By Dan Ross
A conference call among a variety of California industry stakeholders Tuesday brought further clarity to a state-wide California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rule change, which went into effect Mar. 1, concerning what can be administered to a horse after the time it has been entered to race.
The rule changes–which the CHRB adopted on an emergency basis in January, then formally approved Feb. 20–had caused confusion and concern among certain trainers about how it would impact their training programs.
Tuesday's conference call brought clarity to two of the main sticking points concerning the rule changes. For one, electrolytes and amino acids can still be fed to a horse after entry day, though not administered via any other means, like an oral syringe.
Second, the rules surrounding three nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)-phenylbutazone (bute), flunixin, and ketoprofen-will remain for the time being. Presently, these NSAIDS cannot be administered after a horse is deemed entered. Current rules stipulate that a horse is deemed entered to race at midnight the day the entries close. The Stronach Group (TSG) has recently narrowed entries across its California tracks-Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields-to three days before a race.
Prior to the recent rule changes, those three NSAIDs were prohibited for use within 48 hours of a race. Baedeker said that CHRB chairman, Dr. Greg Ferraro, will put on the agenda for the next meeting language to remove bute, flunixin, and ketoprofen from the post entry-day prohibition in order to once again impose upon them a static 48-hour withdrawal time.
The next CHRB meeting is scheduled for Mar. 19 at Cal Expo in Sacramento.
Confusion reigned when a CHRB memo circulated among trainers towards the end of last week outlined the rule changes, catching trainers unawares. The memo read that, “Horses entered to race shall only be given water, hay, and grain until post time,” and that, “no drugs, medications, or substances shall be administered to a horse after it is deemed entered to race.”
Some trainers had voiced concern that the language in the memo concerning “water, hay and grain” might exempt certain feedstuffs like sweet-feed after entry day. According to Baedeker, there's no such prohibition on feedstuffs after entry day.
“You can still do what you were doing before with feed. You can still use sweet feed. You can feed an apple.” Baedeker said. “There's no prohibition against that, as long as what you're giving your horse is not prohibited.”
The memo circulated last week further stated that the following substances can be administered by injection until 24 hours before post time: injectable vitamins, tetanus antitoxin or tetanus toxoid (if the horse receives a wound), and approved anti-ulcer medications. Lasix is still permitted race-day.
Because entries are taken at some California tracks longer than three days before a race, some trainers voiced concerns about shipping horses long distances under the new rules, especially during the hot summer months.
Entries for Friday at Santa Anita were taken Tuesday. According to Greg Avioli, president and CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, there had been “concern” among stakeholders that the recent confusion over the rule changes would negatively impact Friday's card.
“But entries for this Friday have come in stronger than entries for last Friday,” Avioli said.
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