vet scratches

The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation, which met Tuesday, will reduce the number of days a horse must be on the vet's list for unsoundness from 14 days down to seven. The rule change, first reported by Paulick Report, was announced during the meeting by Dr. George Mundy and will take effect immediately. "Our whole mission is to have the same rules all over. This aligns with HISA and it helps the owners and trainers with these horses, if there's a realistic timeframe for them to get off the...

On this week's TDN Writers' Room, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus discussed recent developments like the Lasix vote, the controversy over regulatory vet scratches, and the historically low injury rates under HISA.

The vet scratch is a baked-in component of the sport. It isn't going away. But is there a way to make the system better, more efficient? On the one hand is the regulatory vet world, arguing that criticism of their vital role is not only damaging to the sport but often misleading (the latter argument they back up with statistical support). On the other hand are the trainers and owners on the receiving end of a vet scratch decision who feel that too many sound horses are getting caught up...