Third-Party Lasix Approved in California

The state of California has now officially approved rules establishing that race-day medication must be administered by independent veterinary professionals, according to a release from the California Horse Racing Board. The California Office of Administrative Law advised the CHRB Thursday that amendments to CHRB Rules 1433 and 1845, which the board approved in April, have passed review and can now go into effect, with full implementation expected later this year.

Under the new rules, Lasix will be the only authorized bleeder medication and the only medication that can be administered to horses on raceday. Lasix must be administered by board-approved independent veterinarians within certain timeframes, methods, and doses, and the syringes used for those injections will be retained for future analysis as needed. Other requirements and restrictions imposed by the new rules will further improve race-day security.

California joins 20 states which have adopted the policy governing third-party Lasix, which was developed by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and is a key component of the National Uniform Medication Policy promulgated by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI).

“We are pleased with the final resolution of this medication issue,” said Mary Forney, Executive Director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “The TOC has worked with the CHRB for several years to develop acceptable protocols for third-party Lasix administration. We have consistently supported the national Uniform Medication Guidelines, which allow for pre-race, third-party administration of Lasix, a therapeutic medication that has been consistently shown to decrease the incidence and severity of EIPH [exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage].”

Joe Morris, The Stronach Group's Senior Vice-President of West Coast Operations, added, “Third-Party Lasix is a policy The Stronach Group and our horsemen have supported to ensure integrity and transparency for all horses competing in California. This rule change along with the state-of-the-art new video surveillance system that covers the entire stable area at Santa Anita will lead the industry with the highest standards of safety and security.”