Dr. Mary Scollay Retires from HIWU; Dr. Michael Hardy Named Acting Chief of Science
The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced today that Dr. Mary Scollay, HIWU’s chief of science, has retired from full-time duties, effective immediately. She will continue to serve as a consultant for HIWU.
“Dr. Scollay was integral to the creation of HIWU and the launch and enforcement of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program,” said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. “In the three-plus years since our first introduction at Turfway Park’s test barn, her contributions have been immeasurable.
“The entire HIWU team is thankful for Dr. Scollay’s service on behalf of the Thoroughbred industry, and we are grateful that we will continue to benefit from her expertise as a consultant.”
Before joining HIWU, Scollay was a member of HISA’s inaugural ADMC Committee. She also served as the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium’s (RMTC) executive director and chief operating officer for three years, where she directed the advancement of world-class laboratory drug testing standards, promotion of RMTC-recommended rules and penalties for prohibited substances and therapeutic medications, monitoring of emerging threats to the integrity of racing and the health and welfare of racehorses, and administrative oversight of RMTC-funded research projects and educational programs.
Prior to leading the RMTC, Scollay was a regulatory veterinarian for more than 30 years, including 11 years serving as the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s equine medical director. She piloted the program that became known as The Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database (EID), which was the first North American database to track equine injuries and fatalities. The EID was the sole source of equine injury data until HISA began releasing safety metrics reports in 2024,and it continues to be an important source of information for improving safety and reducing injuries.
HIWU's Science department will now transition to be under the leadership of Dr. Michael Hardy, who assumes the position of acting chief of science. For the immediate future, Hardy will also maintain his role as executive director of the RMTC to ensure the organization continues to meet the needs of the racing industry.
“HIWU has enjoyed a productive relationship with Dr. Hardy in his role at the RMTC, and we are excited for him to join our team,” said Mosier. “We are confident that he will build on our successes thus far to promote laboratory harmonization and facilitate research into novel substances that pose a threat to safety, integrity, and welfare.”
Hardy joins HIWU after spending nearly three years as the executive director of the RMTC. A member of HISA’s Horsemen’s Advisory Group, he spent more than a decade as a regulatory veterinarian, including serving as the chief association veterinarian and safety director at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He is also a member of the Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Panel and has served on the Horseracing Testing Laboratory Committee and RegVets Continuing Education Program’s Committee for the RMTC.
About the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit
The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The ADMC Program established a centralized testing and results management process that applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions that HISA governs. As the enforcement agency of the ADMC Program, HIWU oversees all testing processes, including the selection of horses to be tested, training of sample collection personnel, and chain-of-custody procedures. Additionally, HIWU is charged with industry/stakeholder education, laboratory accreditation, results management and adjudication, and investigations. For more information, please visit hiwu.org.
About the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium
The RMTC is a 501(c) 3 organization comprised of 23 industry stakeholder organizations with a shared commitment to engage in research, education, and advocacy for science-based initiatives that promote the health and safety of the racehorse and the integrity of competition. More information can be found at RMTCnet.com.
Contact:
Alexa Ravit, HIWU Director of Communications & Outreach
(816) 516-9572
aravit@hiwu.org