August 3, 2026 (Lexington, KY) &#8211; The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) today announced the addition of Mike E. Smith to its Racetrack Safety Standing Committee. A Hall of Fame jockey with more than 5,800 career wins, Smith is one of only 12 jockeys to have won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and only the second to do so this millennium.
&#8220;I&#8217;m honored to join HISA’s Racetrack Safety Standing Committee and contribute to the work being done to protect horses and the people who care for them,&#8221; said Smith. &#8220;I look forward to working alongside the committee to help strengthen Thoroughbred racing for future generations.&#8221;
Smith began his riding career in 1982 and has since become one of the most accomplished and respected jockeys in the history of American Thoroughbred racing. Including his Triple Crown victory aboard Justify, Smith has claimed three Belmont Stakes, two Preakness Stakes and two Kentucky Derbies, as well as a record-breaking 27 Breeders’ Cup titles. He earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1993 and 1994, and, in 2003, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. A longtime member of Jockeys&#8217; Guild, Smith was elected Co-Chair alongside John Velazquez in 2018, a role he continues to serve in with newly appointed Co-Chair Javier Castellano.
Smith has earned widespread recognition for his character and leadership throughout his career. His honors include the George Woolf Memorial Award, voted on by his fellow jockeys, as well as the Mike Venezia Memorial Award and the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award.
“We’re honored to have Mike join the Racetrack Safety Standing Committee,” said Dr. Susan Stover, Chair of the Racetrack Safety Standing Committee. “Mike’s unique insight and perspective will play an important role in shaping rules that uphold the committee’s unwavering commitment to safety.”
Smith replaces outgoing committee member and fellow Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
“As an inaugural member of the Racetrack Safety Standing Committee, John dedicated countless hours to reviewing existing regulations, analyzing hundreds of pages of public comments and carefully considering a broad spectrum of constituent testimonials to support the development of the first-ever uniform safety rules,“ said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “All members of the committee serve entirely on a volunteer basis, and the industry owes them an extraordinary debt of gratitude for their commitment and expertise.”
“I’d also like to thank outgoing member John Velazquez for his years of dedicated service to the committee and for the invaluable support and expertise he has provided in shaping our Racetrack Safety Program rules,” said Dr. Stover.
The Racetrack Safety Standing Committee provides advice and guidance to the HISA Board of Directors on the development and maintenance of the Racetrack Safety Program, including recommendations as to whether to grant accreditation to tracks and for how long. All accreditation decisions must be ultimately approved by the HISA Board of Directors. The full Racetrack Safety Standing Committee can be viewed <a href="https://hisaus.org/about-us?cat=racetrack-safety-committee#our-team">here</a>.