sight, an innovative platform that combines a horse's career and medical history to provide a unique and holistic view of its health and performance.
In March HISA will release its 2024 annual report, which will detail racing-related fatalities over time by state and racetrack.
Additionally, for the first time, the 2024 annual report will include full-year training-related fatality data on an aggregate, per-state, and per-track basis. By implementing standardized tracking and reporting for training-related fatalities, HISA is providing unprecedented transparency and insight as part of ongoing efforts to prevent training- and racing-related fatalities across the country. This expanded dataset will enable a more comprehensive understanding of risk factors and inform targeted safety measures in both training and racing.
See BH+ for an in-depth story and videos on HISA's progress on safety.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
