The Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council (KEDRC), on a 4-2 vote Dec.
3, recommended the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) adopt the
national uniform medication rules for Thoroughbred racing.
The vote included the rules for Quarter Horse, Arabian, and Appaloosa racing. The KEDRC opted to table action on the Standardbred medication rule given one of two members that represent the breed on the council was absent, and there are concerns over a few of the suggested changes.
The KHRC is scheduled to meet Dec. 11, at which time it could act on the KEDRC recommendation. The commission also has the right to approve the proposed Standarbred document if it believes the rules should be uniform for all racing breeds.
KEDRC members Sen. Damon Thayer; Rogers Beasley; Gary Lavin, DVM; and Jerry Yon, MD, voted to support the model rules. Trainer Rick Hiles and Andy Roberts, DVM, voted against the changes; they suggested there isn't enough scientific evidence to support changing the cut-off for administration of the bronchodilator clenbuterol from three days before a race to 14 days as recommended by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC).
The vote came after more than an hour of debate.
"This industry is being hurt in the court of public opinion because of perceived or real abuses of medication (in racehorses)," Thayer said. "If we don't try to control our own destiny the federal government is going to take over this sport. The federal government can't even run a website it had three years to prepare for.
"I believe in states' rights," he continued. "There is an opportunity for us to lead. Is (the document) perfect? No. There are actually a few instances in which our regulations are stricter than (the model rules)."
continue to read here
The vote included the rules for Quarter Horse, Arabian, and Appaloosa racing. The KEDRC opted to table action on the Standardbred medication rule given one of two members that represent the breed on the council was absent, and there are concerns over a few of the suggested changes.
The KHRC is scheduled to meet Dec. 11, at which time it could act on the KEDRC recommendation. The commission also has the right to approve the proposed Standarbred document if it believes the rules should be uniform for all racing breeds.
KEDRC members Sen. Damon Thayer; Rogers Beasley; Gary Lavin, DVM; and Jerry Yon, MD, voted to support the model rules. Trainer Rick Hiles and Andy Roberts, DVM, voted against the changes; they suggested there isn't enough scientific evidence to support changing the cut-off for administration of the bronchodilator clenbuterol from three days before a race to 14 days as recommended by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC).
The vote came after more than an hour of debate.
"This industry is being hurt in the court of public opinion because of perceived or real abuses of medication (in racehorses)," Thayer said. "If we don't try to control our own destiny the federal government is going to take over this sport. The federal government can't even run a website it had three years to prepare for.
"I believe in states' rights," he continued. "There is an opportunity for us to lead. Is (the document) perfect? No. There are actually a few instances in which our regulations are stricter than (the model rules)."
continue to read here
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