Finally One Set Of Rules

 

‘Game changer’: Officials praise horse racing safety bill

By STEPHEN WHYNOyesterday

FILE - John Velazquez rides Authentic, left, as they head to turn one in the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in this, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, file photo.Horse racing officials and activists hailed the passage and signing of a safety and integrity bill that should revolutionize the handling and oversight of medication by providing oversight the industry has never had. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

"Horse racing officials and industry activists are hailing the passage and signing of a safety and integrity bill that will standardize medication and doping rules in an effort to make the sport safer and fairer."

Until this bill was passed you had 38 different states passing their own rules about medication of race horses.  If a state does not agree to the uniform standards that will be developed they will not be able to participate in interstate betting which is backbone of the industry.  The new law will take effect in 2022.

Almost as importantly it will make it harder to run from enforcement.  Too often states couldn't or didn't enforce their own rules and trainers moved from one state to another to avoid serious consequences or other chicanery to avoid penalties took place.

States like Florida, California, New York and Maryland are phasing a race day Lasix ban for two year old horses and stakes races.  This will spread nationwide with the new Horse Racing Integrity Act.

This hopefully will help restore some trust in the sport and level the playing field for trainers that would rather not deal with what has become a PED arms race.