Why Unsanctioned Racing Should Concern the Entire Equine Industry
Why Unsanctioned Racing Should Concern the Entire Equine Industry
I recently returned from speaking at the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) Annual Conference, where I had the opportunity to talk with racing regulators from across the country about a growing issue that deserves the attention of the entire equine industry: unsanctioned, or “bush track,” racing.
While unsanctioned racing is often viewed as a regulatory or law‑enforcement issue, the reality is much broader. What I shared with commissioners – and what I want to share with our members – is that this activity has evolved into a coordinated, mobile underground enterprise with real consequences for horse welfare, biosecurity, industry economics, and public trust. No segment of the equine industry is fully insulated from those impacts.
What Is Unsanctioned Racing – and Why It Has Changed
Unsanctioned racing refers to horse races conducted entirely outside the authority of any state racing commission. These events are typically staged on improvised tracks, private land, or informal venues with no standardized safety protocols, no medication controls, and no veterinary oversight. Betting still occurs, often in highly organized ways, but without regulation, consumer protection, or accountability.
What has changed is scale and visibility. Social media platforms now allow organizers to advertise races, promote purses, livestream events, and communicate betting information quickly and discreetly. Events can be organized in days, relocated easily, and promoted to wide audiences. This has transformed what was once considered isolated activity into a national phenomenon with increasingly sophisticated infrastructure.
The Industry‑Wide Impacts
One of the most immediate effects of unsanctioned racing is economic leakage. Wagering that takes place at these events happens entirely off the books. There is no takeout supporting purses, racetrack operations, breeders’ programs, aftercare initiatives, or the thousands of workers who rely on the regulated racing ecosystem. Investigations consistently show that these races support illegal gambling operations that compete directly with regulated wagering while bearing none of its costs.
Just as concerning are the health and welfare risks to horses. Unsanctioned races often involve horses competing without health documentation, disease testing, or veterinary supervision. Unsafe surfaces, illicit drug use, and practices such as needle reuse have been repeatedly documented. Horses then move back into regulated barns, shows, sales, or training facilities with no regulatory record of recent exertion, injury, or exposure. This creates serious biosecurity risks for the entire equine community, not just racing.
Equally troubling is the reputational harm. Graphic videos from bush track races circulate widely online, usually without context. The public does not distinguish between sanctioned and unsanctioned events; to them, it is all simply “horse racing.” That confusion affects everyone who depends on public trust, social license, and informed policymaking to sustain their livelihoods and advocacy efforts.
Enforcement Is Real, but Uneven
During my presentation, we discussed enforcement actions that have taken place in states like Texas, Georgia, Idaho, and California, including raids, drug seizures, gambling charges, and severe administrative penalties for licensed participants who crossed into unsanctioned racing. These cases demonstrate that authorities can and do act – but they also highlight the limits of the current framework.
There is no single federal statute that directly addresses unsanctioned horse racing. Enforcement today depends on a patchwork of state gambling laws, animal cruelty thresholds, controlled‑substance statutes, and, in some cases, conspiracy or racketeering charges. Outcomes vary widely by jurisdiction and resources, while events themselves are mobile, rural, and digitally organized. This makes consistent oversight difficult, and reinforces that this challenge extends beyond any one state or agency.
AHC’s Working Group and Federal Exploratory Outreach
Recognizing both the scale of the problem and the gaps in existing frameworks, the American Horse Council has launched a Working Group on Unsanctioned Racing, drawing members from AHC’s Racing Committee and partner organizations.
One of the Working Group’s first charges to me was to conduct outreach on Capitol Hill to gauge appetite for a potential federal response – not to pre‑judge outcomes or advance a specific legislative proposal, but to understand whether concern about unsanctioned racing resonates beyond the state level.
In response, I have been conducting exploratory meetings with key congressional offices, sharing what regulators, law enforcement, and industry stakeholders are seeing on the ground. These conversations are helping us assess where federal policymakers see gaps, what questions they are asking, and whether there is interest in tools that could better support states, clarify enforcement authority, or improve coordination across jurisdictions.
This outreach is intentionally measured and fact‑driven. The goal is not to federalize racing, but to determine whether the absence of a clear federal hook is leaving states, prosecutors, and regulators without adequate options – and whether carefully tailored solutions could strengthen, rather than complicate, existing systems.
Why This Matters to Our Members
For breeders, owners, trainers, veterinarians, event organizers, and advocates, unsanctioned racing strikes at core values: horse welfare, fair competition, economic sustainability, and public confidence. It exploits gaps: between jurisdictions, between regulatory systems, and between public perception and reality.
The good news is that the industry already has strong foundations. We have invested in safety, integrity, and accountability. Addressing unsanctioned racing is about defending those investments and making clear that participation in illegal activity is incompatible with the privileges and responsibilities of legitimate involvement in the horse industry.
AHC will continue to keep members informed as the Working Group advances its work and as these exploratory conversations continue. We welcome engagement from anyone with data, experience, or insights that can help inform a coordinated, credible response.
This is an issue the equine industry cannot afford to ignore – but it is also one where unified leadership can make a meaningful difference.