The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is currently investigating five races held on Sunday at tracks in New Jersey and New York due to suspicious betting patterns linked to horses performing significantly better than expected. These horses, all of which had recently trained at Maryland’s Fair Hill Training Facility after long breaks, competed at Saratoga Race Course in New York and Monmouth Park in New Jersey, with four of them winning unexpectedly and catching the attention of racing analysts.
HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus confirmed the horses involved are The Great Amira, Tepeyac, Classic Rock, M Bs Melanie Cares, and Scootaloo. She revealed that she received calls Sunday evening from individuals alarmed by the unusual performances and betting irregularities observed both in the U.S. and the U.K.—marking the first occasion UK bookmakers raised concerns about U.S. races. Lazarus described the situation as highly uncommon.
The Great Amira, initially a 20-1 underdog, shifted slightly to 17-1 before winning decisively by 9½ lengths at Monmouth Park. Tepeyac’s odds moved from 9-2 to about 4-1 before also claiming victory in the next race. Despite the long odds, an unusually large amount of money was wagered on these horses, driving down the payout for a two-leg Daily Double bet from around $180 to just over $25, signaling a red flag. Michael Beychok, a seasoned bettor, noted the dramatically shortened payout and remarkable turnaround in horse performance occurring on the same day as extraordinary.
Classic Rock, listed at 10-1, won by nearly nine lengths at Saratoga, while M Bs Melanie Cares also won comfortably at 12-1. All four winning horses underwent immediate postrace drug testing by HISA’s Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit.
Trainer Angel Quiroz is connected to all five horses. He was the official trainer for The Great Amira and Tepeyac and had previously trained Classic Rock and M Bs Melanie Cares before their sale to Ernesto Ochoa, who was the listed trainer and owner during Sunday’s races. Quiroz also trained Scootaloo, which finished fourth in its race at Saratoga. Quiroz told Thoroughbred Daily News that he sees no issue with his horses winning and expressed surprise at the controversy. Efforts to reach him on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Ochoa acknowledged the wins on social media, expressing happiness but also recognizing that the successes sparked discussion and differing opinions among fans. Neither Quiroz nor Ochoa has been accused of any violations. Additionally, two other horses linked to Quiroz were scratched from races scheduled on Monday in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
HISA, founded following the 2020 Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, functions as a private nonprofit regulatory body under the Federal Trade Commission, aiming to enforce consistent national standards in horse racing. Lazarus emphasized the seriousness of the investigation and the commitment to uncovering any wrongdoing, with significant penalties on the table if rules were violated.
Fan Take: This developing story is crucial for horse racing fans because it highlights the complex intersection of integrity, betting, and performance in the sport. Ensuring transparency and fairness not only protects the reputation of horse racing but also safeguards the trust of bettors and enthusiasts worldwide, which is vital for the sport’s future growth and credibility.
Source: www.espn.com
