The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is submitting a letter to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade outlining significant progress in the national reform effort to enhance the safety and integrity of racing. The letter will be presented by Rep. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, who is a member of the subcommittee that is scheduled to meet Nov. 21 for a hearing to discuss H.R. 2012, Horseracing Safety and Integrity Act of 2013.
Signed by Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the NTRA, as well as chairman of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the letter details comprehensive and far-reaching advances in uniform national medication guidelines, an enhanced penalty system focused on repeat offenders, restrictions on the use and administration of furosemide (Lasix), and a laboratory accreditation and quality assurance program.
Eight states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast have already committed to enacting the reforms. Nearly a dozen other states are in the process of adopting them. Meanwhile, industry representatives are appearing before the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday to advocate for adoption of the reforms in California and, earlier this week, the Illinois Racing Board overwhelmingly approved the initiation of rulemaking that will lead to that state's compliance.
"We continue to work cooperatively with regulators and local industry groups in multiple jurisdictions to push this initiative forward," Waldrop said in a release.
"You have our commitment that we will work diligently toward full implementation of the reforms on a nationwide basis, because the reforms are in the best interest of the health and safety of both horse and rider, enhance the integrity of our sport, ensure a level playing field for our competitors, assist horsemen who race in multiple jurisdictions, and accomplish the uniform regulation of racing in the United States," the three-page letter states.
The Reforms are accessible online at http://www.ntra.com/feeds/testingrules.html and a current list of nearly 60 major industry organizations that have urged their adoption can be viewed at http://ntra.com/lg/IndustrySupporters.html.
The full text of the letter is accessible online at http://www.ntra.com/lg/IndustryReforms.html.