KY Approves Race-Day Salix Ban; Battle Looms

From bloodhorse.com: The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, by a 7-5 vote with one abstention June 13, approved an administrative regulation that would ban the use of furosemide on race-day in graded and listed stakes over a three-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

Whether it is enacted remains to be seen. Horsemen after the vote said they intend to lobby lawmakers to oppose the regulation, and there were indications from the KHRC that if other major racing states don’t follow suit by next year, the regulation could be re-examined.

Under the regulation—which now must make its way through a lengthy legislative review process—furosemide, an anti-bleeding medication also known as Salix or Lasix, would not be permitted in graded or listed stakes for 2-year-olds in 2014. The prohibition would expand until it includes all horses in graded or listed stakes in Kentucky by 2016.

The regulation includes a penalty schedule for horses found to have Salix in their systems on race day.

Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70530/ky-approves-race-day-salix-ban-battle-looms#ixzz1xi8L9ESN