The trainer of racehorse champion Maximum Security has been sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a widespread international scheme to drug horses to make them race faster.

The “Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act” comes after a series of doping scandals and a rash of horse fatalities in recent years. "Horse racing has long been woven into the fabric of American culture,'' Tonko said during House debate, citing storied names such as Secretariat and Man o' War that “stir the imagination of racing fans” around the world. The House bill would empower an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to set uniform, national standards for medication, track safety and testing of horses for performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs. The legislation is supported by a range of groups, including The Jockey Club, the New York Racing Association and the Humane Society of the United States. “Horse racing is experiencing the most profound crisis in the long history of the sport.

What happened next set horse racing off on a year-long odyssey of chaos. From a historic DQ to doping, lawsuits to a global pandemic, and then a Triple Crown turned upside down. What happened next set horse racing off on a yearlong odyssey of chaos: from a historic DQ to doping, from lawsuits to a pandemic, and now a Triple Crown turned upside down. Instead of leading off on the first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby shifted to Labor Day weekend. Who would have ever thought youd run the Kentucky Derby with no fans? Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. A federal appeals court has upheld the decision by Churchill Downs stewards that made Country House the winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati on Friday affirmed a U.S. District Court decision to dismiss a lawsuit by Gary and Mary West, who own Maximum Security. The Wests sued the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, its executive director, members and stewards after the race in May 2019. The Wests sought to reverse the track stewards decision, contending it violated their rights to due process. Maximum Security won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

“There is no room in our sport for anyone who does not prioritize the health and well-being of horses and riders,” the statement said. Prosecutors accuse Servis of “covertly obtaining and administering adulterated and misbranded” performance-enhancing drugs that are intended to be “difficult or impossible” to detect. Horse trainer Nicholas Surick is also facing charges. According to Equibase, Servis has earned about $52.2 million, Navarro has earned about $34.88 million and Surick has earned about $110,000 during their careers. The indictment also veterinarians Erica Garcia, Seth Fishman, Gregory Skelton, and Kristian Rhein.