Professor, bettor charged with accessing private horse infoDavid PurdumAug 17, 2026, 06:02 PM ETClose
- Joined ESPN in 2014
- Journalist covering gambling industry since 2008
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) charged Marshall Gramm, a college professor and noted bettor, with accessing confidential horse health information.
HISA accused Gramm, an economics professor at Rhodes College, of “deliberately and methodically” misappropriating confidential horse health information he accessed on its website during a six-week period, beginning in early May.
Gramm, who is also a horse owner, participated in handicapping contests, engaged in pari-mutuel wagering and claimed multiple registered horses during the six weeks he accessed the confidential information, according to HISA. He faces up to a lifetime ban from the sport.
My statement on HISA Matter
HISA has unfortunately decided to pursue disciplinary proceedings against me regarding data I accessed through the HISA Portal. I made a good-faith effort to resolve this matter with HISA, and we came very close to doing so.Ultimately, we could not…
— Marshall Gramm (@marshallgramm) August 17, 2026
In a social media post Monday, Gramm acknowledged accessing the data but wrote that he used his authorized HISA account as a horse owner.
“I used my own account and credentials and never attempted to conceal my identity or circumvent HISA’s security,” Gramm wrote on X. “Once logged into my account, I bypassed no security protocols or other safeguards to access the information.”
Gramm added that he plans to “vigorously defend” himself against the charges.
In a written notice of violation, HISA stated that Gramm accessed the unauthorized information on horses he didn’t own “for the purpose of gaining, or attempting to gain, an advantage in connection with racing activities, including potential wagering or claiming decisions involving Covered Horses.”
HISA plans to seek restitution for affected parties, including handicapping contest participants and the wagering public. HISA will share information from its investigation with law enforcement, according to a news release announcing the charges.
“There must be significant consequences for individuals who violate the integrity of our rules and obtain and abuse confidential horse health information,” HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus reported in the release. “HISA will take every necessary step to fiercely protect the integrity of Thoroughbred racing and ensure that violators of our rules are punished appropriately.”
HISA reported it made changes to its systems to prevent similar unauthorized access in the future.
