Peter J. Sacopulos

• Fellow, Indiana Bar Foundation
• Indiana Defense Lawyers Association
• Defense Research Institute
• American Trial Lawyers Association
• Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
• American Judicature Society
• American Academy of Hospital Attorneys
• District 7 Representative of the American Citizenship Committee of the Indiana State Bar Association
• Past President of the Terre Haute Bar Association (1999-2000)

• Indiana, American, and Federal Bar Associations
• Terre Haute Bar Association
• The State Bar of Indiana
• The Federal District Courts for the Northern District of Indiana
• The Federal District Courts for the Southern District of Indiana
• Illinois Bar Association

He has published more than 30 articles on various aspects of equine law. His publications appear in Trainer magazine, The Horsemen’s Journal, The Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture and Natural Resource Law, Equus and The Practical Horseman. His articles include:

• The Horsemen’s Journal, Fall 2024 – A comparison of the federal rules of evidence and the rules of the court of arbitration and sport
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Fall 2024 – Serious Conversations: National HBPA Conference Tackles No-Effect Thresholds, HISA, CAW and More
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Fall 2024 – Burden of Proof, Examination of Specific Cases of Adverse Analytical Findings
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Winter 2023 – Different Adjudication Process – Understanding and Preparing for HISA’s Equine Anti-Doping Rules
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Fall 2023 – Unsolved Problems HISA/HIWUs Efforts to Address Due Process Raise Concerns and More issues
• August 14, 2023 – The Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Summer 2023 – HISA Adjudication System: It’s not your state stewards’ hearings anymore
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Spring 2023 – Sixth Circuit Ruling Muddies HISA Water
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Winter 2022 – Continued Concerns – Q&A with Joseph Bertone examines role of the FDA in racetrack practice and its relationship to HISA
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Winter 2022 – Not so Simple, Function to the ubiquitous substance bufotenine remains unknown
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Fall 2022 – More Challenges. Complicated obstacles await HISA medication regulations
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Summer 2022 – Ready or Not – What Awaits Racing come July 1 thanks to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020
• The Trainer Magazine, When Payday turns to ‘Someday’:  January 14, 2022 – Getting paid for your work as a trainer
• The Horsemen’s Journal, Winter 2021 – Clusters of Aminocaproic Acid Positives Across the Country
• The Trainer Magazine, Breeders’ Cup 21 to Pegasus World Cup 22:  Issue 62, October 21, 2021 – When Payday Turns to “Someday”
• The Trainer Magazine: Summer Sales 2021, issue 61, July 15, 2021 – Trainers vs. The IRS: Qualifying Losses as Business Deductions
• The Trainer Magazine: April 23, 2021 – The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act: Review, Analysis, and Concern.
• The Horsemen’s Journal: April 1, 2021 – Constitutional Concerns with HISA: A review and analysis of constitutional challenges and the rules of review including in the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act
• Trainer Magazine: Oct 26, 2020 – “Justice on Track: Real-World Lessons From A Thoroughbred Court Case”
• The Horsemen’s Journal: June 10, 2020 – “Lidocaine Positives in Arkansas”
• Trainer Magazine: June 15, 2020 – “Justify, Jimson Weed & Justice: From the Racetrack to the Courtroom”
• Trainer Magazine: Oct  23, 2019 – “Indiana’s New ‘Biological Samples‘ Testing Law: Integrity Assured or Invasive Overreach?”
• The Horsemen’s Journal: Oct 10, 2019 “Shining a Light On Scopolamine and Environmental Contamination”
• The Horsemen’s Journal: “Access Denied: Why the Jerry Hollendorfer vs. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Case Is Important For All Horsemen”
• Trainer Magazine: “Exercising Horse Sense: Part II: Precautions and Protections When Hiring Exercise Riders”
• Trainer Magazine: Spring 2019 “Exercising Horse Sense: Part I: Avoiding Grey Areas When Hiring Exercise Riders”
• Trainer Magazine: Breeders’ Cup to Pegasus World Cup 2019 “Racing to Comply: How the New GDPR Privacy Rules Affect Trainers and Other Equine Professionals”
• Equus: October 2018 “Monensin Poisoning: Rare But Deadly”
• Trainer Magazine: August to October 2018 “A Jockey’s Life: The True Tall Tales of Gatebreakin’ Ray Adair”
• Horsemen’s Journal: Summer 2018 “Trace-Level Identifications Are Not Positives”
• Trainer Magazine: May to July 2018 Triple Crown Issue “Social Media Horse Sense: Part II: The Industry In The Digital Age”
• Trainer Magazine: November 2017 to January 2018 “Social Media Horse Sense: Part I: The Thoroughbred Trainer in the Digital Age”
• Trainer Magazine: August to October 2017 “No Place For Negligence: Limiting Your Liability In Unique Situations”
• North American Trainer: Spring 2017 “Anatomy of A Training Agreement: Why Owners and Trainers Need to Put It In Writing”
• Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture and Natural Resources Law: Volume 9, 2016-2017, Number 1 “Pitts vs. Barr-Tonko Bills: An In-Depth Comparison of Proposed Anti-Doping Legislation in Horse Racing”
• North American Trainer: Fall 2016 “The Trainer Responsibility Rule: The Absolute Insurer Rule”
• Horsemen’s Journal: Spring 2016 “Tying Up In Racehorses: Navigating The Complicated Medication Waters”
• Horsemen’s Journal: Spring 2015 “What is Cobalt: A Look at the Effects and Regulation of the Mineral
• Pennsylvania Equestrian: February 2014 “ADA Revises Regulations to Include Minis as Service Animals”
• Fast Horse Resource: December 2014 “A Look at the Indiana Horse Racing Commission Emergency Rule Regarding Regulation of Cobalt”
• Fast Horse Resource: June 2014 “Indiana Grand Racing and Casino: Where Horsemen Are Top Priority”
• The Horsemen’s Journal: Summer 2013 “Out of Competition Testing: Coming to a Barn or Facility Near You”
• The Horsemen’s Journal: Winter 2012 “Lessons in Website Liability”
• Fast Horse Resource: August 2012 “New Requirements for Indiana Trainers”
• Equestrian Professionals: April 2^nd, 2012 “Equine Client Snatching:When people say horrific things“
• Horse Talk (published in New Zealand): December 9, 2011 “H-2B Visa Has Big Impact on US Horse Industry”
• Equestrian Professional Newsletter: August 29^th, 2011 “Effects of the H-2B Visa on the Equine Industry”
• Al Badia Magazine (published in Dubai): May/June 11^th Addition, Pages 66-67; “Issues, Rules and Requirements for Transporting Your Horse into the USA”
• Horse Talk (published in New Zealand): May 26, 2011 “Tips for Flying Horses into the United States”
• Eques Magazine: April 2011 “Rules and Requirements for Transporting Horses to the United States”
• Americas Bridal and Bit: March 16, 2011 “Transporting Horses to the United States: Rules and Requirements”
• Midwest Thoroughbred Magazine: Volume III, Issue 1, January/February 2011, Pages 32-33; “Immigration in the Equine Industry: Basic Visa Options, A Primer”
• Midwest Thoroughbred Magazine: Volume II, Issue 6, October 2010, Pages 38-39; “Indiana and Illinois Equine Activity Statutes”
• Midwest Thoroughbred Magazine: Volume II, Issue 5, July/August 2010 Pages 40-41; “Deductibility of Equine Related Expenses”
• Midwest Thoroughbred Magazine: Volume II, Issue 4, June 2010, Page 29; “Green Gables Stud: In the Middle of the Action in the Hoosier State”
• Midwest Thoroughbred Magazine: Volume II, Issue 3, May 2010, Pages 42- 43; “Understanding and Comparing Illinois and Indiana’s Liveryman’s Liens”
• The Bloodhorse: February 6, 2010, #6, Pages 584-592; “Going Green: Indian Breeding Incentives, Peter and Melony Sacopulos at Green Gables Farm”

** READ  MORE CURRENT ARTICLES PUBLISHED BY PETER J. SACOPULOS **

In addition, he has presented at numerous seminars and lectured on issues of equine law including the National Equine Law Seminar, the Saratoga Institute, and the National HBPA Convention. He has and continues to serve as a lecturer for the Indiana Continuing Education Legal Forum and for the Racing Officials Accreditation Program. These presentations include:

• March 3, 2025 Presentation at the VITICUS WVC 2025 Annual Conference in Las Vegas
• August 12-14, 2024 Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga
• July 29, 2024 National HBPA Conference
• April 9, 2024 Racing Officials Accreditation Program
• February 19, 2024 Viticus Group WVC annual conference in Las Vegas
• May 3 & 4, 2023 37th Annual National Conference on Equine Law, The University of Kentucky College of Law
• March 6-10, 2023 National HBPA 2023 Annual Conference
• July 16, 2022 Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance to Hold Free Barn Fire Seminar
• July 2, 2022 Churchill Downs to Host Jockeys & Jeans Benefit Stephen Foster Day
• March 30, 22 ICLEF Equine Law: State and Federal Update Online Seminar
• 2022 National HBPA Conference, Arkansas, March 1-5, 2022 HISA: Where Are We Now? – Pete Sacopulos
• 2021 Saratoga Racing and Gaming Conference August 16-17, 2021
  Topic: “Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act: What is in it and Why is it Important to the Industry?”
• University of Louisville–Racing Officials Accreditation School July 12-19, 2021
  Topic: The Trainer Responsibility Rule and The Regulator’s Role in Considering and Applying Mitigating and Aggravating Factors and Issuing Rulings that Withstand Arbitrary and Capricious Challenges
  Topic: Justify, Jimson Weed and Justice: From the Racetrack to the Courtroom
• University of Louisville—Racing Officials Accreditation Program CE December 14 & 15, 2020
  Topic: Senate Bill 4547: Review, Analysis and Concerns
• University of Louisville MBA Program October 2020
  Topic: “Regulatory Law in the Thoroughbred Industry”
• University of Louisville March 2020
  Topic: “Justify, Jimson Weed & Justice: From the Racetrack to the Courtroom”
  Topic: “The Jerry Hollendorfer Litigation: Why the Issues in Dispute Are Important For All Horsemen”
• Racing Officials Accreditation Program & The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, April 2019
  Topic: “The Stewards/Judges Hearing: Ensuring Consistency In The Procedural Process, Penalties for Violations, And Due Process”
• University of Louisville March 2019
  Topic: “Social Media And The Horse Industry”
  Topic: “Out of Competition Testing”
  Topic: “Equine Liability Act: Analysis and Discussion”
• Racing Officials Accreditation Program CE Louisville, KY November 2018
  Topic: “The Stewards/Judges Hearing: Ensuring Consistency In The Procedural Process, Penalties for Violations, And Due Process”
• NAARV 5^th Annual Meeting & Symposium November 2018
  Topic: “The Administrative & Judicial Process, State Veterinarian Records, and Recent Drug Positive Decisions”
  Topic: “Panel Discussion: Spotlight on Environmental Substances Showing Up At Trace Levels In Racehorses/Legal Approaches to Trace Level Identifications of Environmental Substances”
• ICLEF April 2018
  Topic: “Indiana Equine Case Law: An Overview and Update”
• National HBPA Convention, March 2018
  Topic: “Horsemen as Citizen Marketers: Be Part of the Solution”
• Saratoga Institute on Racing and Gaming Law, August 2017
  Topic: “Recent Racing Regulatory Developments” Panel Member
• ARCI Conference on Racing Integrity and Welfare, April 2017
  Topic: “The Adjudication System: Is There a Better Way?”
• National HBPA Convention, March 2017
  Topic: “Responding to a Positive: Obtaining and Using Scientific Data to Your Best Legal and Forensic Advantage”
  Topic: “Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution as Applied to the Administrative proceedings with State Commissions”
• Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2016
  Topic: “Keeping Them Safe: Protecting a Horse after Sale”
• Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2015
  Topic: “A Federal Regulation of Horse Racing: Is It Needed? Panel Chair
• National HBPA 2015 Winter Convention, February 2015
  Topic: “Out-of-Competition Testing Forum”
• ICLEF Equine Law Seminar, June 2014
  Topic: “Liabilities with Buying, Selling, Leasing and Boarding Horses”
• Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2014
  Topic: “Legal Issues Regarding Race Horse Acquisition/Legal Complexities of Race Horse Ownership”
• Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2013
  Topic: “Drug Testing and the Racing Industry: Process and Regulatory Reform”
• Saratoga Institute on Racing & Gaming Law, August 2012
  Topics: “A New NYRA with a New Regulatory Framework”
• Indiana Horse Racing Commission Standardbred Trainer Seminar, July 2012
  Topics: “Indiana Worker’s Compensation: Responsibilities, Issues and Analysis”
• Indiana Horse Racing Commission Thoroughbred Trainer Seminar, June 2012
  Topics: “Indiana Worker’s Compensation: Responsibilities, Issues and Analysis”
• National Equine Law Conference, May 2011
  Topics: “Effective and Innovative Discovery Methods and Requests in Equine Litigation”
  “Utilizing Captive Insurance in the Equine Industry”