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Trainer Banned for 10 Years Over 'Speed Device'
15 Oct
Summary
- Lisa Goedken received a 10-year ban from racing.
- A device to alter horse speed was found in her barn.
- The incident occurred at Prairie Meadows in Iowa.
Lisa Goedken, an owner-trainer, has been suspended for 10 years following the discovery of a device intended to manipulate a horse's speed. The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit found the device in her barn at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, on August 13, 2026. This led to a provisional suspension by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission on August 14, 2026.
The Iowa stewards' ruling indicated that possessing such a device is a class 'D' felony in Iowa. While no criminal charges have been filed against Goedken as of October 14, 2026, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) issued a final ruling on September 3, 2026, suspending her from racing for 10 years. Goedken has primarily trained Quarter Horses, with limited Thoroughbred starts, including a recent win on August 9, 2026.
Imanol Recendiz, an exercise rider, also received a 10-year suspension from HISA for possessing an electrical device discovered during the same barn search on August 13, 2026. The HISA rulings do not explicitly link these two cases, but both individuals faced summary suspensions from the IRGC on August 14, 2026, and final 10-year bans from HISA on September 3, 2026. Quarter Horse racing is not currently under HISA rules, and Goedken's suspension specifically pertains to Thoroughbred racing.
