The Kentucky Equine Education Project has released a statement in support of regulations proposed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to phase out Lasix, limit the use of bisphosphonates and align the state's drug withdrawal schedules to RMTC standard.
The full statement follows:
“As the Kentucky Legislature's Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations makes their final review of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's (KHRC) proposed regulations for the gradual phasing out of the use of Lasix, restrictions on the off-label use of bisphosphonates, and aligning withdrawal schedule to RMTC standard, the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and its board of directors strongly urge legislators to support these regulations.
KEEP has been at the forefront in advocating for new regulations that ensure the health and safety of horses and jockeys, as well as protecting the future of the sport. In April of 2019, KEEP's board issued a statement in support of banning Lasix, in addition to other suggested industry reforms. In December of 2019, KEEP's board voted to support the regulations that legislators are now reviewing.
Kentucky's horse industry finds itself at a crossroads. Thanks to the success of historical horse racing and a strengthened racing circuit in the state, the industry has seen growth across the Commonwealth and now leads all other states in nearly every metric. During the pandemic, horse racing nationally has seen an increase in interest and viewership with the resumption of racing. However, the industry has also seen strong, organized opposition in association with an increase in public awareness and attention to health and safety issues over the last few years.
It is important to implement these regulations now, while committing the KHRC, legislators and the industry to ongoing and data-driven re-assessments once they are in practice and their impact can be evaluated. The KHRC can propose updates to the regulations in order to achieve their overarching goals, if needed.
In order to secure the future of the industry and its more than $3.4-billion economic impact on the state, it is vital that the KHRC's carefully considered proposed regulations be supported by the Kentucky Legislature.”
KEEP is a not-for-profit grassroots organization created in 2004 to preserve, promote and protect Kentucky's signature multi-breed horse industry.
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