The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) reported 181 training-related deaths in 2024 out of 359,332 workouts at facilities under its authority, with a rate of 0.50 deaths per 1,000 works. This data is the first of its kind on training-related deaths. The total fatality rate for covered horses was 0.38 percent, with the highest rate in Arizona at 1.58 deaths per 1,000 starts and the lowest in Minnesota and New York.
Seven tracks had no training-related Thoroughbred deaths, including Belterra, Canterbury, Ferndale, Fresno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, and Will Rogers. The Jockey Club reported an aggregate racing-related fatality rate of 0.90 per 1,000 starts at tracks under HISA’s anti-doping and medication-control program, compared to 1.11 per 1,000 starts in North America and 1.76 per 1,000 starts at tracks not subject to HISA’s rules.
The rate of 0.90 represents a 35% decrease from 2021 and a 55% decline since 2009. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus stated that the organization has made significant progress in improving racetrack safety, technological innovation, uniform medication control, and equine welfare, with input and support from various racing stakeholders. The efforts have led to meaningful improvements in safety metrics, and HISA looks forward to continuing to work with the industry to make further progress.
