August 2020 Issue

Page 10 August 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN By USTA Communications Department As part of the initiative that commenced with Hanover Shoe Farms’ Executive Vice President Bridgette Jablonsky’s announce- ment in April of a $250,000 matching fund grant to promote integrity in harness racing, on July 6, U.S. Trotting Associa- tion President Russell Williams announced the establishment of the Standardbred Racing Investi- gative Fund. The initiative is in response to indictments revealed March 9, 2020, in which more than two dozen racehorse trainers, vet- erinarians and drug distributors were charged in a wide-ranging scheme to secretly dope horses and cheat the betting public. Jablonski’s announcement read in part: “One useful thing we have learned from the criminal indictments is that high-powered investigative services appear to be necessary to aid the racing com- missions in investigating wrong- doing by (1) gathering evidence in a timely and efficient manner, and (2) presenting that evidence in a form that will fully support the authorities that have the power to exile the cheaters. Other new ap- proaches may be needed to make our industry more responsive to and supportive of the racing commissions. I have discussed this with Russell (Williams), and Hanover Shoe Farms pledges $250,000 as a matching grant to support the work of restoring full integrity to our sport. The term of this pledge is 12 months, begin- ning on the day Standardbred racing resumes in 2020.” The SRIF will exist as a division of the US Trotting As- sociation but with independent, third-party oversight. “After announcing the $250,000 challenge grant, we heard from several industry stakeholders who were concerned about industry participants having the ability to exert influence on or make decisions regarding inves- tigations into possible regulatory or criminal abuses,” said Wil- liams, who is president and CEO of Hanover Shoe Farms. “These concerns are valid, so we have worked diligently with a leading Pennsylvania law firm to design a structure that would remove funding and investigative decision-making from the USTA and allow for total confidentiality. This difficult task has taken time, but it is almost complete,” added Williams. The plan for the SRIF will be presented at an upcoming USTA Board of Directors Executive Committee meeting to be held by mid-August in order to gain Board approval. If approved, complete details including who will serve on the SRIF Oversight Board, the way that money from donations will be allocated, how investigations will be conducted, and details of the plan for cooperative efforts with state racing commissions and local, state and federal au- thorities will be announced. Standardbred Racing Investigative Fund Created