Phoenix racetrack Turf Paradise agrees to pay over $150K after safety violations

Turf Paradise agreed to pay more than $150,000 in assessed fees after officials with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority found the Phoenix-based racetrack was not in compliance with some of its policies

A copy of the agreement showed Turf Paradise received a notice on Jan. 11 where HISA officials found one of the racetrack's rails didn't meet its safety standards.

Turf Paradise has hosted numerous races at 19th Avenue and Bell Road since it opened in 1956, according to its website.

According to the agreement, the racetrack will "repair all junctures between panels on the rails so that all panels uniformly run together, and no gaps or sharp edges remain, and secure all beginnings of the rails in chutes along the track and over them in protective padding and covering, as determined by the joint inspection."

Turf Paradise also agreed to restore a detention area where horses are kept while veterinarians inspect them before they return to their normal stables.

The racetrack also agreed to pay HISA $155,611 in fees it failed to pay in 2022, in three monthly installments between March 3 and May 3.

HISA was formed after the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was introduced into Congress by Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., in 2020 and was later signed into law as part of an omnibus and COVID-19 relief bill. The act formed the authority as a private, self-regulatory organization overseen by the Federal Trade Commission.

The leader of an animal rights group lauded the agreement, describing it as an example of HISA reining in a business.

“We applaud the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority for dropping the hammer on Turf Paradise, a track that’s been ridden with scandals and dozens of racehorse deaths in recent years," said Mark Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action. "Leaders in American horseracing like The Jockey Club, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, and others have worked diligently to clean up the sport, but tracks like Turf Paradise continue to give the industry a black eye, and we’re elated to see the new authority cracking down against violators in the industry."

Officials with Turf Paradise, however, said they largely agreed with HISA's policies but were concerned the racetrack could lose its Arizona operating license as HISA's policies conflicted with state regulations.

"The recently signed agreement with HISA clarifies that state regulations do not apply in areas that HISA regulates. Turf Paradise needed to do additional research to ensure it would be allowed to operate in Arizona if it adhered to the new federal regulations under HISA," Mike Scerbo, a Turf Paradise spokesperson, said in a written statement.

"The $150K are assessment fees covering the disputed time period, they are not fines. These assessment fees are intended to cover services such as veterinary examinations and steward monitoring, and farrier pre-race examinations of horseshoes."

Vincent Francia, general manager of Turf Paradise, told The Arizona Republic on Wednesday that the racetrack was working with HISA but was largely following state regulations over HISA's policies.

Francia and Turf Paradise owner Jerry Simms also promised to try and persuade Arizona lawmakers and officials with the Arizona Division of Racing to allow HISA to enforce its own policies within the state as part of the agreement.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Turf Paradise in Phoenix to pay over $150,000 after safety violations