UPDATE 3/23 KY Regulation for Salix-Free Races Proposed

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racinggal
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Posts: 1,820

UPDATE 3/23 KY Regulation for Salix-Free Races Proposed Mar 19, 2015 20:06:55 GMT -5

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Post by racinggal on Mar 19, 2015 20:06:55 GMT -5

I put this under Health because we need healthier horses! Do you think this will pass? If so, will other states follow? My husband used to say First Time Lasix was a food play but now it doesn't seem to matter because they all have Lasix!

KY Regulation for Salix-Free Races Proposed
By Ron Mitchell
Bloodhorse

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is considering a proposal that would permit the state's racetracks to card races that would prohibit the administration of furosemide, also known as Salix or Lasix, within 24 hours of post time.

Under the proposal, the commission would adopt a new administrative regulation that "authorizes licensed racing associations to require adherence to International Medication Protocol, as defined, as a condition of entry into a particular race."

The proposed administrative regulation, drafted Feb. 25, said International Medication Protocol "means a condition of a race that all horses nominated or entered to compete in the race shall not be administered furosemide less than 24 hours prior to post time for the race."

Furosemide is a diuretic used to treat bleeding in racehorses.

The KHRC Rules Committee will consider the proposed regulation at its March 23 meeting. If approved, it would be considered by the full commission at its regular monthly meeting later in the day.

If implemented, the regulation would allow a racing association to publish the requirement in its condition book "or otherwise make the requirement known to all licensees participating in its race meeting."

The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, which is gathering signatures on a petition in opposition to the proposed rule, said it suspects "that this is a precursor to running the 2015 Breeders' Cup Lasix-free. However, it may well be interpreted that this is the start of running Lasix-free on any race, merely by making all races in the condition book Lasix-free."

The Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Keeneland for the first time Oct. 30-31.

In addition to the Kentucky HBPA petition, the North American Association of Racetrack Practitioners is also seeking signatures on a petition in opposition.

Marc Guilfoil, director of racing for the KHRC, said no one involved with the drafting of the regulation has mentioned wanting to have it enacted prior to this year's Breeders' Cup. He said the proposal must undergo a lengthy process from the time it is approved to becoming a binding regulation.

If approved by the commission, the regulation would go to the state's Legislative Research Commission for vetting to make sure it is legal and does not conflict with other state statutes.

Once that step is completed, there would a period in which the public could submit comments, a process that would include a public hearing. The desire for the commission to consider the International Medication Protocol arose in the rules committee last August by commissioner John Phillips, and it was tabled on a 4-1 vote.

Last Edit: Mar 23, 2015 22:25:12 GMT -5 by Evelyn

Evelyn
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Posts: 5,905

UPDATE 3/23 KY Regulation for Salix-Free Races Proposed Mar 23, 2015 22:26:02 GMT -5

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Post by Evelyn on Mar 23, 2015 22:26:02 GMT -5

KHRC Approves Regulation for Salix-Free Races
By Frank Angst
Bloodhorse

Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/90837/khrc-approves-regulation-for-salix-free-races#ixzz3VGns3E5K
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission March 23 approved a regulation that would permit the state's racetracks to card races that would prohibit the administration of furosemide, also known as Salix or Lasix, within 24 hours of post time. The vote was 8-4.

Keeneland president Bill Thomason had said the Lexington racetrack supports the regulation because it will provide flexibility to card races that would prohibit furosemide, which is used to prevent or curtail the severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. While some horsemen and others had speculated that the track might be pursuing the rule as a way to conduct some Salix-free Breeders' Cup World Championship races, Thomason said Keeneland did not anticipate the rule going into effect until 2016.

Keeneland director of racing Rogers Beasley indicated the track would schedule a limited number of Salix-free races for 2-year-olds during its spring and fall meets next year.

The KHRC Rules Committee approved the regulation by a 3-2 vote at its March 23 meeting, which was followed by the KHRC meeting.

The regulation allows a racing association to publish the requirement in its condition book "or otherwise make the requirement known to all licensees participating in its race meeting." Commissioners that voted against the regulation wondered if it would allow tracks to schedule full cards of Salix-free races.

The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association gathered signatures on a petition in opposition to the proposed rule, noting that it could be a "precursor to running the 2015 Breeders' Cup Lasix-free. However, it may well be interpreted that this is the start of running Lasix-free on any race, merely by making all races in the condition book Lasix-free."

Marc Guilfoil, director of racing for the KHRC, said no one involved with the drafting of the regulation has mentioned wanting to have it enacted prior to this year's Breeders' Cup. The regulation needs to go to the state's Legislative Research Commission for vetting, and once that occurs, there will be a period of public comment and perhaps a public hearing.

Jon
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Posts: 4,669

UPDATE 3/23 KY Regulation for Salix-Free Races Proposed Mar 24, 2015 0:33:57 GMT -5

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Post by Jon on Mar 24, 2015 0:33:57 GMT -5

More proof a national association is needed to regulate and clean up racing everywhere. I find the Horsemen's Association "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" petty stupid. "IT" is "BROKE"

‘Divisive’ Kentucky Lasix Rule Sparks Controversy Around 8-4 Commission Approval
by Natalie Voss
PR

At its March meeting on Monday, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission voted to approve a controversial measure that would allow the state’s racetracks to write Lasix-free races. The final vote was 8-4 in favor of the rule. Earlier in the day, the commission’s rule committee voted 3-2 in favor of the proposal.

The proposed rule would allow tracks to write one or more races with conditions precluding entrants from having Lasix within 24 hours of the race, in contrast to the current statewide rule which allows administration at four hours in advance of race time.

Debates over the rule both in the rules committee’s meeting and the commission meeting dredged up pro- and anti-Lasix arguments both old and new.

The proposed regulation was framed by rules committee member John Phillips as an “international medication protocol,” reflecting other countries’ prohibition of race-day Lasix. One commissioner questioned whether echoing international flavor was worth the nullification of uniform medication policies, which have long remained elusive in the sport.

“This perturbs me quite a bit because unless I’m mistaken, this body approved the endorsement of RCI and the [RMTC uniform medication policies],” said commissioner Frank Jones, Jr. “We are part of that medical initiative, and this is not a part of what they’re doing, I don’t understand how we can have two masters.”

Rules committee member Tom Conway and others questioned the legality of the proposed regulation; under these rules, the tracks would determine for themselves whether to write any Lasix-free races, and if so, how many to card. Conway believed that allowing tracks and racing associations to make the determination of what medication rules apply to which races is slippery legal territory.

“We were appointed by the governor to regulate racing in Kentucky,” said Conway. “I don’t recall anyone ever telling me that I could delegate that to a racing association … nowhere in the statutes does it say that is a delegable duty. It’s against the state constitution, it’s against the Kentucky revised statute, it’s against the U.S. Constitution and it’s a violation of the 14th amendment to strip a commission of this authority and give it to an individual enterprise like a racing association.

“I think if we go down this road, we’re going to lose it. We’re going to lose it in the legislature, we’re going to lose it in the court; it’s just divisive and I see no reason for it.”

The language could technically allow any track to write all of its races to the 24-hour Lasix rule, though KHRC chairman Robert Beck, Jr. doubts any track would do so. Keeneland is the only entity that has expressed interest in the idea of these restricted races, and in the main commission meeting, Keeneland Vice President of Racing Rogers Beasley said he envisions four to six Lasix-free races each year—two in the spring for 2-year-olds, and two to four in the fall. This, he said, would account for 2.5 percent of all Keeneland racing during the year.

Jones pointed out that race condition books are intended to allow for the development of horses over a meet; if Keeneland’s handful of no-Lasix races are the only ones in the state, young horses making their first start under those circumstances would not have the same level playing field the rest of the year.

Commissioner Dr. Foster Northrop questioned whether “a certain large racetrack” could use the rule to write Lasix-only races as a means of diminishing its horse population and focusing on its gaming products. Beck dismissed this notion, since any official reduction in dates would have to be approved by the commission.

As noted by rules committee member Burr Travis, Jr., Churchill Downs officials were notably absent from the commission meeting.

Several officials, within and outside of the committee, brought forth objections to the idea of doing away with Lasix, even in this application of race-by-race conditions. The Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association presented surveys and petitions from its members and from trainers out of state who planned to ship in to run. Most of them disagreed with the measure, leading NHBPA representatives to invoke the well worn-saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association supported the proposed regulation, citing positive input from Pin Oak Stud, Claiborne Farm, Dixiana Farm, Juddmonte Farms, and Darley.

In the end, support for the rule outweighed those concerns.

“We’re being bombarded daily by the general public and other racing jurisdictions, Europe for one, who want us to clean up our act,” said commissioner and rules committee member Neil Howard. “I think it’s time we put horsemanship back into this business.”

From here, the proposed language goes to a legislative rules committee and will need to hold up through a public hearing before it may progress.